Battle Of The Bands - Band Profiles Pt. 1

Go ahead and Google Interracial Love Triangle.  You will find yourself referred to the Myspace profile of a self-described two-piece minimalist garage rock band – as well as a video that features a clip from the Jerry Springer show, in which Springer addresses the controversy of interracial love.  “We promote love in our music and this clip saddens us very deeply,” says Matt Smith. Their music plays out with heavy riffs, raunchy guitars and driven vocal cries.  One wonders if the love is in the resonance of the salad and popcorn bowls the band calls their drum kit?  Smith says that “the metallic resonance that is created is symbolic… we strive to express the importance of pure, unadulterated tonality and clarity.” Or maybe having become known for their out-of-control live performances, the love can be found amongst the local neighbours they’ve come to share their frenzied stage with: Dead Wife, Homosexual Cops.  Here is a loud, loving band that aims to “serve some kind of justice to mankind symbolically; with a popcorn bowl.” 

For a friendly twist to the competition, refer to Stereochic – an electro/rock girl band, who are eager to introduce themselves to you.  “We definitely love the idea of playing for an audience who is not there specifically and solely to see us; we hope that we can pleasantly surprise them and perhaps gain a fan or two.” Stereochic first sprouted from a West Island garage jam session featuring Lana Cooney, Isabelle Banos, and Jessie Kravitz.  The band claims to have fully blossomed with the entrance of a girl named Laura Van Vlaardingen and her synth.  “We always felt something was missing from the original trio… Laura and her 'synthical savvy' changed all that for us,” says Cooney.  Stereochic offers a subtle flavour of token girl-band harmony, which they then in turn compliment alongside electric sounds - combining the catchy with shoegazing intensity.  The band definitely does not limit themselves to gender-specific labels.  “We just happen to be four ladies with the same vision.” 

Give a young girl from Vancouver a guitar and just wait for the sounds of lo-fi acoustic indie pop to rise.  This is something Elgin-Skye (often accompanied by Vincent Reid Hopkins) is happy to provide. Elgin-Skye acknowledges, “…as a solo artist it can be hard to distinguish my music from other guitar-wielding females.” Then just wait for the imminent comparisons of a Joanna Newsom and or Regina Spektor variety.  But  such comparisons are invalid – these are not pretty songs about pretty things. Elgin-Skye has provided herself with a set of vulnerable and undressed songs, with subtle hints of fuller orchestration. Here is a musician you just know uses the word “lovely” more than most, ready and able to distinguish herself from the crowd.  “There are a lot of ideas floating around in my head of how I would like my music to sound, but it’s hard to do with only ten fingers and ten toes.”