Photo courtesy of We Are Solid Gold

Taking their name from the Woody Allen short story “Fine Times: An Oral Memoir,” the Fine Times’ self-titled debut is informed by the works of Albert Camus and bassist Jeff Powell’s own struggle “to find meaningfulness in a relationship with another person.” Unlike the literary figures they take inspiration from though, the Vancouver group doesn’t hammer you over the head with their woes. In “Strays,” the lead single from their forthcoming LP, Fine Times stay upbeat, transforming their despondency into a youthful, reverb-glazed jingle. It’s existentialism that goes down easy.