PS I Love You's Meet Me At The Muster Station

Those familiar with Canada, or Canadian music for that matter, should already know that Kingston, Ontario, just outside the country's capital, is home to both the most arguably successful Canuck band, the Tragically Hip and the county's largest penitentiary. The city houses both a thriving artistic community and societal throwaways. It isn't the largest or well-known city either, much like its most recent export, PS I Love You, who have crafted their debut Meet Me At The Muster Station with a level of frustration and alienation that only manifests itself in a place like Kingston.

The odd pairing of Paul Saulnier (guitar/vocals) and Benjamin Nelson (drums) comprise the ability to both scorn and encapsulate a listener. Their sound is rooted in '80s college fuzz and Saulnier, much like those '80s college rock heroes, displays a monumental amount of emotion. His softer side translates into something in the realm of Black Francis-esque singing - throaty and filled with occasional yelps. Their go-to track, "Facelove" can vouch for that honest display of emotion, as Saulnier sings what sounds like a love-letter gone wrong before breaking down into a jam session instead for the remaining half of the song. What Saulnier isn't able to express lyrically, he leaves it for his guitar. The fret picking on "Butterflies and Boners" is a brilliant piece of axe-wielding, wailing like legendary guitar slayer J Mascis. I was lucky enough to catch the pair live and even their stage appearance is enjoyably off kilter. Nelson, a skinny, garage rock hipster-like figure plays second stage to the hefty Saulnier, who looks more like Tad or D. Boon.

PS I Love You's songs are often very epic - the apocalyptic undertones of "2012" are both unsettling, yet intriguing while the rawness of "Get Over" oozes the overall theme of being passive aggressive and unable to adequately pinpoint where things went wrong. Saulnier seems shy and weary about letting us into his world, which is lucky for us, because he is a unique talent. While Nelson's drumming is sometimes not the tightest, it is strong and the duo creates a sound much larger in comparison. Muster Station fuses teen angst and a lonely yearning with an untapped sense of male aggression and while PS I Love You might not be the toughest name on the block, don't let that mislead you. They show a commitment to rock from track one.

Published by Treble Magazine

Album Review: Demon's Claws' The Defrosting Of...

The Demon's Claws' influences range far and wide, spanning most of contemporary rock and roll. The Claws' sound is vast, fusing punk and garage rock sloppiness with '60s pop, and often as haunting as a ritual killing. Hailing from Montreal, the band have garnered a reputation for putting the pedal to the floor, playing harrowing and distorted classic rock and roll arrangements resurrecting some of the greats, such as The Rolling Stones, 13th Floor Elevators and the Kinks. Binging since 2004, the boys in Demon's Claws follow up their debut, 2007's Satan's Little Pet Pig, with The Defrosting Of... A title that has been left semi-censored and incomplete due to the referencing of a particular, well known animator rumored to be cryogenically frozen.

As you can tell by the titles, Demon's Claws approach their music with an intense level of rebellion and danger - the 'fuck you' attitude is all too apparent on the new record. The band continue to revel in the folk-psych, garage rock spectrum - the guitar sound of Jeff Clark remains rough around the edges (purposely) and jangles with a certain level of underproduction ("Laser Beams" and "Trip to the Clinic") that allows the raw emotion shine through; it is something very pure.

The lo-fi production is something that doesn't always work for bands, but for a band like Demon's Claws, who may constantly have alcohol running rampant through their veins, it brings full circle a sense of balance in equilibrium. The band talking amongst themselves in between songs could even confuse a listener into thinking they're listening to a live album, but one cannot deny the good-ol'-days-of-rock feel. A hard hit of nostalgia, "Anny Lou" could be confused as a Stones throwaway, while the album's opener, "Fed From Her Hand" is reminiscent of early Eric Burdon songs. Other times, the album is a firm push forward for contemporary music. "Weird Ways" and "You Will Always Be My Friend" sound a lot like something from fellow Canadian outfit The Sadies, while "At The Disco" leans toward labelmates Black Lips.

Rock and roll has continuously retreated underground to rebuild itself in the sixty years it has had an impact. While electronica is very prevalent in the indie circuit, Demon's Claws take a step back, turn the amps to 11 and explore the true roots of rock and roll. To ignore this record would be a complete folly for a true music lover. The only added effects (other than distortion) are minimal synth sounds ("All Three Eyes") and the echo-y vocal tracks from Clark, reminiscent of Roky Erickson. What the band lacks in fidelity is made up for in raw emotion and good fun. Keep dancing.

Published by Treble Magazine

Album Review: Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin's Let It Sway

When Someone Still Loves You Boris Yelsin recorded their second LP, Pershing, the band almost succumbed to the pressure of recording and the overwhelming inner tension that comes with self production. For their third release, however, the band decided to enlist Death Cab for Cutie guitarist Chris Walla to help with finding a skilled producer. Walla had the perfect man for the job: himself, and accompanied by fellow producer Beau Sorenson, he helped ease the pressure of recording, allowing SSLYBY to focus solely on laying down the tracks.

Appropriately titled, Let it Sway, possibly a representation of the band's new approach to recording, finds SSLYBY going back to their roots. Their 2005 debut, Broom, was acclaimed for it's colorful pop jangles while Pershing wasn't so much, often criticized for it's overproduction. Let it Sway's songwriting is in the same vein as the peppy, breezy Broom, while mixing in a polished production sound as heard on Pershing.

The album begins with a strong opening; the folky "Back in the Saddle," could be interpreted as a new form of confidence the band has garnered over the past two years. "Sink/Let it Sway," is an interesting approach to what Vampire Weekend or the Shins are doing while "Banned (by the Man)" is pure indie pop, boasting the singalong qualities of Weezer, while embracing a New Pornographers-like glam-pop sound.

But before long, the album begins to lose steam. The repetitiveness of "In Paris" diminishes the momentum the album had built up in the first few songs. "Not all of God's creatures come in pairs y'know," sings vocalist Will Knauer, which signifies a sense of clever overachievement that SSLYBY constantly embraces. Sure, clever can be a great shtick when in an indie band, but at times they lose me with ostentation and weird attempts at progression ("Everlyn" and "Animalkind"). Ballad-wise, "Stuart Gets Lost Dans Le Metro," is a definite stand out track and some of the best SSLYBY songwriting to date, while "Phantomwise" evokes Blue Album nostalgia, if you can sit long enough.

SSLYBY have tried to recapture the essence of their first album, while continuing to embrace some of the more frustrating elements displayed on their second. As a whole, it is an interestingly odd way to go about sound progression. While the band may have the best interest of songwriting at heart, fans who fell in love with the warm home recording and honest sound of Broom, may end up feeling a tad alienated.

Published by Treble Magazine

Album Review: Cheap Time's Fantastic Explanation (and Similar Situations)

Cheap Time's power pop artistry has grown in leaps and bounds over the course of three years. From releasing their first seven-inch to their debut self-titled album, many people had no idea what to make of the trio. I'll admit, it is difficult to categorize the Cheap Time sound – it's punk, though not in its fastest or hardest form, but still too abrasive to be anything else. Frontman Jeffery Novak's style of garage punk fence-sitting is no doubt genre expanding and on the band's new release, Fantastic Explanations (and Similar Situations), Novak and crew, bassist Stephen Braren and new recruit Ryan Sweeny keeping time, have taken another giant step forward in artistic growth.

The Cheap Time aesthetic has become more complex, while holding true to the band's roots. Arrangements are more experimental, as is the case in "When Tomorrow Comes," which is still bubblegum garage punk, yet incorporates fills and more complex structures and melodies than earlier releases. The album starts full throttle and powers through 12 songs in just over 30 minutes. Songs can be as tight as anything from the Strokes' catalogue ("I'd Be Alone" and "Lazy Days"), or as sloppy as anything Johnny Thunders recorded ("Down the Tube" and "Woodland Drive"). The constant love/hate, back and forth between sloppy punk and garage-y lo-finess helps in keeping the listener focused and music inevitably fresh.

If there sound was to be presented in any one song, "Lazy Days," might be that song. The music is often dark and raw, but ultimately poppy – the most successful of dichotomies. If Girls and JEFF the Brotherhood were to have a baby, you would have Cheap Time. This is a band that constantly throws you a curveball when you feel like you've figured them out. Fantastic Explanations shows a band on the cusp of something no one can really get their finger on. It's this, but it's that – it's marvelous.

Published by Treble Magazine