Frisky Kids

Frisky Kids’ debut EP The Beach is garage rock for the digital age. The first track, “Enchanté (Won’t You Come Around),” is the rawest example of what that means. Augmenting the song’s raw rock energy is a unique lo-fi sound. Unique because rather than try to recreate the retro sound of a cassette or vinyl, it has the watery distortion of a digital recording gone wrong. The voices and guitars warble, cymbals that would otherwise be crashing produce a hissing sound. Either because my ears acclimated quickly or because it was recorded differently, these sonic blips are less noticeable on the second track, “All The Girls,” and most of the songs that follow. However they make further use of this distorted sound on “Robbing You,” easily the rockiest song on The Beach.

With the band’s ability to fuse the noisy aggression of punk rock with the youthful optimism and melodic sensibilities of 60s pop music comes inevitable comparisons to bands like The White Stripes. One of two vocalists and guitar player, Callum, even has a singing voice similar to that of Jack White. Bass player and sometimes lead vocalist, Matisse’s unconventional vocal style has a goofy charm that reminds me of Jello Biafra and subsequently injects their sound with retro punk attitude.

Conceptually, I love that Frisky Kids matched their band name with an EP title like The Beach. Its 5 songs are a fun summer soundtrack, capturing the care-free existence that made rock ‘n roll famous: partying, falling in love and having sex. Like in the rock music of yesteryear, lyrically, sex is only implied here; nothing more than a wink and a smile. There’s no need to spell everything out for the audience and a certain charm in removing base intentions from the lyrics and putting them into the suggestive grooviness of the music instead.

The Beach is available available on Bandcamp as a digital download, or you can order a CD. If you prefer the latter, I would suggest picking one up at their EP launch tomorrow night at La Vitrola (4602 St-Laurent), a new venue I’m excited to finally check out. The show is at 9pm and includes Blank Bullets and Constellation Nightclub, all for the low price of $5. I’ve seen Frisky Kids play live numerous times and like The Beach, it’s always a rockin’ party.

-Brian - Brian Clarke

You wouldn’t believe the amount of mail I get some weeks as a contributor to MMS. There are so many events, new and established musicians, and musical offspring that it’s virtually impossible to cover everything. Every now and then you have a band that feels the need to go on an over-the-top social media and e-mail rampage when in reality, if they put as much effort into their music, the latter might not be necessary. *End rant-like portion of this post.* On the other side of the scale however, you also have bands that seem to naturally gain exposure because, well, their music is actually good! That’s exactly how I heard of Montreal’s Frisky Kids!

More precisely, I was doing my normal morning social media rounds and the name Frisky Kids kept sprouting up on my feeds. It definitely wasn’t a campaign but this new band was certainly building up steam. I scribbled the name in my notepad, forgot about it, and a week later I pointed my browser to their Bandcamp.

Be forewarned, at first glance the band may come off as egotistical with the initial statement on their Bandcamp boasting, “all of your friends will be super like jealous of this when you go to their party and put it in their compact disk player”. However, Calum Dowbiggin Glew of the band dismisses the latter sentiment claiming, “me and Matisse never were super party type socialists in highschool, so the name is an attempt at irony because basically we’re not frisky kids”. The guys initially formed a few years ago in the basement of a house Dowbiggin Glew was living in while studying at John Abbott College and after losing their 2 initial drummers, the guys finally found their perfect match.

Maybe it’s the band’s old school rock influence or possibly their animated predisposition; whatever it is, these Hudson boys get it! They convey a very familiar and comforting garage rock sound. Their tracks are beautifully layered without overdoing it on the effects while the vocals round everything off perfectly. One of my biggest criticisms when it comes to new bands is how memorable their sound is. In the case of Frisky Kids, they had me humming and singing their lyrics even hours after having listened to their music. Frisky Kids combine a certain grit and texture which sucks you in and holds on to you from beginning to end.

Some of the band’s catchiest tracks include “Enchanté (Won’t You Come Around)” and “On My Own”. The band owes their inspiration to several big names including The Beatles, Black Lips, Lead Belly, Hendrix, and Clapton. You could say they do indeed pay homage to the sounds of these legends and they do so without needing any bells and whistles.
You can catch Frisky Kids perform live on Thursday June 5, 2014, 8pm at TRH Bar (3699 St. Laurent) alongside Café Racer and Blank Bullets. Frisky Kids are Calum Dowbiggin Glew, Alex Parmentier and Matisse Gill. You can find out more about them HERE. - Esteban Vargas

(Translated from French to English)

How to rock in 2014? Alex Turner believes that there is no two ways, hers is this: when he gets a prize at the BRIT Awards ceremony, lead singer of Arctic Monkeys praised the star fickle that is rock'n'roll with insolence due to his rank and eventually break his microphone in the general delirium. It is a matter of attitude.

Attitude? From the look rather. Finally whatever, February 28, when Frisky Kids are finally took to the stage at Casa del Popolo, it is this attitude or this speed that we want to talk. But before that we must return to the beginning of the concert. Greet the delivery of the first group, Myles From Home and long hair of his singer - because it must be emphasized, as they pass nothing moves in the room apart from her hair. The connection between group members indeed leaves much to be desired: small complicit glances, a wall between the stage and the audience, the energy of the singer can not offset the decidedly bleak other musicians even qualified. Is it the fault of the style started? (From folk between Glen Hansard and Mumford and Sons). Anyway, a teambuilding session is a must!

The second group to go on stage, Apache Kingdom, shows a much more coherent visible already, the style of dress. That is not a fold: the cut "Mile End" false beards badly cut and glasses circumstance, not to mention denim shirts and pants definitely a bit tight. Add to that the two singers / guitarists alike as two drops of water, the picture is perfect! This prevents the two telecasters sound beautifully and it is recognized very quickly that the musical phrases are constructed and thoughtful, much like those that can be found in Phoenix and consort. The group will even push the side connected to use a vocoder "Korg" to model for his style of tracks. One could argue that this lack of soul, it does not however lack of unity when compared to their predecessors!

C-Friskykids17

We cease to be impatient, the soul is on its way, and nothing can stop it. The Frisky Kids ride indeed on stage to loud applause from connoisseurs and the curious gaze of novices. And there is cause for curiosity! Imagine three men in black, the quickdraw Blues Brothers, low naive some Beatles tunes and energy may have to sell three musicians came to Montreal for the sole purpose of "making music" you the Frisky Kids: Matisse Gill, Cal Um, and Alexander Parmentier. In fact, that's saying that their approach is curious, it is surprising, striking, breathtaking. Cognitively, three guys dressed in black and white shirt and tie, jacket from singing rock, today is unthinkable. For novices in the room, so this is what is commonly called a pleasant surprise.

After quick introductions, the trio began his performance on the track "Metro Romance." It is a very addictive show, and Casa del Popolo is warming rapidly due feet and hands of the public. The Frisky Kids deliver playful lyrics sung with gusto, one, two and sometimes three voices, when not all the people who resumes. Titles come and go and no two are alike, each worth interpreters nevertheless faces and trances quite fit. If the bass player and singer Matisse also has protective goggles circumstance, they fly quickly to earth as he is excited when he plays. "All the girls" triggers the action. The all-new "On my way" is used, among other things, main course, and the singular "Rooftops" concludes the festivities. The pace that we could speak up finally found the soul, energy, consistency, all here! The Frisky Kids deliver a real rock concert, in which one feels caught one of those concerts where we begin by gently nod in rhythm and where it ends - not to have noticed - by dancing as the last of zigotos the middle of the crowd.

Skimming the Montreal scene for a little over a year, the Frisky Kids have become seasoned musicians who deliver services rather impeccable, even if it has changed at time drummer, replacing the talented Matt Grant for no less talented Alexandre Parmentier. Also, like the crowd at the end of the concert, shouting "Frisky! Frisky! Frisky! "To trigger the famous bis, we do ask that more of the talented trio.

This is great, they have already announced their next concert date, it will be Friday, May 2 at BarFly on St Laurent. Pending this early period that none of us is sure to reach safely, we highly recommend you listen to the rock'n'roll of the gentlemen there. - Joseph Boju