Representing a confluence of regional indie power sources, Toronto's
Darlene Shrugg unites
Maximilian Turnbull (
Slim Twig),
Meg Remy (
U.S. Girls),
Simone TB (
Fake Palms), Carlyn Bezic (Ice Cream), and
Amanda Crist (Ice Cream), who together form one surprisingly brash and unyielding rock & roll unit. Initially formed in 2013, the quintet maintained a somewhat shadowy presence over their first few years, honing a brutal but tuneful live set before entering the studio with engineer and co-producer
Steve Chahley. Their resulting self-titled debut is a tricky beast with some of the blown-out attack of garage and punk, but bears plenty of theatrical flair that seems more rooted in glam rock. Toss in a bit of metal riffing and the strangely lush electro-pop of lead single "Strawberry Milk," a black sheep highlight track that is unrepresentative of the rest of the set, and you've got a band that's pretty difficult to pin down. The lead vocals are generally shared between
Remy and
Turnbull with the rest of the band kicking in rousing harmonies here and there. Odd as they are, there is plenty to like about
Darlene Shrugg's approach, especially when they pair uber-heavy guitar rock with surprising and clever little production details. Opener "Inherit the Wind" is an easy standout that acts as a sort of fanfare/theme song while the spry and mighty "Pete Rose Boogie" is an appealing art-rock confection as complex as the disgraced baseball icon/gambler it's named for. At only nine tracks and packing a mean punch, this solid little dynamo is an enigma wrapped inside a rock & roll bargain. [
Darlene Shrugg was also released on LP.] ~ Timothy Monger