GROWN-UPS WELCOME AT TOTAL FEST.

I know we've said it before, but Alberta and Western Canada in general have become quite the breeding grounds for some quality, noisy punk rock these days. I don't know what it is about that little chunk of the world, but it's birthed some awesomely creative and interesting music lately. Total Fest got a taste of it last year with Lethbridge post-punk outfit Fist City and this year we're looking forward to a visit from Friendo, The Shrapnelles and now, Calgary punkers, Grown-Ups. This young trio brings a smile to my face with their stripped down, slightly distorted scuzzy punk, some bits and pieces of classic SST love and just enough pent-up energy and quirkiness that could only come from the Great White North.

In their little lifetime as a band, they've done a heck of a lot... touring their little butts off all over Canada with the likes of Fucked Up, White Lung and B-Lines (and are playing what I believe are their first ever US shows this weekend in OR and WA), getting all viral with their homemade 'Bieb Flag' shirts, releasing a couple solid tapes and singles, and are gearing up for the release of their appropriately titled, first full length LP Stopped Caring (out this summer on new Portland label Modern Documents). While you wait on that slab of wax and their set this August at Total Fest, here's a fun little live video and a download of everything that they've released to date.

NO COUNTRY FOR OLD FRIENDO.
These freakin' Albertans are onto something lately. Not sure what it is about oil-wealthy western Canada, but they're kind of running things. Friendo, who I think have got a dude from Women, are an awesome, spooky pop group from there.

Women, also Calgarians, has ruled my world since hearing their second record, Public Strain last year. It caused me to seek out their first, self-titled LP, and that thing's been on heavy rotation in our household. At the time of the s/t record, they sounded kind of like a subtler, more creative Pixies or something. Great short songs, awesome parts, good hooks. Weird twists and turns and excellently recorded. That was the Women S/T. Public Strain reminded me (and I think lots of folks) of Sister-era Sonic Youth to an awesome extent. And not in the we just-heard-Daydream-Nation sort of way, more like a, we weave guitar parts together in a weird, awesome way like SY.

So, on to Friendo: what's their deal? I like this stuff because it's experimental, kind of wonderfully basic, and fresh. Come and see. Or, at minimum for now, click and see.