Canada is home to some of the best fucking bands in the world. Sorry, that outburst wasn’t very politely Canadian of me, but it’s fucking true. I’ve got the proof right here, ten times over. I’d crank any one of these albums while I’m watching the hockey game. I can’t bring myself to rank ‘em because, well, I’m just so goddamn proud of all of ‘em, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take the time get to know ‘em right now. Here then, in alphabetical order, is this year’s cream of the Canadian crop. Oh, and that crop also includes a case of Pil and some weed.
From The Heart Attacks to Poison Arrows to Biters, the long road of rock n’ roll glory for singer/guitarist Tuk has been littered with trashy riffs, drug problems, and dead ends. The usual suicide story that sticks to every tight-pant Thunders junkie like a safety pin on a worn out leather jacket lands a lot closer to sad than success, but if the stigma doesn’t kill ya, it can only make you stronger, right? Probably, which is why Tuk hopes his latest bubblegum machine, Biters, will break through the bastard cliches and avoid the inevitable burst that comes when you sink your teeth into the cheap, sticky solution of reckless days and wasted nights. Whether that happens remains to be seen, but for now our springboard is this self-titled EP, and goddamn it if it’s not screamin’ at me like a gaggle of teenage groupies. With the five deliciously catchy glam punk ditties on board here, I don’t know how the Biters are ever going to avoid burnin’ out in the gutter like a bunch of high school dropouts. This is some magic marker mayhem, man, part Cheap Trick power pop, part New York Dolls lipstick rock, and all jukebox jive. If the Biters aren’t the biggest band in the world real soon, we’re all doomed.
Imperial State Electric Imperial State Electric
Psychout Records
It seems like all I’ve been bragging about lately is how Nicke Andersson is back and that the most exciting thing in rock n’ roll these days is his new band, Imperial State Electric. Of course, it’s not so much a band as it is a nation of one, with Lord Royale ruling over every instrument, unless of course he’s feeling generous or lonely, in which case he invites some of his friends to the party, including Dregen (Backyard Babies), the dudes from The Datsuns, Robert Pehrsson (Death Breath, Thunder Express), Neil Leyton (Canuck super musician), Anders Lindstrom (aka Boba Fett of The Hellacopters), and others. I already told you about the 7″ single, That’s Where It’s At, and now it’s time to take a much anticipated run at the self-titled full-length, which is every bit as electric as it claims to be, a black and white shot of high-watt pop.
Biters
Imperial State Electric