MAKEOUT VIDEOTAPE play the Silver Dollar Monday (May 16). See listing. Rating: NNN
There’s no shortage of bands milking the reverb-drenched, fuzzed-out guitar pop formula these days, but let’s face it – most of them can’t write a decent hook to save their lives. So while there are few sonic surprises on Ying Yang, Vancouver-to-Montreal transplants Makeout Videotape deserve a listen just for their songwriting chops. When so many noise pop bands are happy to strum away at the same three chords, Makeout Videotape gracefully slip in more complex musical ideas without going too far down the prog path.
Released on cassette – downloads are available, too – Ying Yang is a little too invested in being lo-fi and homemade, but at least the melodies aren’t totally buried in noise like those of some of their contemporaries. Put them in a proper studio and convince them that their pop tendencies are more worth exploring than their experimental impulses and these guys could have a truly great rock album in them.
Top track: Because I’m A Boy
