Montreal’s No Joy are definitely faster and harder on More Faithful’s best songs, but their wash of sound has a blurry sameness that makes the record overall less than compelling.
Remember Nothing slams forth with layered shoegaze and angular post-punk, singer/guitarist Jasamine White-Gluz’s voice an ambient beacon to cling to. Similarly, Hollywood Teeth is a nice combo of pop smarts, punk grit and rubbery textures that recall Sloan’s early, endearing tendency to over-emulate My Bloody Valentine.
Everything New, however, is a tempered dream pop tune with intricate guitar parts, hypnotic rhythmic patterns and infectious vocals conveying vaguely optimistic lyrics. As a song, it’s a series of fine ideas, but its airiness and structure become monotonous. Something similar happens on Burial In Twos, an arrangement that harmlessly floats by like a twig in a river.
When No Joy come closer to Sonic Youth circa Daydream Nation (as they do on Corpo Daemon), they’re unstoppable. In beast mode, they conjure that rare mix of accessibility and contrarian, uncompromising power, helping More Faithful transcend its flatter fare.
Top track: Hollywood Teeth
No Joy play the Silver Dollar on June 18, 19 and 20 as part of NXNE.
