Basement Revolver

It was a (not so) random tweet from those wonderful people at Auteur Research that caused me to idly wilf Hamilton, Ontario's Basement Revolver and stumble across their debut single - a record that made me totally rip up all my blogging plans - "Johnny."  

The band are fronted by guitarist, vocalist and songstress Chrisy Hurn, alongside the bass and synths of Nimal Agalawatte and drummer Brandon Munro. "Johnny" is - as I was moved to tweet - "...one seriously calorific slab of 80's indie-pop..." Which in hindsight still probably sells this song a little bit short... "Johnny" is one killer of a sad song - all wrapped-up in a gorgeous guitar-fuelled indie-pop tune - as it begins to dawn on Chrisy that she's in a relationship with a totally self-centred, narcissistic shit... And plead as she might for her friends to stop with the advice ("..."It's a really bad time right now..."), deep-down she knows they're right.

What I should have said is that in only 3'32", the song manages to encapsulate everything that makes indie-pop so exciting. Taking all the best bits from the lighter side of post-punk and new wave, the jangly guitar structure of C86 alongside the innocence of Twee. Throw in some Nineties sensibilities, fuzz and distortion, achingly melancholy lyrics, a knockout refrain and Chrisy's angelic vocals and "Johnny" is probably the most important indie-pop song to come out of Canada since Alvvays' "Archie, marry me."


Still want more? Head over to the band's Bandcamp page and grab a listen to "Mountains", a demo the band cut last year. The track is cut from the same cloth as "Johnny" - another slice of introspective indie-pop - again achingly beautiful although here you get the impression that despite proclaiming that she is "tired and weak", Chrisy is stronger than the feeble and fickle subject of her pity. "Mountains" is a song that demands the full studio treatment... Which with the band scheduled to release their first EP in July, we may well get that opportunity. 




Basement Revolver
"Johnny" (Bandcamp)
"Mountains" (Bandcamp)