One of the best parts of my spring break trip to SXSW in Austin was the chance to see a bunch of new acts that I had never heard before. Apart from apparent similarities in style, I recognized another interesting trend: many of the bands I found most intriguing were from Canada. Memoryhouse, GOBBLE GOBBLE, Two Bicycles, and BRAIDS were just a few that had come down from the wintery north to play the festival. This week’s review will take a look at several releases from the aforementioned groups.
BRAIDS – Native Speaker: Clean, shimmery instruments match singer Raphaelle Standell-Preston’s soft-yet-potent voice throughout this 7-track record. Album opener “Lemonade” uses tap-delayed guitar to build into beautiful and catchy chorus. Title track “Native Speaker” is the other stand-out song with more soft piano and subtle electronic features.
GOBBLE GOBBLE – Lawn Knives 7”: Probably the wildest set I saw at SXSW, GOBBLE GOBBLE is known for their energetic live show. “Lawn Knives” and B-side “End of Days” are recorded proof of this group’s energy. A cacophony of electronic blips, beats, and vocals keeps this single bouncing along with a vigor that demands a replay.
Memoryhouse – Caregiver 7”: While the A-side to this single is good, it was B-side “Heirloom” that got me in to Memoryhouse in the first place. A mix of 80’s pop sensibility, modern shoegaze, and strong female vocals show up on nearly every Memoryhouse song in a way that is both haunting and beautiful. Also check out Memoryhouse’s EP titled The Years.
Two Bicycles – The Ocean: An instrumental record from the Teen Daze side-project Two Bicycles, The Ocean is an hour of music that sounds like it could be the soundtrack to a great indie-film. “I’m Not Afraid To Wait For You” breaks from the ambient nature of the record to focus on warm guitar and layering that build into a semi-crescendo.
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