Something special this way approaches and that something special is an enthralling collection of songs boasting elements of stoner fuzz, shoegaze serenity and psychedelic texturing. This little slice of special comes to you courtesy of Canadian trio Familiars, Kevin Vansteenkiste (guitar/vocals); Jared MacIntyre (bass/vocals) and Anton Babych (drums), and their latest release "All In Good Time".
Things begin very promisingly with opening track "Homestead" its recurring guitar motif, circling around itself atop shimmering percussion and a sparse bass line, slowly builds up the atmosphere before a sudden burst of heavy riffage announces the vocals and the band slip into a groove that undulates between crunching and gentle. Vocals throughout the album are shoegaze(ish), clean and melodic and sit perfectly against the breezy mixture of hard riffing and chilled psych that is Familiars signature and as well as decoration they are also the medium by which Familiars tell their stories, among which are stories of hardship and hunger ("Common Loon"), bar room skirmishes ("Dirty Dog Saloon") and gold fever ("Bonanza"), each song is like a little snapshot, a brief vignette of Canadian life both past and present
"All In Good Time" is a very "Canadian" album in that it explores themes of isolation and survival while also exploring aspects of Canada's history and geography. Thankfully this examination of the bands homeland does not exclude listeners from outside Canada's borders from fully embracing the album and enjoying what Familiars bring to the table both sonically and lyrically, in fact it probably enhances its appeal.
Check it out ....
© 2020 Frazer Jones
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