Review: The Perms - Keeps You Up When You're Down

The Perms – Keeps You Up When You’re Down
2009, Hugtight Records

The Perms are a Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada alt-rock band with a distinct pop sensibility that endears them to fans. Like alt-rock gamers Weezer, or Canada’s own Sloan, The Perms suck you into their songs with bright, garish melodies and big hooks while feeding you lyrics with more than just a little intellectual bite. The perms 5th release, Keeps You Up When You’re Down hit shelves in early 2009. Pay attention now, this is a good one.

Keeps You Up When You're Down opens with Give Me All Your Lovin', a kinetic rock song with an arena-rock worthy chorus. The Perms manage a real rock song with distinct pop hooks and a strong commercial sense. As You were keeps that energy going in a slightly more laid back setting. The Perms pull out the big harmonies and classic hooks here and throughout the rest of the album for a sound that is retro yet modern. Running Away hits the Pop meter hard, coming across as one of the most highly commercial tracks on the disc. Lead vocalist Shane Smith has a comfortable voice that is a pleasure to hear; nearly familiar but not something you can name. This is the sort of music that makes you want to go to a show. The harmonies border on Beach Boys territory at times and the melodies make you want to sing along.

World To Me is an upbeat love song perfect for any modern rock mix tape. The sheen on this song is so bright, the melody so peppy and the hooks so big I can't see how this song doesn't get licensed many times over. This is a great "summer song" candidate; if it were twenty years ago World To Me would be a major pop/rock radio hit. Nightshift opens sounding a bit like Max Webster covering Footloose; a vibrant rock song with great drive. This is another potential hit for The Perms, but my favorite song on the disc is Things Left Unsaid. Other highlights include Who Are You Fooling, The Mess, Big Mistake and Salvation.

The Perms have a distinct pop sensibility and an ability to write highly consumable and memorable Pop/Rock gems. The use of complex harmonies and a strong team writing effort make Keeps You Up When You're Down one of the more memorable albums of the young year.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about The Perms at http://www.theperms.com/ or www.myspace.com/theperms. You can purchase a copy of Keeps You Up When You’re Down at www.cdbaby.com/cd/perms5, or you can download the album through iTunes.

Review: Tireless Sedans - Parts + Labour EP

Tireless Sedans - Parts + Labour EP
2009, Superbob Records/SOCAN

I've always felt a sort of vague enmity flowing out of Moncton, New Brunswick. It all goes back to my childhood days as a fan of the (then) Adirondack Red Wings of the American Hockey League. Games against the Moncton Hawks always seemed to go badly, with lots of fights and Majors, Match Majors and Game Misconducts always coming in the way of victory. The Wings left Glens Falls, NY many years ago, but that vague sense of unease has remained. I am happy to say that the Tireless Sedans have given me something positive to think of when I ponder Moncton. Their debut, Parts + Labour EP, is a pleasurable alt-country/rock mix with some quirky personality traits.

The musicality of Wilco is there, with the depth and jangle of Sloan, and a bit of unusual song construction ala Ed Robertson. Singer/songwriter/guitarist Dave Rahmer is supported by a strong cast of fellow musicians. Mark McGinnis keeps it lively and thriving on skins and whatever else falls into his hands while Chad Lifford helps to nail down the rhythmic heart of the band. Jenna Gallant brings a vintage guitar sound to the band while kicking in some great background vocals. The EP opens with Old Home Town Pain, a song about returning home with the figurative tail between your legs, and finding out it perhaps wasn't as bad as you'd always thought, yet not what you'd hope. Alberta is a quirky whine set to a killer guitar riff about a relationship gone bad.

Stretch is aptly named. Thus far on Parts + Labour Tireless Sedans have shown strong musicianship and songwriting, but on Stretch Rahmer shows an ability to craft lyrics that are not only intelligent and clear but also subtle and profound. The chorus is perhaps a bit predictable, but the verses show some real creative spark as a word smith. Even The Sheep is a wonderfully quirky guitar oriented bit of Americana/Rock with an early Chicago-Style horn section thrown in. This is the most sonically interesting piece on the CD, playing around with progressive song construction and some interesting guitar fill work playing tag with the vocal line. Foreword serves as an instrumental introduction to Can't Move Forward, which has the energy and melody to be a Lo-Fi pop/country single.

Parts + Labour EP is a strong introduction to Tireless Sedans. Rahmer and crew show real promise as a band, crafting alt-country nuggets that will have you hitting re-play many times over. Between the strong musical lines and intelligent lyrics lay a spark of magic that is neither describable nor forgettable. They're not flashy, but Tireless Sedans will get inside your head.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Tireless Sedans at www.myspace.com/tirelesssedans or http://www.superbob.ca/. Parts + Labour does not appear to be currently available on line, so keep checking their Tireless Sedans’ MySpace page.

Review: Spygirl - Pieces Of Evidence

Spygirl – Pieces Of Evidence
2008, Spygirl Music

Vancouver’s Spygirl took eight long years to release their second disc. Their self-titled debut hit shelves in 2000. The band went through some changes over the years, but re-engaged with producer Tom Rothrock (Beck, Badly Drawn Boy, Sloan, Elliott Smith, James Blunt) to release 2008’s Pieces Of Evidence. Born of a longtime collaboration between vocalist Koralee Tonack and multi-instrumentalist Jane Gowan (no idea if she’s related to Styx’ Lawrence Gowan), Spygirl started out as Time Waits. The band is a collection of incredibly talented musicians, and Tonack’s voice is amazing.

Pieces Of Evidence opens with Come Out To Play, a down-tempo song about coming out of your shell and letting go of your fears, yet it sounds mired in a deep melancholy. Where Did Those Stars Come From has an almost ethereal, Mazzy Starr quality to it. Feeling Fine is ambivalence personified; a self-affirmation that is without real energy or life. The vocals and harmonies here are gorgeous, but the energy just isn’t there. Feeling Fine is, unfortunately, a microcosm of Pieces Of Evidence. Well constructed songs fed by pretty harmonies, a lead vocalist with a great voice, and little or no energy to drive it. Mellow and ethereal music are fine, but even mellow music has life and vitality to it. Spygirl comes across as a very talented outfit that just isn’t challenged by or interested in what they are playing. This is unfortunate because there are some wonderful elements here. And Spygirl even tries to make a late save with Be Lost and Weight Of The World, but it’s too little too late to hold on to the listener. The final track, Dust, is a reserved story song where Koralee Tonack really comes to life on vocals. It’s really a worthwhile performance, but most listeners won’t stick around that long.

Rating: 2 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Spygirl at http://www.spygirlmusic.com/ or www.myspace.com/spygirlspygirl. You can purchase a copy of Pieces Of Evidence at MapleMusic.com or as a download through iTunes.