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December 22nd, 2009

Review :: Cousins – Out on Town

Cousins - Out on Town Cousins
Out on Town
(Youth Club Records)
Halifax, NS
::web/sounds::


From the sensitive-thug stylings of Jesse Locke:
Before we get into the sweet and unassuming goodness of Cousins’ slacker rock sing-a-longs, let me tell you a little bit about their ride. Rolling in style from their native Nova Scotia, the Haligonians hit the highway this fall in a magic school bus equipped with bunk beds and fueled by vegetable oil. A radical alternative to be sure, but as it turned out their max road speeds were barely enough to bring them up hills, resulting in several late arrivals at out-of-town tour stops. That’s a fitting analogy for the songwriting style of Cousin’s Aaron Mangle as well, tangling up twangy Bill Callahan-inspired rambles with a classic Doug Martsch-style falsetto, while drifting through it all with an unhurried pace. In his review of York Redoubt’s s/t LP, Aaron “canonical” Levin wrote about Halifax’s “advanced level of pop wizardry,” and there’s a similar charm to these 10 tunes.
[Levin's Note: Cousins are definitely a Level ∞ Pop-Wizard.]

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Cousins – Anxious

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Cousins – Write Me A Song

October 13th, 2009

Review :: Friendo – Cold Toads

Friendo - Cold Toads Friendo
Cold Toads
(Self Released)
Calgary, AB
::web/sounds::


From the stalagmite-riddled collection of Paul K Lawton:
Tough going for any band that automatically assumes the rank of “supergroup”, especially when only one member of said band is in group of international renown (band in question: Women, who currently hold rank of “biggest band in Calgary”, though they would all be pretty embarrassed if you brought that up in polite conversation). For those paying attention to the (at times) white-hot Calgary music scene, the other two members of Friendo hail from noted groups Puberty (on hiatus until further notice) and Beija Flor. Like the best groups that achieve rank of “super”, Friendo retain the elements that make all respective groups compelling in the first place – the swirling, lo-fidelity soundscapes of Women (though, like Women, this is a warm and crisp lo-fidelity), the angular-yet-soft abrasion of Puberty and the gentleness and sense of melody of Beija Flor. Cold Toads could very easily be a lost K-Records release, the recording of these songs giving them a timeless-yet-dated feel, where you can’t help but feel like you’ve already fallen in love with these songs and they are coming back into your life at the exact right time. A stunning debut if there ever was one.
[Levin's Note: I'd like to give a big f***-you to Paul Lawton for reviewing this cassette before me. This is really blowing me away; "swirling, lo-fidelity" to say the least. And a perfect album for the cassette format. This may replace Sans AIDS as my favorite 90s mellow-jam of the year. Maybe.]

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Friendo – Liner

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Friendo – Callers

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Friendo – Counter Time

September 25th, 2009

Review :: Poler Bear – Poler Bear

Poler Bear - Poler Bear Poler Bear
Poler Bear
(Self Released)
Saskatoon, SK
::web/sounds::


Saskatoon is Canada’s secret cultural hot-spot. The last time I was in Saskatoon I yelled at Herbie Hancock from afar, found one of the rarest Canadian psych records for $3 (Christmas on Paragon), made-out with a Lesbian, and stumbled upon picture sleeves from one of Canada’s best garage 7″s (The Witness Inc. – Not You Girl). My fondness with Saskatoon continued when I met Feral Children and seems to grow with each Weird Canada submission from the city. Thus, it comes with no surprise that I stumble upon another creative genius conjuring soundscapes in their Saskatoon basement. Poler Bear’s ambient canvasses are captivating in every way they shouldn’t be; fluxes of multi-instrumental blankets forming pop structures and catchy wisps too slow and wavering for radio pop but too structured to bear the avant-garde moniker. Most of the songs are built around narratives from Canada’s landscape: water, people, television, and birds; all playing a role in shaping Poler Bear’s soundtrack. It’s mellow and soothing and time seems to slip away every time I listen. Hopefully my next trip to Saskatoon will feature more artifacts of Canada’s underground, including Poler Bear.

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Poler Bear – Parachute

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Poler Bear – Ships Don’t Soar With Stone Sails

July 24th, 2009

Dirty hairy.

Headaches - Dirty Hairy Heachaches
Dirty Hairy
(Self Released)
Edmonton, AB
::web/sounds::

Is it OK to call this pop? The sound is not pop. The approach is probably not either. But there are melodies and rhythms and (possibly) vocals hidden within the streams of prepared piano, coloured noise, and delayed guitar. It’s another bend in a flow of records straddling the line between ambient soundscapes and subtle pop; a movement started by Arthur Russell. For a cassette with 18 tracks of experimental excursions, the album provides a more than enjoyable listening experience; you will travel with Headaches through ambient pastures as the roaring hills of processed sound permeate your auricular life-space. And some of it’s catchy! It’s important to note that the j-card states: PS – It’s real.

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Headaches – Warm Up

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Headaches – Home Is Where … ?

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