Solids is the moniker of a Montreal duo consisting of Xavier
Germain-Poitras on guitar and Louis Guillemette on drums. Having
previously played together in another band, Germain-Poitras started
writing songs that didn't quite fit that outfit's sound, and
subsequently asked Guillemette to help him flesh them out. The pair were
able to build on their existing chemistry, and quickly released a five
song EP, a 7" single, and a split with fellow Canadians, Animal Faces,
out of Toronto. All of this led up to their first full length album, Blame Confusion, which
was released in early 2014. An album is made up of ten tracks that
consist of the what might be the densest, most blistering indie
rock released so far this year.
Unlike some of the other guitar/drum combos out there right now, Solids eschews the bluesy garage rock methodology of outfits like The Black Keys, and instead embraces a lo-fi sound with buried melodies that, like numerous other indie bands of the past few years, are obviously inspired by the alt-rock scene of the early 1990′s. Think Wavves meets Superchunk at their heaviest, toss in a healthy dose of Dinosaur Jr. noodling on top, and you're almost there.Blame Confusion has an extremely full feel to it despite the lack of a bottom end, and is full of big fuzzy guitar riffs and near maniacal punk rock style drumming that, whether the song is intended to be a negatively brooding lyrical affair or a more uplifting rock anthem, catapults every track along at roughly the same speed regardless. While the album certainly doesn't lack for momentum, it also never stops to smell the roses, and it sometimes seems like by the time you've wrapped your head around one offering, they're already three quarters of the way through the next.
That's not to say that there aren't memorable tracks. I do still consistently find myself bobbing my head and humming along throughout Solids' debut. This is despite the fact that I probably couldn't tell you which track is which, with the exception of a couple standouts including the album's opener, as well as the title track. Lyrical content isn't much of a determining factor either since Germain-Poitras' vocals, while tuneful, aren't always easy to make out, and often sound half-sung half-shouted from two rooms away, while simultaneously layered with a thick dusting of static filled reverb. It's these distorted vocals on Blame Confusion that really lead me to the Wavves comparison, but where Germain-Poitras' voice seems to stay in a safely neutral range most of the time, Nathan Williams has the ability to inflect a little more personality into his caterwauling odes to demons and surfing.
All in all though, Blame Confusion is a solid debut by the Montreal natives. The vocals are still serviceable, if not overwhelmingly fantastic, and can't be said to bog the album down when the listener is propelled through these ten tracks so quickly (about 37 minutes). There are certainly many fans of modern rock and pop that won't see Solids' appeal, and without a true standout single buried in this blur of a record, chances are Blame Confusion won't find a wide market either. However, fans of early 90′s alt-rock may be interested to hear the latest evolutionary step to that era's heavy/melodic bands like Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr. and Superchunk. I would definitely recommended Solids if you like bands like Cloud Nothings, No Age or Japandroids. If you're still unsure if this band is for you, look for them at your local Slackers where you can listen before you buy.
rock released so far this year.
Unlike some of the other guitar/drum combos out there right now, Solids eschews the bluesy garage rock methodology of outfits like The Black Keys, and instead embraces a lo-fi sound with buried melodies that, like numerous other indie bands of the past few years, are obviously inspired by the alt-rock scene of the early 1990′s. Think Wavves meets Superchunk at their heaviest, toss in a healthy dose of Dinosaur Jr. noodling on top, and you're almost there.Blame Confusion has an extremely full feel to it despite the lack of a bottom end, and is full of big fuzzy guitar riffs and near maniacal punk rock style drumming that, whether the song is intended to be a negatively brooding lyrical affair or a more uplifting rock anthem, catapults every track along at roughly the same speed regardless. While the album certainly doesn't lack for momentum, it also never stops to smell the roses, and it sometimes seems like by the time you've wrapped your head around one offering, they're already three quarters of the way through the next.
That's not to say that there aren't memorable tracks. I do still consistently find myself bobbing my head and humming along throughout Solids' debut. This is despite the fact that I probably couldn't tell you which track is which, with the exception of a couple standouts including the album's opener, as well as the title track. Lyrical content isn't much of a determining factor either since Germain-Poitras' vocals, while tuneful, aren't always easy to make out, and often sound half-sung half-shouted from two rooms away, while simultaneously layered with a thick dusting of static filled reverb. It's these distorted vocals on Blame Confusion that really lead me to the Wavves comparison, but where Germain-Poitras' voice seems to stay in a safely neutral range most of the time, Nathan Williams has the ability to inflect a little more personality into his caterwauling odes to demons and surfing.
All in all though, Blame Confusion is a solid debut by the Montreal natives. The vocals are still serviceable, if not overwhelmingly fantastic, and can't be said to bog the album down when the listener is propelled through these ten tracks so quickly (about 37 minutes). There are certainly many fans of modern rock and pop that won't see Solids' appeal, and without a true standout single buried in this blur of a record, chances are Blame Confusion won't find a wide market either. However, fans of early 90′s alt-rock may be interested to hear the latest evolutionary step to that era's heavy/melodic bands like Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr. and Superchunk. I would definitely recommended Solids if you like bands like Cloud Nothings, No Age or Japandroids. If you're still unsure if this band is for you, look for them at your local Slackers where you can listen before you buy.
Visit http://www.slackers.com for more great reviews!
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