Sneaks (2019)

The new Sneaks is amazing. Totally moved away from minimal post-punk, and got into subtle, melodic, hip-hop hooks. For fans of M.I.A., Missy Elliot, Santogold. That whispery voice with thumping bass! Play loud!

 

Porno Glows (2019)

Chicago Basement Punk, reminds me of Desperate Bicycles, that early UK DIY, don’t-give-a-fuck bellowing out attitude, early Mark E. Smith. Thumpy bass-playing by Angelica (pictured)

The Staches – This Lake Is Pointless

The Staches is the millenials’ true punk band. Their haptic laissez-faire and concentrated grooves reflect the evolving consciousness of the new generation discontented workers. The lingering feeling of adolescence well into adulthood permeates their playful and loose sound, leaning close to basic hip-hop and funk than post-punk new-wave.

But the real center is Lise Sutter’s honest vocals. The French accent she uses to deliver diatribes on modern malaise recalls 90’s spoken word (Yarah Bravo, What What and Herbaliser).

Staches is phenomenal, a war cry against melody-happy inexperienced Shangri-la worship hipster suburbanites. It has the propelling explosive sound of Nots with the DIY pop lightness of bubblegum pop, but picked up off the curb.

Hash Redactor

Memphis mainstay buzzards chipping away at the history of unhinged rock n’ roll. Once dubbed, Memphis’ Television, these high-energy players features members of Ex-Cult and Nots. The style is pure 1977, Flesheaters, Stooges, Gun Club, but the consciousness is modern, deadpan, and dead-on. Full-length coming soon on Upset The Rhythm.

The Submissives -“Pining for a Boy”

The Submissives have been concocting perfectly wobbly pop tunes since 2015. Infectious and intriguing, these weirdly strange nuggets of heartbroken love ballads are as addictive and enticing as candy and red licorice at drive-ins. Except that, The Submissives’ take on bubblegum pop actually breaks through the illusory depth of romance. Sweet melodies suddenly turn dissonant, guitar-picking solos burst loud into the mix, and declarations of love become mantras of grief and woe. Put together, their consistent output gives a realistic picture of the ups, downs, and sideway sways of modern love.

Their third release, “Pining for a Boy”, comes with a brand new video.

The Submissives perform live in Montreal, on June 8th, at Casa Del Popolo, come get entranced!

Patsy – “Heathen” (2017)

Candice of Mystic Inane (New Orleans) delivers the one-two ready-or-not punk blast of the early 80’s underground Los Angeles scene. Pop and Hardcore forms merge to prove once again that this is a people culture, and not some speculative sonic experiment. Released by avant-hardcore weirdo label form Spain, La Vida Es Un Mus.

Ed Atkins at DHC/ART (Montreal, 2017)

The Skinny:
Video installations of Computer-Generated short animated films
Young, white, male characters in a state of desperation
Movie-trailer tropes, action-films camera movements (constant movement), musicals
Satirical look at substance abuse, emotional depletion, existential fear, in the context of consumerism

My take:
Walked into this exhibition after a night of heavy drinking. Could readily identify with the main characters, in various states of destitution, soul crumbling just like the architecture around them. Very funny use of Hollywood tropes to convey emotional despair.

However, showcasing digital-only work, on extremely large screens, is exactly the kind of invasive use of technology the exhibition appears to critique. The Brutalist coldness of the suspended screens, or the large blocks/walls acting as screens in the middle of the gallery space, evoke the very fascism that art is supposed to counter. The experience of watching remains alienating, and individualistic, and the only emotional catharsis is through self-identification, which is the tired Hollywood tactic. Guns, guts, gore, is a refrain we’ve all heard before.

Playing at DHC/ART until September 3
451 & 465, St-Jean Street

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