David Ivan Neil/POPULATION II
David Ivan Neil
Simple Shapes // Kingfisher Bluez
Simple Shapes is a ten song lo-fi folk endeavour from B.C’s David Ivan Neil. The album makes candid sketches out of the skeletons that populate his closet, inviting them to come out, relax, sip a beer, and hang out as they are.
Simple acoustic strums and the occasional kick-snare back-beat rollicks with the clang and twang of an impromptu kitchen jam. Lured by the warmth of this simplicity, those skeletons shuffle sheepishly out, to expose and be absolved of their private shames. The album scratches like a mangy cat at the screen door, begging to be picked up and petted. It bumps like the rump of your bedmate shifting at night, letting a cold draft in under the blankets until you turn and put your arms around their furnace-like warmth. “You left me and I still had some luck, but it was only tough luck,” it whispers in your ear, but then kisses it tenderly, and then reassures you by saying, “don’t trust the poets, they’re just comedians without the jokes.”
Simple Shapes embraces skeletons with the most tender of touches.
- JD Ormond
POPULATION II
À la Ô Terre // Castle Face Records
Montreal’s POPULATION II have come to be a mainstay in the city’s psych scene building a reputation for their stimulating and energetic performances. Their previous releases - Onisme and its self-titled predecessor - are both made of only two tracks each, but within them, POPULATION II take the listener on an extensive journey. Previous to À la Ô Terre their shortest track rang in at 9:42, and even with a length like that the band packs a tonne. With À la Ô Terre, Population II shift their approach. Past releases saw the band tell their stories in large chunks, as if it were one extended short story. On their latest release, each track acts like a chapter with an independent beginning, middle and end. Each adding to the greater story to form one cohesive sonic novel.
Lead single “Introspection” launches the album in high gear. Like so many of their tracks, a solid bass groove provides the backbone reshaping throughout the song allowing space for the rest of the band to jam over. Things quickly go off as they abandon the mesmerizing vocal melody and unleash a psych freakout as wah’d out guitar solos and reverberated horns guide the jam to its climax.
While the album opens on such a large note, the next four tracks ride a more relaxed wave and come together to form a medley. This medley is almost breath-like as each song rises and falls with its crescendos. Throughout the medley the band repeatedly calls back to a shared melody with each instrument taking its turn between varied guitar solos and hypnotic verses.
The album hits its peak with “À la Porte de Demain.” An extension of its precursor “La Danse,” a dizzying bass line cycles along as an arabic inspired vocal melody sends the album into its last explosion of psyched out noise. The final notes bleed into “Je Laisse le Soleil Briller,” a delicate ending to the album.
À la Ô Terre is a modern psych opus. Each track is both elaborate and free. The bands jam-like quality allows for uninhibited improvisation as they grasp towards rock, jazz and psych influences. For fans of psych this album is a must and with Montreal’s Emmanuel Ethier’s hands on production and the Castle Face Records stamp of approval, you’re guaranteed blissful listening.
- Kennedy Pawluk
