Double Odonis Dunks His Busted Lip In Hollandaze

Odonis Odonis, the Toronto punk rapscallions led by Dean Tzenos, released their Busted Lip 7" yesterday through, which is a single off their debut LP Hollandaze. It's funny that I've taken so long to talk about these guys - it's merely because I already had, but when I started to write this I realised that there was no previous link. My bad, because Hollandaze is a premier example of loud, noisy, aberrant surf rock injected with a punk snarl, both out of place in its Canadian climes and yet very much of its time. The beauty is in its electricity - these tracks rip through you, yet it is a dark fun being exuded, not a nasty exertion of vitriolic noise. Sure, lots have said the words 'Albini' and 'Big Black' when discussing this trio, yet it isn't the parallels to those tar-black outpourings that should be the focal point. It's the relentlessness of these punk crashes, infused with squalling guitars, urgent rhythms and snarling venom, yet all with an upturned frown and a glint in the eye. It is brutal and frenetic - only the six minute 'Seedgazer' offers a respite, and even then it doesn't alleviate the sweaty fervency, what with its restless wall of guitar noise.


You can pick up the vinyl of Hollandaze here. You can pick up the 7" here (re-released after being a rare release about this time last year, before FatCat Records added them to their roster). Apparently we will have a new album on the blocks very soon, so get excited!!!

Odonis Odonis - Busted Lip
Odonis Odonis - Hollandaze
Odonis Odonis - Seedgazer

Baldi Loses Sentiment, Cloudy Disposition

Many of the detractors of Dylan Baldi's latest output under his moniker Cloud Nothings, Attack On Memory, attest that he has flagrantly thrown out the old without any clear reference as to why, or at least without paying respect to the fans who had been enamoured with his glowing version of sugary pop rock. But the title itself heralds Cloud Nothings' album as a complete wiping of the slate - and how.

I loved much of Cloud Nothings' oeuvre, the insane ADHD infectiousness of it all, yet Attack On Memory is much more my cup of tea, and the fact it's a polar opposite to everything that has come before isn't the astonishing part - it's that it is so fucking good. Produced by Steve Albini you would expect it to be loud, bottom heavy and abrasive, yet it is the insidious way that Baldi and his cronies eschew their pop machinations for a far more sinister, stalking rhythm that surprises.


Attack On Memory is out on Carpark Records.


Cloud Nothings - No Sentiment