Print Edition: November 23, 2011
Pleasure Cruise
Business or…
Wet snow falls indecisively outside my window, but even the threat of oncoming winter can’t dampen the feel-good vibes pouring out of my stereo courtesy of sun-bleached Vancouver rockers Pleasure Cruise. The band may have formed only a matter of months ago (on Twitter, no less), but their debut three-song EP is nothing short of a fuzzed-out pop miracle. Recorded, mixed and released via bandcamp in less than a week, Business or… is brimming with sing-along melodies and that perfect balance of pop sensibilities and punk rock spirit – a testament to the talented ear of producer Hayz Fisher. On each track, lead vocalist Jody Glenham’s soaring, bleeding-heart vocals are anchored by the band’s driving, reverb-laden arrangements. More than just an antidote to rainy B.C. winters, Pleasure Cruise exhibit enormous potential on their first release. With a running time of just under seven minutes, the EP barely qualifies as a sampler; yet I can’t shake the feeling that this is a band with a bright future.
The Shilohs
So Wild
The Shiloh’s debut So Wild is a laid-back and fun romp through the musical enigma known as the 1960s, with the Vancouver band frequently touching down in the country and pop sectors. It’s these genre-jumping detours that steer the listener clear of playing a mid-album game of name-that-inspiration. The delicate and sunny eighth track “Sweet Little Valentine” digs up the melodic roots of the Grateful Dead, while “Man of the Times” is retrofitted with a Memphis style backbeat and coated with a Kinks-like guitar line. It’s obvious that the overall feel and groove of the music is more important to The Shilohs than musical perfection, which gives So Wild a general sense of relaxed charm. A couple of missteps on the album do not obscure the fact that The Shiloh’s So Wild is a pleasant listen and a worthy addition to the growing cannon of local Vancouver music. However, the album’s straightforwardly nostalgic feel makes it hard to love.
Topaz
Give Them Hope
It is officially upon us. The holiday season is in full swing, and with the advent of Christmas comes Christmas albums released by one and all. Local band Topaz has recently released a new original song on an EP this winter called Give Them Hope. Topaz is trying to give hope to the less fortunate of the Fraser Valley – all proceeds from the current edition of their Give Them Hope will go to Food Banks in the Fraser Valley. They may be a rock band, but they have toned it down on this EP to create an enjoyable new Christmas tune to listen to as you trim your tree or perhaps as you put together a Christmas hamper for the Food Bank. The band had the help of several guest artists such as Jenny Bice on violin which added much to the EP. Give Them Hope, Topaz’s Christmas CD is available on iTunes or at the Gourmet Gallery in Abbotsford.
Huddle
All These Fires
This album sounds like it should be the background track for a really long car commercial – it’s just that right mix of mellow and catchy that brings to mind the way landscapes flash by through the window. Their style isn’t minimalist, but it’s clean – although there are three or four instruments playing at all times, there isn’t much distortion, which lends to the songs the kind of simplicity that generally comes from more minimalist ensembles. They also know when to pull back and let one instrument carry the tune, which serves as a powerful hook to draw the listeners in. Huddle has mastered how to slow a song down and then build it up again to hammer a line home. As Mark Satterthwaithe sings in the final line of the final track after one such build up, “I’m your makeshift man / you don’t see me right.” I’m not sure what this means, but they make it sounds so intense that I’ve just got to believe it.
