Montreal duo Solids gained considerable attention for their fuzzed out, scrappy yet melodic 2014 LP, Blame Confusion, on which their love of heavy music (having dabbled in hardcore) was not far behind that of indie pop and shoegaze.
On their new Else EP, they continue to wear '90s alt-rock influences on their lo-fi sleeve (most blatantly on "Blank Stare"), but they also strive for contrast, clarity in place of static and a slower, more thoughtful pace instead of their former breakneck speed.
Unfortunately, there's a sense here — on "Shine" and "Wait It Out," particularly — that the songs are anticlimactic, almost redundant at times, especially since they so often linger past the five-minute mark.
"Blurs" is dynamic enough to warrant its length and is the highlight of the EP. The sustained build that takes this track to its close suggests that Solids could be the whole package by reviving some of that compelling old fuzz-fest life force and using it to invigorate the subdued sound they try, with only limited success, on Else.
(Dine Alone)On their new Else EP, they continue to wear '90s alt-rock influences on their lo-fi sleeve (most blatantly on "Blank Stare"), but they also strive for contrast, clarity in place of static and a slower, more thoughtful pace instead of their former breakneck speed.
Unfortunately, there's a sense here — on "Shine" and "Wait It Out," particularly — that the songs are anticlimactic, almost redundant at times, especially since they so often linger past the five-minute mark.
"Blurs" is dynamic enough to warrant its length and is the highlight of the EP. The sustained build that takes this track to its close suggests that Solids could be the whole package by reviving some of that compelling old fuzz-fest life force and using it to invigorate the subdued sound they try, with only limited success, on Else.