Since their 2012 formation, Toronto quintet July Talk have thrived on the inherent tension between their two lead singers—the raspy Peter Dreimanis and the radiant Leah Fay. But that’s just one of many contradictions playing out in a group that has one foot in the Canadian arena-rock circuit and the other firmly planted in indie ideologies. On their self-titled 2015 debut, songs like “Summer Dress” and “Guns + Ammunition” used bluesy Black Keys grooves to smuggle salacious Nick Cave-like narratives onto mainstream radio. Their single “Beck + Call” from 2016’s Touch brought the supernatural squeals of guest throat singer Tanya Tagaq into the Top 5. And while 2020’s Pray For It eased off the gritty riffage for more expansive, synth-centric arrangements, the cleaner presentation only amplified the cutting, Trump-era social commentary in the lyrics, making it July Talk’s third album in a row to win the Juno Award for Alternative Album of the Year.