Sound Salvation Army

If music is indeed moving back towards shorter formats like vinyl and digital singles I think we’ll be just fine. While there’s something to be said for the mastery and majesty that goes into crafting a real back-to-front piece of art (ie OK Computer, Paul’s Boutique, or my favourite album of 2009, the Wheat Pool’s Hauntario) there is still the possibility of creating something transcendental on a smaller scale. Many notable bands (including Radiohead and hardcore punks Paint It Black) promised to move exclusively to single formats and why not; digital is king now, right? Well, maybe we won’t go that far.

07. Bon Iver - the Blood Bank EP
If we’re being honest this is really only on here because of the title track. That’s it. The rest of it is pretty much unnecessary. Especially that goddamn vocoder or auto-tune or whatever track. Pitchfork can talk about how it runs so contrary to his established aesthetic and how the coldness of the computery sound mirrors the tenor of same. But it sucks a big fat one and that’s all there is to it. But the title track is unimpeachably brilliant. Read more here.

06. Small Brown Bike - Composite, Vol. 1
In my round-up of the top five albums of the year I included a wonderful album called Chasing Hamburg by Polar Bear Club. I lot of why I liked that album has to do with both my and that band’s affection for Small Brown Bike. They were occasionally written-off as Hot Water Music devotees but as their career progressed they developed a more complex post-rock sound that really was unique. To see them reunited and creating new music after a few years apart is goddamn heart-warming. I love this band.

05. the Lazy MKs - A Field Guide To…
A local addition from a group of guys I hadn’t heard of prior to last summer. Their blend of roots and rock, combined with their instrumental aesthetic, is a very singular thing. It’s a purposeful step well outside of the boundaries Regina’s music scene is used to and that boldness should be rewarded, especially since their audience already has been with the release of this EP. Read more here.

04. the Lawrence Arms - Buttsweat and Tears
As long as these guys release something, I’ll include it on a year-end list. That doesn’t diminish the quality of this product, however. Hell, “The Slowest Drink At The Saddest Bar On The Snowiest Day In The Greatest City” alone could carry this EP onto this list, never mind the presence of four other great songs. Their melancholic sense of self-loathing shouldn’t lend itself to music this catchy, but somehow it does. Read more here.

03. A Wilhelm Scream - self-titled EP
Probably the most talented band in punk today takes their first stab at a short-form release in a very long time and make it work. “Fun Time” might be seen as a mis-step if you’re used to hearing them play the most complicated shit they can think of 24/7, but its straight-forward, no frills, pop rock arrangement is just another example of the level of skill these guys possess; they have so many talents they rarely if ever utilize some of them. Read more here.

02. Laura Stevenson & the Cans/Bomb The Music Industry! split 7″
While there are four very good songs on this 7″ one soars above the others (previously documented here). Laura Stevenson’s cover of BTMI!’s “It Ceases To Be ‘Whining’ If You’re Still ‘Shitting Blood’” (yes, gross) is one of most beautiful songs with multiple f-bombs in it I’ve ever heard. Rest assured, that’s an unnecessary qualifier. She can’t help but create slightly off-kilter yet ceaselessly gorgeous songs and here she proves as capable with interpretation as she does with creation.

01. Jon Snodgrass/Cory Branan split LP
Each of these two country-influenced singer-songwriters could’ve released their individual tracks from this release on their own and garnered a spot on this list, but the fact that they combined forces to put out an album of mind-boggling quality makes them a clear favourite for top spot. Snodgrass continues the dour acoustic arrangements that marked some of the high low points of his first solo LP, Visitor’s Band; the highlight here from him is “Wild One,” a tortured plea for a lost lover to come home. His deft chord changes propel a powerful vocal performance to a conclusion that comes way too soon. As for Branan, I’ve NEVER been as immediately and fully impressed by a musician as I was after my first listen to his tracks on this album. Never. I cannot pick a favourite from his songs here; “the Corner” is a meditation on lost love that falls somewhere in between absolute misery and whistful remembrance, “Walk Around” is a joyful romp that runs awfully close to being too clever by half, and “Yeah, So What?” is a shamelessly flirtatious cover that swaggers through its entire length. I swear I’ve listened to this EP 100 times at least since November. It is absolutely without peer.

 

 Standard Podcast: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Small Brown Bike - Hourglass: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 the Lazy MKs - Burgess Lake [3:25m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 the Lawrence Arms - The Slowest Drink In The Saddest Bar On The Snowiest Day In The Greatest City [3:13m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 A Wilhelm Scream - Australias [2:49m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Laura Stevenson & the Cans - It Ceases To Be "Whining" If You're Still "Shitting Blood" [2:50m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Cory Branan - Walk Around [3:10m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Bon Iver: Physical and iTunes
Small Brown Bike: Physical and iTunes
the Lazy MKs: Physical (although you could probably just go to a record store near you) and iTunes
Lawrence Arms: Physical and iTunes
A Wilhelm Scream: Physical and iTunes
Laura Stevenson/BTMI: Physical and iTunes (Bomb The Music Industry! only)
Jon Snodgrass/Cory Branan: Physical and iTunes (together, Branan solo, Snodgrass solo. Keep in mind, however, that Suburban Home/Vinyl Collective has their own digital download service that is cheaper than iTunes. That can be accessed through the first link.

Pat entries A Wilhelm Scream, acoustic, best ofs, Bomb The Music Industry!, Bon Iver, Canadian content, Cory Branan, indie rock, Jon Snodgrass, Laura Stevenson and the Cans, punk rock, Small Brown Bike, the Lawrence Arms, the Lazy MKs, year in review

Chad Van Gaalen (CvG) is clearly a pretty prolific artist. Many people are familiar with the native Calgarian’s credentials as an animator, graphic artist, producer, and — obviously — a musician that perennially appears on the Polaris Prize list. To those familiar with the records released under his own name this latest release, under the moniker Black Mold, shouldn’t come as too much of a shock.

The Black Mold record, Snow Blindness is Crystal Antz, is born of his obsession with multi-track recording and experiments in layering different sounds; not just instrumental music but an incredibly wide range of sound effects and synthesizer noises. On previous albums released under his own name CvG showed a proclivity for noise (the end of Soft Airplane, for example) and the layering of sounds and different noises here is similar to what he brings into his other albums. With those records CvG blends these types of sounds into the mix with varying degrees of subtlety, but generally they’re used to accentuate the excellent live instrumentation. Its a great effect when they come together well and those records deserve the praise they’ve received.

Snow Blindness runs 19 tracks and nearly 70 minutes in total. On some level it makes sense that CvG would have accumulated this glut of material, considering that a lot of experimentation would be needed to take such a wide range of sounds and combine them so successfully on those three LPs and three EPs. Clearly that is the case here and then some.

It’s been kind of tough to review the record as a whole because the tracks swing across all kinds of different spectrums. Some are short and odd, others are more fleshed-out with a subtle interplay between the elements. On the whole it seems like totally random experimentation, like he has been trying to find the perfect combination of instrument and electronic but winds up losing focus at varying stages.

Snow Blindness begins with “Metal Spider Webs,” which opens with an intriguing string duo that is in short order ruined by electronic beeps and static. This really sets the tone for the album, which features some very nice musical elements (oboe, guitar, strings, etc) that are most often overpowered by layered noise and sound effects. There are some very melodic moments and some that sound like the Super Mario Bros. soundtrack being reproduced by an 808 machine.

There is much to like here, but unfortunately it comes in short bursts and is all too often intertwined with many additional layers of sound that muddle and obscure what was originally intriguing and enjoyable. Nearly every track has something beautiful to offer amongst the complexities, so it’s easy to see how the more subtle elements of his other LPs are developed. While the overall effect is a little overwhelming, there are some great interlude tracks for mix tapes, some tracks you can groove to very nicely, and some that are wholly repulsive. This is very much a grab bag.

To me there are two ways to look at this record. You could view it as a representation of a vital aspect of CvG’s method of producing masterful rock records. I always find it interesting to get a view into how artists do what they do and on that level this could be seen as an important record and, as I said, there are a lot of elements to like. On the other hand if viewed on it’s own it is a somewhat unnecessary album that may not appeal to anyone but the most hardcore of CvGs fans.

 

 Black Mold - Metal Spider Webs [2:33m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Black Mold - Memes [3:06m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Chad VanGaalen quite literally has the most austere website of all time, but you can find his physical albums and projects he’s tangentially connected with via his very own label’s webstore. They also wisely run their own digital store.

Jeremy entries Canadian content, Chad VanGaalen, dubious notions, electronic, Flemish Eye Records, indie rock

I went to a show on a Monday and it combined a couple of the oddest things that can happen at a show: knitting and tables and chairs.

Alright, so there’s probably far odder things that can happen at a rock concert, but this is a Monday night. At an Ohbijou show. I don’t think I’ve seen a full set of tables and chairs set out at a “rock” concert at the Exchange since Tegan & Sara’s first cross-Canada tour about ten or eleven years ago. At that gig it made some sense but 95 times out of 100 I just don’t get that mentality.

The knitting thing seemed a little stranger. See, when we first arrived we took one of the empty tables at the back of the room to hold our coats and relax through the opener, Saskatoon’s Slow Down Molasses. The band is fairly engaging, boasting some seven members and probably 14 or 15 instruments in any given song (including a trombone! Yahtzee!). Their indie/country/sleepy conflagration of sounds varies at times from hypnotic gentleness to rousing rock, punctuated by melodica, toy piano, even a goddamn typewriter. I’m not entirely sure how one plays a typewriter musically or what qualifies one to “play” a typewriter, but it was a hell of an interesting thing to see. That’s for sure.

Anyhow, the table in front of us had a couple of young ladies sitting at it drinking some manner of brown ale and knitting. Knitting at a rock venue. At first it seemed kind of disrespectful, but to some extent it did also fit the scene. There were a lot of gentle-looking people there, people that look like they would knit a thing.

The next surprise came when the headliners took the stage. Lo and behold the knitters themselves were among them, heading for piano and violin alike. It seemed vaguely appropriate.

Bandleader Casey Mecija and her band are knitters through and through, metaphorically and, apparently, literally. If nothing else they provide a perfect soundtrack to a night of hand-crafting a scarf or any similarly-relaxational activity. Mecija has described her gentle, frequently-orchestral music as songs written for her boyfriend. She has an extremely strong singing voice that trades off between wistful ache and loving lilt, a commanding presence that fits the compositions perfectly. The songs frequently pulse with insistent bottom-end, pushing the vocals and sprightly guitar along while swirls of violin and cello flesh out the prodigious melodies. Despite being overtly gentle, there are outbursts of emotional intensity that are quite stirring.

In a live setting she’s clearly the focal point of the group. The other five members remain mostly static while she switches between piano, guitar, and bass. Her voice, much like the group’s playing, is unshakable and virtually flawless throughout. This was absolutely one of the most representative live performances I’ve seen, especially in this small a setting. These folks can play like crazy.

The set seemed to go by quickly, the performance rather engaging. I didn’t spend the whole set at a table, I didn’t sit a chair. But I don’t think Ohbijou would mind if I had. The beauty of their music flows regardless of setting or elevation.

 

 Ohbijou - St. Francis [3:55m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Ohbijou - New Years [2:58m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Ohbijou - Darcy [4:25m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Slow Down Molasses - Slow Motion [3:51m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Ohbijou tunes and tees can be found in their online store and through Zunior and iTunes.

Pat entries Canadian content, indie rock, kitting, Ohbijou, pretty things, Slow Dow Molasses, softly rocking, tables and chairs

This post sees its author mired in conflict!

It’s mostly mental though, so don’t fret over my personal safety or anything. See, I’ve written at length, fairly significant length (probably as much as anyone really), about Papermoons, the dreamy melodic indie-rock band from Houston, Texas. I’ve adored their limited output so far and recommended it to all who will listen.

Yesterday I got a note in my inbox from Deep Elm Records, which happens from time to time. It heralded the news of their latest release, the majestic debut full-length from Houston, Texas’ Papermoons! Which seemed odd, because it’s been out for over a year. If you clicked through in the above paragraph, you’ll note it even made my “Best Of” list for the year.

A few e-mails to Deep Elm and to Aaron Danger, the man behind Team Science Records (which originally released New Tales), revealed that the band moved the digital sale of the album to Deep Elm for some reason or another. Danger says it was done in anticipation of a tour, which is cool. I wish this band got out more, as I was crushed when talk of a potential Canadian tour earlier this year didn’t pan out.

Its probably a smart move for the fellows. Even after lying dormant for an extended period of time while they sorted some stuff out, Deep Elm probably has a higher profile than Team Science. If it helps their music reach more people I’m certainly all for it. I think New Tales is a fantastic record that deserves to be heard by as large an audience as possible.

Still, if country music and my prairie upbringing has taught me anything its that you you dance with the one that brought you. I feel kind of sorry for Danger because I know he doesn’t do a lot of releases and he doesn’t put out anything he doesn’t believe in 100%. I hope he isn’t taking the move too personally because he really believed in these guys.

But hooray for Papermoons! If nothing else they’re getting more attention and that’s a very good thing. If you’ve somehow ignored my pleas or are new to the site CHECK OUT THIS RECORD. It is beyond phenomenal.

 

 Papermoons - Bad Notes: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Papermoons - Follow The Su [3:03m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Team Science still has copies of the limited CD pressing of the album available through its website. It looks like Deep Elm does as well, in addition to the digital release. Digital monolith iTunes has it too.

Pat entries Aaron Danger, Deep Elm Records, indie rock, melodic rock, Papermoons, Team Science Records

Its ironic that someone who so perfectly embodies the dregs of American pop culture is one of Said The Whale’s biggest boosters.

I nearly junked the email from the band’s publicists when it hit my inbox, boldly displaying a laudatory quote from none other than Perez Fucking Hilton in the body of the letter. That’s right, the world’s biggest dinkbag endorsed an earlier single by the band, saying, “If the Killers and Badly Drawn Boy were to have a love child, it’d be Said The Whale.” As though Perez Hilton would know the first thing about love; as far as I can tell hate is his sole reason for existence. Moreover, I don’t really hear the Killers in this at all.

What you will get is a healthy dose of acoustic guitar-driven indie pop with an eye on the ever-expanding horizon that is available to the band’s members, both as Vancouver residents and as a touring band. They write what they know and since the release of their first full-length they’ve gotten to know a lot of Canada.

“Dear Elkhorn” and “Holly, ON” bookend the album, literally, their shared chord progression effectively starting and ending a journey across a large nation (even if they aren’t that far apart, geographically speaking). Manitoba and Ontario lie on the outskirts of the tracklisting, while Alberta, Saskatchewan, the Eastern island provinces, and of course B.C. (in several instances) are all touchstones or inspirations for the songs here.

The record begins memorably. The deliberate opening track is a gradual introduction, the bands complex vocal harmonies taking center stage and providing a transition into the bouncy, almost ebullient “Out On The Shield.” It’s an incredibly catchy number paced by frantic drum runs and sprightly piano. However that exuberance misrepresents the song’s lyrics, which concern discontented residents of a far-off mining town wishing for a less-isolated urban environment. The pace gets reigned in sharply on “B.C. Orienteering,” which sounds like a Roy Orbison song in so many ways its a little scary.

“Camilo (the Magician)” will command much of the attention the band will see this year. Showcased earlier this summer on an EP sharing a similar title, this is some bare-bones power-pop that is practically New Pornographic. While the song is dizzying in its pop prowess, it does showcase what is an occasional weakness for the band: the lyrics. I have no idea what this song is about. Apparently a magician that makes a car move….with his mind, perhaps?

The Whalers paint a more evocative picture on tracks like “A Black Day In December,” a story about the city of Vancouver failing to be prepared for or deal with an unusually brutal snowstorm. “Out On The Shield” is a simple idea wonderfully developed, encapsulating the intense malaise of the song’s characters. Even “Goodnight Moon” eventually transcends its opening moments, an homage to the famed child’s story. The common thread is the wistful and idolatry Canadian-ness of it all, the observations and memories intertwined around deft vocal melodies and meaty harmonies that give the songs not only staying power but also layers to digest later on.

Regardless of whether or not its the Perez bump at work or the band’s ability to capitalize on a few thousand extra MySpace hits, it appears to be working. In more ways than one, actually: not only is this a catchy and compelling listen, it is apparently tearing up the inter-charts. Islands Disappear hit the top of iTunes’ “alternative” chart and reached #5 on the album chart shortly after its release. As long as they don’t get dismissed for being a part of indie rock’s latest animal obsession they just might make the big time.

 

 Said The Whale - Camilo the Magician [2:53m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Said the Whale - Out On The Shield [2:56m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Islands Disappear is available physically here and (shocker!) iTunes has digitalz.

They aren’t hitting Regina this time around, but they are spreading the love:
Oct 24th - St. John’s, NL - The Ship
Oct 28th - Toronto, ON - El Mocambo
Oct. 31st - Thunder Bay, ON - The Apollo
Nov 2nd - Winnipeg, MB - Pyramid
Nov 4th - Saskatoon, SK - Amigos
Nov 5th - Calgary, AB - SAIT Gateway
Nov 6th - Edmonton, AB - Brixx
Nov 7th - Lethbridge, AB - Henotic
Nov 8th - Canmore, AB - Communitea
Nov 9th - Kelowna, BC - Habitat

Pat entries Canadian content, indie rock, pop rock, rock, Said The Whale

Is it wrong to inherently question the motivations of a band based solely on the fact that they’re from LA?

I only ask because I’m noticing a common thread emerging from Lemonwilde’s debut EP, Red Room. The band plays a brooding, atmospheric rock and roll that, as many reviewers have already noticed, seems tailor-made for motion pictures. But is it a case of art or artifice? Is it a natural direction or is their writing influenced by the fact that they work in the heart of America’s TV and movie industry? Do they write songs for themselves or for studio music directors?

I feel bad about questioning the motives of the gentlemen in this group, because regardless of motivation they’ve written a surprisingly well-developed, mature, and genuinely interesting little record. Dark and broody seems to be the order of the day around here, and Lemonwilde fit that description. They have a very unique sense of drama about their music that is very admirable. They further develop it by incorporating electronic elements into their tapestry of sound, but not in a way that seems cloying or smacks of effort.

I think “Finding Jesus In Math” is the best example of what these gents are capable of. The song has wonderful tension and build, some dynamic bass work, and keyboard and piano parts that help build up to the burst of guitar fireworks at the climax. Lyrically it isn’t breaking any new ground, but the bleak view of love is definitely in keeping with the general aesthetic of the track.

Its an engaging, albeit short, listen that shares some common threads with mope-rock groups like Elbow and Muse. If that’s your cup of tea you could certainly do far worse than this EP, but I think the true test comes from the LP. If Lemonwilde can maintain their consistency across a full-length album then we might have a real contender on our hands.

As for the question posited at the beginning of this post, listen and decide for yourself.

 

 Lemonwilde - Finding Jesus In Math [4:12m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

The band is providing the EP in its entirety for free on their otherwise minimalist website. If you dig it, head to iTunes and pay for it. You can also read some entertainingly hyperbolic reviews on their album page.

Pat entries broody, indie rock, LA, Lemonwilde, rock

I quite like the cover of this record. Its a nice piece of photography, yes, but like a really good record cover should it speaks to what the listener has to look forward to once that plastic cling wrap is removed.

With If I Don’t Come Home You’ll Know I’m Gone Ontario’s the Wooden Sky have crafted an intensely, at times achingly, personal record with a stark confessional tone that makes it seem like you’re looking in on Gavin Gardner’s dirty laundry as it spins inside the washing machine of his brain. Every failed relationship, every shameful wish for harm to befall an ex, every wilting plea for reconciliation, its all in these songs.

The band identifies as folk-rock but they have worked hard to tone down the rock and connect more heavily with their roots (double meaning!) since their first record. Throughout the album there are subtle guitar arrangements, gentle percussion, sprightly piano, even a whirly-wind. Texture comes from violins, organ, even clarinet at one point. The pace has been scaled way back from the group’s first album (re-released last year), many of the songs slinking by in a subdued manner, punctuated by barely-perceptible percussion and Gardner’s emotive vocals.

The rock edge pops up once in a while on tracks like, “When We Were Young,” countered by the frail and lovely “Oslo,” with its fragile lady-singing harmony and echoey steel guitar. “Angels” boasts a slick, fluid tempo change that really stands out against Gardner’s shouted vocals (singing that would fit right alongside current tourmates Elliott Brood). The easy, lilting vocal melodies are the thread that runs the full length of the album, elevating first single “Something Hiding For Us In The Night” above its meandering tempo and creating a dynamic sing-along song in “the Late King Henry.”

The arrangements on the album are incredibly engaging and far from uniform. The seeming undercurrent of melancholy never gets mired in hopelessness and the band sequences the album well, providing a couple of energetic, rockier breaks to counteract the more dour low points. Its a move that demonstrates their growth and maturity as songwriters and recording artists. It’s also the hallmark of someone that is actually considering the album as a wholly unified piece of work, something I quite appreciate.

The Wooden Sky is in the midst of a cross-Canada tour with self-professed “death country” superheroes Elliott Brood, which is bringing them to Regina on Thursday. Based on the strength of this album I wouldn’t be surprised to see them winning over a LOT of fans when they hit the stage. This is an extremely strong record that nestles right into the current slate of vaguely rootsy artists in our country like Cuff The Duke, Elliott Brood, et al. Turns out the self-reflection evinced by the cover photo is a good fit for the Wooden Sky.

 

 the Wooden Sky - My Old Ghosts [3:02m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 the Wooden Sky - Call If You Need Me [2:45m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

The Wooden Sky’s webstore is apparently closed. But opening soon. I guess you could go to a record store and find the album, but isn’t it easier just to hop over to iTunes, you lazy so-and-so?

Canadian tour dates are:
10/01/2009 - Regina, SK @ The Exchange
10/02/2009 - Saskatoon, SK @ Amigos
10/03/2009 - Edmonton, AB @ Starlite
10/04/2009 - Calgary, AB @ Dickens
10/05/2009 - Lethbridge, AB @ Henotic
10/06/2009 - Nelson, BC @ Spirit Bar
10/07/2009 - Vancouver, BC @ Biltmore
10/08/2009 - Victoria, BC @ Sugar

ALSO:
While these guys are playing the Exchange tomorrow night, don’t forget that blog favourites Final Fantasy and Timber Timbre will be very gently rocking the same stage tonight, Wednesday evening. I got free tickets from the good folks at the Prairie Dog, but you should come out and fork over some cash too.

Pat entries Blackball Records, Canadian content, folk rock, indie rock, live music, rock, the Wooden Sky

It turns out the track Pitchfork released a number of weeks ago was quite representative of Why?’s new album as a whole.

“This Blackest Purse” is Eskimo Snow in a microcosm: heavy on the piano and sombre in its sentiment. It marks a continued slide away from the morbid jocularity seen on the group’s last two albums, the lyrics outlining a seemingly-genuine sense of dire self-awareness, aging, and impending death.

Those undercurrents run through every song in this cycle; quite a feat, considering it was pretty much entirely recorded during the sessions for Alopecia, the songs broken up into two records during mixing. Its clear why a delineation had to be made, as there is nothing here that approaches the dizzying pop heights of “Fatalist Palmistry” or the dark storytelling of “the Hollows” or “These Few Presidents.” The group is pretty much leaving hip-hop behind completely, bringing a close to the transformation that has been slowly progressing through Elephant Eyelash and Alopecia, swinging into indie rock territory and prettying up their tunes. There is almost no programmed beats or drum machines on these songs, giving the album a warmer, more organic tenor. Most significantly Wolf sounds world-weary and resigned on many of these tracks, like he’s seeing the end of something big just ahead of him.

But he’s in no hurry to get there. The tempo of the album is slowed way down, like the band downed a few bottles of cough syrup before they started writing. Nearly all the songs save the last track are arranged around Wolf’s piano parts, dour and minor key as a whole (ironic, as an alternate “sock hop” version of the title track was released earlier this year on a Tiny Mix Tape compilation, replete with pianos). The combination of the two almost makes it seem like Wolf wrote the album in the midst of one long migraine headache, not wanting to extend himself too far or turn the volume up too loud. “Eskimo Snow” and “One Rose” feature gently finger-picked acoustic guitar, glock, even some atmospherics and synthesized strings. Hell, even the percussion is frequently scaled back; while each song boats live drums, malleted toms and cymbals give the rhythm section on several songs a plodding, wide bottom end.

“Into The Shadows of My Embrace” and “Against Me” bring the tempo up, the former also hewing the closest to Alopecia’s lyrical tone. Wolf dips back into the shameless confessionals, describing how his neighbours can hear him masturbating, how he made out with his shrink, and the discovery of an animal carcass at an old home. But while it gives a hint of the familiar to long-time listeners it also sticks out like a sore thumb to some extent, with Wolf even catching himself from actually spitting out the inevitable conclusion to one of his least-challenging lines. But while its a bit more playful than the other songs, it still centers around death, crippling insecurity, and Wolf’s general lack of emotion.

Now don’t get me wrong, its not as though nebulous existential queries about life, death, and the downward spiral haven’t been asked on previous records; its more that they’ve never seemed so resigned or hopeless as they do here. Wolf is constantly talking about what will happen when he’s gone, about the inevitable degradation a person’s body goes through on a day-to-day basis, or the way in which a man should die. He opines on the fragility of man, insisting that even the most pleasurable moments of life have detrimental effects, equating sex to walking and smoking at the same time. Dark thoughts abound outside of the big sleep, of course; Wolf also expresses some inner turmoil about himself, how he feels being seen as an artist, and the struggle people feel trying to be comfortable with their body. At one point he compares lovers to matchbox cars lost in the brush for years, covered with moss when they’re finally exposed to the world.

And yes, the dude can still turn one hell of a phrase. “Against Me” is downright replete with them. “The rain doesn’t respect state lines, why would you?” he asks rhetorically before launching into the significantly less-elegant, “I’ve heard electricity can travel up your piss stream.” Perhaps the most shining example of the tenor and content of the album as a whole is the churning, “One Rose,” where he laments his very existence. “I got jumped into living by a coven of midwives,” he complains, having already insisted that, “A man should die gaunt/and not bloated and overdone/there should be new words hidden/in the shadows on his face/and like a wine glass/in a perfect pitch/he breaks.” And just when you think you’re heading into an uplifting chorus he hits you with the even more bleak, “And always one rose grows through a littered lot of gravel/or we’re struck dumb and doomed when it doesn’t.”

“One Rose” also happens to kick off what is possibly one of the greatest back halves of an album I’ve heard in the last ten years. Its sparse finger-picking, malleted drums, and elegiac tone leads into the driving, tacked-piano of “On Rose Walk, Insomniac.” “Berkley By Hearseback” is just as lovely musically as the wordplay of the title is, its own overriding pallor of death contrasted by the sprightly guitar figures, building percussion, and a rare uplifting vocal melody. “This Blackest Purse” has the sombre keys of Ben Folds’ darkest moments (according to Pitchfork anyway). “Eskimo Snow” features slighty reverb-treated acoustic guitar picking, airy, muggy keys and Wolf’s most naked vocal yet. It reads like a hopeless tale of loneliness, a desperate man hurling his each and every prayer and private thought into the public without really understanding why or how it will help. A person who’s searching for answers inside himself and coming up empty.

Eskimo Snow is a very difficult listen, there’s no getting around that. It’s different even for a band that cut its teeth on being different. It’s depressing as shit if you let it get to you, but at the same time so disarmingly beautiful you’ll keep coming back for more. Astounding.

 

 Why? - Berkeley By Hearseback [3:40m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Why? - On Rose Walk, Insomniac [2:08m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Why? albums are most definitely freely available from Anticon Records’s web page and iTunes, as always.

Pat entries Anticon Records, indie rock, not hip-hop, Why?

There is apparently no shortage of charismatic guitar rock in oil country.

A few months ago we heaped glowing praise on the Dudes’ latest album; now their spiritual cousins in the Fast Romantics are looking to grab some of the spotlight with the release of their self-titled debut.

The Romantics play a brand of rock and roll that simply doesn’t work without a lot of confidence and a very assured swagger is evident on this record. Don’t worry: it falls well short of cock rock but brings the handclaps, bluesy riffing, and lead guitar skronks you’d expect of a quality Canadian guitar rock band.

Immediate comparisons have been made to groups like Blur and Spoon and in many ways they make sense. The band has the purposeful guitar stab of Spoon and the propulsive, often-buoyant bass is as integral here as it was on Kill the Moonlight and Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga. The songs collected here have plenty of charisma and the well-toned keys are a nice flourish, but the band seems to be a touch less playful than Blur.

Some high energy marks the album’s opening, the initial three tracks serving as some of its strongest numbers. The quartet opens the bag of tricks wide on first cut “Spooning the Gorilla,” grooving stabs at guitar and bass joined by purposeful drums, handclaps, and oozin’ aahs maximizing the pop sound. Some nice arhythmic bass flurries co-mingle with playful guitar leads and some impressive drum fills on the second track. The song also has a well-layered sound with the backing vocals a constant presence throughout and a strong, almost Brian Wilson-esque harmony in the chorus. The beat on “Moneymouth” is a classic, most recently resurrected for Jet’s “Are You Going To Be My Girl?” The song is also supported by a familiarly-funky bass intro and tambourine. Whether or not it indicates a desire for crossover appeal remains to be seen.

The remainder of the record strikes a middle ground, that question of intent coming up again and again. There is a heavy late 70’s boogie rock influence happening here, with some Ray Manzarek keys coming in on many of the tracks. The arrangements are deft, the solos noteworthy, but the band definitely falls into a comfort zone. While each song has its own subtle differences there is a bit of same-ness to the bulk of the Fast Romantics.

Closing track “Mr. Magoo” attempts to break from that, incorporating strings and a New Orleans-style horn showdown into a positively Tom Waits-ian shanty song before breaking back into a rock and roll rumble. Its definitely the odd man out here and it stretches the listener in a way that might’ve played better earlier in the album, couched among the slate of similar-sounding tracks.

This is an album that’s been several years in the works for the group’s songwriters, one of whom was nearly killed in a car crash during the recording sessions. The songs have definitely been polished to an immaculate sheen during that time, the level of and attention to detail being very striking. But having said that, its kind of a shame it doesn’t result in a more memorable product. The Fast Romantics isn’t an offensive or boring listen by any stretch, but it seems to fall short of mind-blowing — though not for lack of trying.

 

 the Fast Romantics - Spooning The Gorilla [3:38m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 the Fast Romantics - Mr. Magoo [3:58m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Get the album from iTunes digitally and there doesn’t seem to be a specific avenue for purchasing a physical copy, so here’s their Facebook page. It’s the new/old myspace!

I nearly forgot to mention they’re playing in Regina tonight! Saturday, September 5th at the Gaslight Saloon. Come on by for the show and I’ll let you buy me a beer!

Pat entries Calgary, indie rock, pop rock, rock, the Fast Romantics

I think I’m getting ready to declare the eastern bits of Canada this year’s Next Big Scene. Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver have had their turns; heck, even Saskatchewan has had a few bands gaining steam lately. But the Ocean-adjacent provinces on the right coast are striking with fervor in 2009. We already had Joel Plaskett drop a rock-bomb on us in the form of his three-disc tour de force; singer-songwriter Jenn Grant has gotten a lot of attention and adoration for her newest album, and Two Hours Traffic will follow-up their Polaris-nominated debut long-player in a few weeks time.

But today we’re talking about Nova Scotia’s Share, a band that has every right to stand alongside those artists. I have a precipitous feeling they might get passed by, however, and I don’t like the thought.

Slumping In Your Murals is a studious, deliberate collection of songs that have a gentle tenor, a restrained and lovely atmosphere that betrays some murky emotions. The most immediate comparison that comes to mind is the churning misery of the National’s Boxer, the moody feel of that album’s back half reflected starkly in Andrew Sisk’s sombre writing.

Sisk calls this album the first Share effort that can truly be credited to a full band, having released three previous records as more of a solo project. That lone wolf aesthetic remains on a couple of the tracks here when Sisk is accompanied by little more than a ukelele (”Maybe Always” featuring Jenn Grant, “Lights Overhead”) and some ethereal slide guitar, which comes courtesy of Sailhouse’s Mike Feuerstack. Synthesized string and piano creep into the back end of “Maybe Always.” The songs sound like they’re being performed in a vacuum, the loneliness and isolation of the lyrics surrounded by the sound of hopelessess.

Those tracks are countered by the first two cuts on the album, which are the brightest and most uptempo of the bunch. Share go full rock band here, a similar beat and chord structure serving as a bridge between the two songs. The electric guitars, while distorted, are not overpowering or terribly overdriven, providing an even tapestry of sound. The otherwise bright mix boasts a pretty, ethereal lead guitar that floats in and out of the background on “Broader,” the cooing back-up vocals in the insistent chorus adding further texture. This is as close as the band gets to letting loose for most of the album, the muscular drums and sharply-strummed chords resonating behind the solo in a truly Boxer-ish fashion.

The remainder of Slumping In Your Murals is a quieter, more subdued affair to be certain, striking a middle ground between Hayden’s downtrodden worldview and the deliberate and persistent arrangements of groups like the Walkmen and the National.

The music is always sparse, but lovely; many tracks feature tweaked, atmospheric lead guitar that lends a somewhat spacey tone to some tenuous, almost bridled arrangements. Reverb-soaked guitars churn in the mix, lilting vocal harmonies, and occasional ukelele accompaniment prop up the patient tempo of songs like “Fish Out Of Water” while the band slowly builds to a heady, furious release on “KC.” That sets up the ominous bass and floor toms of the closing track, which is lent further murkiness due to what is either an odd-sounding accordian or a curiously-distorted guitar.

Lyrically the album strikes a pretty uniformly miserable impression. These songs talk a lot about lost love or the possibility of experiencing it, of a sense of futility in trying to make it work, of the important things we all fail to notice, about the hit people take when their expectations are thoroughly dashed. In the midst of that Sisk also manages to use rodeo as a metaphor for love in a much more elegant way than I ever would’ve thought possible.

It’s a moody, engaging listen to be sure, not the kind of album one would throw on when the sun is shining and birds are singing. Still, it is hard not to feel a connection to the metaphors and allegories used by Sisk in his songwriting and the emotional tenor of the arrangements is a mature balance of isolation, misery, and beauty. While its lyrical content might betray it, there is a significant amount of accomplishment here and a helping of potential to grow as well.

 

 Share - Horse & Rider: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Share - Penmaship [3:28m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Buy buy buy from Zunior in the digital form or Sonic Unyon. Physical copies should be coming soon, release date is today!

Pat entries Canadian content, east coast, indie rock, Nova Scotia, Share, Slumping in Your Murals