Truly an international crew, Montreal foursome Wake Island features musicians from Lebanon, Canada and the United States. It's a brainy band -- one of 'em is studying cell biology -- and that really came through on their 2009 debut, 'Fairytales From the Island,' an attempt to, in their words, "reach a common center" through elaborate, orchestral rock.

Recording the follow-up, the recently released 'It Takes Time to Be Uncomfortable,' the group aimed for a more modern and immediate sound, enlisting producer Jace Lasek (Wolf Parade, the Besnard Lakes) to help them realize their vision.

The result: tunes like 'Use It as a Weapon,' today's free MP3. To our ears, it's a majestically progged-out arena-rock anthem brimming with U2 bravado and infused with the guitar riff from Blondie's 'Atomic,' but Wake Island's description is probably more accurate.

“'Use It As a Weapon' is an explosive psych/pop track featuring driving bass and drums, swirling keys/synths, ear-bending guitars and powerful melancholic vocals," guitarist Nadim Maghzal tells Diffuser.fm, adding that the track "captures Wake Island’s essence."

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