BELIEFS and VALLENS at the Garrison, Thursday, November 5. Rating: NNN
Things have changed in Beliefs’ world. Singer/guitarist Jesse Crowe’s long hair has been shorn, a couple members of Vallens (who opened the show) have joined the lineup, and they’ve just pumped out a blazing second record, Leaper.
Still intact is their love of shoegaze, a term that follows them everywhere but which tidily sums up the guitar portion of their sound. Crowe’s voice, often in concert with co-founder Josh Korody’s, rides softly overtop yet always cuts through the din. Tempos are generally laid-back, but the band’s ability to create an almighty roar makes them a hugely hard-hitting live act.
At the Garrison, new songs were the focus, starting mildly and then growing into a reverb-heavy, noise beast – the title track, with its cool spoken word section, was the highlight – that continued howling long after the five members had left the stage. (In addition to Crowe, Korody and Vallens’ Robyn Phillips help to churn out the triple-axe thunder.)
At just over a half hour, the set was curiously brief, especially for an album release party, and you had to wonder if the new members hadn’t yet learned the back catalogue. Those hoping to hear the beautiful Catch My Breath from the band’s self-titled debut were out of luck.
carlag@nowtoronto.com | @carlagillis
