I Can Put My Arm Back On You Can't

Bordering on anachronistic, I Can Put My Arm Back On You Can’t offer a unique take on the hardcore sensibility that captivated kids all across Southern Ontario and beyond more than a decade ago. Entering a proper studio for the first time, the power punk trio sound as dense as ever, creating one of the muddiest records overseen by noted engineer Jeff McMurrich. The band’s sharp, slithering guitar lines and cacophonous rhythms mingle with hearty, impassioned screaming and a “personal is political” lyrical bent. Recalling the wit and virtuosity of Blake and the earnest grit of Minnow, ICPMABOYC are an anomaly in Toronto’s music community, both for their idiosyncratic sound and the fact that it’s something of a throwback. As “Theme” implies, it’s thankless work writing hardcore songs and it’s often the courage of your convictions that gets you through. Blending pointed humour and focused rage, Stands For is inviting and contrary in a familiar, yet compelling, way.