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JPNSGRLS bring the noise
Indie | Thursday 2nd April 2015 | Christina
JPNSGRLS — formed of Charlie Kerr (vocals), Oliver Mann (guitar), Chris McClelland (bass) and Graham Serl (drum), and pronounced “Japanese Girls” — formed in Vancouver in 2010, with a desire to make music inspired by fun and recreated with loud, fast, sweaty and danceable live sets. The name was inspired by the female Japanese rock band Mass of the Fermenting Dregs, with the vowels later removed to save fans from dubious Google finds! Their debut album Circulation and digital single ‘Smalls’ are released on April 6th.
Heralded as Canada's Arctic Monkeys and likened to The Strokes, Hot Hot Heat, The Pixies and The Rapture JPNSGRLS have a frenzied energy mixed with an ability to craft truly catchy indie ear-worms. The band’s debut EP The Sharkweek was an experimental mix of styles including barbed wire guitar riffs, emotionally aching pop-rock, and futuristic electronics. With their debut album Circulation, JPNSGRLS have maintained their signature eclecticism, but have focused on electrifying live energy and a more cohesive style. "We wanted to get it sounding as live and raw as possible," Mann says, noting that nearly all of the parts can be replicated live.
This less-is-more approach makes Circulation a whirlwind of garage noisiness and earworm hooks. It starts with the combustible opener ‘Smalls’, a song that explores the excitement and self-destruction of drug use. This leads into ‘Tiger’, which shifts, between spiky riffs and vintage pop choruses that feature Bays on backup harmonies. Elsewhere, ‘Southern Comforting’ is an atmospheric scorcher that explores toxic relationships — both with people and with alcohol — while the thundering ‘Mushrooms’ is an anthem about fighting back against oppression.
Catch JPNSGRLS on the following dates:
Saturday 25th April: Hit The Deck Festival, Bristol
Sunday 26th April: Hit The Deck Festival, Nottingham
Thursday 14th May: The Haunt (Bermuda Triangle) The Great Escape, Brighton
Follow the band online, on Twitter and on Facebook
