Though they became an official band in 2005, the members of this up-and-coming Shawnigan Lake-based three-piece have been jamming together since 2000—and it shows on their recent release. Reminiscent of hot days by the lake and chilly nights on the beach huddled around a campfire, Listening Party’s Who Are We Missing? is surely one of best folk/rock records of 2008. Joined by Victoria’s Run Chico Run on vocals and some bang-a-rang-ing good African drum beats on several tracks, you can only imagine starry nights of collaborative, musical majestry resonating across the entire lake; like a wild bird call, it lures all the wild creatures, underwater sea beasts, Ogopogos, Bigfoots, Yetis and local fisherman to the shining shimmering fiery light for a full-on pow-wow. No, these are not your typical “Kumbayas” and golden-brown roasted marshmallows, these are the kind of dudes mixing graham crackers, chocolate chips and Kraft Jet Puffs, playing slow melodic tunes like “Song and Sea,” followed by foot-stomping lyrical mind warps like “Sky Hopping,” and bad-ass love ballads like “Sweet Roseanna.” Yup, everything about these guys rules. And their name could not embody their purpose more, because this band definitely makes for a good, well, listening party.