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09/21/08 M Room - Philadelphia, PA
10/16/08 Crash Mansion - NY, NY |
You know how none of the members of Of Montreal are actually of Montreal? (Kevin Barnes sometimes looks Canadian, like when he wears things that many Americans would consider aesthetically uncomfortable and/or inspired by some sort of “higher influence” (and we all know how the Canadians feel about high influences.) Well, New York-based Worst Case Ontario follows a similar suit by not being Canadian and also by being a rock band.
In retrospect, I wish I hadn’t referenced Of Montreal earlier because the two Canadian-non-Canadian bands are (musically) nothing alike. Worst Case Ontario has the benefit of sounding mainstream enough to appeal to a wider audience; singer Sam Weisberg fluctuates between shrill falsetto and frightening man-screams, but the melodies are solid, catchy even, and the result is so perfectly earnest that it’s hard not to feel charmed (and by ‘charmed’ I mean ‘not disgusted’). It also helps that WCO maintains a steady laidback, mid-90s vibe that tastes better over time, like a hotdish* (as opposed to the “next big thing” bands that tend go sour fast, like a carton of milk that’s accidentally been left open on the counter next to a radiator).
The strength of WCO, however, is in the lyrics. These boys are clever. Clever and kind of rude. I have a friend like that. He’s an asshole, but very, very funny and so we remain his friend instead of wishing he would die. Weisberg may drop a couple ‘dicks’ and mention woman-hating Nietzsche, but the music avoids the blatant cock rock mentality by being eloquent in its simplicity. Besides, how often do you hear a song about man-crushing on Eugene Levy (“Eugene Levy Unbilled”)? Still, despite the humor in “Eugene Levy,” Burning Politely is too dark at times to be considered a goof project. There’s a comfortable balance between silliness and sincerity—the band may not take themselves too seriously but they also prove capable of being serious.
Burning Politely is Worst Case Ontario’s debut release. Individual songs are available for download through iTunes or you can purchase the full-length album at cdbaby.com. If you live on the East Coast WCO has a couple of shows lined up, including a gig in New York. You can visit their Myspace for more information and for a complete bio. It should be noted that Drew Eastmead and Tater Read (drums and bass, respectively), although contributors to the album, are no longer performing with the band. The current lineup is Weisberg, John MacDonald (guitar), Tim Perzan (drums) and Joe Grasso (bass). If you don’t care for reading, check out the latest W♥M podcast for an interview with Weisberg.
*A ‘hotdish,’ for the non-Midwesterner, is tasty baked mush. Some people call it a ‘casserole’ but those people are uneducated and probably unattractive.
Links: myspace.com/wcoband
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