HOMESHAKE

...And check out another fresh off the Jizz Jazz Studio - Montréal’s Black Ark - production line, Homeshake’s maudlin ode to the sixties he never had. - http://nopaininpopblog.tumblr.com

So far as I can tell, the emerging theme of 2012 is one of Canadian bands proving that indie rock can still be an active, exciting concern. Montréal’s Homeshake shows the way, melting down six decades of R&B-derived guitar music in a high-pressure, high-temperature environment to produce two tracks of pure transchronic ear candy.

Free download; Dadaist covert-art included. - http://ohrtlos.wordpress.com

To call Peter Sagar unflappable seems like a crushing understatement: the kid has the demeanour of someone who could be watching the entire Godzilla pantheon in a battle royale on Whyte Ave and barely be troubled enough to make sure his tea doesn't spill. Combined with a penchant for shaggy unkemptness and an ear for fuzzy pop hooks that would put Doug Martsch to shame—evidenced both as a member of Outdoor Miners and in Sans AIDS, the lo-fi two-piece in which he is the driving (or at least most present) force—it gives him the aura of a '90s college kid who got detoured on his way to buy the newest Pavement album and has just decided to roll with it.

"I listen to '90s rap all day every day. I used to listen to other stuff too, obviously," he shrugs. "I just really like the era. It's so ... lazy."

Lazy would seem to be the dominant theme of most of his output to date, although it's more of a lyrical mood than an actual listening experience. As evidenced as much by the quantity of his output—this year alone, he's had one seven-inch with each band as well as a split tape with Lake Country and now the solo tape Loaners—as much as its quality, he is not lackadaisical so much as capable of filtering the slacker ethos through jagged and deceptively minimal pop music. He's a fuzzed-out poet of the hanging-out-on-the-couch set.

"My roommate was actually making fun of me, because I think three of the songs [on Loaners] are about me hanging out at home. That's basically all I do, is hang out at home with my roommates," he explains nonchalantly. "I guess you write about what you know, and it's hard leaving Riverdale. There's a hill and the bus only comes every half an hour."

Fri, Nov 26 (8 pm)
With Sean Nicholas Savage,
Jom Comyn
Wunderbar, $5 - Vue Weekly

Bart Records
Published December 9, 2010 by Devin Friesen in CD Reviews

The six songs contained within Loaners continue to establish Edmonton’s Peter Sagar as a rising songwriting talent. Willfully embracing stripped-down instrumentation (the good ol’ guitar, drums and voice set up), Sagar has a knack for crafting impeccable pop hooks within a ’90s-styled indie rock framework — much like his main band, Outdoor Miners. For Sans AIDS, however, Sagar maintains a more introverted approach, eschewing rock exuberance for more spacious, reflective songs.

Often built around deceptively simple-sounding guitar lines (used to especially great effect on “Make Turns”), Sagar’s songs fall into a sweet spot between the downer feelings of bands like Galaxie 500 or possibly Bedhead, merged with the pop-sense and drive of Harmacy-era Sebadoh. But frankly, anyone with a penchant for ‘90s indie-rock will find something to enjoy here, whether it’s the impassioned buildup of “Forklift,” the noisy guitar melodies of “Stoop,” or just the effortless cool of the whole thing. - ffwd

For Outdoor Miner, Pete Sagar, that simple admission cements the impact of the new tape-only release from his side project Sans AIDS. Surfing above the endless (chill)waves of lo-fi noise revivalists unconcerned with how their record actually sounds, Loaners finds Sagar working with a full time drummer instead of just his kick pedals and the crisp snare/tom/cymbal combinations help transform the droning melodies and shimmering pop nuggets into something that still sounds good coming out of your headphones.

The six-songs Sagar offers up provide countless highlights; the almost Chad VanGaalen warble Sagar unveils on “Goblins”, the ear-pleasing distortion/floating vocals of “Make Turns”, and the blissful waves that roll over each other on “Stoop” are just a few, but the album’s centerpiece, “Forklift”, is the pinnacle. The 3-minute track feels like an epic, bludgeoning you with guitar and cymbal work that match perfectly with Sagar’s nasal-heavy vocals. For a record so entrenched 90's rock slackerdom, Loaners refuses to let you sit still and challenges you to take action. Impressive shit. - Herohill

From the stoop of Aaron Levin:
Sans AIDS continues to explore the gnarled fringes of our pop continuum, welding their aggro-pop catch into the grey matter lurking behind our ears. Waves of frenetic tremolo glint off the trademark bass drones and sultry tom-snare combos, combing their complex pop sensibilities into prom-worthy anti-glam. Loaners shines with a rusty glare, twisting your aural signals into the deep nostalgia hiding behind every mirror.
- Weird Canada