Tag: GARAGE POP

ALBUM REVIEW: “GOODBYE TONY” BY TONY PEACHKA

On July 16th, Tony Peachka (Minneapolis, MN) put out a surprise album called goodbye tony two days before their final show where they said farewell to their main lyricist Melissa Jones (guitar/vocals).

This five-song EP, similar to their debut album dirty knees, is a cute but fierce, delightful yet dangerous, angry but self-aware, punchy garage pop album about general discontent, coping mechanisms, and working through existing in 2018.

Fruit Salad, the first track on the EP, opens with the lyric, “I lighten my hair / in hopes it’ll lighten me elsewhere” which sets the tone for a song that is about learning how to cope when change feels hopeless. The following song, Gossip Girl, is about turning around feelings of general discontent (“I’m bored / I’m horny / I work too much / I’m lonely” and “I’m tired / I’m hungry / I eat like shit / I’m lonely”) yet being unable to keep up with them as they pile too high. My personal favourite, I Don’t Know, is critical of and confused by the heteronormative script and milestones that we are meant to reach within relationships (“move in together / write a cover letter / end up hating each other”).

Tony Peachka wrote relatable songs for people (like me) in their mid-twenties trying to, but only barely, keeping up with their responsibilties, social commitments, and relationships all while having boundaries and taking care of themselves. This album is an anthem for coping.

goodbye tony.

 

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Photo by Tessa Loeffler

STAFF CONTRIBUTION: Nikki A Basset

VIDEO REVIEW: “WHO’S HE GOING TO MEET” BY BABY BRAINS

On June 22nd, Baby Brains (PA) released an offical music video for “Who’s He Going To Meet” from the catchy four-song EP, Eat Your Heart Out. Directed by Bob Sweeney, he captures the inspired 60’s era vibe that Amanda Steever envisioned.

“Who’s He Going To Meet” is a pop anthem for heartache, but the music video is an homage to the friendships with womxn that outlast any break-up. Amanda isn’t alone in her heartbreak, nor in wearing her heart-shaped glasses. This is a group of womxn that show up for each other. After Amanda dials her friends, they all drop what they are doing to show their support, indulge in greasy diner food, and treat themselves with a twist-cone. The video ends with each of her friends looking into the camera over their heart-shaped glasses; the lyrics may have been about a recent ex, but this song is about the friends that are there to pick you up.

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Amanda Steever of Baby Brains
Photo by Bob Sweeney

STAFF CONTRIBUTION: Nikki A Basset

PREMIERE: BBQT’s “ALL FOR SHOW”

Someone once admitted to me that they identify as an intersectional feminist in their tinder profile just to get more dates; an acute example of a bad dude who’s using feminist language but is all for show (swipe left).

BBQT’s new EP, ALL FOR SHOW, is a sweet and salty treat about bad dates and being disappointed by a crush. These high-tempo minute-long tracks will satisfy all your garage-pop cravings (swipe right).

These BB CUTIES, now based in Montreal, met at a BBQ (well, of course) and quickly became great pals and supportive bandmates; each of them contributing some of their own spicy charm to the songwriting process. If you had the pleasure of looking deep into their online message threads, you would find lyrical content that has creeped into every BBQT song.

Despite only writing music for three years, Amery (vocals/guitar) delivers six well-crafted pop songs with silly, but relatable, lyrics. Allison (drums), in distinct BBQT fashion, keeps you swaying with her double snare hits across the entire EP. Jack (guitar/backup vocals) is responsible for most of the sun-kissed lead guitar that gives ALL FOR SHOW its power-pop inspired sound. And finally, Mike (bass/backup vocals), brings much more than just his sweet boyish demeanor; his driving bass lines bring each punchy track to the next.

Forget your crush and let ALL FOR SHOW be the summer soundtrack to your sunny afternoons drinking radlers in the park with all your best pals.

Fav track: FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL. In thirty seconds you are blasted with the lyric that named the EP, noodley back-and-forth lead guitar, and a solo walk-down bass line that is punctuated by an effective single cymbal hit.

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BBQT’s: Allison Graves, Mike McDonald, Amery Sandford, Jack Bielli
Photo by: Tricia Robinson

Catch BBQT on their ALL FOR SHOW June 2018 Tour:

June 13th – with Property and Fog Lake @ Brasserie Beaubien, Montreal, QC

June 15th – w/ Dusk, Tough Age, and Peach Kelli Pop, @ The Clocktower Parking Lot Ottawa Explosion Music Festival, Ottawa, ON

June 16th – w/ Rareflower, Mountain Laurel, and Goodbye Stephanie @ King Edward Hall (All Ages Show) presented by Sweaty Palms, Edmonton, AB

June 17th – w/ Vi’s Guys (Canmore) @ The Canmore Legion, Canmore, AB

June 20th – w/ Dark Time, Le Plaisir, and Michael Rault @ Ship and Anchor, Calgary, AB

June 21st – w/ SBDC, BIRDO, and The Allovers @ The Palomino, Calgary, AB

STAFF CONTRIBUTION: Nikki A. Basset

NYBC PRESENTS: LO SIENTO AT GREEN BEAN CAFE

On April 25th, not your boys club presented Lo Siento (NFLD) with scrambled meggz (NFLD) at the Green Bean Café in Windsor, ON. On the afternoon of the 25th, Lo Siento—Pepa, Andrea, and Meg (of scrambled meggz and filling in for Allison on drums)—pulled up to my house in their (hilarious) royal blue Dodge Charger. We had some time before they needed to load into the venue, so I took them across the river to Detroit to see the installations at the Heidelberg Art Project and the Detroit Industrial Gallery.

After our visit to Detroit, Lo Siento loaded into the Green Bean Café for their early show. Green Bean Café is a safe, accessible, dry, and inclusive space with a large capacity, great food, and a welcoming atmosphere. It was the perfect venue for the first not your boys club show. Before, between, and after sets, I played my favourite records (women and trans musicians only!).

Once a handful of people were there, scrambled meggz started her set. Meg has a way of making a show feel intimate and personal as if she’s playing in her living room to her closest friends. My favourite track that Meg played for us was “2 little lazy eyes (a song for pepa)” which was realeased on the two-track album xoxo only a few days before Lo Siento went on tour. When Meg didn’t have a trumpet for the solo, she compromised and sang it for us.

Lo Siento did not disappoint. Pepa sings in spanish, but regardless of language, she gets her (feminist) message across. Two specific songs, “Historia en el Placard” and “No Es No”, really resonated with me.

“Historia en el Placard” is a song that Pepa wrote about her experience of moving to Canada and learning of the injustices that Indigenous people face. She told us she wrote it specifically about the residential school systems and forced assimilation, and with the recent failures of justice for Colton Boushie and Tina Fontaine, this live performance hit me hard.

Second, “No Es No” (translates to “No Means No”) is a song about rape culture, victim-blaming, and informed consent. The song begins with a lyric that translates to “tired of feeling afraid”; a relatable lyric for any vulnerable person who is told that they are responsible for having resistance strategies when “no” is not enough.

Lo Siento delivered a set that was unapologetically sincere.  Their performance was a window into their unwavering friendship; while laughing at their mistakes and refusing to take themselves too seriously, they also communicated love for one another all throughout their set. It is unmistakable how much fun they have playing music together.

STAFF CONTRIBUTION: Nikki A. Basset