It’s been nearly a decade since Montreal’s PYPY (pronounced like ‘π π’…with a long ‘i’ or a rather than long ‘e’, thank you very much) landed with their debut Pagan Day (Slovenly), but the same lunatics behind CPC Gangbangs, Red Mass and Duchess Says are back with Sacred Times on Goner Records. One might recall the thunderous pop of their banger « She’s Gone » carving out a place for itself in the high-end fashion world, becoming the soundtrack to Yves Saint Laurent’s 2016 show. If that album bounced, punched and clawed like Delta 5 covered in dirt and trying to get somewhere in a booted vehicle while dodging lightning rod guitar licks the whole way, Sacred Times takes things to somewhere far beyond the proverbial « next level. »

Co-vocalist/founder/multi-instrumentalist Annie-Claude Deschênes’ (Duchess Says) signature howl and vocal acrobatics are present but so is a tendency towards beautiful melodies. Bassist Philippe Clement’s (Duchess Says) brings a nastier bottom end that locks onto Simon Besré’s drumming with a death grip for the entire affair. And guitarist/ co-vocalist Roy Vucino (Red Mass, CPC Gangbangs, Black Leather Rose, Les Sexareenos, a gazillion others) goes bonkers with wildass blown-out guitar that’s like hornets caught in yr hair.

« Lonely Striped Sock » grooves along like « Earthbeat »-era Slits/ESG until the chorus transforms PYPY into something else entirely. Something huge. Something with monster riffs and wah wah that pins you to the back wall. So there is clearly a brilliance with dynamics here, and it proves to be a not-so-secret-weapon that repays the « ear-vestment » in dividends throughout. « Ear-vestment »? Yikes. Then it’s time for « She’s Back, » a sort of part 2/continuation (maybe a trilogy is in the works?) of Pagan Day’s best- known gem (the aforementioned « She’s Gone »). This one packs a hook that’ll make your brain take out a restraining order. Looking for lost keys? Jury duty? Underwater welding? Negotiating a hostage situation? It doesn’t matter…nothing will stop it from invading your thoughts. They say the only way to get a song unstuck from the noodle is to listen to it from start to finish, but you’ll be doing that anyway. A lot. « Erase » is a (synth) noise-punk nugget; revealing a need for Brainiac-meets-Blondie we didn’t know we had…deceptively kicking off with a no-fi drum machine that is immediatelylost in the massive pop din that seemingly includes everything within reach. « Poodle Escape » is two minutes of perfect (and perfectly distorted) synth- punk and « I Am A Simulation » – with lead vox from Vucino – is yet another hit that deviates from the noise a bit and pays homage to both Devo and classic late-70’s (big) power-pop (ex: the first Cars LP), but with a manic nature that is 150% circa right now. « 15 Sec » (actually 3:38 in duration, thankfully) serves up a stanky-brown bass line, Deschênes’ gorgeous vocals, wonderfully combative white hot, pin-the-meters Oh Sees/early Comets on Fire guitar rips, and a stunning coda that seems to utilize everything great about this band over its final minute. The album’s title track is a love letter to Hawkwind in the musical language already established here. « Vanishing Blinds » is like being chased through the rain-soaked streets in an unknown dystopian nightmare from 40+ years ago. The album closes with the brooding if not playful menace of « Poodle Escape,” which, like its predecessors, is completely unlike every track before it.

RIYL: Christina Monet, ESG, Oh Sees, Bush Tetras, Lost Sounds, Mercier Descloux/Ze Records, early Comets on Fire, Au Pairs, Brainiac

Live:

EPK:

https://express.adobe.com/page/dLpkxQgiQYxZe

Watching Australia’s Straight Arrows in concert stirs a visceral reaction. Throbbing, sweating, pulsating urgently across the stage, delivering melodious hits with an unrelenting, volatile energy before a final climactic burst, departing the podium and leaving a riled-up audience to contend with whatever lesser events the remainder of their night may hold.

On record, Straight Arrows offer perhaps a little more nuance. Sure, the urgency and buzzing 60s punk-inspired energy is well and truly present, but this mingles with moments of the other-worldly and the truly sublime, across an array of eclectically influenced tunes. Amongst the brilliant chaos lie a few calm, introspective moments before the band subjects the dear listener to another catchy, melodious blast, relentless hooks still trailing through one’s mind.

Just ask fans like Henry Rollins, Iggy Pop, or John Dwyer, the former two gladly hawking the group on their radio shows, whilst the latter gleefully dragging the band across Australia and the USA in support of his latest opus.

Along with Oh Sees, Straight Arrows have shared stages with many friends and heroes: The Buzzcocks, The Sonics, Ty Segall, Black Lips, Jay Reatard, Deerhunter, and the New York Dolls – when the best in the biz hit Australia, they know who to call! 

At home they’ve appeared at the Hoodoo Gurus’ curated festival Dig It Up! as well as under the dome at the world-renowned Sydney Opera House as part of their hometown’s Vivid Festival. 

Not wanting to leave anyone out, they’ve also proselytised the good word abroad, having toured the UK/EU and the USA widely on numerous occasions and been invited to play at Memphis’ legendary GonerFest.

After 11 45s, three albums plus a live LP – released across the USA, the UK and Europe on labels like Goodbye Boozy, Hozac, Spacecase, Agitated, Rice Is Nice, Budget Living and RIP Society – 2024 will see Straight Arrows thrust their fourth album across the globe, and what a feast it is! Entrées in the likes of the resoundingly rapid Fast Product, and the kaleidoscopic psychedelic blast of Walkin Thru My Mind have already delighted underground radio presenters, and audiences across the globe. Just wait until they hear the whole thing!

Straight Arrows’ album number four will be available worldwide on record in May 2024, out on Rice Is Nice (Australia), Agitated (UK & EU) and Lollipop Records (North America).

« Straight Arrows: the fuzziest, most catchiest, escapist, good-times vending, rapscallion trampoline shiners this side of the Murray River” – John Dwyer 

“A new Straight Arrows record is always something to look forward to. What a great band.” – Henry Rollins