Advertisement

Album reviews Music

>>> Album of the week: Weird Lines

Weird Lines’ debut captures the spirit of an era of East Coast DIY rock that helped define the region: off-the-cuff, slackeresque vibes, guitars that go from soft to snarl, strong pop sensibilities despite the hooks being hidden in feedback.

That’s not surprising, seeing as the five-piece includes veteran solo artist C.L. McLaughlin, former Eric’s Trip member Julie Doiron (who has her own successful solo career) and Halifax rocker Jon McKiel. Their home base is Sackville, New Brunswick, where SappyFest celebrates some of Canada’s greatest underground music every year. But the band isn’t a nostalgia factory. Other Maritime acts like Nap Eyes and Walrus are also carrying on a 90s aural aesthetic, and Weird Lines sound as vital to that contemporary scene as the newcomers do. 

Fade In My Heart owes more to Neutral Milk Hotel – 90s outsiders themselves – but retains a Maritime style heavily fuzzed-out with an infectiously sweet chorus that belies its loneliness. Sunny but sad undercurrents run through the entire album: Malibu has easygoing jangle and a mournful nod to surf Twin Summers’ saxophone lines build a bouncy sway that morphs into a quiet meditation on disappointment and the rollicking, driving-with-the-top-down Summer Can is a reflection on growing older.

The record owes its standout track, One Fell Swoop, to the marriage of Doiron’s soft, lonesome warble and McLaughlin’s tender whisper. The two singers gently confront heartbreak over fingerpicked notes, eventually launching into a spirited but melancholy sax and guitar coda, reminding each other, “There’s still a lot of bad days to come, so hold on.”

Weird Lines might be a return to familiar sounds, but it’s perfect timing for a resurrection.

Top track: One Fell Swoop

Weird Lines play the Monarch Tavern on July 19. See listing.

Advertisement

Exclusive content and events straight to your inbox

Subscribe to our Newsletter

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

By signing up, I agree to receive emails from Now Toronto and to the Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions.