Song, by Toad

This is a free download (from here) of a demo recording by a band about whom I know next to nothing: Waskerley Way.

The EP is basically just shoegaze, but as far as I am concerned pretty much most stuff is ‘basically just’ something, and it really doesn’t matter if it’s done well.

In this case, the guitar riffs are engaging, the pace changes subtly but effectively throughout the record, and those buried, scuzzy melodies get me humming.  To be absolutely frank, I am not sure what else you should ever really have to say about anything.

I like this kind of stuff: a fuzzy, fairly monotonous din, with the good bits nice and buried, so that it’s not so much about the riff or the hook particularly as the slow emerging and submerging of loveliness from within a sea of noise and mess.

This makes it sound like this is actually a difficult record to get into, but actually that isn’t true.  In the case of Waskerley Way the melodies are actually pretty up-front, so for all I have taken a long time to review this, I knew I liked it pretty much from the first listen.  It never gets boring either, not that it should over five songs.  But the mood shifts back and forth from insistent to brooding to slightly manic and back, making sure it continues to nudge your ears back to where they belong every once in a while.

It’s straightforward enough, this, but it’s well-executed and I like it.  A very promising debut.

Waskerley Way – Yonder

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Waskerley Way – Little Victories, Little Defeats

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

You know, I’m not exactly naive when it comes to the internet.  I’ve done perfectly innocent Google image searches at work and then hurriedly had to cover up or stove in my monitor as all manner of filth made its appearance, irrespective of the tame nature of the search terms.

So I was up quite late recording this podcast and because only pervs and loonies seem to be up late* using the internet I reckoned that this should be called the Pervcast.  Particularly as I recorded most of it with a glass of wine in one hand and my nuts in the other – hey, it’s just comfortable alright, stop being so judgmental.

Anyhow, the minute I hit return on the search for a banner image for this Toadcast… well, I realised my mistake pretty much immediately.  I didn’t even realise most of that shit was even physically possible, never mind sought after.  Yeauch.  You internet people – you’re all wrong ‘uns, that’s what you are!

Toadcast #110 – The Pervcast

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

01. The Silver Columns – Brow Beaten (04.50)
02. The Morning Benders – Promises (14.10)
03. Inspector Tapehead – Pherenzik Tear (17.10)
04. Amanaz – Khala My Friend (28.15)
05. The Tim & Sam Band – Choices (34.57)
06. Japandroids – Art Czars (48.24)
07. Waskerley Way – Yonder (52.19)
08. Fire Engines – Get Up and Use Me (56.32)
09. Patrick Bower & the World Without Magic – One Day Soon, I Will Break You (58.37)
10. Woozy Viper – Whoah, Baby! (66.12)

*Yes, I know, it was made up for (faintly) comical purposes – fuck off.