The first full-length from the dark-witted Toronto duo of Michael Barry and Cameron Groves is a sexy/nasty slab of droning electro-pop sleaze, and my new favourite thing. Imagine Beat Happening, A Place to Bury Strangers and the Neon Judgement doing lots of drugs together in a Hamburg fetish bar and you'll get the gist of this dour gem. Acidic monotone vocals, battering drum-machine beats and a whole lotta art-house style caught in a radioactive glow of sawing violin and over-cranked guitar. If "Catherine Deneuve" and "Big Fires" don't make you wanna pogo, there's something fundamentally wrong with you, and "The Tunnel" is just freakin' evil. (April 26, 2009)
Life Boat and Leopold Bloom are now available as free downloads through Blocks Recording Club's Facebook group. They'll be part of a vinyl compilation LP called Building Blocks Digital Singles Club Vol. 1, out in the fall.
Edited with the help of Thomas Myspace Editor V4.4
Impressive review of the CD in Eye Magazine, 'Comprised of Michael Barry and Cameron Groves, the duo have developed a series of kitschy, nostalgic dance songs that seem more expertly crafted with every listen'
Great review of the EP in this issue of Exclaim Magazine 'Twitchy art school dance floor rock is the name of the game for The Torrent, and it's the name of the game they play rather well'
That was a great set at Sneaky Dees, post-punk taken a step higher, colliding with the astral-barrier. Pounding rhythmic energy, sonic-violin, cascading keys, merged with an infectious neo-psychadelic sound. A climax of engaging experimentalism, pop perfection--a sonic post-rock cabaret. Impressive.
