November 8th 2010

Shipping News - The Delicate (One Less Heartless to Fear)
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Church of the Very Bright Lights - Words (Gang Crimes)
Sans AIDS - Make Turns (Loaners)
Eric's Trip - You're Always Right (Gordon St. Haunting)
Hallogallo 2010 - Blinkgürtel (Drone Schlager)
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Pissed Jeans - The L Word (Sam Kinison Woman 7")
Sharp Ends - The Other Door (Sharp Ends)
Etaoin Shrdlu - Yow (Mating Calls)
Chevreuil - Superchateau (Chateuvallon)
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Lungfish - Straight Away (Pass and Stow)
Zach Hill - The Primitives Talk (Face Tat)
Outdoor Miners - Turn You Into Glue (Twelve Hundred Dollars 7")
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Shipping News - (Morays Or) Demon (One Less Heartless to Fear)

and here are some reviews!

Brain Fever - New Songs

This Calgary post-hardcore band was nice enough to send their newest recordings my way, so here are some thoughts: these songs are pretty intense. And like, really emo. I like the songs a lot more when they deal in dissonant guitar and start/stop rhythms, as in the first halves of the first two songs. I'm not quite as into the quiet, clean parts--I appreciate the attempts to include shifting dynamics, but they feel a bit forced at the moment. That said, I like the third song the most. Not exactly my cup of tea, but I think this band is getting better at focusing their efforts--always a good thing in post-hardcore.


Sans AIDS / Lake Country - Split Tape

A split release from Edmonton's Sans AIDS and Victoria's Lake Country--I like 'em both, but I gotta say, the Sans AIDS side of the tape is getting far more spins on my end. I'm reminded of many of my favourite indie rock bands of the '90s, but with a unique touch that's all songwriter Peter Sagar's own. As for Lake Country's side of the split, I get more nods to fairly standard garage/indie rock, but done more than competently--if it weren't for the strength of the Sans AIDS side, I might be able to offer something a bit more substantial. Keep an eye out for the new Sans AIDS tape on Bart Records and grab 'em both--between this and Outdoor Miners, we've got something special on our hands here, Alberta.

Fist City - Demos / Live Fisting TAPE

Lethbridge's Fist City have released this tape and their debut LP at roughly the same time, so here's the skinny on the tape: it shares tracks w/the LP, but obviously in different recordings. The demos are appropriately raw, but honestly, the live tracks are where it's at. Live recordings (esp. those of garage/punk/etc rock bands) tend to be grainy and shitty sounding, but considering that's what Fist City's studio recordings sound like, the live recordings on this tape sound downright clear. This band writes some amazingly catchy hooks, both vocally and musically--they don't need to be hiding behind bad production. Plus, there's a quick little take on "Having an Average Weekend", and anything that reminds me of the Kids in the Hall gets a thumbs up.