BeatRoute Magazine BC Print Edition April 2018

Guided by Voices - Space Gun Guided by Voice Holy Wave - Adult Fear JJUUJJUU - Zionic Mud
“information overdose.
The track segues into an unexpectedly-dreamy close as do many on
the album, the influence of M83 producer Justin Meldal-Johnson
bleeding into the band’s typically moodier aesthetic. These injections
of levity are “disaster relief,” and deepening the palette of tones the
band has to work with lends the record’s gloominess more impact
than its predecessor, 2016’s self-titled Preoccupations.
In New Material, darkness excites and envelopes; delivery and
instrumentals are alternately deadpan and jolting, never fully awake
or asleep, shuffle-stepping between unsettled waking life and a
chilling but invigorating dreamscape.
• Cathal Gunning
A Place To Bury Strangers
Pinned
Dead Oceans
Adversity has long been the driving force inspiring sonic chemists
to one up themselves. On this fifth full-length by the decade old
noise rock trio the struggles of life are real but they also come with
a big pay off. The opener, “Never Coming Back,” brims with anxiety
whether it’s brought on by the changes all around or a consistent
streak of personal bad luck matters less and less as the trance
inducing back beat helps give the sensation of exiting this world for
clouds of noise up above.
Otherworldly guitar sounds and copious amounts of forlorn blasts of
sonic chaos have always been the rule but this release has a notable
addition with the inclusion of he/she vocals. The hellish buzz-saw
guitar riffs on “Frustrated Operator” benefit greatly from a female
presence widening the dynamic with soft Nico-inspired singing
which is truly shiver inducing.
Weary voices give searing meditations on personal truth revealing a
side to the band that usually hides beneath layers and layers of postrock
noise.
• Dan Potter
The Penske File
Salvation
Stomp Records
The Penske File’s new album, Salvation, is a power-poppy blend
of various punk rock styles. The opening track “Kamikaze Kids,”
explodes from the picking pattern of a brightly-toned guitar to a
folk-infused, chorus-y punk song reminiscent of new-era Green Day
meeting old-school Against Me!
Salvation’s fourth track “Spin My History,” is an emotionally driven
rock-song with enough catchiness to fit on radio airwaves, and
enough grit to catch your attention. “Last Chance” is a smack-yourface
tune that mixes elements of ‘50s rock n’ roll with heavy, melodic
skate-punk.
Overall, Salvation feels like a well-executed power-pop tribute to
punk music of the early 2000s. Sounds on Salvation are comparable
to the likes of Blink-182, Sum41, NOFX, Yellowcard, and many more
artists of that era. The record’s diversity touches on punk’s many
niches, leaving something catchy and enjoyable for fans from all
walks of the genre.
• Johnny Papan
Holy Wave
Adult Fear
The Reverberation Appreciation Society
Following up on the heels of Holy Wave’s Freaks Of Nurture, their
2016 release, Adult Fear is the five piece from Austin’s fifth official
release and third full-length album. Sticking with their signature, hazy
psych-garage sound, Holy Wave has managed to release yet another
captivating collection of tracks.
With each new album the band puts out, they seem to mature
towards new levels of experimentation and layering lush
instrumentation, amid tracks gliding effortlessly between different
grooves and tempos. This does not so much startle, but rather takes
one on a trip with the band.
One aspect that sticks out on Adult Fear is the departure to a more
neo-psychedelic sound, reminiscent of groups such as The Zombies,
Pink Floyd (a la Syd Barrett), and more recently, Ariel Pink. This
shines through on tracks such as “Nation In Regress,” “Habibi,” and
“Adult Fear.”
Layered in abundant organ/synth tones and track lengths reaching
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