Recording: Casper Skulls

Artist: Casper Skulls

Song: Love Brain

Recorded at The Horseshoe Tavern, September 7, 2017.

Casper Skulls - Love Brain

As they hurtle towards the release of their first full length, Casper Skulls seemed fannishly enthused to be playing a few dates opening up for Julie & The Wrong Guys. Still mixing new songs into the setlist, the band is playing with relaxed confidence, mixing short jabs like this with their glistening extended jams.

[Mercy Works is out November 3rd. They'll be playing alongside Charly Bliss, Twist and Lonely Parade at Buzz Records' Very Special Krampus Party Saturday, December 9th at The Rec Room.]

Recording: Casper Skulls

Artist: Casper Skulls

Song: Lingua Franca

Recorded at The Tranzac (Main Hall), December 31, 2016.

Casper Skulls - Lingua Franca

As always, The Tranzac was a cool and friendly zone to hang out in on New Year's Eve, with two stages of music all night long. "Outsiders" inasmuch as you might expect to see them at The Tranzac less than most of the night's other performers, Casper Skulls served as the night's headliners, bringing in the New Year on the Main Hall stage with a set of songs already pushing past their recent Lips & Skull EP. Plenty sonic interplay on hand and I dig how guitarist Melanie St-Pierre's vocal leads are more in abundance in the live set than in the band's extant recorded output — and they cut through quite nicely in the room on tunes like this one.

Recording: Casper Skulls

Artist: Casper Skulls

Song: Glories^*

Recorded at Artscape Gibraltar Point (Camp Wavelength), August 20, 2016.

Casper Skulls - Glories

Following and expanding on the template of last year's successful festival, Wavelength returned to the island with a meticulously-executed event that included an exciting range of music and a beach full of art beside festival headliner Lake Ontario. It also managed to be a stress-reducing rather than a stress-inducing time — rather like a weekend at the cottage, even if the city was just out of view.

I'd last seen this group in a more rough'n'ready sonic environment, so having them up on the fully teched-out big stage made rather a difference, giving their dynanic range more room to breathe. With some space to stretch out, there's more room to enjoy cuts like this one, which, instead of punching out a single's insistent hook instead goes on a little journey — out somewhere between the marquee moon and the diamond sea.

^* Thanks to the band for passing along the title to this one!

Recording: Casper Skulls

Artist: Casper Skulls

Song: You Can Call Me Allocator^*

Recorded at The Garrison's front room (No Fest Day Party), June 18, 2016.

Casper Skulls - You Can Call Me Allocator

Filling the vacuum left by the declining footprint of a floundering (and largely unloved) corporate festival, Buzz Records took over The Garrison for the weekend with two nights of music as well as this free afternoon show in the front room. Offering plenty of local talent (and no Budweiser banners) this was an encouraging example of on-the-ground moxie replacing worn-out top-down ideas.

This was my first time checking out this young quartet, who have already been scooped up by Buzz after less than a year of activity and a single 7" in their discography. One can sense how they fit into the label's vibe even as they bolster its sonic range. They were at their best when they were a little more "textured" (and channelled, say, Sonic Youth and — dare I hope? — Felt) and a bit less interesting when they were a little more "punk" (and channelled, say, Parquet Courts). In any case, it's rather easy to project interesting things to come (and an EP is promised for this fall).

^* Thanks to the band for passing along the title to this one.