"Rocking out in marital bliss, Ryan Stanley (guitar, vocals) and Jackie Stanley (drums, vocals) demonstrate the awesome capabilities of a two-piece when both members are actually talented (cough, Meg White). Any similarities to the White Stripes are purely aesthetic though, as Arrows' slightly warped, toweringly passionate rock has roots in the folk and punk leanings of Pavement and Nirvana, even extending towards the dynamic classical progressions of Mew, in places. Ryan's guitar playing is full-bodied and harmonically inventive, filling the speakers with thunderous power chords or deft picking patterns that capably cover the absent bass space. Jackie is a powerhouse on the kit, choosing her parts supportively while maintaining a stomping intensity to match the vigour of the duo's poetic, socially reflective lyrical sentiments. Constant harmonies keep the songs sounding full and the raw, self-recorded production seems suitable for this adept opening volley from these indie rock revolutionaries."
~Exclaim! (December 2007) "Without colour-coded gimmicks or incestuous insinuations, Arrows bring a dark and brooding melodic density to the husband-and-wife guitar/drum duo genre. On their debut, Knives Are Falling From the Sky, Guelph's Mr. and Mrs. Stanley bury the mixing board's needle to get maximum impact out of former Vermicious Knid member Ryan's burly distortion and Jackie's brittle skins-bashing. Their gorgeous boy-girl harmonies and traded verses aside, it's a sound that effectively marries Lightning Dust with The Melvins. "Into the Cold Quiet" milks every beat, aligning words and chords in syncopated stabs, while "Atoms Remind Us" pairs a soaring melody with plodding yet effective riffs. But it's the nuanced power chords, obscure lyrics and crashing, existential excitement of opener "Here in Time," as well as the title track, that certify Arrows' valiant attempt at a post-grunge masterpiece."
~Eye Weekly (November 2007)
"Ok, so let's get this out of the way: yes, Arrows is a two-piece guitar and bass combo with a male guitarist/singer and female drummer, and they have the same last name. I know what you're thinking. There are a bunch of these popping up all over the place and most of them sound like that other band that fits this profile. Despite these similarities on the surface, Arrows is very different.
First of all, Ryan and Jackie Stanley are indeed married; there's no ambiguousness. They also don't play the blues. They instead play bombastic, dark rock that is musically similar to the heavier moments of Explosions In The Sky or Aereogramme. The music is amazingly dense for a two piece, mostly due to a heavy, fuzz-laden guitar tone and Jackie Stanley's hard-hitting drumming style. There's also the thing that sets them apart from the crowd the most, which is the honest, open nature of the music, something the underground is sorely lacking these days.
While the music is, at it's core, minimalistic, the ideas contained inside the voice, guitar, and drums are far-reaching. The songs are all the same aesthetically, all with the same guitar and drums, the same male and female vocals, with every song clocking in at around 3 1/2 to 4 minutes (except the last song, which is over 5). However, the way parts are strung together with no regard for convention is especially refreshing, and the lyrics and vocals harmonies are both exceptional. The songs range in influence from post-punk and early indie/college rock ("Here In Time") to folk ("With Diligence") to more recent sounds, such as the aforementioned Explosions In The Sky or Mogwai ("Caged Warning").
Let's face it, indie rock as a movement isn't as innocent and honest as it used to be. There was a time where there wasn't so much money involved, there weren't a lot of ears listening, and there were even less voices criticizing. It was easy to make honest music without being buried by your peers or your label. Arrows is almost a throwback in this way. If you miss the time when bands didn't have to be "cool" to be good and could put it all out there on display, check out Arrows."
~Delusions of Adequacy (January 2008)