The Gruesomes, Nikolas L. B., The Poly-Tones, and Doozy
The Gruesomes - The Dimension of Fear
Legendary Montreal garage rockers, The Gruesomes, return with their first new album in 25 years! It just so happens to coincide with the 40th anniversary of this iconic band, one that would deserve an entire chapter in the book of Canadian music history. The Dimension of Fear is everything you need it to be, it’s quintessential Gruesomes. Classic hip-shaking, garage-rock will worm its way into your brain and infect your body with a need to dance while their trademark snarl and snotty vocal delivery is still there to put an authentic seal of approval on these tunes. On The Dimension of Fear, The Gruesomes accomplish the extremely rare feat of not disappointing after such a long hiatus.
Nikolas L. B. - Tales from the Balance Wheel
Over the years, Nikolas L. B. has sauntered with ease from one genre to another. Starting roughly a decade ago in the Vancouver post-punk band Bored Decor, he got our attention and never lost it as moved to Montreal and began making solo music. Since then, he’s tinkered with avant-pop (The Foie Gras Antithesis) and folk (Odes of Ilk). His latest record is a culmination of his journey and his best, most cohesive release to date. Avant-pop meets smooth-jazz and adult contemporary to craft a sound that is perfect for Nikolas L. B.’s crooning vocals.
The Poly-Tones - Fronds For Life
Fronted by Toronto multi-instrumentalist Blake Markle, The Poly-Tones are an atmospheric instrumental band that use a vast array of instruments and sounds to craft ambient exotica. On Fronds For Life they transport the listener into complex ecosystems within the natural world. The front cover hints at tropical locales and when you go into this record with that imagery in mind, you’re transported straight to a tropical rain forest with its loud background noise of birds, insects, and rustling vegetation. This album is an impressive portrayal of a deeply complex world.
Doozy - Zombie Ant Fungus
Doozy is a brand new Vancouver duo whose wild sonic assault has grabbed my attention. Rawly recorded drums bashing away, and hyper-distorted bass pounding your senses makes this release fall firmly in the noise-punk realm… but it’s a different kind of noise-punk. The scream-style vocals interchanged with real singing are reminiscent of screamo while the spastic melodies that keep you on your toes bring to mind hyper-pop. Then, of course, there’s a hardcore backbone to the album. The way Doozy has blended loud genres is unique and Zombie And Fungus delivers enough ear-worm hooks to counterbalance the harsh noise. This debut has my interest piqued.
