CMW Live: America's Sweetheart RANCHO RELAXO - MAR. 9 One of the wonderful things about Canadian Music Week is the gracious acceptance of non-Canadian bands. It is in true Canuck fashion that we share our week with others, especially others that can rock. America's Sweetheart, hailing from the New York/New Jersey neck of the woods, is one of those bands who can not only rock, but one that has a great time doing it. The intimate Rancho crowd of about 30 was treated to 45 minutes of charged-up sassy-ness with a hint of rockabilly that caused an influx of head-bopping throughout the cozy, but very accessible venue. The opening track, "Lazy Lady," set the mood with just the right amount of bounce. The unusual three-girls-to-one-boy ratio worked extremely well for this band. The punch continued as the halfway mark of the 11-track set approached. The fourth song, "Want Your Smile," from the new record, Rainbow Party, was a crowd pleaser. With its delightfully trashy, howling chorus, "Boys. I like boys" brought about the unmistakable echoes of a girly rock ensemble with a flood of energy. Three tracks following, "Cute But Dumb" (also from Rainbow Party) gave a taste of how catchy and playable the band can be, with its radio-friendly rhythms. If you like London, Ontario's The Weekend, this band will be of particular interest to you. With some spring in their step, and plenty of smiles, America's Sweetheart played a show that was plain, old fun. This band works well when they're playing for an intimate crowd; they infused the right amount of life without scaring people away. That vibe seemed to be exactly what the band was going for, and by the time guitarist CT took the mic for the title track "Rainbow Party" towards the end of the set, his vocals broke things up a bit, and widened the smiles on the faces of the patrons. With a good use of harmonies and a wonderful ability to keep things moving, America's Sweetheart is a band that was an absolute treat to see at CMW. Keep a look out for them . . . they'll be around.