BELIEFS play the Garrison March 30. See listing. Rating: NNN
From the bent guitar chord that leads off the album, it’s pretty obvious that Toronto’s Beliefs have heard a few My Bloody Valentine songs. There’s no disputing the influence of shoegaze bands on their sound, but thankfully they’re not trying to ape any specific aspect of the genre. Instead, they bring together elements from across the dream pop spectrum.
The overall mood of their self-titled debut harkens back to MBV, Slowdive and the rest of the 90s UK scene, but Beliefs favour warmer tones and more natural sounds instead of layering dozens of digital effects on everything. As a result, they seem more like some fictional undiscovered 70s slumber punk band that could have been the missing link between the Velvet Underground and Chapterhouse.
While the overall rawness is a big part of their appeal, an unfinished quality prevents some songs from reaching their full potential. Still, an impressive debut from a promising local act worth watching.
Top track: Catch My Breath
