The Pixies loud-quiet-loud aesthetic got hijacked in the '90s as lesser bands (Silverchair, Bush, Everclear) ran ragamuffin with the sound, making it the most clichéd dynamic shift this side of a Korn breakdown. But as necessity is the mother of invention, a new generation of bands is taking the Pixies sounds to new extremes in both directions. I like to think of it as "noise-not noise-noise."
One of the best practitioners of this new aesthetic is Halifax's York Redoubt. Featuring Brad LaHead from the Got to Get Got and named after a national historic site and former military base in their hometown, the trio find a striking balancing between art rock and pop. Their best track "I Said Slightly" from The Ryan Allen EP is a fun, breezy example of their sound; out of a wall of lo-fi noise comes catchy, melodic singing. I especially dig the single note guitar line that follows the vocals. Then back to that awesome, arty noise. It's like the bastard child of Sonic Youth and Fleet Foxes.
The Ryan Allen EP is available for free download here. All three tunes will be included on the band's forthcoming self-titled EP, hopefully out very soon.
Listen to "I Said Slightly" here.
One of the best practitioners of this new aesthetic is Halifax's York Redoubt. Featuring Brad LaHead from the Got to Get Got and named after a national historic site and former military base in their hometown, the trio find a striking balancing between art rock and pop. Their best track "I Said Slightly" from The Ryan Allen EP is a fun, breezy example of their sound; out of a wall of lo-fi noise comes catchy, melodic singing. I especially dig the single note guitar line that follows the vocals. Then back to that awesome, arty noise. It's like the bastard child of Sonic Youth and Fleet Foxes.
The Ryan Allen EP is available for free download here. All three tunes will be included on the band's forthcoming self-titled EP, hopefully out very soon.
Listen to "I Said Slightly" here.
