The Martlet

Sunday Buckets

In Case You Hear This
That’s The Plan

Victoria has already heard a lot of Sunday Buckets. They were the October Band of The Month for the Zone 91.3 radio station, and they played on Boxing Day down at Sugar. These six guys have jumped on the scene trying to get their name out.

You can find them on Myspace, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. In Case You Hear This is their first album that was dropped in early July of this year.

The first track, “Aftermathematics” is a catchy pop tune that immediately draws comparisons to Death Cab for Cutie. Sunday Buckets has a unique make-up, as five out of the six members contribute vocally. In the bridge section of “Aftermathematics” there is a small spoken word/rap vocal line which provides a good contrast.

Most of the songs on In Case You Hear This are very mellow and easy to listen to. The third track “Garfunkel” incorporates the classic Mr. Rogers phrase, “It’s a wonderful day in the neighbourhood/Won’t you be my neighbour?”

Each song gives you something new to listen to and enjoy.

Sunday Buckets specializes in the mellow relaxing song — almost too much so. In Case You Hear This needs something heavier. “Kenny the Kid” is close, with a great buildup into the first chorus.

But as soon as it hits, the song falls flat, all that energy is gone and we’re left groaning, wanting that heavy chorus.

Overall, the album sounds great and is produced well. Sunday Buckets has found their niche in the soundscape of today and are definitely a band to keep a close eye on.

Pick up this CD and see them live for one of Victoria newest indie hits.

Jason Stasiuk

Nine Mile

Country Porno Electric Fireplace
Xiola

Guitars, sex, electrical currents, fire. These could be the images conjured up when you hear the title of Nine Mile’s new album. But Country Porno Electric Fireplace is more than just a bizarre collaboration of brass and balls; it’s a powerhouse of music you’ve never heard before.

With influences of folky rap, reggae and earth pop, Nine Mile’s sound is at once smooth and dirty — like a good whiskey. But, while vocals could be a mash up of Edwin McCain meets Hootie and the Blowfish, this band offers something rarely heard in indie music today: real soul.

The album opens up with a track titled “Everybody Falls,” a silky number that tricks us into thinking we’ve got them figured out. Sure, just another soft-voiced Jack Johnson wannabe group.

But by the second and third tracks, we’re struggling to figure out what’s coming next: rap, ska, blues, reggae, techno, rock, jazz?

And despite the title, there’s next-to-nothing “country” on the album — well, except for the odd guitar pick sneaking in here and there.

Even edges of gospel and blues float through in the eighth track, “Rise and Stand.” But while the religious references are thick, the porno seems to be lacking — unless you consider the lyrics on the sixth track, “Church,” which chime: “we’re going to worship each other on Sunday morning.” This suggestive little ditty may have a few double entendres, though — it also contains the bleep bleep of video game riffs.

While most of the Nine Mile band members hail from Toronto, the song “West Coast” offers a hopeful melody about such abstract things as time and chances. But it also becomes one of the catchiest tunes on the album and grounds us in the band’s multifaceted abilities.

With any luck, we’ll be seeing more of these abilities in the future.

Danielle Pope

The Monster Show

And In Our Final Days As Archipelago
Independent

The Monster Show has something for everyone. Sometimes, however, that’s not a good thing.

And In Our Final Days As Archipelago, the first full-length album from the Waterloo, Ontario foursome mixes country, rock, horns and synth, sometimes all in one song. While their ambition certainly deserves applause, the result can sometimes be a dizzying cacophony of seemingly unrelated instruments.

The other downside of the album is that it errs more on the side of country than folk-infused rock, especially with tracks like “Winnipeg and Fargo” and “Glory.” While the lyrics are beautifully poetic, the whiny cowboy vocals suck any and all charm out of the songs within seconds.

Still, The Monster Show shows promise. Their lyrics are wonderfully inventive. “How to Bicycle Home From Downtown, Slightly Drunk, While Carrying Three Used LPs” is part playful, part instructional with lyrics like “be very careful — in the dusk, cars may mistake you for empty space.”

They’re not afraid to take risks. On “Beer Caps, Friday,” the band mixes horns, shakers and synth, resulting in a unique and entertaining track.

One highlight of And In Our Final Days As Archipelago is “Anniversary,” an Anne Micheals poem turned into song, with breathy vocals and soothing, lullaby-like guitar riffs.

While The Monster Show’s first offering is frenetic to a fault at times, it is a first offering. If the band can decide who they want to be, what they really want to sound like, they might be a rising star on Canada’s new music horizon.

Gemma Karstens-Smith

In Flight Safety

We Are An Empire, My Dear
Night Danger

The third record from Halifax’s In Flight Safety was released earlier this year. The band will be playing on Granville Island during the Olympic festivities come February. The Canadian four-piece had the first single of this album, “Model Homes,” featured on the Canadian teen sitcom Degrassi in early November.

Right off the top, the band brings on their not-so-unique sound. Take a cross between Coldplay, the Killers and a splash of any other pop-rock, male-vocal-led band and put them in a blender. The result would be In Flight Safety.

The first track, “I Could Love You More,” is not a great way to start off a record. The band chooses to use grandiose harp runs to usher the listener into the chorus. Yet it seems like they just found the harp tone on their keyboard and really wanted to incorporate it into a song.

Tracks like “Amy Racina” and “Big White Elephant” are soothing enough that one could probably fall asleep to the music. “CloudHead” is a little bit more upbeat, but offers nothing substantial enough to make you want to get out of your seat. 

Upon reading the track list on the back of the disc, you will notice that track nine is entitled “Paperthin II” while track 10 is “Paperthin.” Maybe the band wanted to pull a Star Wars move and put out the sequel before the original. Who knows?

All in all, “Paperthin II” turns out to be a minute-and-a-half waste of time. It could have just been tacked onto the end of the first track and no one would have cared — or noticed.

We Are An Empire, My Dear is nothing special. For those out there who enjoy the comforting rock of bands like Coldplay but not the indie aspect of Joel Plaskett, In Flight Safety would be the perfect fit.

Jason Stasiuk