MUSIC MAUL play the Silver Dollar Saturday (July 21). See listing. Rating: NNN
Kingston, Ontario, isn’t just PS I Love You, the Tragically Hip and giant prisons. It’s also home to Music Maul, an intriguingly quirky indie rock act led by Trevor Henderson. Henderson rocks the accordion and lap steel, but this isn’t a folk band. There are also cosmic synths, grimy guitars and an off-kilter rhythmic sensibility. It’s still pop/rock music, but twisted in enough unexpected ways to grab your attention.
Henderson shares vocal duties with Sarah Harmer, and the dual-singer thing works well. She’s clearly the stronger vocalist, though it’s the interplay between them that makes the whole thing work.
Some of the goofier moments come close to oddball 80s college rock (like Camper Van Beethoven or They Might Be Giants), but it’s not like there’s a glut of bands going for that right now.
Top track: Lil Girl Shot Me