Sunday, April 12, 2015

Darker and deeper

Last Saturday was the first of the month, and that means it's time for another helping of Fryquency, the pop weirdness doled out monthly at Mugshots by Weird Canada, CHUO and CKCU's Debaser show.

First on deck was Montreal's Year of Glad, a trio founded and primarily staffed by A.P. Bergeron, whose music is by turns spooky, ethereal and atmospheric fairly often. That's A.P. at left.

Year of Glad at Mugshots

Echoey vocal action!

Year of Glad at Mugshots

Nick Laugher hits!

Year of Glad at Mugshots

Glad action!

Year of Glad at Mugshots

Cello action from Sweet Mother Logic's Justin Wright!

Year of Glad at Mugshots

Nick works some electronics.

Year of Glad at Mugshots

On to Scattered Clouds; for this set Philippe and Jamie were joined by Michael Dubue of The Hi Lo Trons (who also put together the video for their latest single, Enchanteresse) and a bunch of keyboards. They have a show coming up at the Record Centre May 2, and release their new album, The First Empire, on April 21. Now here's some feedback!

Scattered Clouds at Mugshots

Michael works the keys!

Scattered Clouds at Mugshots

Scattered action!

Scattered Clouds at Mugshots

Philippe sings!

Scattered Clouds at Mugshots

Limited space plus keyboards equals fisheye lens.

Scattered Clouds at Mugshots

The whole lot!

Scattered Clouds at Mugshots

Jamie hits!

Scattered Clouds at Mugshots

Del Bel weren't quite as experimental as the opening acts; mining a pop noir territory. They released a self-titled album in February. There's enough of them that mandolinist Joe Ernewein had to perform off-stage (to be precise it's a "Mandocaster"). Behind him is bassist Tyler Belluz, guitarist Michael Brooks and singer Lisa Conway.

Del Bel at Mugshots

And here's trumpeter Ira Zingraff and drummer Adam Hindle, the other two members on hand (at full strength, the band stretches to a dozen, not counting backup singers).

Del Bel at Mugshots

Lisa sings!

Del Bel at Mugshots

Tyler is also the band's composer in-chief.

Del Bel at Mugshots

Slide action!

Del Bel at Mugshots

Extra Adam!

Del Bel at Mugshots

Michael frets!

Del Bel at Mugshots

The whole fisheyed lot!

Del Bel at Mugshots

A pleasantly diverse evening, where no band sounded like another but they all suited the bill.

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