Nancy Pants
Montréal, Quebec, Canada | Established. Jan 01, 2014 | SELF
Music
Press
Montreal-based, self-proclaimed "dirty pop" band Nancy Pants are ready for their close-up. After performing with various local bands including Mori, Adam & The Amethysts and Miracle Fortress, singer/guitarist Ohara Hale and singer/bassist Adam Waito conceived their new musical project on a road trip to an indie comic book convention where they were to showcase their illustrative wares. They soon enlisted drummer Jeremy MacCuish, from Nanimal fame, and Nancy Pants were on their way to record their new debut album, Total Nancy Pants. Vocal duties on the album's 11 tracks are shared between Waito and Hale, and they complement each other quite well, with Waito's deeper timbre and mellow delivery contrasting with Hale's alluringly screechy yelps, which are fully displayed on "Duke of IRL."
The result is easy lo-fi '60s garage rock, demonstrated best by the band's catchy first single "Happy," a great introduction to the trio's sound. By the time "Somebody" kicks off, you're fooled into thinking you're in for a cover of "Tequila Song" by the Champs, until they veer deep into Nancy Sinatra territory in the chorus. Some of the songs begin and end with snippets of the band's conversations during their recording sessions, adding a distinct DIY aesthetic to the album, such as on "Borderline," a charming ode to the power of self-helping mantras. Waito's vocals are featured more prominently on album standout "Halley's Comet," which makes a strong case for him being featured more often in future releases. Memories of high school dances and community centre punk shows are evoked in the swelling groove and call-and-response lyrics of "Prom," and highlights the fact that while Nancy Pants are pop in essence, they're definitely punk in execution (the bombastic drum-filled "I Didn't Say" functions similarly).
The only slow song to be found comes in the form of "Truly," a simple ballad that reaches a beautiful crescendo in its chorus "I loved you truly truly truly, and I love you if only just tonight." The song, which recalls meeting up with an ex for that ill-advised final drink, ends sweetly, with some nice instrumentation. Total Nancy Pants marks an assured and enchanting debut for this Montreal trio, and cements them as yet another Montreal band to look out for. - Exclaim!
For over half a decade, lo-fi pop has turned to the midcentury for peppermint swirled melodies. There's a good helping of that on Total Nancy Pants, the new record from Montreal's Nancy Pants, but songs like "Apple" give new life to this particular influence. The opening perverts a sibling of the "Lust For Life" guitar into a wall of krautrock noise, which dips in and out of a beachfront love party. They fingerpaint with their influences throughout the record, and it's consistently exciting to hear them play. - Chart Attack
Nancy Pants take the stage, and I’m instantly captivated by frontwoman Ohara Hale. Her smile is as infectious as the band’s pleasant pop rock. They carry a doo-woppy flow that keeps things playful, and their stage presence takes it all to the next level. At different points, Hale breaks a guitar string and borrows another band’s instrument, jokes about how fast one of the songs is, and practically giggles after finishing a number she says is “so fun to play;” whatever it is, she’s smiling and bouncing and loving it. The crowd is, too, as I witness my first balloon bounce and crowd surfer of the whole fest. And there’s Commander Clark up front, rocking out and getting a shout out from Hale.
While Hale is the clear star here, the band’s chemistry is equally impressive. Bassist Adam Waito carries a few tunes himself, though it’s hard to match Hale’s pop, and drummer Jeremy MacCuish is pretty spectacular. I’m thinking these guys are the first small Canadian outfit I’ve seen that I can imagine really breaking out... - Consequence Of Sound
Discography
Still working on that hot first release.
Photos
Bio
NANCY PANTS is a garage pop three piece from Montreal. The band features Ohara Hale on lead vocals and guitar, Adam Waito (Adam & The Amethysts) on bass and vocals, and Jeremy MacCuish (Parlovr) on drums. Conceived by Hale and Waito on a road trip to an indie comic book convention in 2014 (the two musicians also double as illustrators), they recruited MacCuish and recorded their lo-fi 5-song demo on Waito’s iPhone after only one band practice, which they released online the next day and immediately followed with a few DIY music videos.
Their highly spontaneous "don’t overthink anything" approach to music-making has yielded an ever-growing catalogue of rough and dirty pop songs that are as sincere as they are playful. Sonically, they evoke teenage '60s garage pop and weird '90s punk, pitting Hale’s elastic vocals against MacCuish’s bombastic drumming and Waito’s fuzzed-out bass. Their debut full-length, TOTAL NANCY PANTS was recorded at their rehearsal space and at Waito's apartment using actual microphones and self-released on cassette on November 20, 2014.
Select Press Reviews:
"Nancy Pants take the stage, and I’m instantly captivated by frontwoman Ohara Hale. Her smile is as infectious as the band’s pleasant pop rock. They carry a doo-woppy flow that keeps things playful, and their stage presence takes it all to the next level... I’m thinking these guys are the first small Canadian outfit I’ve seen that I can imagine really breaking out." - Consequence Of Sound
"Nancy Pants are ready for their close-up. Memories of high school dances and community centre punk shows are evoked in the swelling groove and call-and-response lyrics of "Prom," and highlights the fact that while Nancy Pants are pop in essence, they're definitely punk in execution. Total Nancy Pants marks an assured and enchanting debut for this Montreal trio, and cements them as yet another Montreal band to look out for.” - Exclaim!
"This is a record that grabs your attention from the get-go and one that makes sure it doesn't lose you. Total Nancy Pants avoids the trap of same-ness that can often slow down guitar-driven records thanks to a diverse use of guitars across the record, like the jangly "Just a Little More", a pleasant and sweet highlight. The record keeps the consistency going with stand-out tracks like "Apple", and especially "Halley's Comet", where gorgeous guitars jangle around intertwining vocals and harmonies. With a diverse and attention-grabbing aptitude toward songwriting, Total Nancy Pants is a very promising debut.” - CJLO
"Their swinging set had a serious Detroit Cobras feel; they were loose and ambitious as lead singer Ohara Hale appeared incredibly composed onstage. The dark verses lead into insanely catchy choruses and their set was the evening’s highlight." - NOW Toronto (live review)
"Montreal's Nancy Pants provides vicarious warm-weather vibes by way of a Spector-esque wall of sound; expect ringing guitar, booming drums, and energetic dual vocals.” - CBC
"Garbage dancer: foil, cereal box, yes ok some Christmas garlands. Sewer somersault, basement splits. Pogo and worm. Found some records in a milk-crate, "Louie Louie" and "Black Hole Sun", remember to wear gloves. Night sky's a black canvas and tossed gravel. Daylight's a flashlight. I traded my dad's Pontiac for a bass guitar. I kissed a girl. I fired an elastic band at the auditor and we'll sparkle til we droop." - Said The Gramophone
"Sink your teeth into a Montreal, sugary-sweet, 60’s inspired band that will surly pop-rock you out of your pants if you don’t securely secure them up, before you press play." - Indie Underground
"Total Nancy Pants is a much needed vitamin D blast in a a time sorely lacking in sunshine. The album has a definite retro doo wop influence to the lo-fi garage pop rock tracks on the album. Hale’s yelps and vocals become an instrument in and of themselves, adding high octane soprano bursts of colour. There’s a skill to crafting a sound that is fuzzy and dreamy and yet still high in energy: a notable feat by two seasoned songwriters whose vocal interplay is akin to candy, more specifically pop rocks." - Forget the Box
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