Sound Advice- 20. Nov. 2024
The flood of great 2024 releases continues! Today we're taking a quick look at a handful of long players.
Longtime readers may recall that I reviewed 100 new (to me) records last year. Because I’m a glutton for punishment love music, I’m doing it again this year. This is the latest in the series.
Good morning!
Today we’re taking a look at the latest from Metz, High Vis, Assistant, and La Femme
Every year, I celebrate all the great music we’ve been gifted while worrying that next year will see the other shoe drop. I did that last December and have been proven wrong every month since. Not only are there a ton of releases steadily coming out, but there’s also been a ton of great stuff, no matter your tastes. It’s almost overwhelming— but in all the best ways. Below are a few of the releases that have caught my attention recently.
Let’s get into it!
Metz- Up On Gravity Hill
Metz is a band that usually has one speed—hammer down. If that’s your thing, fear not; Up On Gravity Hill doesn't do much to dissuade that. However, the Toronto-based trio of guitarist Alex Edkins, bassist Chris Slorach, and drummer Hayden Menzies do spend a lot of time branching out and exploring other sounds.
But before we get to any of that, we get “Reservation/Love Comes Crashing.” Opening with what sounds like a swarm of bees mobilizing for the attack, the track stings you before you know it. It then shifts to a more steady state before building back up as Edkins sings “Feel love crashing down” repeatedly before another swarm of guitars ends the track. It’s a lot…and that’s just the opener.
Their entire band brings their A-game here, but the real star is Menzies. The drumming is incredible, and frankly, it reaffirms that I’m much better at listening to other people play than I ever was behind the kit.
With its woozy guitars and rugged basslines, “Entwined (Street Light Buzz)” will make you happy, thinking Fugazi has reformed and is making new music.
“Wound Tight” has a tasty riff that, for absolutely no reason, reminds me of Pearl Jam’s “Do the Evolution.” That’s said as a compliment.
The fast & furious tracks are incredible, but the record’s highlight is its closer, “Light Your Way Home.” No one will ever accuse it of being a ballad, but it’s as close as this record’s gonna get. Amber Webber of Black Mountain joins the band, trading vocals with Edkins, and the melodic, atmospheric number is a perfect note to end on.
Metz isn’t quite punk, not quite hardcore, and not pop. That lack of genre is something the band has intentionally leaned into.
They are, however, just good.
There are a lot of Jesus and Mary Chain comparisons out there, and IMO, they’re both justified and fair. Looking at my own collection, there aren't a whole lot of bands with as much overlap as Metz and the Brothers Reid. Both bands build walls of sound that aren't too far apart from one another. Add my name to that list. That’s a compliment too.
Up On Gravity Hill feels like a stylistic leap, even if it’s been one taken in small steps. In an interview with Treble earlier this year, Edkins noted “For us it’s always been a pretty gradual thing…Especially to listeners. For us, every record has been a monumental leap but I don’t know if that’s shared to people on the outside. There weren’t these huge stylistic shifts happening with our records. But inside the band we were really proud and happy to these additions we were making to production, additions to song structure and melody. They’ve always been a part of us but never this overnight change. It’s happened slowly, so that continues, that search for ways to do what we do is exciting for us.”
Mission accomplished. Evolving as a band while staying (more or less) true to your sound is no easy feat. History is littered with bands that couldn't clear that hurdle. Metz’s latest perfectly blends 8000 rpm tracks and more sophisticated sounds. It’s a record that’s, well, exciting.
Also out:
High Vis- Guided Tour
Two years ago, the band’s sophomore album, Blending, made my AOTY list. At the time of its release, I worried it wouldn’t match the sonic ferocity of its debut LP, No Sense, No Feeling. I needn’t have worried. I had the same thought this time and am happy to report once again that it was all for naught. Guided Tour is a tour de force. The scrappy hooks are still here, as are the wind tunnel riffs, pummeling drums, and soaring vocals. The band’s stock in trade is their working class ethos, and frontman Graham Sayle never misses a chance to remind of where his (and the band’s) loyalties lie. But even on the docks, there are good days & laughter, and Guided Tour never misses a chance to champion those, either.
La Femme- Rock Machine
Rock Machine is the French ensemble’s first fully English release, and the band has pulled out all the stops. Want some new wave? You got it. Synth-pop? Disco? Yes, and yes. Grab your favorite eyeliner and your pack of cloves, and get ready to hit the club.
Assistant- Certain Memories
If you’ve been here long, you know how much I appreciate a lyric sheet. It’s much easier for me to read along for those first few listens. For their latest, Assistant not only did that, but they added a bit of backstory to (at least) a few of the tracks. It was incredible context that added some poignancy to the record.
“Opener, My Phone Began to Ring” is a lovely bit of pop. “Song for Jil” is wistful and more contemplative. “Before and After You” takes things in a more synth-driven, surreal direction. “Fresh Ingredients” feels like something from a Wes Anderson movie.
At its heart, Certain Memories deals with many of the same things many of us are dealing with, whether we asked for them or not: love, loss, elder care, etc. A lot of the material deals with Jonathan Shipley—or rather his mother, Jil—and her battle with dementia. That’s not usually the stuff of jangle pop, but Assistant have made a record that you’ll find yourself listening to over and over.
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As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts on any (or all) of these records! Did I get it right, or am I way off the mark?
Thanks for being here,
Kevin—
That High Vis album is 'dynomite' eh?
Love the clove reference related to La Femme. Takes me back - my but they tasted so good and what a rush.
Just getting a chance to catch up to this. I dig the Assistant record so far. Love that you spotlight lesser-known artists!