Shirley & the Pyramids, GADFLY, and Eric Killian
Shirley & the Pyramids
Maid of Time // Grey Records, Fuzzed Up & Astromoon Records
I used to live in Saskatoon in a shared house right down the block from Amigos, around the corner from Vangelis (now Black Cat Tavern). I saw lots of bands, and found that many of them shared members— I'd see them show up at different house parties, at sweaty basement shows in punk houses with darts stuck in the wall and PBR empties piled in the sink. It was a beer-fueled biome of smart, creative people.
One of these strange, Linklater-esque nights, I remember somehow ending up at Aron Zacharias’ house, sitting on a carpet in his living room. I knew of Aron from his contributions to the band Wizards, and the early stuff that was emerging from his band Shirley & the Pyramids. We were sitting in a circle on the carpet with a few other people taking turns putting on records, and for some reason we were talking extensively about Steely Dan. I’m sure there was more to this particular night, but that faint memory is all that remains. I offer that context as something of an introduction to the band Shirley & the Pyramids.
Formed by a shifting lineup of members, the Saskatoon outfit is spearheaded by lead songwriter, guitarist and psychopomp Aron Zacharias. Previous releases showcased their affinity for blending kraut-rock, kosmische and shoegaze into a delirious psych-rock cocktail, and on their latest album, Maid of Time, they bring to bear their most powerful and massive songs yet.
From the downtuned guitar chug and motorik drumbeat opening of “Sapanta Blue,” the music launches into its blazing trajectory through the lower stratosphere. The track is a gradually expanding beast as it races towards its finish, and Zacharias’ voice cuts right through the mix, his oblique lyrics seemingly drawing reference to a peculiar cemetery in Romania, famous for its brightly painted tombstones. Tinges of Morricone brush the edges of the guitar riffing of “Walkin’ on Water,” a psyched-out take on a swaggering western-ish rock song, the lead guitars slithering into phaser-drenched echoes in the solo sections— an acid-laced sip of sarsaparilla out on the range. The far-off wails of guitar feedback and haunted vocals on “Cosmic Debris (Nothing New)” shift into darker atmospheres before the swirling Twin Peaksian chords and meditative pace of “Trouble” emerge. It feels like the emotional fulcrum of the album, and at the halfway point the song suddenly bursts into flames, turning itself inside out.
Gliding nimbly between the paranoid samples of garbled voices muttering about Satanism and mind control in “Another Mind” and the huge shoegazing guitars of “Infinity Blues,” Maid of Time is full of twists and turns. As they’ve proven throughout both their recorded catalog and their live shows, Shirley & the Pyramids know how to sustain a mood, locking into a zone and riding it out as long as it takes to feel it all the way through. But never have they been so sure in their ability to take that sound right up to the cliff’s edge, teeter there, then plummet into the roaring water below. The outstanding closing track “High and Low” is a masterful balancing act of tension and crescendo, ducking and weaving around the final climax with not only patience, but well-honed and hard-won finesse. It is a spectacular collision of sound, a beautiful culmination of an album full of beautiful culminations. On Maid of Time, the band has never before sounded so light, so heavy, and so devastating; and that, truly, is an accomplishment.
- Harman Burns
GADFLY
Apranik // Ripsesh Records
GADFLY’s debut album Apranik is evidence they are a “heavy, hypnotic band.” They are labeled the “face melting band,” by the members themselves. Their music stirs up self-described “chaos,” and uses the word “inventive” to describe a truly memorable release. The lyrics alternate between Persian and English. Languages are not the only things that are melded together within the album - the band exists as a monstrous project that bends genre, and the perplexities of human emotion.
“Breathe” is a great start to the album. It features distorted vocals, and as cited from the band themselves, features “slow builds and throbbing basslines.” The lyrics feature echoes in a haunting, and punk rock sensibility. The drums are suspenseful, and paired with sludgy guitar, and distorted vocals it creates a perfect storm of song-writing prowess.The drums set the tone for the song, and they are recognized as prominent, not just in this track, but in other tracks throughout the album. It is intense, impressive, and is sure to melt your face off.
“Blood Sap,” is an excellent example of the capabilities of the band. The word “chaos” is the epitome of the band’s mission. The screaming vocals switch from gravelly and complex to very clear and insightful. The guitar riffs are heavy, and sludgy. The repeated cymbal hits create a destructive atmosphere, while still maintaining control. The sustained screams are truly haunting. The song definitely inspires a cathartic response - as evidenced by the screams that could ignite a good old headbang. The cymbals punctuate the song, and provide complexity to a stoner jam.
“Spider Tail Fuck You Viper,” is a song that emphasizes the depth and breadth of the band’s talent. The drums feel buoyant and lively. The riffs are catchy and memorable. The song is completely hypnotizing. It features a lot of complexity and intricacy within the sound - this song is also indicative as to why it is classed as “stoner rock.” Psychedelic, and almost poppy. Truly an intriguing track.
“Buried Fantasy,” is a song that features acoustic guitar. It essentially grounds the album - bringing us back to earth, after exploring multiple universes featuring punk, and metal sounds. It is a calm departure from the heavy sludge - it also shows that band’s dynamic approach. The song also features English lyrics that are obscure but evocative: A puzzling line being “On a pillow / Made of frost.” While the lyrics are cryptic they are also quite thought-provoking. The song is raw, featuring the bare essentials of good song-writing. The whispers on the track are haunting.
The album is a lot of things, to be sure, but a good word for its entirety is “distortion.” It bends the sound of the songs, and distorts the ordinary to make it completely obscure and foreign. And while some of the songs are in a foreign language to some people, the messages of those songs are universal - bridging Persian with punk and stoner tunes creates a mind-melting brand of hybridity.
The album is also completely in another world. While some bands have similar elements in their songs, this album is unique in the best way possible. The band is creative, intelligent, and devoted to their own brand of thrashing, and crashing. The album is a great example of things melding together to create something new, exciting, and ultimately memorable. Persian and metal are a mix made in heaven - a hardcore heaven to be more specific. If you are looking for metal, punk, soothing acoustic jams, stoner rock, and just all-around great musicianship; look no further. This album contains everything all at once, and it shreds.
- Kyra MacFarlane
Eric Killian
From a Home // Further Beyond
It’s December 16th, and the wintry air is near and here already in most places. Days where it is already dark after finishing work are still a few months away, yet the light will soon last longer. I always thought the world began with winter, it is a time of conception - the hibernation before the birth of spring. The first dot which starts the line of a circle.
I write these words listening to multi-instrumentalist and composer Eric Kilian’s new EP From A Home. Delicate, compelling piano arrangements and deeply rich cello embody both the musical intention and personal connection woven within these compositions. Stepping forth through the silhouette of a live keyboard player (having played for Canadian acts Pastel Blank and Trevor Lang), Kilian offers a look into the workings and intricacies of his musical range. Inspired by childhood memories of family members filling a home with the ambience of classical piano sounds, and artists such as Nils Frahm and Ólafur Arnalds, From a Home encapsulates comforting melancholia, and the emotional complexity and significance of what a home comes to look like throughout a lifetime.
The sparseness of the piano lets your mind wander to a space that is reminiscent of a meditation, and the beauty of the melodies guide you to a place where you are left smiling. It is serendipitous with the holiday season approaching, where time stands slow with elongated days off. “Honfleur” dances like Vince Guaraldi playing solo in the other room whilst you make dinner in your chateau in the north of France. “Under an Apple Tree”, with its transcending Cello strings, plays a melody that sounds like an outro track of fellow island dwellers Loving, and "Marigold” as a closer gives the impression that Kilian has been listening to Emahoy Tsehué-Maryam Guèbrou on repeat.
Recorded at Catalogue Studios and at the home studio of Oliver Hollingshead in Victoria, BC, with production, mixing and mastering by Oliver Hollingshead and released by neighbourly art collective Further Beyond, Eric Kilian’s From A Home is definitely worth listening to in the comfort of your own home.
- LG & OJ of Further Beyond
