Bosma
Pirates and Kings
(independent)
3/5
This is the seventh album that prolific local musician David Bosma has played on. It’s the fifth solo disc for Bosma, who has also spent time in Victoria bands Seven Year Old Poets, the Poppies, the Wildeggs, and the Splinterz. When it’s working, the album has a fresh sound that feels like a Mumford & Sons/the Magnetic Fields/Crazy Horse mash-up as filtered through a very old 8-track tape.
The trouble is, it doesn’t always work.
The opening track, “Ahead of the Line/Banknote Blues,” marries social commentary and black humor with a bluesy, end-of-the-night feel. The problem is that it sounds absolutely nothing like the next five garage pop tracks. Also, half the album feels underdeveloped, and a little muddy.
Poor song order, unfinished ideas, and repetitiveness cause Pirates and Kings to suffer from a lack of cohesion, but if the title track is any indication, Bosma has the ability to get it right.
This is definitely worth a listen, just buy it on CD Baby for $4.99, not $9.90 on iTunes.
-Laurel Adam
Miesha & the Spanks
Girls, Like Wolves
(Saved by Vinyl Records)
3.5/5
The third album from this Calgary-based garage rock duo crashes and booms in all the right places, thanks to an in-the-red production sound from Ian Blurton, who is sort of like Canada’s Rick Rubin, except that he actually turns knobs, not just vibes.
Does the world need another short and fast, trashy and raunchy, punked-out garage rock album in 2013? Well, lest we forget what raw and natural production sounds are like, and what real rock and roll is in the face of decades upon decades of music trying to make us forget about real rock and roll, yes. Yes, the world does need that.
But here’s yet another question: do Miesha & the Spanks lay down memorable songs?
Sometimes they do, which isn’t a half bad track record. For example, the melodies in “Wrecking Ball” and “This Time” (near doo-woppy!) reach, and come damn near grabbing, rock glory: ragged, from the gut, and with just enough honey to make it stick.
-Greg Pratt
Kim Wempe
Coalition
(Dipole Productions)
4/5Canadian musicians rarely get the recognition they deserve. Coalition, the third album by Saskatchewan-born Kim Wempe, is a prime example of the good quality music that comes out of Canada.
Powered by Wempe’s rich, smoky voice and her genuine, soulful lyrics, the album features a wide variety of musical styles. And although it’s reminiscent of artists such as Florence and the Machines and Sarah McLachlan, it brings something entirely new to the table.
It’s hard to predict whether each upcoming song will pluck at your heartstrings or shock your senses awake, although either alternative is an equally invigorating experience. This effect is intensified by Wempe’s brilliant backup band, which complement the vocals perfectly while managing to not be distracting.
This album is highly recommended for those in search of their next favourite Canadian artist.
-Jayden Grieve
Frog Eyes
Carey’s Cold Spring
(independent)
4.5/5
Frog Eyes have Victoria roots, but they consistently lay down sounds that are truly without geography. Their quirky indie rock can hardly be described, never mind narrowed down to a region of Earth.
Imagine if Tom Waits wasn’t as grating and had a bit of a, well, younger sensibility about him. Which isn’t to say Frog Eyes can’t be grating: within about a minute and a half of opener “The Road Is Long” you’re either going to turn it off laughing, turn it off crying, or keep listening, intrigued.
I’ve always been intrigued by Carey Mercer’s completely unhinged approached to both singing and playing guitar (they are a spectacular live band); in a scene weighed down with exhaustive irony, Mercer and Frog Eyes deliver a completely honest and emotional approach to music. On Carey’s Cold Spring, they’ve added another textured, dense, and perplexing body of music to their impressive discography, one that, unlike their earlier work, is at its most powerful when it’s most subdued (“Your Holiday Treat,” “Claxxon’s Lament”).
-Greg Pratt
Juice
Hit the Ground Running
(independent)
4/5
This is six-piece Toronto rock/funk band Juice’s debut album, but their sound goes beyond what you might expect after being stuck with that label: they definitely draw from a variety of genres.
With a tight horn section and an electric organ, they have a unique sound with influences from indie rock, classic soul, and a bit of reggae.
Their lyrics are one-dimensional and have room for improvement, but this problem is not uncommon for a fairly new group and doesn’t overshadow the band’s musical talent.
With the energy that is exhibited throughout Hit the Ground Running, it’s obvious that Juice would be an incredibly fun group to watch in concert.
With upbeat melodies, loud horns, and a few call-and-answer vocals, these guys definitely have what it takes to get people dancing.
-Giustina Qualizza