Never short on smart ‘n’ manic drama, Montreal-based avant-pop quartet Shapes and Sizes open previously unreleased, second-album outtake “Annihilator” with a flourish: Caila Thompson-Hannant sets the stage (“When posed with a question of killing for mercy / she would never falter”) before launching headlong into a spaced, jittery “annihilator” alongside an arcing, percussive racket. When she hits her stride, shouting about how she has plans for her “little cauliflower,” the vocalist conjures a punk, less cutesy Lavender Diamond … Rainer Maria minus the emo? A fleshier Young People?

The track ends when she opts to take that veggie home “but not to mama” — a hush comes over the proceedings, before a bass thump and some studio chatter (a prize to anyone who can make out what they’re saying) extends the exit with a seemingly ad hoc coda. We’re curious why “Annihilator” didn’t make the Split Lips, Winning Hips, A Shiner cut, but are more than glad the lil’ life ‘n’ death-marching-hymn-that-could has finally surfaced.

• Shapes And Sizes – “Annihilator”Download

Split Lips, Winning Hips, A Shiner is out on Asthmatic Kitty

You can catch Shapes And Sizes live, often with fellow vocal acrobats Yeasayer:

09/12 – Montreal, QC @ Orange Divan
09/13 – Rochester, NY @ The Bugjar #
09/14 – Alfred, NY @ Alfred University #
09/15 – Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Tavern #
09/16 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Garfield Art Works #
09/17 – Athens, OH @ Baker Union #
09/18 – Bloomington, IN @ Waldron Arts #
09/19 – Grand Rapids, MI @ Calvin College #
09/20 – Chicago, IL @ Schubas #
09/21 – Richmond, IN @ Comstock Room, Runyan Center #
09/22 – Champaign, IL @ Canopy Club ‘Pygmalion Music Festival’ #
09/24 – Durham, NC @ Duke University Coffee House #
09/25 – Washington, DC @ Black Cat #
09/26 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Khyber #
09/27 – New York City, NY @ Cake Shop #
09/28 – Providence, RI @ as220 #
09/29 – Hanover, NH @ Rocket Fuel Club %

# with Yeasayer
% with Cool Kids