RECORD REVIEW: WOMEN - PUBLIC STRAIN (Jagjaguwar)

Wednesday 08 September 2010 at 02:37 am

By Carly Blair

This Calgary experimental post punk quartet's eponymous debut enchanted the blogosphere with its dissonant noise momentarily tamed by insidious pop melodies. On their sophomore follow-up, recorded during the dead of winter in Alberta, it sounds like rather than submitting to the surrounding oppressive darkness, they've decided to put chains on the tires, plug full spectrum lamps in, and take the bull by the horns. Their signature monotone vocals, pop-inflected noise, and Chad VanGaalen's fuzzy production remain, but the overall focus is shifted from noise to structure. In the process they sound not compromising but rather more masterful and confident, like a band coming into their own.


Listen to the Album HERE