Honorable Mentions: Indi Edition!

A name, a description, and a song. Can you tell I'm both not sure what to say and bored of this already?
To be clear, that is bored of this list, not of music.
Though: I think I will make this a list of things that you will not find easily.

DEER AND THE HEADLIGHTS -- SMALL STEPS, HEAVY HOOVES
There is something magical about this band. It is straight up rock, but composed by some of the best musicians ever.

HOOSIER POET -- SELF TITLED
From the great land of Hamilton (ew), this three piece dared to bring something different to Cambridge at a time when everyone seemed to bring the chugs. I believe they are broken up, and I know they did not go as far as I wish they did, but if you can find this album, it is so good.

THE JUNCTION -- & With This Comes Tomorrow
By far, one of the best live shows I have ever seen. Also, one of the poppiest bands I have sat through. Brilliantly tight and way too talented.

KRAEHMER -- IT WAS THE FASTEST I EVER RAN, IT WAS THE FURTHEST I EVER SAW
This album introduced me to technical progressions. Keep in mind, everything they ever did was with a single kick. Fuck that.
I CANNOT FIND ANY FUCKING MUSIC. IF YOU FIND SOMETHING, SEND IT TO ME, PLEASE?

LAMBS -- SELF TITLED I used to work with Sean (the lead singer) at a music store. I also recorded his old punk band many years ago. This was quite the shock, in the best ways.
I do not own this album, but I could not find the song online.

SLENDER LORIS -- WORLD TOUR
I got this CD after my band opened for them from my friends Kevin and Mike. This CD is everything that punk should be. Except, you know, good.
Check out teir BandCamp. Free music, or do what I recommend and support them. Keep in mind, the entire set is this short. Fuck yeah.

TUGNUT -- ODE TO PETE
This album is important. Everything about this album is both amazing AND loud!

the other elephant is on the ROAD

Farewell To Freeway -- Weekdays Seldom Wake To Victory
Take that, some semblance of alphabetical order, kind of! This band has a soft part of my heart because they were part of the first local show I ever saw. There is an atmosphere to this album that few have ever been able to recreate. To be fair, I do not think this band found that feel again until they released Only Time Will Tell in 2009. It came out JUST before the breakdown became a thing that ever band used, and it will forever be what I think punk can be. This short album brought me through high school and constantly reminded me that, with perseverance, a music career is possible.

FOR THE MATITATICS -- WE IMPEND
If AT THE DIVE IN never broke up, and became less thrashy(?). I consider this to be one of the greatest albums ever.

THE REDFLECKS -- THE STORY CANNOT END
This band took the ideas Metric had and made them less, Canadian maybe? Or the ideas behind U2 but performed them, less shit? I am not sure what to compare them to, but it is a very good, very short album.

That is it for these amalgamation lists. They are a lot of fun, and they are a great way to cut my work down, but I feel like I am taking a cheap way out. Please support everyone making music you love, but independent artists are working from their own financial reserves. I have done that the wrong way for years, but I have also witnessed the difficulties of those doing it right. If I do not update, have a great New Years. Otherwise, see you soon!

4) I have friends with friends who like high places.

Sean Houston. Oh you beautiful man. Would you please stop playing shows on nights when I can't make it out? I haven't seen you physically on stage since the Parking Lot*. Though I am pretty sure that 15 year old you would not care for the direction you have gone, I think I can forgive you. OK, I should start this over.

My good friend and co-worker Sean has been busy lately. It seems every shift he has he comes in exhausted, but really excited to tell me about what his night consisted of. Initially, it was just things like jamming with the guys and working on some neat ideas. Slowly, it became this mystical thing (from my eyes, anyway) named Lambs. When it was first brought to my attention, it was about experimenting with post-rock ideas and edgy directions. If memory serves well, they played one or two shows instrumentally. The next I hear about Lambs, it was how Sean has started singing and they are now going psychedelic rock.

This was very exciting to me

Now, after about a year of Sean being very tired and talking my ear off about all the new ideas they have and all sorts of stuff, the self titled demo has finally surfaced on BandCamp. As I am typing this, I am making my way through the album (currently on track 4 entitled 'Mister Mystic'). First thoughts? Damnit guys, stop being so awesome. Seriously, I can't help but think late '80s/early '90s Brit Pop. Kelsey (drums) has some of the most appropriate and driving percussive swells I have heard from a band in this scene in a while. Randy (bass) is a fucking beast and ANYONE who has ever heard that kid play knows EXACTLY what I am talking about. Brad and Sean both have some fantastic Guitar layers and it is very obvious that a lot of thought went into the polyrhythm in tracks like The Lobby. In fact, go listen to that song in particular.


Lambs are playing in Hamilton this Friday (fb link) at The Doors Pub with doors opening around Eight PM. I am going to be making an attempt at going to the show, but if ANYONE from Hamilton is reading this and you do not go, you suck. It's only FIVE DOLLARS at the door or THREE DOLLARS when you bring some sort of canned food item. OR you could bring canned food and pay five anyway. The show is looking stacked with sets from Lambs (duh), Slender Loris (see last weeks rant on Kevin), The Eden Wells (I'm sure I'll do something on them soon), and The Ednas (who sound amazing based on the 45 seconds from the first track on their BandCamp)!!

*The Parking Lot was a fantastic idea (and one of the worst executions I have ever seen). It was an all ages venue for punk, metal, ska, and rock bands based out of Cambridge, Ontario. Pretty much every independent band that could have come through the area played there. Sean's old band Susana No Pants used to play there all the time along with Sister Amadeus and All Cut Up.