Review: Strange Attractor - Euro Tour Tape
Strange Attractor is the basement recording project of Jeff Houle of Statues and the Havocs, but this isn’t some boring indie bedroom pop wimpiness. Strange Attractor is a chaotic mutant breed of 60s garage and early snotty punk, kind of like the Troggs being covered by Japanther. The brand new Euro Tour Tape out on Hosehead Records contains some of the best sweaty, raw rock ‘n’ roll jams from the riotous Canadian scene I’ve heard all year.
The tape could’ve been culled from Killed by Death outtakes, or B-sides from some classic obscure 80s synth-punk band, like Dow Jones and the Industrials. Strange Attractor keeps alive the dirty garage punk tradition of Les Sexareenos and the Spaceshits with plenty of chainsaw guitars, beat-up keys and spastic vocals. File “Decapitate Me Baby” and “Go Fuck My Brain” somewhere between the Rip Offs and the White Wires. Fuzz-charged melodies burst through the analog tape hiss, and the whole twenty song tape clocks in just under thirty minutes.
Short, sweet and to the point, Strange Attractor always leaves with you wanting more. And I’m sure they have another fifty songs waiting at the Hosehead offices waiting to reach us rock ‘n’ roller kids in the form of their next tape.
Listen to “Alex is a Night Banger” below, and go buy the Euro Tour Tape from Hosehead, assuming you won’t be at their shows in Europe this month.
Tour Tuesday: Peter Case & Paul Collins, Burning Itch, Dry Feet, Guantanamo Baywatch, The Hussy, Strange Attractor, Magnetix, TEENS, G.Green
Last week we introduced a new series called “Tour Tuesday”, in which we highlight tour schedules for bands that you love. This week we have dates for Peter Case & Paul Collins, Burning Itch, Dry Feet, Guantanamo Baywatch, The Hussy, Strange Attractor, Magnetix, Teens and G. Green.
Guest Mix: Mongrel Zine
Take a romp through the archives of the Vancouver based Mongrel Zine, an old fashioned black and white zine that features interviews and reviews of the best in the underground. They also include a CD mix with every issue, so they’ve picked some of their favorites for this tasty little comp of the comps. Download it here. Listen to more mixes here.
All these songs have appeared on our Mongrel Zine comps. Mongrel Zine is a print zine and CD Comp edited, designed, photocopied, folded, and stapled by Janelle and Bob Scott. Get it at www.mongrelzine.ca.
Bloodstains Across Ontario
Super excited to hear that Canadian based label Mammoth Cave are continuing their region-specific punk compilations! The new compilation is entitled Bloodstains Across Ontario, and it’s being done in the same fashion as its predecessors. Mammoth Cave take a handful of their favorite bands in a certain region of Canada and have them contribute a new song that is barely over the 1 minute mark. This new comp features a slew of GET BENT! favorites such as Strange Attractor, The White Wires, Peach Kelli Pop, First Base and a ton more! Oh, it even features a new track by legendary surf band Shadowy Men On A Shadowy Planet!
Pre-orders for the 7” are available now on Mammoth Cave. Stream the whole thing below!
Strange Attractor - Nothing New
Peep the new video for Canadian garage outfit, Strange Attractor. This track is going to be featured on their upcoming 12” EP out soon on German based label Red Lounge.
