Dingus
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.
Last week Shehzaad Jiwani, frontman of Toronto noise-punks Greys, announced a full-length from his decidedly more chill solo project Golden Drag. Titled Pink Sky, the 9-song album will feature the previously unveiled electronic tune "Aphex Jim," as well as the newly shared "Caught Leaking Light." The album arrives on August 10 via Buzz Records and Moorworks.
In the premiere article at Noisey, Jiwani comments on the new single, stating:
"This was the first song that came together for Golden Drag, with the goal of writing a tune that was simple almost to the point of being stupid, then fucking around with it in the studio to make it sit in its own space. It's almost like a jingle, except it just has three verses, no chorus, and a Robert Fripp solo."
Greys last released the Warm Shadow cassette in 2016, a companion piece to their Outer Heaven record from earlier that year. Warm Shadow saw a band that was already pushing the boundaries of its hard and fast roots blow their sound wide open. It playfully cut up session outtakes and created weird tape loops, foreshadowing some of the laid-back studio trickery Jiwani's exploring here.
Listen: Golden Drag - "Caught Leaking Light" @ YouTube
Sometimes the notes I make during the week fail me, and the last edition of Some Party neglected to mention the upcoming LP from Hamilton's Billy Moon. The record carries the title Punk Songs, and, well, it does exactly what it says on the tin. Moon premiered two songs from the record over at Exclaim, the album-opening garage rocker "White Shoes" and the decidedly more psychedelic "Dingus."
The band's irreverent frontman and namesake (who goes by Graham Caldwell in his civilian guise) has a few choice words in that article, commenting:
"I like to write songs about being fallible and vulnerable and comfortable with who you are and also insufferable. I also just really wanted to write a song called 'Dingus,' so I guess now I don't have to worry about that anymore."
Punk Songs is set for release on September 14 via Missed Connection Records and Old Flame. Dave Minehan, the touring guitarist for the Replacements, recorded the brunt of the album, which also features with production by Asher Gould (Beliefs), and mastering by Phil Bova (Bahamas, Zeus).
Listen: Billy Moon - "White Shoes" / "Dingus" @ YouTube
Toronto punk group Rotten Column have a new EP out, their second of the year (and the band's short existence). Titled 1-800-R-O-T-T-E-N-C-O-L-U-M-N, the five-song set clocks in at around 7 minutes. Michael Couvillon of Leather Jacuzzi and Hugh Man was once again recording, as he did the band's debut Are we not bags set.
Rotten Column features vocals from Penny Clark of the Vancouver-via-Toronto trio Tough Age. She's backed by her Tough Age bandmates Jarrett Samson and Jesse Locke, along with Stephan NoHaus (Victoria's Pinner) and with poet Emma Healey.
The fledgling group will soon embark on their first out-of-province shows. August 2 will see Rotten Column appear at RadStorm in Halifax playing as both Tough Age and Rotten Column alongside Crossed Wires, Matty Grace of Future Girls, and Esme & the Dishrags (a one-time-only set from members of Blood Beach, BBQT, and Crossed Wires). They'll follow that up with an August 4 show as part of Sappyfest in Sackville, New Brunswick. While there, Emma Healey will also take part in the literary side of the festival and is named among the authors and poets presenting their work.
Listen: Rotten Column: 1-800-R-O-T-T-E-N-C-O-L-U-M-N @ Bandcamp
Petra Glynt has a video online for her new single "No Consequences." It's the second song shared from the electric Montreal art-punk's upcoming record My Flag Is A Burning Rag Of Love. That album, Glynt's second, is set to arrive September 7 from Pleasence Records. The record features 13 songs, each written, performed, and self-produced by Glynt with Alice Wilder (M.I.A., Austra) mixing.
Speaking to Self-Titled about the video, Glynt commented:
We made this video for no money in a basement gallery at Concordia University in Montreal at the end of March. I wanted the vibe to feel like a portrait studio showcasing the diversity and uniqueness of the individuals. I put a call out on the internet and invited some friends to participate. My partner, filmmaker Mitchell Stafiej (The Devil's Trap, A, Found) was the cinematographer, and I directed and edited the footage.
You can read more at that premiere, including comments on the 90s MuchMusic vibe Glynt was shooting for. My Flag Is A Burning Rag Of Love follows up the multidisciplinary artist and activist's 2017 Vibe Over Method album This Trip.
Watch: Petra Glynt - "No Consequences" @ YouTube
Last week Drew Thomson, the frontman of London punk band Single Mothers, premiered a new video for the song "Pace Yourself" from his Drew Thomson Foundation solo project. The song appears on the EP Stay, which Thomson released through Dine Alone Records earlier this year. John Dinsmore (NQ Arbuckle, Great Lake Swimmers) engineered that record, with mixing by Alex Newport (Pissed Jeans, City And Colour).
Speaking to Indie88, director Vanessa Heins commented on the video:
"Everyone moves through life in their own way and that comes with success and failure. You only learn by doing. I think we wanted to do a playful take on the very real lyrics, showing Drew going through the motions at his own unique pace. The great part about making this video was that although there was this man in a bright yellow robe dancing through the streets, most people did not bat an eye at it. I think serves as a good reminder to let you freak flag fly at all times cause no one really cares, so you might as well just be yourself."
Watch: The Drew Thomson Foundation - "Pace Yourself" @ YouTube
Cochrane, Ontario's Sage, describe themselves as a "90s-leaning, lo-fi, fuzz-pop band" and that's pretty damn accurate. The band just released their debut LP, an 8-song self-titled effort produced by Dany Laj at The Pop Shoppe in Sudbury. The album, which came out on the band's own label Restroom Records, features cover art by Montreal garage rocker Paul Jacobs.
The band's promoting the record with a slick video for the song "Fuss." The clip, directed by Craig A. Koostachin, finds the group performing in a Cochrane bowling alley. You can check it out below. I can't get over the crowd in this — I keep thinking of the teens dancing in the Lollapalooza episode of the Simpsons. The band's clearly shooting for the slacker vibe of 90s grunge and alternative rock, and they nail it here.
Sage follows up the band's 2017 EP Procrastinate. The trio features drummer/vocalist/songwriter Eric Paquet with guitarist Marc Mercier and bassist Eric Tremblay.
Watch: Sage - "Fuss" @ YouTube
Montreal-via-Peterborough three-piece Lonely Parade recently recorded a live session at Daytrotter. In it, the band performs songs from their upcoming Buzz Records debut The Pits.
The new LP arrives in stores on September 14. Lonely Parade recorded at Toronto's Candle Recording Studio with Josh Korody of Beliefs and the aforementioned Shehzaad Jiwani producing.
Watch: Lonely Parade - Live at Daytrotter @ Facebook
Toronto bubblegum-punk act PONY shot an Audiotree North session a few months ago, and footage from it continues to trickle out. Below you'll find the band performing "Small Things," the highlight of their 2017 Buzz Records EP Do You (produced by, you guessed it, Shehzaad Jiwani).
Listen: PONY - "Small Things" @ YouTube
Montreal power-pop quartet Sick Things premiered a new video at Noisey last week. The Jeff Edwards-directed clip features the song "Sick Thing" (singular), the lead single from the band's self-titled 11-song debut album. Big rock here. Capital R. Spelt with a W. The band's new LP was released in early July on God's Candy Records, with a cassette release from Shake! Records.
Watch: Sick Things - "Sick Thing" @ YouTube
Sam Coffey & the Iron Lungs wrecked their tour van in an accident on the way home from the River & Sky festival this afternoon. Here's the band's story:
We were headed south just outside of Bracebridge. It was raining but traffic was steady. A car swerved in front of us cutting the van off while simultaneously coming to a sudden stop. We were forced to swerve into the guard rail to avoid hitting the car and the van began sliding due to the rain and poor road conditions. We struck the railing and then slid back into traffic and clipped another vehicle. Our front left tire is underneath the van right now. The whole left front side is totaled and the right side of the van suffered considerable damage from hitting the rail.
While everyone escaped without injury, the Toronto-based band looking for supporters to help them get back on the road. The group is slated to tour the US with Frank Turner and Bad Cop/Bad Cop this September in support of their wonderful recent self-titled full-length on Dine Alone and Burger Records. The band's crowd-funding at GoFundMe now to get a new ride. I'm not sure if the funds will cover airbrushing an epic wizard on the side of the new van, but these things will surely come in time. Throw them a few bucks if you're so inclined.
