Figure Walking/Freak Heat Waves
Figure Walking
Vertical/Horizontal // Disintegration Records
Alright let’s get into it. Full disclosure, me and Greg go way back. I played bass in his band for a short time in the mid 90s and played on his first cassette release, The Year of the Record Break. He’s often treated me like a brother, and everyone who knows him would say the same.
Expectations should be high on this recording because of the consistency thus far demonstrated. I mean c’mon, the debut Figure Walking was long listed for the Polaris Prize, and that’s technically Greg’s second time on that list. You should know what you’re getting here is going to be worth your eartime. While Greg and Rob are not necessarily breaking any new ground on this new record, they are so, so, so very solid.
I mean the songs are solid, the performances are crushing, the lyrics are powerful and real, the rhythms are simultaneously straightforward and complex. It somehow is all dynamically layered and all stands out without interfering with itself. It is everything in its right place. Bloody masterful. It almost feels like a testament to experienced engineering and design in music. Almost as if one simply cannot do something with all one’s heart for two and a half decades (or so) and not get really, really good at it.
I’m hesitant to make any direct comparisons to other bands for the sake of reference because I know Greg’s not into that kind of easy way out. Instead I’m going to talk about Rob for a bit, which I know Greg would be ok with. When you search / hear about / think about Figure Walking, it seems it all focuses on Greg and that’s a little unfair because Rob is a goddamn powerhouse of a drummer.
I have literally, on multiple occasions, watched and listened to Rob drum live and have been transported to another dimension so quickly and thoroughly it has shocked me. His feel and skill and creativity are always astounding and I just love his drumming more than most things in life, ok? I remember when I first met Rob, Figure Walking were practicing down the hall in the space above the Goodwill and I ducked out of my own band practice to see who that drummer was. I also immediately offered to join them on bass if I remember right.
I can’t wait to soak this album in this fall. This is driving music, which means it’s great for driving to. I’ll have the volume up and be yelling along to it on the highway. The occasional fist pump.
Thanks Greg. Thanks Rob. Thanks Cam. ;)
- Joel Klaverkamp
Freak Heat Waves
Zap The Planet // Telephone Explosion
Once again Freak Heat Waves have evolved deeper into their stoned sensibilities. As a band with an acute willingness for experimentation, it is no surprise to see Freak Heat Waves veer further and further away from past sounds with each release.
On Zap The Planet, the band fully embraces the electronic sounds teased in their first release and experimented with in their second. It’s not until the album’s final track that you’ll hear any stringed instruments. That’s not to say the freaks sound has ever truly been defined by their use of guitars, bass and acoustic drums, but past records songwriting comes across as though a lot of the tracks were shaped by bass and guitar lines. As the band takes on a more electronic aesthetic, the songwriting approach on this record seems a lot more defined by the ends of electronic instruments. The use of programmed drums lead to a lot more repetition, sequenced bass lines shape songs into a more jam-like quality at times with some songs coming across as one dimensional. This may also be attributed to the fact that much of this album was produced with each member in opposite ends of the country working apart.
The band’s third release sees the two-piece more subdued, opting for softer synth tones over the psychy lushness of 2018’s Beyond XXXL or the frantic energy of 2015’s Bonnie’s State of Mind. While Zap may sit back more than past releases it excels in its restraint. The album has a very laid back feel, never driving too hard forward, content in its stoned euphoria, classic Freak Heat Waves deep vocals and all.
The groups dive into electronic instruments and production has formed an album full of very ear catching tones with each song providing its own intricate tonal touch. Zap The Planet proves Freak Heat Waves are a constantly evolving band, free to uninhibitedly (and capably) experiment with new sounds.
- Kennedy Pawluk
