Black Hat Brigade

BLACK HAT BRIGADE, Silver Dollar, Rating: NNN

Somewhere between Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and Wolf Brigade is the synth-driven, eclectic indie rock of quintet Black Hat Brigade, who delivered their faux marching rhythms, disco stomps and swirly instrumental numbers with skill.

Despite their slightly offputting too-cool-for-everything posturing, they had energy and stage presence and the chops to pull off relatively complex songs that were high on percussion, with lots of additional drumming by members who doubled on floor tom duty while the frantic lead guitar added to the music’s urgency.

If they tightened up just a bit, they’d be worth hearing again. - Now Magazine

30. Black Hat Brigade (tie)
I'm sure there are lots of bands who get compared to Wolf Parade, but how many of them can say that they come out the other end of that comparison looking better? Just one that I know of -- Black Hat Brigade. (Matthew, ihm)

I said when I first posted about BHB's first EP that I thought it was better than anything by Wolf Parade (the band they are most compared to). After WP's At Mount Zoomer I think I feel that way even more. Given that the dudes in BHB are young (I'm pretty sure) I think this makes them more exciting, and more - dare I say - hotter? They are a band that, given their proximity to Toronto, I'm determined and likely to see them sometime before Christmas. (Rob, London Burgeoning Metropolis)
- http://www.iheartmusic.net/serendipity/index.php?/archives/1345-Hottest-Bands-in-Canada,-2008-editio

TUESDAY, APRIL 1, 2008

The Black Hat Brigade - The Black Hat Brigade EP


The Black Hat Brigade debut EP, in short, is outstanding. It's hard not to listen to them and immediately think of Wolf Parade, but where Wolf Parade has always seemed very dark, and a little depressing, tBHB uses the same (minor?) chords but somehow seems to come out more positive.

I wasn't sure what to make of the Wolf Parade comparisons are inevitable after listening to the EP, and so, as an experiment I created a playlist the BHB EP and Wolf Parade's Apologies to the Queen Mary. A BHB song went first, a WP song went second, and so on in that pattern and by the time I got to the third Wolf Parade song I skipped over it to get to the next BHB song. To me atleast, tracks like 'On Leave', 'Limbo' and 'Swords' are substantially better than anything on Apologies. I have a hard time believing that if you actually listen to these two songs you'll disagree. And while I imagine these guys will be rock stars someday, I hope they won't forget when they said I liked them better than Wolf Parade.

[mp3] Limbo
[mp3] Swords

Word on the street is that their EP will be available through iTunes sometime in Mid-April.

You can look for them in the SW Ontario area through out the Spring/Summer at which point I would hope there'll be a London show. As I understand it all this info will be up on their myspace page at: www.myspace.com/blackhatbrigade

http://londononburgeoningmetropolis.blogspot.com/2008/04/black-hat-brigade-black-hat-brigade-ep.html
- http://londononburgeoningmetropolis.blogspot.com

Marching towards the Black Hat Brigade


As I said last week, the band who made my Canadian Music Week experience completely worthwhile was Black Hat Brigade. The way they blended ethereal build-ups with hard-driving, straightforward rockers was impressive, and made even more so by their natural showmanship on stage.

Going into listening to their self-titled debut EP, though, I was a little concerned that my love for them would be diminished in some way. After all, lots of bands -- especially young ones -- are substantially better onstage than on record, so it could've been the case that I simply saw them on a particularly good night.

One listen to the EP, however, dismisses those fears entirely. Simply put, all of the songs are great. Again and again, the band shows that they know how to balance the build-up and the pay-off, weaving together spacy intros with explosive verses and even more cathartic choruses. While songs like "Limbo" and "Swords" will inevitably draw Wolf Parade comparisons (due largely to the fact their lead singer has a very Spencer Krug-like habit of hiccuping out his vocals), there's definitely a sense of playfulness here that you're probably not going to find on Apologies to the Queen Mary (witness, for example, the handclaps in "On Leave").

Still, I would second the comparisons, but not really for the reason the two bands sound vaguely alike. Rather, I'd say that at this stage in their evolution, Black Hat Brigade remind me of Wolf Parade circa the release of that band's second self-titled, self-released EP -- a band with all the talent in the world and a couple of amazing songs, who show every sign of being ready to explode into primetime. New bands this great don't come along very often, so go -- right now, at this very moment -- and check Black Hat Brigade out. You won't be disappointed.

- I(heart)music.net

http://www.herohill.com/2008/04/reviews-black-hat-brigade-ep.htm

The Black Hat Brigade is probably going to hate constantly getting compared to Wolf Parade. While it may be valid on some tracks, not only does it set the bar absurdly high for a band that hasn't even released their first EP to the masses, but it pencils them into a style and sound that I'm not sure they are trying to create. It also leads to an unfair to those ridiculous superstar discussions, like draft experts trying to compare Kevin Durant to someone like Lebron or Kobe.

While Wolf Parade has taken the time to define their sound and suffer the growing pains of touring and critiques, The Black Hat Brigade is about to jump into the pool for the first time. Undoubtedly, they are going to be met with some strong (and warranted) praise - here and here for example - but for me, honestly, the most interesting thing about this release is wondering what happens next.

This record - without question - is solid from start to finish. Instantly, you are hit with the beautiful build of Whale Falls. The patiently let the track grow, knowing when to pull it tight and when to let go and it's hard to imagine anyone hearing this track and not wanting to keep listening. The same can be said for the energetic rockers like Swords and the hand clap heavy On Leave.

After listening to these tracks for a few days, it's the two song section of Limbo and Pictorial History that really get me excited. The simple xylophone and warm fuzz that embraces the guitar and drums drives the restrained track and let's the band play off each other. The last two and a half minutes are a steady groove that resists the temptation to showcase another style. They use a few minor shifts and let you enjoy the pleasant sounds instead of rushing you to another exhibit.

All too often bands drawing from the same influences and energy try to combine huge frantic transitions and herky-jerky movements to make you think the song is exciting. TBHB instead makes a smooth transition into the sci-fi, spacey, instrumental Pictorial History. They keep you moving and really show a great understanding of sequencing as the determined build on this jam is probably the best effort on the EP. - Herohill.com

Disc Review


Black Hat Brigade


(Independent)

With so many great Toronto bands making international waves, it's easy to forget that the city has a ton of little-known talent lurking in its dark clubs. Black Hat Brigade is one group that people need to notice.

On the foursome's solid debut EP, they combine the airy instrumentation of Radiohead with the gritty vocals of Apologies-era Wolf Parade. Saying that, these guys aren't ready for BSS-style stardom just yet. The talking vocals are too one-dimensional, and they're way too enamoured of delay guitar. But an accessible indie sound and several intriguing musical ideas make Black Hat Brigade's future look bright.

NOW | July 23-30, 2008 | VOL 27 NO 47

http://www.nowtoronto.com/music/discs.cfm?content=164121 - Now Magazine

This week's feature: Black Hat Brigade

Black Hat Brigade, Black Hat Brigade (Self-released)

WHO

Apocalyptic-sounding Toronto quintet.

DISCOGRAPHY

Black Hat Brigade (Self-released, 2008)

IN A NUTSHELL

Black Hat Brigade is like listening to perfection in musical form for twenty-six minutes.

THE STORY

The reference point that most people will notice when they first listen to Black Hat Brigade's self-titled debut is obvious, so I'll get it out of the way right off the bat: there are definite similarities between them and Wolf Parade. They have the same kind of prog-tinged, keyboard-driven, humanity-marching-to-the-apocalypse sound that defined Apologies To The Queen Mary, right down to the fact that one of the band's lead singers (either Justin Myler or Rob Haughey; I'm not sure who sings lead where) has the same kind of hiccuping vocals as Spencer Krug.

That said, the fact they've captured the same vibe as a masterpiece like Apologies... is pretty impressive in its own right. Heck, Wolf Parade themselves couldn't manage to pull it off a second time, so for a band to come out of nowhere (or, technically, Brampton) and sound at least as good as as they do, with barely a year of experience as a band, blows my mind.

Of course, it should go without saying that the album blows my mind, too. No matter how many times I listen to the EP (and since I first heard it back in March, there's been a lot of times), I'm amazed by just how great each of the five songs here are, both individually and as a cohesive whole. Each track is given the room to define itself as an isolated entity, whether it's the handclaps in "On Leave", or the way the drums kick in on "Swords", or even the improbably catchy instrumental piece that is "Pictorial History". At the same time, however, the songs flow together seamlessly, making it sound like you're listening to some of the most perfect twenty-six minutes of music you're ever likely to hear.

For me, though, it all comes down to the fact that the album always lives up to the expectations created by my first time seeing the band (and thus far only time, though that will change this weekend in Ottawa, when the band performs with Handsome Furs and The D'Urbervilles): even though I walked through a blizzard to see them perform a relatively short set, and I came down with a cold even as I was watching them play, every moment they played seemed like a truly transcendent moment. I think the highest compliment I could pay Black Hat Brigade, then, is to urge everyone reading this to go out and get a copy of their debut EP, regardless of the difficulties you may face in obtaining it. No matter what the obstacle, it'll totally be worth it.





- I(Heart)Music.net

Black Hat Brigade churn out the dark, brooding rock that I didn't realize had been missing in my life, and I was surprised to see that they managed to have band members swap instruments without losing the tightness of their performance. The sweaty room was just the right setting for the chugging riffs and laidback attitude of the band, who lulled the room into a trance with their even, baritone vocals. With mesmerizing music like theirs, Black Hat Brigade could persuade anyone to check out their shows.


http://exclaim.ca/musicreviews/generalreview.aspx?csid1=131&csid2=888&fid1=37537
- Exclaim!

Grade: 84/100 - Follow link to read the full report card.


http://www.chartattack.com/reviews/67329/black-hat-brigade-cmw-2009 - Chart Attack

Fathers finds Black Hat Brigade building on their impressive debut EP to make one of the best full-lengths of the year.

http://www.iheartmusic.net/serendipity/index.php?/archives/1539-This-weeks-feature-Black-Hat-Brigade.html

- I(Heart)Music