Columbus, OH’s Psychedelic Horseshit want you to know what you’re getting into. From the multiple drug references in their name and album titles to the word ‘shit’ popping up in both their name and self-applied, made-up genre ‘shitgaze’, you should be prepared for what you hear when you pop their CD on. The psychedelia references are apt, with singer Matt Horseshit (pseudonym???) atonally mumbling out lyrics, mostly about what he likes, or on the flipside, doesn’t like very much (“I Hate The Beach”). From the horseshit end of things (horsebutt), their percussion reminds occasionally of a simulated trotting horse à la Monty Python, and almost everything else sounds like shit. Mind, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It’s an aural aesthetic, and these shitheads have a good handle on how to use it to their advantage, to orchestrate a cohesive album. The term ‘shitgaze’ is incredibly appropriate—Psychedelic Horseshit are mired in the early ’90s lo-fi pop sound, eliciting everything from the melodic arrangements and effects pedals of My Bloody Valentine, to the lackadaisical vibe, found-sound layering, and rhythmic spasticity of early Beck. But shoehorning them into that scene does them a disservice—while the aforementioned bands are their foundations, they’ve incorporated a wide variety of influences that make sure what you hear next is never predictable or boring. For a band so covered in ‘shit’, they are far from shitty. (Fat Cat Records, http://fat-cat.co.uk) David Nowacki
Greg Arcade – In…Hawaii
It seems A1 label head Greg Arcade (Noble Thiefs) has traded in the ska for a solo album featuring a variety of ass-shakin’, rockin’ genres. Following in the footsteps of his Beach Bum Singles EP, In…Hawaii features blaring distorted Hives-like garage rock with lead off track “No! You Shut Up!” coupled with the classic surf rock sound in “Filament” and “Hawaii Electric.” It even has a couple rockabilly numbers with “I’m a Lion” and “Shake your Feet.” In…Hawaii may not seem unique because each cut is somewhat based on familiar song structures that we’ve heard before, but it’s in how Greg Arcade builds on them which makes it so perfectly conceived. Each track is a thought-out homage to rock ’n’ roll with great lyrics and attitude to match. Arcade even ends off this perfect party album with the whimsy-laden “After-Glow,” which sounds reminiscent of Skynyrd’s “Tuesday’s Gone.” Well done. (A1, www.gregarcade.com) Kent Davies
Aunty Panty – AP EP // Lipstickface – Gimme
Both of these albums were handed to me at the Death Trap by Julia Ryckman, because they’re by her Saskatoon friend Tiffany Paige—who she did a 12” split with last year as Slattern. Yet another positive attribute we can add to Ryckman’s list—she keeps good company. Paige, as Lipstickface, blatantly sing-raps about sex, backed by blunt drum machines. So yeah, it’s a must-listen for all you riot grrrls/riot grrrl fans/riot boiiis out there. Thing is though, Lipstickface gives me such a raging hard-on while she’s doing it, and she does it with the haunting minimalism of Young Marble Giants or the Pop Group (which might add to the boner that I’m pretty sure that she’s intentionally giving me). Over 15 tracks and nearly an hour, Lipstickface has some sure-fire hits (“Make My Day”), exploratory sound art (“Oh Baby” and the intro and outro) and some house-referencing madness like that of Pictureplane (“Dirty Boy” and “Pretty Baby”).
And as if the mad post-punk respect didn’t stop there, Paige also drums in Aunty Panty, which rounds up all these aforementioned musical references but slanted the other way, guitar-driven, with drum machine-informed drumming. (i.e. 4 on the floor, and straight eighth or on a tightly closed hi-hat or cymbal, and tons of other rip-it-up-and-start-again aural treats.) Aunty Panty’s release is certainly way more cohesive than that of Gimme (although I really admire Gimme’s huge scope) and it doesn’t have a single hiccup for the entire six tracks and 15 minutes. If you’re into two-minute scream fests (“Mal Au Coeur”), or four-minute broods of a two-chord jam (“Mama Don’t Like You”), pick AP EP up or see them whenever they come into town, which I currently only assume they would. I mean, c’mon, it’s Saskatoon! I mean, yeah, Saskatoon! Fuck yeah, Saskatoon. (Independent, www.myspace.com/lalalalipstickface // www.myspace.com/auntypantpantpanty) Taylor Burgess
In the Distance They’re Like: EEHHHRRRREHHH! Phone Calls with Sean Nicholas Savage
By Kyra Leib
I don’t like to toot my own horn but I worked my butt off to get this interview, traveling across the great city of Winnipeg with t-minus two hours until interview time to acquire equipment. And even once we did connect, Sean and I were disconnected on the phone three times during the course of this interview. Nothing could faze Mr. Savage’s winning charm, however. Here is what came of our conversation…
Stylus: Motown, disco and funk influences show up very clearly on Trippple Midnight Karma. How have your musical influences changed or progressed since you first started recording music?
Sean Nicholas Savage: I’ve been really into a few different albums for a period of a couple months and I’m really influenced by them while I’m making whatever I’m working on. I was listening to Marvin Gaye and ’80s rarities and singles. Things like less successful ’80s R & B.
Stylus: Was Marvin Gaye a main inspiration?
SNS: Yeah, hugely. Midnight Love, that album.
Stylus: What is it about his music that has inspired you so much?
Continue reading “In the Distance They’re Like: EEHHHRRRREHHH! Phone Calls with Sean Nicholas Savage”
FOUND: Braids Play Paintball (not actually)
Braids are still off touring one of our favourite records of the year, Native Speaker, doing the NXNE and Sled Island bit before heading off to the EU. Check out this video for “Plath Heart” which takes place inside a paintball arena. Unfortunately, the Montreal-via-Calgary band doesn’t play paintball, or even get shot at (which is all the rage lately) but this is an extremely cinematic, colourful, high quality video of their intricate live performance.
The Blowholes – The Blowholes
It’s the high school under-the-sea dance come to life. The Blowholes have been blowing people away with their lo-fi twangy strings and shrill screams since forming in 2009. It’s hard not to fall in love with a series of whimsy-laden songs about whales, sharks and octopuses. Unlike some of their local garage-rock counter parts, The Blowholes’ sound is disarmingly casual and almost hypnotic. Fluctuating between mid-tempo slow dance numbers like “Moonlighting” and breezy rockin’ tunes like “the Haunt,” the ferocious foursome have a knack for creating alluring numbers. Trying to pick out standout track in this sea of songs is next to impossible. From the pick-a-licious licks of “Poseidon’s Daughters” to rockingly-shockingly devastating “Huck Fin” to the playful theatrics of “Remember,” each cut is uniquely catchy and perfect for burning one down by the beach. (Transistor 66, http://theblowholes.transistor66.com) Kent Davies
LOST: Nomeansno – All Roads Lead to Ausfahrt
Canada’s greatest secret in music is that we are home to one of the best punk bands in the world—Nomeansno. Ausfahrt isn’t necessarily Nomeansno’s best; they have an extensive back catalogue and that honour could go to any number of their albums. Ausfahrt was, in some ways, a retread of many of the same socially-conscious, aggressive ideas and sounds we’ve heard before from the band. However, it’s an important album because it shows that this is not a band that has lost its edge. Despite 30 years of making music, they’re still great. Here, the rhythm section—always powerful—seems larger than ever, focused on taut, quick punk rock. Some thought it too “pop” at the time, or even too strange with an incorporation of synths at times. However, this album demonstrates longevity in the band, fully realized in the sheer muscularity of the music. They were as good as ever, and musically bigger than ever. Unlike the Rolling Stones, whose longevity is often touted though their later album releases don’t hold up musically, Ausfahrt proved that Nomeansno had the longevity and the sheer talent to sustain it. Lead singer Rob Wright is 57—most would have burnt out or faded away by that age. All Roads Lead to Ausfahrt exemplifies a band still going strong, solidifying themselves as the premiere punk band of Canada’s present, and well into the foreseeable future. (2006, Ant Acid Audio, www.antacidaudio.com) Devin King
Who polices the WITCHPOLICE?
By Kent Davies
Witchpolice is a local music blog staring renaissance rapper Rob Crooks (Magnum K.I., Fucking Retards) and father of the year Sam Thompson (Mouthboat). As the dynamic duo known as Dynamo they created Witchpolice as a way to unleash their spaced-out hip hop to the world. “It was the only thing to do,” explained Thompson in a recent interview on CKUW 95.9 FM. “We weren’t playing shows at that point and we weren’t going to make any hard copies so we figured hey let’s just make a free blog and just put our music up there.”
Now the site has become a one-stop shop full of free local music rarities, unreleased demos, basement bootlegs, psychedelic videos and more.
Originally the blog only featured a few acts the two knew personally. Thompson explains, “Rob and I were in bands since we were kids and we knew a lot of people that played music of some kind or another.” Those musical friends being the Brat Attack, the punk band with the record for the most revolving door members, and teen ska sensation Grandpa’s Army.
Over time the response to the site has gotten larger as has the site’s content. “More people know about it now – their friends started checking it out and so it goes,” says Crooks. “It just seemed if we’re doing this for our own music we might as well do it for others.”
Although Witchpolice still features a majority of the staple acts Rob and Sam are involved in, many other acts are starting to submit their unreleased demos, bootleg shows and other content to the site. “We’ve been getting people submitting stuff to us that we don’t know personally which is cool,” says Thompson. The two are hoping the trend continues. “It’s not really about the recording quality. We want it if it’s something we think is cool or it sounds good or if we like what they’re doing.”
Along with the promise of local acts submitting their buried treasured tunes to the site, the duo are working on posting new material from Dynamo. “Expect a cross between Kraftwerk and the Butthole Surfers,” says Crooks.
The two also have plans to post past CKUW 95.9 FM live performances. Recently, Witchpolice posted a live recording of Canadian reggae band Friendlyness and the Human Rights. The act played the Albert as part of the last Winnipeg ska and reggae festival, which was originally broadcast on CKUW and UMFM and now posted to the blog. “I got it from the radio and have been listening to it straight since – I posted it because it’s one of my favorite acts in Canada,” explains Thompson. The site also features new videos from Shoshaku Jushaku, the new project from members of the legendary basement showmen the Mouthboat.
The great thing about Witchpolice is not just that it features local music but how it features local music. Instead of posting polished samples of a local artists’ latest album it’s often ten year old unreleased demos of a local artists’ first punk band. In that regard, hopefully musicians everywhere will start looking for something that may not sound so sweet but is worth sharing anyway. Check it out http://witchpolice.blogspot.com and submit it out at [email protected].
FOUND: Tyler X Yourstru.ly
In the upcoming issue of Stylus, we kinda rag on Tyler, the Creator a bit. That’s because Sara Quin’s criticisms of the bombastic rapper really hit home, and even if Goblin is full of self-disclaimers, it doesn’t excuse the representation of homophobia in the tracks. A hefty chunk of Quin’s criticism is aimed at the media covering Tyler, so we’re making it known that that’s not “artistic” or cool, dude.
That being said, here’s a nice video that doesn’t touch on any of that, but has Tyler opening up nostalgia-like, recalling summers of playing piano, on his trail to become a better musician.
FOUND: Grimes//Silly Kissers
Here’s a couple new gems from the freshly-revamped Arbutus Records website. Gotta love the blog digs.
First up, a new video from gothwave (/whatever) artist Grimes who’s currently on tour with Lykke Li. “Vanessa” features a horde of dancers starring in a video that’s stuck between the worlds of fashion photography and a kaleidoscope.
And then here’s “Japan Man” from Silly Kissers, which, for years to come, will be in direct lineage of “Mr. Roboto,” “I think I’m Turning Japanese,” and kin to “Chinatown.” The groovy 1970s greenscreen editing was done by the band’s singer Jane Penny.
Also, be sure to check out our upcoming interview with Arbutus artist Sean Nicholas Savage in our June/July print issue, and it’ll be online sometime soon.