Also Cool's Vans Warped Tour Montreal 2026 Top Picks: Oxymorrons, From First to Last, Sace6 And More
After its widely anticipated and successful return in 2025, the Vans Warped Tour is hitting five cities in 2026 (Washington, Long Beach, Montreal, Mexico City and Orlando) with one of the most impressive lineups of the year. Of the many subgenres to emerge from the alternative music scene over the last 31 years, Warped Tour has played a huge role in the history of most of this year's lineup. From OG punk to new, experimental blends of punk, to classic emo, screamo, and even the polarizing genre of crunkcore: these are five can’t miss bands for Warped Tour’s first stop in Washington D.C. June 13th and 14th.
Oxymorrons via official website
Oxymorrons
While they never toured a full summer with the original Warped Tour, Oxymorrons made their mark in Atlantic City in 2019, and have grown to become a staple in the Warped family since. Their blend of hip-hop and punk is guaranteed to get you off your feet… or even into the pit. Founded by brothers Demi “Deee” and Kami “KI” and joined by guitarist/bassist Jafé Paulino and new drummer Amani Drums, the band’s intoxicating passion for their craft radiates from the stage, with a confidence that seems to grow each year of the festival.
Suicidal Tendencies via The Rockpit
Suicidal Tendencies
Returning to the lineup for the first time since 1999, this legendary hardcore punk band, founded in the early 1980s, will be hitting the stage exclusively at Warped Tour’s D.C. stop. While the band has seen quite a few lineup changes since its founding in 1983, founding member Mike Muir is still fronting the band, accompanied by Ben Weinman of Dillinger Escape Plan, Tye Trujillo (original member and bassist of Metallica; Robert Trujillo’s son), and Drummer Jay Weinberg. Best known for their blend of metal with thrash and skate punk makes their sound the perfect embodiment of the Warped Tour summer vibe and a can’t miss set this June.
From First to Last via official Facebook page
From First to Last
If you found yourself in an emo phase in the early 2000s, you may remember songs like “Emily” or “Note to Self” by the band From First to Last. You may even recognize the band from its role in the early music career of Skrillex, formally known as Sonny Moore AKA vocalist of From First to Last. Now with a lineup consisting of original members Matt Good as lead vocalist, guitarist Travis Richter, drummer Derek Bloom and bassist Matt Manning—the same lineup that hit the Warped Tour stages in 2008—this post-hardcore emo staple will be joining Warped Tour for all US stops, 18 years later. This is an unmissable band for elder emos looking to feel like they’ve time traveled back to ‘08.
I Set My Friends on Fire via official Facebook page
I Set My Friends on Fire
If your nostalgia for the OG Warped Tour days lies more with teased neon hair and brightly colored tees and skinny jeans and surfing through MySpace, you may remember the crunkcore band I Set My Friends on Fire. Arguably, one of the more commonly accepted bands to come from the crunkcore era, blending electronica and screamo, and leaning more towards post-hardcore than their other crunk counterparts. Considering the band is playing alongside groups like Breathe Carolina and 3oh!3, and still led by founding member Matt Mehana, it just might be 2009 again.
Sace6
By far one of the newest bands on the scene to be mentioned in this list, Sace6 took to the Warped Tour stage for the first time in 2025. The band left a last mark with their unique alt-metal sound; a captivating blend of heavy breakdowns and riffs from guitarist Noah Thomas and drummer Tyler Saxz, with frontman Sace’s ethereal vocals. What they may lack in the heavy nostalgia factor they more than make up for in pure, undeniable talent and surely draw you in when you catch them this summer.
A Lost Season, A Magical Year: Trevor Sloan Releases "A Room by the Green Sea"
Trevor Sloan
The music of Trevor Sloan is nothing short of purifying. The multidisciplinary Toronto-based artist excels at penning vivid interpretations of nature, love, loss, and renewal. His folk-pop instrumentation and gentle descriptiveness—reminiscent of artists like Sufjan Stevens—swell with warmth, lifting you to a plane of uncanny familiarity.
On Sloan’s latest self-released album, A Room by the Green Sea, the simple beauty of summer vacations gone by unlocks so much more. Sloan teleports between country fairs and shifting waters, backed by layered acoustics, subtle drum patterns, and field recordings. From the precise memories of “Praying Mantis” to the sober admissions of “Blade on My Face,” A Room by the Green Sea is the embodiment of what you’d hope to hear by picking up a conch shell. It’s the creamy cable-knit jumper that you slip into as the sun kisses you goodbye.
Leading up to today’s release of A Room by the Green Sea, Sloan jumped on a call with Also Cool to detail his latest artistic chapter. We caught up on his poetic inspirations, his adventures out West, and much more.
Rebecca Judd for Also Cool Mag: With [A Room by the Green Sea], you mention that it was inspired by some recent summer travels. Mayne Island – that’s a different one, I’ve never heard of that part of BC before. Can you tell me what it is that brought you out there – what it is you got up to and how that impacted your creative process?
Trevor Sloan: My wife’s family actually lives there, so I’ve been going there for many years. It’s almost like a second home, in a sense. [We’ve gone there for] the last two summers – it’s a beautiful little island, the ocean, the forests. We went to the beach a lot, did some hiking...
We also did a little road trip of Vancouver Island and went to another place called Qualicum Beach, and then Comox, Courtenay, Cumberland… we did this whole tour of swimming, [checking out the] different beaches because we love to do that.
When you’re on Mayne Island, the ocean is just always there. The boats going by, you’re swimming or seeing the waves coming in. I wrote some of the songs there when I was staying there; “Salty Ocean,” for example, and “Island Girl.” And the title A Room by the Green Sea is a room in [my wife’s family home], it overlooks the ocean. Just the feeling of being there and having these memories…
Also Cool: That’s cool that it’s a connection with your wife’s family as well, because it’s a whole different perspective on the notion of family and connectivity to a place. “Ottawa 1977,” [a previous single], that story is related to your family, but Mayne Island must feel familiar yet different.
October Days by Trevor Sloan
In our previous interview (written by Valerie Boucher), you shared that you like to craft characters and immerse yourself in their worlds of these characters – different objects, different settings, different things that you observe. There are a lot of new stories in A Room by the Green Sea: there’s the brokenhearted diarist in “Sweet Lady Jo,” there are teens playing tetherball. How did these new personalities reveal themselves in this chapter? Do they manifest naturally? Do they ever cross over different timelines?
Trevor: I feel like this album is a bit more personal, and maybe there are less characters. It’s more so based on my life and things that I’ve experienced. That being said, even when I’m writing about something that’s happened in my life, it’s still a mix of memory and imagination. Like, I become a character in the story – it’s not necessarily autobiographical.
“Lady Sweet Jo” is an interesting one, because that’s a character – that’s a female poet. The story behind that one is I was reading some poems by Den Sute-jo, but I misread it as “Lady Sweet Jo” because in the book it was written as “Lady Sute-jo.” I thought, “That’s the coolest name, Lady Sute-jo.” The inspiration also came from reading a Chinese poet by the name of Chu Shu Chen, and she writes this very heartbroken and bitter verse. So I came up with this character that was loosely based on these two poets.
AC: All it takes is a little seed. I love the idea of it being a productive misread.
TS: I now have reading glasses, but before then I didn’t… I wouldn’t make that same mistake now, but it was a blessing in disguise.
AC: I’m interested in the stories that don’t make the cut. Are there things where someone or something presents itself as an inspiration, but it doesn’t feel right? Or if [a character or object] is associated with this particular setting or time in your life, does it feel like you need to get those things out on the paper at the same time?
TS: Generally, I will record 20-30 songs and then I pick the best 10. Sometimes songs and characters get cut because I just want to pick the best.
AC: Your music has this delicate and nostalgic quality to it where it feels like a memory in its softness and descriptiveness. But its production is [quite] sharp and meticulous—you work really hard at crafting this vibe that is quite comfortable—so I feel like calling your music “nostalgic” might be a bit reductive when it is so detailed. I’m interested in knowing the ways you may have experimented or tried to do something different with your sound on this new album.
TS: I really appreciate you saying these things, and the concept of not wanting to call it just “nostalgia.” That’s a word that gets thrown around with my music a lot. I do feel like I try to keep things interesting and modern, I’m constantly discovering and listening to new music. I’m very much inspired by the 60s and 70s but I’m also inspired by new artists. I want my music to sound “of its time” – it’s not just a rehash of [those decades].
In terms of experimentation: in the last interview I did with Also Cool, I talked about my defective [Roland Juno-106] keyboard, and that’s now fixed! [laughs] I was able to use it more, and it was an enjoyable experience. The Juno is an analog keyboard from the 80s. There’s a particular sound on it that has a 70s lounge vibe to it, and I used that on a few tracks, so that’s a thread throughout the album.
I also used more electronic-sounding drums on a couple of the tracks, like “Praying Mantis” and “Island Girl.” That was a new thing for me.
And the sounds of nature…I use water sounds—waves, rivers—and the crackling of a fire.
AC: [Those choices] lend themselves well to what it was you were trying to capture. I love it when musicians take advantage of what it is that’s around them and use that to enhance a story.
Free… Free! by Trevor Sloan
You collaborated with Andy Magoffin, who mixed and mastered some of this album. What was it like to [work] with him again?
TS: Andy’s awesome. I love working with him. I’ve worked with him on maybe eight albums, and so we’re very much in sync now. I can give [my music] to him and let him do the mixing and mastering – there’s always a bit of back-and-forth, but it’s been so long that he just knows what I like and he makes it happen. I really appreciate what he does, because he brings a brightness and a spaciousness to the sound so it all sounds like it’s in a room with the instruments coming from different places.
He also played horns on “Don’t Waste Your Time” and “Lady Sweet Jo.” That was a new thing [for me] – I would love to have more instruments on my records, but I don’t know a lot of people. [laughs] It was nice to have that extra touch.
AC: I took particular interest in “Don’t Waste Your Time.” Going back to common themes in your music, I found that that track really spoke to me as I read the lyrics. It takes a certain turn where it feels like it’s focusing on how to forget more than how to remember. That stood out relative to the rest of the album. Where does that track fit into the album’s narrative, and how did it come to be?
TS: [Many of my] songs can be introspective and concerned with little details, but I would say that [Don’t Waste Your Time] is a bit more universal. It’s about a heartbreak from youth, and how heartbreak changes over time. As time goes by, as you get older, you start to look at it differently and maybe it loses some of the pain that was associated with it. You get to a point as you get older when you can smile at it.
It’s also giving advice – “if you can’t tell what’s on their mind / don’t waste your time.” You’re better off being with people that make you feel good, people who you know where you stand in their eyes.
AC: It’s nice to have that balance of [universality], amidst songs that concern themselves with putting one in the shoes of a character or the emotions of a particular place. For people who want something that presents itself in a different way, it’s definitely powerful to connect the escapism with something more relatable.
For the cover for A Room by the Green Sea, [you’ve added] some unique shapes to it. I want to say one of them is a scythe…? Even just the [muted] colourways. I’d love to ask more about the album art and how you created that collage.
TS: I created maybe four or five collages, and they’re all in the same vein. I wanted something more abstract [for this album], and mysterious. A lot of the collages that I was doing, there were these “ghostly figures.” When you mention the scythe, there’s this green thing that looks like the top of a ghost.
My source material was different paintings from the 1700s, and I cut them up and rearranged them. I wanted the green to be very prevalent. When I collage, I just start cutting and see where it all comes together.
AC: What are your upcoming plans for the release of A Room by the Green Sea?
TS: The most exciting thing is I decided to get vinyl done for this record. This doesn’t make any sense in some respects, but I’ve always wanted to do vinyl and have the physical thing in my hands!
Vinyl Giveaway
To celebrate its release, we’re giving away one vinyl copy of A Room by the Green Sea! Enter today for your chance to win this mesmerizing new album.
To enter the giveaway:
Follow us at @alsocoolmag and @trevorjsloan
Like the post on Instagram
Tag your go-to friend for music recs (1 comment = 1 entry, no limit!)
Terms and Conditions:
The giveaway closes on September 9th, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. ET. You must reside in Canada to participate in the giveaway. The winner will be selected at random, announced, and contacted via DM on September 10th, 2024. Should the winner fail to respond within 24 hours of being notified, another winner will be selected. The winner of this giveaway will receive one vinyl copy of A Room by the Green Sea shipped at no extra cost; please note that any damages incurred while in transit are no fault of Also Cool or Trevor Sloan. This giveaway is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Instagram.
A Room by the Green Sea
out September 6th, 2024
1. Introduction
2. Salty Ocean
3. Praying Mantis
4. Don’t Waste Your Time
5. Faded Towel
6. Green Rivers, Green Summers
7. Sunlight through the Window
8. Blade on My Face
9. Island Girl
10. Purple Starfish
11. Black Water
12. Lady Sweet Jo
All tracks written and recorded by Trevor Sloan
Horns on tracks 4 and 12 by Andy Magoffin
Mixed and mastered by Andy Magoffin
Cover art by Trevor Sloan
Trevor Sloan
Instagram | Spotify | Bandcamp | Website
Rebecca Judd is the features editor of Also Cool Mag.
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Sunglaciers Sharpen Their Psychedelic Edge with "Regular Nature" (Mothland)
Sunglaciers by Em Medland-Marchen
Two years after the release of the explosive Subterranea, Calgary post-punk quartet Sunglaciers have resurfaced with Regular Nature, out now via Mothland.
Spanning 15 tracks, this latest endeavour pulls from familiar motives to paint a truly vibrant picture. Sunglaciers have always stood on the edge of experimentation, anchored firmly in rock n’ roll while nodding to new wave, garage, and whatever else they please. But Regular Nature comes imbued with the conscious resolution to find something new between the folds.
Said the group of this dexterous new record:
“We want to make you dance. We want to make you think. We want to make you think while you’re dancing and dance while you’re busy thinking. This is an album for the body, brain and heart. It’s compassionate, frustrated, communal and dreadful. In a world of information overload, where everything comes at you at once, Regular Nature is trying to normalize the phenomenon. This is chaotic music for a chaotic world, a three-way conversation between outer self, the subconscious and the mad world.”
Regular Nature begins with “Fakes,” a compellingly frenzied track that reads like a hi-fi, edgier Devo. “All style, not a lot of substance / Shut out, shut out the noise” chants multi-instrumentalist Evan Resnik as he scorches through a doom spiral. “Right Time” puts a surfy foot forward, propelled by winding guitars and striking snares. But while the band is not afraid to reach an electric climax, best portrayed with the psychic anguish of “Kafka,” it is the wistful freefall of slow-burner “Rotten Teeth” that delivers true refreshment: “I still have dreams of love with no beginning and no end / How can that be if I am walking out the door again?”
Regular Nature is a psych-rock saga, supercharged with exhilarating instrumentation while boasting meditative subtleties. Fortified by its stylistic depth, the album tells an engrossing story of the turmoil that awaits us all.
Regular Nature
out March 29, 2024 via Mothland
1. Fakes
2. Right Time
3. Undermine
4. Cursed
5. Kafka
6. I Remember the Days
7. Interlude
8. Frog Mask
9. A.I.
10. Reef
11. Not Ready
12. Rotten Teeth
13. Gov Shut
14. One Time or Another
15. Waiting for Nothing
Written & performed by Sunglaciers (Evan Resnik, Mathieu Blanchard, Kyle Crough, and Nyssa Brown)
Select instrumentation by Chad VanGaalen, Daniel Monkman, Chris Dadge, Nate Waters, and Cassia Hardy
Recorded by Mathieu Blanchard & Evan Resnik
Additional recording by Chad VanGaalen
Produced by Sunglaciers
Mixing, additional production & digital mastering by Mark Lawson
Mastered for vinyl by Richard White
Artwork by Nyssa Brown & Evan Resnik
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What's Also Cool at FME 2023
FME’s full schedule
As August comes to a close, we’re counting down the sleeps until the most glorious festival of the year… FME. The Festival de Musique Émergente returns to Abitibi-Témiscamingue this weekend!
Featuring 81 artists, this four-day frenzy offers entrancing programming for music lovers from every pocket of the country. We couldn’t be happier to take part in the 21st edition of the festival. Whether you need some help planning your itinerary or you’re looking to shake up your playlists, we’ve got you covered with our top picks!
THURSDAY
N NAO by Naomie de Lorimier and Charles Marsolais-Ricard
N NAO
We had the pleasure of witnessing N NAO opening for P'tit Belliveau a few months back, and it was nothing short of the most ethereal goblin mode music we’ve heard in a while. Generally leaning more towards shoegaze fairy-pop, N NAO brings her dreamy world to life through her strange and wonderful compositions.
Pressure Pin via Taverne Tour
Pressure Pin
High-strung and minimally angular, art-punk group Pressure Pin are sure to hit the grounds of FME with a bang. Originally a pandemic-born solo project of multi-instrumentalist Kenny Smith, the project has since expanded to a full band operation. For fans of Devo, NOV3L, and Eastern Canadian post-punk.
Yocto via Bandcamp
Yocto
Yocto is one of Montreal’s supergroups, and legendary bands emerging from the Esco-Quai Des Brumes-Rockette Bermuda triangle. Inspired by the underground rock of the mid-70s (think Television and the Talking Heads), they credit their creativity to the sci-fi soap operas of the same era.
FRIDAY
Elisapie by Leeor Wild
Elisapie
The ethereal Inuk singer-songwriter Elisapie is set to take the stage in Rouyn-Noranda. Elisapie’s performance comes just weeks away from her release of Inuktitut, a cover album featuring selections from artists like Blondie and Queen that will pay homage to her youth in Nunavik.
Fraud Perry by Alex Apostolidis
Fraud Perry
With an exceptional knack for melding genres, rapper-singer-songwriter Fraud Perry has set her sights on Rouyn-Noranda. Prepare to be charmed by the Montreal artist’s fiery delivery and dance-ready beats.
La Sécurité by Aabid Youssef
La Sécurité
As steadfast fans of Montreal art-punkers La Sécurité, there was no question in our minds about proclaiming them a top pick. Their frenetic arrangements and provocative lyrics make for captivating live performances that are guaranteed to please.
Nora Kelly by Gabie Che
Nora Kelly Band
Previously known for her success at the helm of Montreal punk trio DISHPIT, Nora Kelly has hit a compelling stride with her shift to alt-country. With sickly-sweet vocals and atmospheric instrumentation, Nora Kelly Band offers the perfect complement to fading summer skies.
SATURDAY
Les Louanges by Sacha Cohen
Les Louanges
The poignant lyricism and signature funk of singer-songwriter Les Louanges (also known as Vincent Roberge) are not to be missed. Known for his charming melange of R&B and jazz, the artist has transfixed audiences from Quebec and back again.
Night Lunch via Bandcamp
Night Lunch
Night Lunch are bringing the 80s to Abitibi for their 5 à 7 performance at Les Mooses. Known as light-and-dark pop rockers, Night Lunch sing of the vices of the big city, big romance, and anarchist fantasy. We saw them open for LUCY (Cooper B. Handy), and can confirm that their show is not to be missed.
Truckviolence and Jodie Jodie Roger via FME
Truckviolence and Jodie Jodie Roger
If you’re in the mood for something loud and rowdy, the fin de soirée show at Cabaret de la Dernière Chance will give you the fix you need. Jodie Jodie Roger will kick off the show with her metal-infused punk energy, followed by Truckviolence’s gloomy hardcore sound. Bring your earplugs and get ready to get sweaty.
SUNDAY
Knitting by Alex Apostolidis
Knitting
Bounce around the last day of the festival with Knitting, an indie bedroom pop/rock group from Montreal. By choosing knitting as a metaphor, the band aims to enhance the relaxed, artisanal side of the business. Sit back, relax, but also maybe get up and dance.
SAMWOY via sam-woy.com
SAMWOY
Closing out the festival, SAMWOY comes to rock the cabin with dark hues, on assaults of guitar, sharp synths and cavernous voices, as it should be. Inspired by Division, Bauhaus and Iggy Pop, it’ll be a perfect show to end the weekend.
We can’t wait to run from show to show at FME! Keep an eye on our socials to catch our daily live coverage of our favourite small-town festival.
Get your tickets below if you haven’t already, and as always, we’ll see you in the pit.
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Empty Nesters, The Lemon Twigs and Tennis: Also Cool's Playlist Refresh
Empty Nesters by Steph Dinsdale
The January air is rife with possibility, crystallizing all around us like porcupicicles from the roof, and some of our favourite musicians have started the new year by hitting their creative stride. Catch up on our recent listenings in this week’s Playlist Refresh, marking the first new music review of the year.
While the calendar flip is still fresh, we have an itch that 2023 will be defined by endless listening opportunities, from artists local to the Also Cool music scenes and beyond!
Explore the chapters of our Playlist Refresh series on Spotify.
Empty Nesters by Steph Dinsdale
Empty Nesters, the project of Chinese-Canadian artist Eric Liao, is an Also Cool musical mainstay. Having planted seeds in the same Ottawa DIY music scene, and eventually making the move to Montreal alongside some of the magazine’s founding members, every Empty Nesters release is an emblem of peers growing alongside each other and self-actualizing in the once intangible layers of the Industry™.
This maturation is evident in Liao’s newest single “Going Bye”, self-released on January 6th. Outfitted with a dissonant shoegaze flare and bound by signature indie know-how, “Going Bye” brings forward the inner workings of Liao’s thoughtful songwriting — once buried by the fuzz of his house-show beginnings. Now with five EPs under his belt and an ever-growing curriculum vitae of live performances, Liao’s creative prowess takes centre stage with “Going Bye” winking at an exciting new chapter.
The Lemon Twigs via Bandcamp
Long Island brother band The Lemon Twigs graced us with elegant love song “Corner Of My Eye” earlier this month. As the duo’s first offering since their acclaimed 2020 LP Songs for the General Public, “Corner Of My Eye” reminisces with the feel of 1960s soft rock pining.
Written and produced entirely by The Lemon Twigs, the single’s uncluttered mingling of melodic guitar, muted percussion, dreamy vibraphone and winding upright bass cushions Brain D’Addario’s delicate vocals and the pair’s sparkling harmonies.
“Corner of My Eye” is out on Brooklyn label Captured Tracks, and while no hints of a fourth album are on the way, we’re hopeful that The Lemon Twigs are brewing up big plans for 2023.
The Lemon Twigs
Tennis by Luca Venter
Inching closer to the release of their highly-anticipated sixth studio album, Tennis has released the crisp and evocative “Let’s Make a Mistake Tonight”. This track marks the second single from Pollen, out on February 10 via the duo’s own Mutually Detrimental.
Overtop of a laidback disco sound, vocalist Alaina Moore paints pictures of impassioned escapism. Her Madonna-tinged lilt elevates the vintage decadence as her fantasies of runaway romanticism culminate in destruction.
Elaborating on the vision behind the single, Moore notes:
"'Let’s Make a Mistake Tonight' is all hubris, attitude, and wish fulfillment. I’m turning water into wine," says Tennis. "I’m reshaping my reality through projection or denial. While tracking with Patrick [Riley] I kept envisioning the same scene: I’m in the passenger’s seat. Patrick drives with one hand on the wheel and one on my thigh. This song plays us out."
Those in and around Toronto will want to catch Tennis on April 5th at HISTORY, featuring folk musician Kate Bollinger.
Tennis
Our Playlist Refresh series is available in full on Spotify, refreshed on a rolling basis.
Stream it all below!
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Yves Tumor Embodies Rock and Roll Energy at Club Soda
I knew that the Yves Tumor show at Club Soda would be a good one based on the conversations I heard while standing in line waiting to get in.
People were overjoyed to be running into each other for the first time in three years, and everyone was dressed in a way that made me feel like I was in the right place. Most notably, two friends were showing each other their bags of crystals, excitedly explaining each one in relation to the other person's astrological sign.
Yves Tumor by Jordan Hemingway
The show was one of Yves’ 47 international tour dates for 2022, and certainly did not disappoint. From the lighting to the generous amount of smoke from the fog machine and even the immaculate styling, Yves Tumor and his band embodied a classic rock and roll energy. There was crowd surfing, fans trying to rip the bass away from the band, and lyrics being screamed back for nearly every song.
You can catch Yves Tumor on tour by checking out tickets here and watch the 90s MTV-inspired promotional video below. Special thanks to Carter from Biz 3 for the press pass.
Malaika Astorga is the Co-Founder & Creative Director of Also Cool. She is a Mexican-Canadian visual artist, writer, and social media strategist currently based in Montreal.
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Neo-Psych Rockers Hot Garbage Share Spooky Video for "Sometimes I Go Down" (Mothland)
Artwork by Derek McKeon
Are you in need of some brain-melting psychedelic rock? Well, you've come to the right place. Toronto-based psych outfit Hot Garbage, who are newly signed to Mothland, meld their shiny metallic melodies with gritty krautrock and post-punk rhythms to bring us along on a gaseous neo-psychedelic trip.
Their latest single, “Sometimes I Go Down,” takes inspiration from the sounds of Sonic Youth, and gives us a taste of their upcoming album Ride. The track is accompanied by a spooky music video featuring mysterious calls in parallel universes, tarot cards, and more
We caught up with the band in anticipation of their set at FME on September 3rd to chat about their music and what's to come in for Hot Garbage in 2021.
Photo by Alex Carre
Malaika Astorga for Also Cool: Hi! It's nice to meet e-meet you. I'm interested to know how you all met and how that friendship turned into Hot Garbage.
J: You too. Alex is my brother, so I've known him since birth. He was putting a band together with Mark, who he had played with in bands throughout high school. I jumped in on bass, and Dylan, who I'd recently met through friends, joined shortly afterwards to fill things out on keys/synth.
A: Thanks for having us! That's pretty much it, yeah. We were hanging out and going to shows and listening to music together in Toronto. So we started experimenting with writing and playing together, and it was fun! We started doing little gigs and stuff around the city.
Also Cool: Your sound is unmistakably psychedelic. Can you give us some insight on where your inspirations are coming from and what those different genres' scenes are like?
J: Our musical inspirations are pretty varied. I think for this record we're putting out now, we delved into a lot of krauty / noisy territory - inspired by stuff like CAN, Gary Numan, Sonic Youth, Exploded View. We also draw a lot of inspiration from the local scene. There's a ton of quality music coming out of Toronto. Even without hanging with those people and seeing them at shows, I'm listening to amazing record after amazing record that people have been putting out during the pandemic.
A: Yeah, I think all of us really enjoy a lot of different types of music. From a writing standpoint, psychedelic is a great access point to play with musical ideas. The human experience can be so psychedelic, mysterious or strange at times, and those feelings are also so hard to put into words. So I often feel like psychedelic music is just music that is relatable in that way. We're extremely lucky to be a part of a great music community here in Toronto!
AC: Psych shows are often accompanied by crazy visuals that enhance the overall experience. Do you have any memorable/favourite psych shows that you've been to?
J: Definitely. Anything the Oscillitarium has done visuals for is memorable. They have this magical way of transforming any space. A Place To Bury Strangers at the last Crystal Lake was pretty amazing and intense. I've seen Black Angels a bunch, and they always have great visuals by the Mustachio Light Show. There are also a lot of sets that stick with me from Levitation and Desert Daze over the years, like Iggy Pop, 13th Floor Elevators, Jesus and Mary Chain, John Cale. The installation art and visuals are always really well done at those fests; it's clearly factored into the experience.
A: Yeah, it's interesting to see this live collaboration between visual artists and musicians! Oscillitarioum light shows in Toronto rule. With buds like Possum, Kali Horse, Vypers, Mother Tongues, and so many more. I also remember having a pretty profound experience seeing John Cale at Desert Daze a few years back. The visuals and music hit me so hard. It was such an expression.
AC: I'm curious about the mysterious phone calls in your most recent music video. Can you give us any hints of who the mystery caller might've been? I'd also love to know a bit more about the tarot symbolism in the video.
A: Good question... We were playing with the idea of these kinds of gross dudes (Dylan, Mark and myself) talking on the phone and maybe being warned about something and not taking it seriously. While we're being gross, we meet our demise. Juliana maybe heeds the warning and challenges fate by pulling the right card (mystical tarot magic). She's "in touch" with the caller.
Also for the record, we made this video like a year before the pandemic, so any parallels there were not planned… Last year, when the band could only talk on zoom, we were joking about how it looked just like our music video!
AC: We're very excited to see you play IRL at FME. What are you most looking forward to at the festival?
J: Thanks, we're really stoked to play. I'm looking forward to seeing Paul Jacobs and OBGM's for sure. There are a bunch of friends going who I haven't seen in a while, so I'm excited to just hang out and see some shows. I am going to try and catch Cadence Weapon on Thursday if we get in in time.
A: Thanks! Yeah, I know Paul Jacobs and the OBGMs have such great energies, and I can't wait to soak that up! Also just to be able to play again and be at a show feels so good. This will be our first indoor gig since the pandemic started.
AC: Lastly, what are your plans for the next year, now that shows are happening again?
J: We will be playing shows around the release of our new record - fall/winter will be mostly local-ish but hoping to make it back down into the US to do some touring in the spring. There is also new material being passed around, so we're going to be working on putting that together for the next thing.
A: Exactly, finally tour this record! We'll go to the USA again and play some shows as soon as we can. But we've been writing tons during the pandemic, so we'll also be working on new material.
Watch Ride below
Hot Garbage
Bandcamp | Spotify | Apple Music | Youtube
Instagram | Facebook
Malaika Astorga is the co-founder of Also Cool. She is a Mexican-Canadian visual artist, writer, and social media strategist currently based in Montreal.
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Spaceface and KWKA Bring Escapist Psych-Rock to the Masses
“Experiments In Escapist Infinities” cover
Jake Ingalls is a creative soul who makes psychedelic masterpieces with his bands Spaceface and The Flaming Lips. Both groups are known for creating unique, unparalleled stage sets, light shows and performances. If you’re lucky enough to attend one of their concerts, it will be an experience you’ll likely never forget. If The Beatles’ Magical Mystery Tour, CAN and the grooviest bass lines ever had a lovechild, it would be Spaceface.
Spaceface is a retro-futurist dream-rock band that was formed in Memphis, Tennessee in 2011. Currently, Ingalls is based in Los Angeles. They have released some phenomenal feel-good psychedelic albums and singles such as “Sun Kids” and “Panoramic View.” The band just dropped a new single on April 1st titled, "Experiments In Escapist Infinities” with Mike Fridmann AKA KWKA. Their forthcoming album is on its way as well. Expect amazing influences on this record, like Nina Simone and Superorganism. Spaceface’s latest offering will be paired with kaleidoscopic visuals and new music videos to create a sublime musical experience.
We got the chance to connect with Ingalls and Fridmann to discuss their thoughts on collaboration, creative processes, and the theatrics of their live performances.
Sierra Kaylen for Also Cool: Jake and Mike, thank you for taking the time to talk to us today. Can you tell us a bit about who you are and what you love?
Jake Ingalls: My name is Jake Ingalls, I'm the frontman/bandleader of Spaceface. I also play guitar and keyboard in The Flaming Lips. That's usually where people know me from but lately, we've been getting more and more folks just finding Spaceface on their own, which is exciting. I always feel a little grotesque dropping the Lips' name when we're talking about this project, but they were my favorite band from 6th grade to college… and now I get to play with them, which is still kind of mind blowing to me.
I've also recently embraced being a nonbinary person. I'm from Memphis and I've lived in L.A. for about five years now? I love cooking, rollerblading, and collaborating with new artists. I love a fresh new notebook to scribble ideas/drawings/ tasks and lists in. The list of things I love could go on forever. It'd be easier to list things I don't like… for instance, when you can hear someone eating on the other end of the phone.
Mike Fridmann: I’m Mike, I make music under the name KWKA, run a tiny record label called Nonexistant Records and work as an assistant engineer at Tarbox Road Studios. I’ll name-drop the Flaming Lips too, because Dave Fridmann is my dad… So, I’ve known the Lips my entire life and that’s where I know Jake from! Unsurprisingly, I love to work on music and that’s kind of what I do all the time. In the last year I’ve played a lot of video games and taken a lot of walks too. And I got a cat, I love cats.
Also Cool: Your band Spaceface, meshes retro psych and modern pop together creating unique and magic sounds. Could you tell us a bit about the creative process that went into the new single?
Jake Ingalls: Well that's a great compliment! There are usually four of us that write what I'd call “the core” of most of the tunes; so there's almost always a big push and pull or tug-of-war vibe when it comes to where the song should "go.” A lot of times, we'll sit and discuss what scene a new song would be setting in a movie, and try to approach the arrangement cinematically; talking about camera angles that shift focus with the entrance of new parts and what feeling we want to evoke.
I then take the new full-band demo into the studio and tear it apart and re-record almost everything. It started simply out of necessity that I'm the guy who goes into the studio with an engineer/producer to fix it all up and get a good mix going, but now it's just an understood part of the process. Jake, when are you gonna take this one into the studio? I'd love to hear what it's gonna become and wanna make sure you don't ditch my favorite part here.
I'm lucky that my band trusts me to take what we've worked so hard to create and mess with it to great lengths. There's truly a freeing feeling having the full song done so you can reference anything you particularly loved about the original. But, going into the actual recording process completely unattached to what the song can become, adding new rhythms, instruments, and samples that can completely change the feel of the entire tune.
Jake Ingalls of Spaceface by Blake Studdard
AC: I’ve noticed that your band often pairs music with trippy visuals. Your stage production features light shows that match your song’s themes and overall vibe. What kind of experience are you trying to give your audience when performing live?
JI: Firstly, we're aware that most folks that are coming to a Spaceface show likely don't know our music. With that in mind, we've always felt like the "show" element is a nice added treat for fans, and a little reward for people who took the risk, who got out of their warm apartments, and paid $5 to come to check us out. So when we started the band, I immediately went out and bought a fog machine, cheap lasers, and Christmas lights.
I was about 16 when I realized that not everyone sees vivid colors or visuals when they hear music, and always craved adding some sort of obvious queue for people. At first, you can only afford or find easy things like glow-in-the-dark bubbles, fog machines, or work lights with different colored bulbs in them... But it's gotten easier to find ways to incorporate better and more impressive elements into the show that set the mood we're trying to provide.
Growing up, we'd drive miles and miles to see bands like Of Montreal, Man or Astro Man, and Octopus Project because they made cool music and their shows were fresh and different. I remember we fell in love with this group from Nashville called The Protomen. They wrote and performed rock operas based on the stories within the Megaman video game series. I was just enamored with the idea that you could sneak into a dive bar and have this grimy place be transformed: just because folks took the time to make costumes, coordinate visuals, and get their goofy friends to hop on stage and play along. We want people to leave feeling as happy and joyous as we get to feel playing for them.
AC: What was the process like collaborating together for this single? Do you think collaboration furthers the artistic process or stunts it?
JI: I'm a firm believer in collaborating as a form of growth. I like to look at myself as the opposite of Shel Silverstein's story, The Missing Piece. Each new idea is a giant ball of malleable clay that's rolling down a hill and every person you work with on it gets to chip and chisel away until it's a fully formed marble statue. Plus, everyone works differently and sometimes your circumstances dictate the process, forcing you to discover new ways of creating. Working on this project with Mikey was a particularly new, delightful and fun experience.
MF: We started working on this sitting in the room together then finished it over the internet. I think at the time I wasn’t too experienced working long-distance on music, so it was a good experience to have. I think we both just wanted to have some fun and try to make something that sounded fun!
Mike Fridmann AKA KWKA by Jonathon Graves
AC: Was it difficult for you both to find your sound, did it come naturally to you? Or, do you think your sound is always evolving with time?
JI: At first, we wanted to be a surfy psych-punk band. Each tune was noisy, fast and we relished being out of control. I think we still like getting loud and raucous, but our tastes are constantly changing and evolving. I find my only regrets are when I make choices that are avoiding what comes naturally for each tune. It might be slow, but you gotta let it grow. For this song in particular, we set very few limitations and really tried not to question what was coming out, just to go with it.
MF: I don’t really focus on cultivating any sound in particular, I just usually make what I want to hear in the moment. If I’m working on one project there’ll be common threads because I was in a particular headspace at the time.
AC: What are some of your favourite albums? Have any of them influenced the current music you’re making?
JI: Talk about always changing! I'll go with my current vinyl rotations: Petit Prince's Les plus beaux matins, Superorganism's self-titled album, The Avalanches We Will Always Love You, Charli XCX's how I'm feeling now, Elbow's Little Fictions and Nina Simone's To Love Somebody. I can't say anything but Nina, Elbow, and Superorganism influenced the upcoming record since the album is done and those are the only ones we all had before we finished it.
MF: Honestly, most of my listening for the last few years has just been whatever I’m working on or whatever we’re doing at Tarbox. As far as just listening for fun, Gazing Globe by Outer Spaces is one of my favourites. Before that, my obsession was Sweatbox Dynasty by Tobacco. Those are some extremely different sounding records, but I think they’re both really emotionally transporting, which is something I aspire to.
AC: Speaking of albums, what was a project you worked on that had the biggest impact on your life?
JI: I mean, I'd say getting to work on any of the Lips’ stuff early on had a big impact on how I looked at the arrangement of a song. The Lips' ability to be unprecious about stuff is… sometimes frustrating but ultimately creatively inspiring.
MF: I’d say pretty much the same thing, ha!
AC: Tell us about your plans for 2021! Are you excited?
JI: Plans for 2021 include: putting out a new single and video once a month leading up to our record release February 2022! I actually really enjoyed some of the down time in 2020, it gave me the space and time to grow, learn and figure out the best ways to make videos and art for the new record.
AC: How can we (and your fans) best support you in your future endeavors?
JI: Keep your eyes on our page, sign up for our text community, and be prepared! Like I said, new Spaceface every month all year! New record coming soon! Thank you so much.
Jake Ingalls of Spaceface by Blake Studdard
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Enter La Femme's Neo-Maximalist Nightclub "Paradigmes"
Paradigmes album artwork by Polygon
Paris-based psyche rockers La Femme are keeping listeners on their toes in anticipation of their forthcoming record Paradigmes, out next week on April 2nd via Disque Pointu and IDOL. The LP marks a milestone for the band, being their first release after five years of touring extensively, adding several musical accolades to their trophy shelf (including the coveted Victoires de la Musique award and Gold certifications in France for their first two releases), as well as playing major international music festivals, from Austin Psych Fest to Glastonbury. Formed in 2010 by Sacha Got and Marlon Magnée, La Femme has seen a rise in success comparable to the greats, but remain humbled by the everlasting centrality of their DIY roots.
The band has already given us a glimpse into the sultry and psychedelic smoking-lounge that is Paradigmes, through teaser tracks “Paradigme,” “Cool Colorado,” “Disconnexion,” “Foutre le bordel,” “Le Jardin,” and most recently “Le sang de mon prochain.” From what we’ve heard so far, we’re intrigued by their clever use of horn sections, DEVO-esque wind-up rhythms, and a sprinkle of cool, laissez-faire nostalgia à la Serge Gainsbourg to present a sound best described as Neo-Maximalist.
As the title of the album implies, Paradigmes’ narrative is as complex as its grandiose musical arrangements. While the lyrics throughout unpack the many anxieties and frustrations with cultural norms and expectations within Western culture at large, it equally tackles personal afflictions within the human experience — like love and heartbreak, sexual and gendered exasperations and general feelings of depression and nihilism. The band explains that they managed to touch on both existential and intimate themes by tapping into their intuitions, noting: “Maybe it’s easier to write when you are sad or plagued with negativity? The record took on a life of its own when reflecting on our own experiences.”
La Femme by Oriane Robaldo
Speaking on how the record fell into place, La Femme says that the development and production of Paradigmes was a culmination of experiments, rather than a deliberate realization of a heady think-piece from start to finish. “After we toured Mystère in 2017, the band took break from music. We reunited in 2019 with the hopes of finishing a record, and brought together a bunch of material collected in our hard-drives and chose 15 songs to build Paradigmes. It’s taken a lot of time for us to finish because we are picky on the details.”
Knowing the band gained popularity by exclusively touring North America before they were picked up by European audiences, I was curious to know if their experiences of the United States informed the cultural critiques within Paradigmes. “Really, we just toured and traveled throughout the US a lot — so yes, the influences and experiences from those memories are definitely present throughout Paradigmes. We specifically commemorate places we’ve visited like Colorado, New Orleans and Los Angeles. But the album also features influences from other countries like Spain and Turkey, as well as three different languages (French, English and Spanish) — so, it’s a world music record in that way. We like the folklore of places and what comes out of them.”
La Femme by Oriane Robaldo
The ambition of the Paradigmes project is topped with a particular aesthetic crafted by the band. Of the six singles they’ve put out so far, three are accompanied by a music video that takes place in the futuristic “Paradigmes” nightclub. Frequented by a collection of eclectic regulars, such as go-go dancers, cyborg songstresses and intellectuals with an uncanny resemblance to Michel Foucault, you get the sense that Paradigmes is a hang-out where all are welcome. The band expresses that the album’s title track and their song “Disconnexion” were the inspiration behind their fictitious venue. “The song ‘Paradigme’ sounds like a generic, 70s TV show and ‘Disconnexion’ like an intellectual radio show. Combined, these concepts created the set of a fake TV show where all the video clips are connected. At the end, when you watch them all together, it’s going to be a full-length film.”
At the end of our interview, La Femme lets me in on how they plan to celebrate their release in the most fittingly over-the-top way possible. “We’re going to have the biggest digital party and eat popcorn in front of our computers! The best way our fans can support us is by dropping out, tuning into our record and movie and starting an orgy.” Ça marche, La Femme!
PARADIGMES
Out via Disques Pointu and IDOL on April 2, 2021
1. Paradigme
2. Le sang de mon prochain
3. Cool Colorado
4. Foutre le bordel
5. Nouvelle-Orléans
6. Pasadena
7. Lacher de chevaux
8. Disconnexion
9. Foreigner
10. Force & respect
11. Divine creature
12. Mon ami
13. Le jardin
14. Va
15. Tu t’en lasses
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Wanna Be My Daddy? Mystic Peach Talks Sexuality, Creative Process & More
Via Mystic Peach
Heavy-hitting and spellbinding, Mystic Peach's track "Wanna Be My Daddy" is a grunge-rock reminder to not give a fuck about what others think of your sexuality.
It's an anthem for every small-town kid who wants to feel comfortable and confident with their identity, despite the judgements of others. We got the chance to chat with the band about the track below.
via Mystic Peach
Malaika for Also Cool: Hi! Hope you're all holding up the best you can. How would you describe yourselves to those who don't know you?
Curtis for Mystic Peach: I don't think we've ever sat down to think about it, but here's a list we've gathered in the past few years- Melodic Pop, Psych Pop, Psych Rock, Space Rock, Noise Rock, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Grunge and some others. So take your pick, but, at our last show, the sound engineer called us Psych-Punk, which we like.
Also Cool: Let's get into your origin story. How did you all become friends and get into music?
Mystic Peach: Curtis and Joe went to the same school and had worked on a few projects together throughout the years. We went through many phases that were all enjoyable, but looking back, it was all very confusing. One minute we were recording loud droney stoner music, and then the next week, we'll be recording Mac DeMarco-Esque guitar pop. I don't think either of us knew what we wanted.
I just felt like we were going nowhere, and I wanted to actually find the strengths in my voice and guitar playing. I vanished for a while, and not many people could get hold of me unless they actually came to my house.
Shortly after the vanishing trick, Jimi and I met down at the pub through mutual friends and started talking about music and bands. I was astonished that Jimi wasn't in a band. We both knew of each other through previous bands, so it was a chance to woo him with my songs and get things going. After two years of not really speaking, I got in contact with Joe to ask if he wanted to give this project a go. To my surprise and with little reluctance, he said yes.
Now we're all friends doing some pretty cool stuff and playing music that we like. We're very lucky that we actually like each other.
AC: What's the local music scene like where you're from, and what role did it play in getting you into music-making? Were there any venues or spaces in particular that made you want to be a part of the scene?
MP: I would say it's healthy, there's plenty of interest, and locals are willing to give bands a listen. I wouldn't particularly say there was a specific local scene we wanted to be part of; perhaps we just wanted to shake the whole thing up a bit. I think as long as you get on with fellow bands and those in the music community making things happen in the city, that's all that matters, really.
We have venues like Joiners, Heartbreakers and The 1865 in Southampton, and Wedgewood Rooms in Portsmouth. We wanted to play them after seeing some of our favourite bands perform there. The promoters are always looking for new music, which keeps the city's music scene in a good state.
AC: I've noticed during the quarantine that people seem to be more and more comfortable with their sexuality and sense of self. You've mentioned that the track tackles the discomfort that others can feel because of your sexuality. How did you come to terms with your personal identities and find confidence in that part of yourselves?
MP: I never really thought I was doing anything that grown adults would need to comment on. It seems that some people bring that 'school kid mentality' into adulthood. But at the end of the day, who cares? You do you. If someone has a problem with whatever it is about you, let them simmer in their own discontent. We all have a very honest set of friends that like each other because we connect... Not because we have a mutual hobby of being a dick head.
AC: How do you find inspiration for your music? Who and what are you inspired by?
MP: We've all put our two pence in on our sound through individual influences. Anything from shoegaze (My Bloody Valentine, DIIV, Slowdive) to punk (Sex Pistols, Black Flag) and 60's garage to 70's rock. More recent influencers are the likes of Yak, FIDLAR and Peace.
As for subjects, it seems to be based around mental state and social commentary. Sometimes it comes from personal experiences, what we've read, or sometimes just people-watching. Cult films (The Warriors, Pulp Fiction, Clock Work Orange) are a big part of this band too!
AC: Delving into some pre-pandemic nostalgia real quick, what's your favourite memory from playing live/being on tour?
MP: Our most recent and last pre-pandemic memory was our tour with Temples in France in March. It got cut short after three shows, but we all loved it. It was the most fun we had, and we savoured every moment. Playing in Paris to 1,000 people was a highlight and definitely something that brought us closer together because we're cute like that.
But all in all, just being able to rehearse when we want. Going to the pub, going away to random places together, and getting drunk in hot tubs or in the middle of a field. We miss each other, and I'm sure that's the case for most bands.
AC: Who are some local artists or creative friends who you think deserve more hype?
MP: Defcon Lawless. Unreal talent, fantastic lyricist and incredible music taste. We could talk to him for hours about music and life. Originally from America, but he's ours now; they can't have him back.
Also, our long-term friend and talented artist, James Digweed. He's done art for our last two singles and for our upcoming EP. A true weirdo, a visionary, and we truly love him.
AC: What are you looking forward to this year? Any upcoming projects?
MP: We're looking forward to releasing our EP this year and having more than just singles out there. We're unsure of timing due to the pandemic, but we're making plans as we speak. We're crossing our fingers for before summer, but we also know that it might happen later than that.
If the virus starts settling down here, it looks like autumn could be a pretty busy time with shows and rescheduled releases. Intense but exciting for us. An act at our level relies on live shows so much for engaging with new & existing fans. No better feeling. Can't wait to get on that stage again!
AC: Closing out here, is there anything you want to shout out or promote?
MP: Be safe, be kind to each other, don't shit on each other's opinions and respect people's views even though they may be different from yours. Marmite is better than Vegemite, and if you disagree, then you are wrong.
Thanks for speaking with us, and we're over at @mysticpeachh on all socials.
Watch Wanna Be My Daddy? below
Malaika Astorga is the co-founder of Also Cool. She is a Mexican-Canadian visual artist, writer, and social media specialist, currently based in Montreal.
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Yoo Doo Right Releases Title Track From Forthcoming Debut LP "Don't Think You Can Escape Your Purpose"
Yoo Doo Right by Stacy Lee
Montreal krautrock trio Yoo Doo Right have released the title track from their first full length Don’t Think You Can Escape Your Purpose, out on hometown label Mothland May 21st, 2021. This six-minute slow-burn propels the listener through a metamorphosis of sound; tethering between a surfy trip and an atmospheric, spaced-out drone, while remaining wholly contemplative from start to finish. The single hints at a refined stride for the group, presenting a masterful cocktail of soundscapes and experimentations that make it clear their debut LP will have a strong first impression. On the release, the band comments: "It’s about a person who is losing touch with reality. Who thinks he has a higher purpose, and is supposed to be an ambassador to a higher extraterrestrial race. It’s a looming atmospheric rhythm and crawl."
Yoo Doo Right by Stacy Lee
Alongside this anticipatory single, the band have also released an accompanying music video that is just as immersive as their otherworldly sound.
"In an attempt to achieve a higher purpose in life, the subject instead witnesses their own deteriorating mental posture. As a means of overcoming assumed existential risk (the hurdles of our great filter), the subject looks above and within believing that they alone have been chosen to solve the problems that our species faces. Images of Eva Szasz' 1968 short film Cosmic Zoom, produced by the National Film Board of Canada were cast over foliage to make for fitting imagery, complimenting the narrative."
- Justin Cober from Yoo Doo Right
Watch the video for “Don’t Think You Can Escape Your Purpose” below
DON'T THINK YOU CAN ESCAPE YOUR PURPOSE
Available in digital, LP & CD formats via Mothland on May 21, 2021
1. A Certain Sense Of Disenchantment
2. 1N914
3. Marché Des Vivants
4. The Moral Compass Of A Self-Driving Car
5. Don't Think You Can Escape Your Purpose
6. Join, Be Curst
7. Presto Presto, Bella's Dream
8. Black Moth
All songs written by Yoo Doo Right.
Tracks 1, 2, 3, 7 and 8 recorded by Guillaume Chiasson at Le Pantoum, Québec City. Tracks 4, 5 and 6 recorded by Sébastien Fournier at Hotel2Tango, Montréal. Mixed By Guillaume Chiasson. Mastered by Harris Newman at Greymarket Mastering, Montréal. Artwork by Louis-Alexandre Beauregard.
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Review: Priors Break-In 2021 With My Punishment on Earth
If you’re a fan of the Montreal rock n’ roll outfit Priors, you may have been wondering if they were ever going to fulfill their promise of a third release before the close of 2020. Luckily for all of us, they stayed true to their word and saved the New Year with a 10-song LP titled My Punishment on Earth.
The album leans heavily into synth sounds and channels a raw, pent-up energy that feels fitting after a seemingly stagnant year spent in isolation. “Astral” is an especially propulsive track that will have you bouncing off the walls with its avalanche of thumping drums and a driving chorus that exponentially builds up until the end - peak avalanche. The other stand-out track is “Fox Force Five,” which features a downright menacing guitar riff - and is accompanied by an appropriately murderous music video, to boot.
As is characteristic of their music, Priors’ My Punishment on Earth is a taut listening experience - and with its clocking in at just over 26 minutes, you’ve got to be committed to the intensity. However, there’s a contemplative air instilled among the controlled chaos. The opener is a punchy psychedelic number alternating between a relentless bass hook and blasts of distortion. A meandering guitar threading its way throughout makes the songs feel unexpectedly experimental, while the lyrics are suitably doom and gloom, taking you on a deep-dive into the sinister subconscious milieu.
A few of the tracks are recognizable from pre-pandemic sets, but are now presented in a more polished digitized form. It’s a matter of personal preference whether you like the clean cut versions over the raw sound of a show, but there’s no arguing that the blend of guttural garage punk with an electronic edge has been a core element of the band’s sound since the start - and it works effortlessly here.
Most of all, this LP makes me miss rubbing shoulders with fellow dive bar aficionados. Here’s hoping for that day to come soon. You can find both digital and vinyl versions of the album on Bandcamp.
Priors are Chance Hutchison, Stuart Buckley, Alan Hildebrandt, Drew Demers, Seb Godin, and Maxime Desharnais.
Priors
Instagram | Bandcamp | Big Cartel Store
Written by Alex Kerkhoff
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