Drip
Some Party is a newsletter sharing the latest in independent Canadian rock'n'roll, curated more-or-less weekly by Adam White. Each edition explores punk, garage, psych, and otherwise uncategorizable indie rock, drawing lines from proto to post and taking some weird diversions along the way.
No Frills: "Drip"
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Toronto's self-described "bummer pop" outfit No Frills are eyeing the spring of 2022 for the release of Downward Dog, their first full-length. The group shared the news alongside a compellingly dispassionate new single. "Drip" arrives as our second preview of the new record, following "Ice Cream Cone" from back in February. Now I'm not one for lyric videos, but there's something curiously engrossing about the one showcasing "Drip." That I seem to connect with the dead button eyes of a puppet turtle is somewhat concerning, but it's been a rainy week, and I must surely need more sun.
The new album follows No Frills' 2018 debut, the five-track digital EP Nice To Meet You. That record saw Daniel Busheikin (of Toronto's Grounders) establish the band's relaxingly downtrodden outlook, backed by his fellow Grounder Kelvin Grove, Jon Pappo (of Hooded Fang and WHIMM), and Matt 'Bucky' Buckberrough (who's played with Twist and Beds).
Dysruptive: Pils Sessions
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Last month the gritty Quebec City punk quartet Dysruptive tracked a five-song set as part of the Pils Sessions. While old school group's appeared on several recent compilations, their Pils set marks their first time recording in a proper studio. The material follows a string of raucous singes from the past year, including "The Only Ones" (from the EhCAB compilation) and the flippant COVID-era anthem "Sanitary Mask."
Dysruptive brings together vocalist Dennis Jones, guitarist Pierp, bassist Féérique, and drummer Yanovitch. Chany Pilote engineered the performance at Pils' NOMANSLAND studio in Gatineau, with Dizz Hupé capturing it all on film.
This release marks the fifth entry in the fast-growing Pils catalogue, following recent performances from the Ottawa garage-rock trio Ciggie & The Darts and recordings documenting the Quebecois punk/crust groups Fractured, Ad Vitam, and Collapsed.
Dead Soft: "As It Grows"
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Grungy BC power-pop act Dead Soft has a new single in the wild dubbed "As I Grows." The track arrives on the heels of September's "Peace" single, part of a slate of home-recorded material the group assembled while waiting out the pandemic. An accompanying video by Kain Bryson and Derrick Guerin captures the trio in a backyard performance recorded this past summer (one of two Super 8 styled clips in today's update, come to think of it).
The new songs follow 2020's Baby Blue EP, which saw the group rework material from their 2019 Arts & Crafts debut, Big Blue. Working out of Gabriola Island, Dead Soft features vocalist/guitarist Nathaniel Epp, bassist/vocalist Keeley Rochon, and drummer Alex Smith.
Shearing Pinx: When You Have No Taste, You Can Do Anything
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Vancouver noise-punk heroes Shearing Pinx have a new tape available, mining their extensive archives of experimental weirdness to unearth a collection of previously unreleased rackets. With material spanning 2008 through 2019, When You Have No Taste, You Can Do Anything collects around a dozen tracks, including live performances, demos, radio performances, and new edits of old favourites. The set's available now on a limited home-dubbed tape run and up for download at Bandcamp.
Shearing Pinx last issued the LP People in 2014 through Psychic Handshake, that same year appearing on at least a half-dozen splits with bands like Hag Face and Soupcans (many of those issued through the Isolated Now Waves label).
New Chance: "Time Treat Me Right" (Pelada Remix)
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Electronic music producer New Chance is readying an album of remixes that promise wild new takes on the material from her July LP Real Time. The nine-song set, arriving November 5 through We Are Time, features the Toronto artist reworked by post-punk luminaries like LAL, Petra Glynt, and Lee Paradise. You can now preview an infectious new take on "Time Treat Me Right" by the celebrated Montreal industrial act Peleda (the duo of producer Tobias Rochman and vocalist Chris Vargas - with the latter adding new, Spanish lyrics to the track).
New Chance principle Victoria Cheong commented on the work in a statement to Ears to Feed:
"I've been a big fan of Pelada since we played a show together years ago. I really appreciate that their music walks that line between dancefloor abandon and a sense of political urgency. I know they chose this track to remix because it felt like an unlikely choice and that is why they are interesting and innovative artists! Chris brought something so special to this remix by further interpreting the lyrical content. I felt particularly honoured by that."
Peleda's Tobias Rochman further delved into the instrumentation, revealing:
"We recorded during lockdown in an apartment we were sharing at the time using the remix as an opportunity to experiment with different tempos, vocal registers, and rhythmic ideas to play against expectation and test different production techniques. We purposely tried to keep it as empty as possible, keeping the focus on the original vocal which we applied heavy saturation to make it sound rougher and 'burnt.' The main gurgling bass is based on the 'West Coast Style' synthesis of Don Buchla, the vocal technique was inspired by Ying Yang Twins' 'Whisper Song' and the spooky string sound was made by a Solina string machine popularized by Joy Division in their song 'Love Will Tear Us Apart.' We purposely used stock Ableton drum sounds to make it feel like anyone could have produced it, to emphasize that limitations can breed creativity and that it's not always what you have but how you use it that's important."
The Real Time Remixed collection arrives digitally on November 5.
Ghostkeeper: "Grassy Plains"
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Calgary indie rock troop Ghostkeeper recently unveiled their first new single since 2017. The propulsive "Grassy Plains" carves a unique niche, spinning out of 70s psychedelia with an Indigenous perspective that never feels too precious about its retro influences. The band commented:
"Our new single, 'Grassy Plains,' charts a fantasy based on a post-apocalyptic scenario where the protagonist's man has gone off to fight as a revolutionary soldier. Driven to seek the help of the minegishi (sacred little people), she gathers medicine and words to bring her love home. We sought to capture the story of lovers in a dystopian time who lament the distance between them as they struggle to find each other in one realm or another."
This album again finds Ghostkeeper's core duo of Shane Ghostkeeper and Sarah Houle backed by multi-instrumentalist Ryan Bourne and drummer Eric Hamelin. Founded in the Metis settlement of Paddle Prairie, Alberta, the band's following up their 2017 LP Sheer Blouse Buffalo Knocks with a new record soon on Victory Pool.
Gulfer: "End of the World"
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Montreal emo-revivalists Gulfer has another mathy new single available, with "End of the World" following August's one-off "Neighbours." A press release sings the melodic tunes' praises:
"Although 'End of the World' isn't Gulfer's first pandemic song, it's their first that explores our collective adaptations to new realities. Over intricate call and response guitars that seem to fold in on themselves, Vincent Ford sings of themes parallel to the end of the world: selective memory holes; playing with fire without a care for consequence; and finding your own new ways to cope and just get through the day. End times be damned, 'End of the World' is decidedly more melodic than punk, with hooks that demonstrate the band's ability to write songs on any part of the experimental rock spectrum. Its keenly constructed rhythms keep Gulfer's compositions unpredictable and inventive, perhaps a figurative mirror in which the band can optimistically see a way out of the impending end of the world."
Gulfer released a self-titled full-length last October through Royal Mountain and Topshelf, chasing it earlier this year with a split EP paired with Marquette, MI's Charmer. The quartet features guitarist/vocalists Vincent Ford and Joe Therriault, bassist David Mitchell, and drummer Julien Daoust.
Basement Revolver: "Tunnel Vision"
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Hamilton dream-pop group Basement Revolver recently shared "Tunnel Vision," the third single from Embody, their forthcoming sophomore LP. The track tackles guitarist/vocalist Chrisy Hurn's struggles with bulimia and related body issues. She comments:
"Eating disorders are - for lack of a better term - a mindfuck. Unfortunately, many aspects of pop culture confirm elements of EDs by focusing heavily on weight loss, fat phobia, and unrealistic beauty standards.
You know when you are swimming on the beach, and there are really really big waves, and one of them might knock you over, and before you can get up another one pounds you down, and you keep getting pounded wave after wave and you can't get up and you think that you are going to die and you are gasping for air but you keep swallowing water? That is the feeling that I wanted to convey — just the absolute panic that I feel about food or my body."
The new record's due later in early 2022 through Sonic Unyon, following up on the 2019 EP Wax and Digital. Basement Revolver features vocalist/guitarist Chrisy Hurn-Morrison, bassist Nim Agalawatte, guitarist Jonathan Malström, and drummer Levi Kertesz. They recorded with producer Ian Gomes (Greys, Frigs, Odonis Odonis).
The Corps: "The Last Laugh"
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Comic-obsessed Vancouver punks The Corps continue their buzzsaw fandom with "The Last Laugh," a song the band says is "about meeting others who have a time limit for their passion." As is the case with much of the band's catalogue, the track boasts a title and lyrical references that carry a double meaning for those familiar with the finer points of the DC multiverse. "The Last Laugh" follows the recent single "Hazardous," part of a run of new material from the yet-to-be-announced follow-up to 2018's Tales From 2814.
The band recorded at Rain City Recorders with Matt Roach engineering and Stuart McKillop mastering. These new singles all arrive through a new partnership with the Montreal skate-punk label Thousand Islands Records.
The Corps features lead vocalist/guitarist Dan Garrison, guitarist Andrew Pederson, bassist Ronnie Ellis, and drummer Dan Stenning - veterans of the Celtic punk act The Real McKenzies.
The Bare Minimum: "Woah"
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Toronto's four-piece The Bare Minimum recently unveiled the shout-along single "Woah" while joking that "Dexter and Glenn are suing." Luckily one can't patent well-worn punk tropes, and the group makes the best of those familiar building blocks here.
The Bare Minimum features guitarist/vocalist Cam Gray, guitarist Mick Hutchinson, bassist Donnie Hopper, and drummer Chris Nikolaidis. The new material follows a string of recent high energy singles, including "Bitter Pill," "Echo In My Head," and last year's "Party Martyr."
Chastity: "Somersault"
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This week Whitby alt-rockers Chastity unveiled the shimmering "Somersault," the second single from the upcoming Suffer Summer and a collaboration with Alexisonfire/City and Colour star Dallas Green. The track arrived alongside a cinematic new video, co-directed by Chastity principle Brandon Williams. Williams commented:
"The first video put out for the trilogy [of albums] was for 'Children', based off a true story of police brutality in my town. In one of the final videos for it now, I wanted to make sure the gap was closed and the cop got what was coming. Trying to make a dream feel real... This is a song about the apocalypse, with lyrics written before this current apocalypse began. It's about finding a better world hidden away in your room, or some place safe."
Suffer Summer will be the band's first record for their new US home of Deathwish Inc. Dine Alone's carrying the album in Canada, with a release scheduled for January 13, 2022. Along with Dallas Green, the record also features tracks co-written by PUP's Stefan Babcock.
Chastity last released Home Made Satan in 2019, following their 2018 debut Death Lust.
Wine Lips: "In The Clear"
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I suppose it's the season for murder clowns, and Toronto garage rockers Wine Lips lean right into the trope with their new video for "In The Clear." The song's a last-minute preview of Mushroom Death Sex Bummer Party, the group's 11-song debut for Stomp Records that arrives this Friday. Ciarán Downes directed the blood-soaked clip.
Wine Lips features vocalist/guitarist Cam Hilborn, drummer Aurora Evans, guitarist Jordan Sosensky, and bassist Charlie Weare. The group recorded at London's Sugar Shack studio with Simon Larochette producing. The new LP, the band's third, follows up on 2019's Stressor.
Shelley: "Cup of Tea"
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Last week the Halifax group Shelley quietly shared the anxious emo/punk tune "Cup of Tea," a new one-off single that follows up on their 2020 EP Weeper.
The band recently helped celebrate Rich Aucoin's recent record, playing the long-delayed local release show for United States before the indie-pop musician hits the road down south.
Seth Anderson: "Big Red Sun"
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Calgary singer-songwriter Seth Anderson recently shared "Big Red Sun," a deeply personal new single that follows up his early 2020 Snappy Little Numbers LP, We Could Be. The artist commented:
"'Big Red Sun' has been awaiting release for a couple years, and it feels so great to share it finally! It is a song about struggle, and finding the strength to ask for help. Know that you are not alone, and please reach out if you are in need of support. There are no challenges to big or small. Sending everyone love. Thank you for lending me your ear.
I wrote this song while living in a new city, trying to process the feelings that came with that. Along with excitement, there was isolation, and the challenge to be open to new people and opportunities. I was also processing the loss of some important people in my life, so it was a very transformative period."
An accompanying video, directed by Seth Williams, finds the artist wandering the streets of Calgary (setting out from Stephen Avenue, to be precise).
We Could Be arrived in February 2020, featuring music recorded a few years prior in Toronto with Eamon McGrath. Trevor Anderson produced the "Big Red Sun" single at Toronto's Noble Street Studios.
Beach Body: "Dremz"
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Last week Regina-based "post-death surf choir" Beach Body shared a retro video for "Dremz," the opening track from their recently released LP Walking Holiday. Connor Copithorn filmed and directed the clip.
The 8-song Walking Holiday arrived last month through We Are Busy Bodies. The band recorded in the spring of 2020 at a cabin in northern Saskatchewan, finishing the record at Regina's repurposed funeral home studio, SoulSound. Beach Body's latest incarnation expands their original lineup to include keyboardist Jon Neher and guitarist Jesse Bryksa alongside founding vocalist/guitarist Rory Copithorn, bassist Ian Patterson, and drummer Gaelan Malloy. The new record follows up on the band's 2019 single The Southside Coyote Boys and a pair of earlier EPs.
Sam Coffey and The Iron Lungs: "Lately"
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I'm so fucking excited to see Sam Coffey and The Iron Lungs play again in a few weeks. The band's recent LP demands a heroically overblown live show, and with restrictions slowly lifting in Ontario, that seems increasingly likely. The band announced a string of fall tour dates alongside a seasonally appropriate video for the Real One track "Lately." Shot by Sammy J. Lewis and Adam Testa, the clip features vampires skateboarding through the streets of Ottawa. Coffey commented in a press release:
"We're back on the road and we wanted to make it SPOOKY. I kinda felt a little bit like a vampire for the past year... not going out a lot, rarely seeing the light of day. We feel really lucky to be able to play some shows again (as long as things remain safe). One of the most SPECIAL things about this song is it features our great friend Siânteuse singing. A lot of us used to be in a band called Sphinxs with her and she's an absolute vocal gymnast. We feel so lucky to have her featuring on the record. She came into the sessions and cracked off all the tracks in a few takes, it really blew us away."
The Iron Lungs kick off their fall run in Hamilton on November 9. Real One arrived in February through Dine Alone Records, three long years after the Thin Lizzy-channeling group's accomplished self-titled LP. The album features Coffey backed by Dave Tyson on keys, lead guitarist Liam Doyle, Joel "French" Desbois on rhythm guitar, bassist Richard Stanley, and drummer Connor Glen.
In August, Sam Coffey shared the authentic country tune "Hard Livin'," the first single from an upcoming solo LP titled Big Thyme.
Like a Motorcycle: "122 Hours of Fear"
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Halifax four-piece Like a Motorcycle recently shared a reworking of "122 Hours of Fear," a classic by LA electropunk pioneers The Screamers. The group commented:
"We experimented with electronic sounds to dramatically alter the atmosphere. To lend itself to the mounting tension, we split our cover into a bit of a diptych - taking the first half and drastically dropping the BPM until it crescendos to the intensity and speed of the original track."
The Screamers' original took its title from a headline in the Los Angeles Herald-Examiner chronicling the 1977 hijacking of Lufthansa Flight 181. The cover arrives in the wake of Like a Motorcycle's 2020 full-length Dead Broke. On this recording, the group features drummer Clare Macdonald, bassist Kim Carson, guitarist KT Lamond, and guitarist David Casey.
Telepathic Love: "Mystery"/"Do You Wanna Dance"
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On the subject of covers from punk's nascent years...
Hamilton's Telepathic Love is another in a long line of scrappy side projects featuring former Dirty Nil bassist Ross Miller. The group has two collections available now: the plainly named 2021 Collection (issued in late September with four original songs) and a new pair of faithful punk covers. On the latter, Telepathic Love tackles the Wipers' "Mystery" and the Ramones' "Do You Wanna Dance." You can hear it all digitally on Bandcamp or snag one on cassette through Miller's tape label Weepy Eye.
The covers feature performances by Ross, producer Vince Soliveri, and Crystal Senior. Over the past few years, Miller's various side gigs have included the posi-hardcore acts When I Move and Blue.
Media links updated to reflect relocated songs on Bandcamp. These tracks now appears as part of the One Thousand Flowers tape - Nov 4, 2022
