Pretty Odd

Album – The Drab
Release Date – November 9, 2015
Download Link – https://prettyodd.bandcamp.com/album/the-drab-2
Genre – Rock

Mississauga, ON based 5-piece band, Pretty Odd has recently released their first studio album, “The Drab” on November 9, 2015. The album features fourteen tracks, including some intros and interludes.

Pretty Odd has a psychedelic rock sound that brings something fresh and pleasing to the ear. Most of the songs give off a relaxing vibe that cannot be denied. I personally found myself entranced in “Bony Bodies” and “Sonder”. “Sonder” has moments where the band escapes the relaxing vibe that they do so well, and makes its way to a more upbeat sound.

The album ends with the title track, “The Drab”, which is an eleven minute track with various styles thrown in to the mix. It’s a fun song that will keep you on your feet and entertained the whole way through. - Canadian Beats

MISSISSAUGA —Eclectic Streetsville five-piece Pretty Odd have released a new track to give their audience something to nibble on.
The song, Orifice, dabbles in atmospheric soundscapes akin to Radiohead with dance-infused pick-me-ups and a moody, meandering vocal delivery that has a curious (and melodic) case of multiple personality disorder.
Hometown engineer Matt Vultagio recorded the tune, which is the first new piece of material to surface since the band's 2012 debut, Cracked but Never Crooked.
Labelling their previous nine-song album a "basement demo," guitarist Bence Csuka says the latest single encapsulates the new direction that Pretty Odd is headed in, taking cues from contemporary acts such as British indie outfit Alt-J.
So what's the hold up with their sophomore effort?
"It's such a long process to put out another album, especially for us because we work at such a slow pace," he said.
However, he said, the meticulous and collaborative writing process is part of what makes Pretty Odd sound so unique.
"If an idea is brought in, all five of us sit on it and we kind of form the song together, so it doesn't ever end up sounding like the original idea, but it ends up sounding like us," he said. "Our sound comes from the diversity of our band members and our influences."
Rounded out by Luke Prosser (vocals and guitar), Daniel Rengifo (guitars and backups), Huy Pham (drums) and Nicole Cain (bass), the band plans on polishing their current crop of songs with their sights set on recording by the end of the year.
Until then, they've been playing up a storm around the city, most recently rocking the Masonic Lodge in Streetsville last month.
Right now, the band is readying themselves for a private show with Ill Scarlett this Saturday.
Click here to listen to the new song. - Mississauga News

Photographs on webpage
with short quotes - Jesusssister

Video Review - Substruct Live

MISSISSAUGA – Tired of most music presented through mainstream channels?
Maybe it's time you to put your ear to the ground. You might be surprised by what you discover.
It's not for everyone, but that's part of the fun.
At first the sound might be distorted, messy, scary, awkward and jarring.
If you can stand to listen more closely, your ear will recalibrate. Like how your eyes adjust to the dark.
Underground music – or independent music – has been a mainstay in Mississauga for many years now with a number of exciting musicians trying exciting things that the surface is just not ready for.
The problem: you have to go seek it out…live. Yes, in-person, the place where YouTube dreams are made, or go to die.
We're not living in The Matrix yet, so break out of your digital cocoons and give some beautifully flawed and unique music a try.
Who knows, you might like what you hear?
So, in no particular order, here's a list of underground Mississauga bands you should watch out for in 2015:

Bike Thiefs
Calling themselves a "grammatically-inept rock band" Bike Thiefs are a well-crafted, dark blend of sonic indulgence. Baritone vocals reminiscent of the late Ian Curtis of Joy Division fame, this three-piece outfit blends early Weezer, The Pixies and Queens of the Stone Age with a fistful of punk malaise.

Yonder Peak
Whether it be the charming, off-kilter quirk of Primus or the driving blues sludge of The Melvins, Mississauga power trio Yonder Peak take cues from all the right places. This band has a way of making inventive, mid-tempo grooves and weird hooks into something accessible. If they're not on your radar, they should be. Do it now to show up your friends what a supreme sense of culture you possess.

Huge Cosmic
Huge Cosmic is a duo that juxtaposes atmosphere with experimental pop in a seamless manner. Their record Microcosmic features layers upon layers of loops, licks and technical surprises to get lost in. One minute you think your listening to an At the Drive-In riff and the next you're suddenly drifting through space and or bobbing your head to beatboxing. If you appreciate song structures akin to Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody, then look no further.

Pretty Odd
The name says it all. But in a good way. Pretty Odd is an eclectic symphony for the outsider that has musically matured a lot over the past year or so. Zeppelin-esque, synth-soaked soundscapes complete with melodic guitar lines and post-rock feel that at times seems a bit similar to Australian rock band The Drones. For fans of lyrical storytelling, the vocals follow a lilting stream-of-consciousness vibe that works quite well. And they synch their stage lights with their live show.

Hammer Hands
Who would've thought that the end of the world could sound so cool? Mississauga's Hammer Hands are cinematic doom metal that's not for the faint of heart. Inspired by post-metal bands like Neurosis, the words "crushing" and "devastating" come to mind when listening to tracks from their EP, Glaciers. Fans are eagerly awaiting a face-melting followup.

Animal Faces
Arty. Moody. Mysterious. Animals Faces are the brainchild of Mississauga native Ryan Naray – who previously played guitar in local noisecore favourite The Love and Terror Cult – and they're definitely worth checking out. Since the addition of bassist Zach Van Horne on lead vocals, the trio has moved from screamo to emo territory and it makes sense. Tasteful drums, intricate guitar tones and haunting vocals grace their latest EP, Half Asleep.

Peace Be Still
A rhythmically driven combination of emo and skate punk that channels the '90s in a good way. Peace Be Still manage to revive the upbeat, catchy sound with short bursts of swinging drums, aggressive guitars and pitched shrieks that conjure up comparisons to a more garage version of Tim Kinsella from Chicago's Joan of Arc. The band also has some of the best stage banter this side of the GTA.

Bien Agiter
When local act Please Stand By folded, some were saddened. However, with every ending there is a new beginning, and Bien Agiter was born. Unabashed fans of The Minutemen and Death from Above 1979, this funky cousin of dance punk shows that guitar players can be irrelevant. Complimenting the solid rhythm section is outspoken frontman Matt Miller, who has been turning heads throughout the GTA as a spoken word artist.Thoughtful and confrontational, this sassy three-piece doesn't care if you're not into it.

Never Trust a Wizard
Never Trust a Wizard are a clever form of high strangeness. They don't take themselves too seriously, but their inventive music is another story. These guys are one of the most interesting punk bands to come out of these parts. Their album Three Wheeler is a funhouse of musings delivered through shouting vocals poured over lopsided patterns, bluesy chords and atonal riffage. Surprisingly, this is music you can dance to.

Terry Green
Up-and-coming screamo outfit Terry Green are not trying to reinvent the wheel. The band does a great job drawing from the earlier work of defunct post-hardcore heroes Alexisonfire – sans melodic Dallas Green choruses – as well as local contemporaries like Peace Be Still and Animal Faces. (In fact, the band met at an Animal Faces show.) Their debut, Visiting Hours, recorded by the members of Huge Cosmic, shows promise and it'll be interesting to see how their energetic sound takes shape. - Mississauga News

Pretty Odd is a pretty fitting name for the Mississauga based 5-piece alternative rock band, and they just released their impressive latest album, The Drab. “The Drab” really encapsulates with catchy drum beats, mellow psychedelic guitar riffs and smooth vocals, but pushes the band into more of an experimental rock sound. Pretty Odd loves to change groove and time, which takes a lot of talent, and keeps a first time listener on the edge of their seat. Vocal heavy songs like Stood in Waves show off and emphasise the clever songwriting without coming off as pretentious. The diversity in the album's sound listening through almost feels like listening to more than just one band - after a couple songs, I had to check to make sure I was still listening to the same artist. Overall, The Drab is a unique experience that sucks you in and keeps you there until the end of the album. I can’t recommend this enough to anybody looking for a new sound that combines a whole range of alternative genres. Keep an eye on Pretty Odd, because they’re only going up from here. Check them out with fellow Deli band Denim Skeletons, Nov 27 at Clarke Memorial Hall in Mississauga. - The Deli