With the release of their sophomore album, We'd Better Be Dreaming (Go-Rock Records), Vancouver's Chris and Cora Burnette are set to hit Toronto with songs about "friends, foes, family and the end of the world." Matt Blair spoke with Cora just moments after she had installed MSN Messenger.

WHAT EXACTLY IS "NEW WAVE COUNTRY KITCHEN PARTY POP?" Who knows? We've been having a hard time describing our music, and that was a compilation of a few different suggestions. I guess we're just trying to get across the various genres we like and see them come across in the songs. Every song is a little different, so that makes for a long description. Chris and I are very different musically in a lot of ways, and that's just what comes out.

YOU PRESENT YOURSELF AS BEING FROM A ROOTS BACKGROUND, WITH CHRIS BEING MORE PUNK ORIENTED. WHEN YOU COME TOGETHER TO WRITE, IS IT GENERALLY THE TWO OF YOU PLAYING THOSE SAME ROLES? It's hard to say. Every song is different. We both have a long-lived love for punk rock, but Chris has actually been playing in punk bands since he was like 12, and I have always leaned toward writing rock, folk and blues based songs. I guess that's what happens when you're locked in a room with just you, a guitar and a shitload of Zeppelin albums. Chris definitely adds an electrical element, and our songs are a combination of both. But I must say, they all stem from good old-fashioned down-home front porch jamming.

DO YOU FIND THAT YOUR RELATIONSHIP AFFECTS YOUR CREATIVE PARTNERSHIP? We don't try and hide the fact that we're together on stage or anything, and we've even been known to bitch at each other pre-show (okay, just me bitching at him). But what it comes down to is that we love playing together, and making music together. A huge part of it is the recording process. We do everything ourselves at home and love it. I won't lie and say its all roses. Anyone who's ever worked with their mate knows that it's a lot of work and not always easy, but it's very rewarding. Besides, Chris is my guitar hero, so what's not to enjoy? Plus, now we have a mediator on tour with us, which is always nice! We call him "the Ref."

THE REF? Our new drummer. His name is Kreg "Mung" Brow, and he comes from a post-industrial noise background, but we convinced him that folk music was good for the soul. And when things get ugly between me and Chris, he'll just stare off into the distance until we shut up. It works out great.

YOUR MUSIC IS OBVIOUSLY THE PRODUCT OF A VERY INVOLVED LEVEL OF COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE TWO OF YOU. DO YOU FIND THAT ON STAGE, YOUR SUPPORTING MUSICIANS BRING A LOT OF THEMSELVES INTO THE MUSIC? Yes. We much prefer that whoever plays with us writes their own parts. And no, what you hear on the record is not necessarily what you'll hear at a show. The albums are quite layered, with Chris and I adding and playing whatever instruments and parts we feel, and whatever noisemakers are at our disposal. But at a show, or the ones on this tour anyways, you'll be hearing two dueling distorted acoustic guitars, and a full drum kit. No bells and whistles this time.

ON YOUR FIRST ALBUM, THERE'S MORE OF A PLAYFUL SOUND. THE NEW ALBUM, IN CONTRAST, SOUNDS A LITTLE BIT MORE SOMBRE. I've heard that. We're always evolving, I guess. For this album we had a lot of songs we wanted to get out of us. It's all cathartic in a way, isn't it? So it just wound up that way. Chris actually calls it a really dark album, so it's interesting that you pointed that out. I think we were experimenting more with different sounds and techniques. Hey, who knows? Maybe the next album will be all banter! I don't know.

BY MATT BLAIR