Weekly Release Spotlight: Japandroids
Posted on 8/24/2009
Japandroids
Post-Nothing
[Polyvinyl]
You'd think an album named Post-Nothing would be laid back and minimalist; maybe even apathetic. But Vancouver-based Japandroids do care a lot (and not in the sarcastic, '80s Faith No More way). They seem to care immensely about the songs they write, they care about each other (see album art) and they really, really care about girls (see lyrics of every song on the album). But Post-Nothing isn't over the top or emo. It's post-emo, post-grunge, post-punk, post-garage. If you want to get philosophical and argue that nothing is really everything, then the title makes complete sense: Post-Nothing is post-everything.
The most puzzling aspect of the band is that there are only two members. According to Brian King and David Prowse (who formed the band in 2006 while students at the University of Victoria), "Japandroids are maximal - a two-piece band trying to sound like a five-piece band." On top of it they also seem to have an uncanny ability to evoke a million other bands but never really sound like any of them. "Rockers East Vancouver" recalls the staccato pop songs of Plastic Constellations or Minus the Bear, and one of the best songs on the record, "Heart Sweats," has the driving force of Les Savy Fav or …And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead. "Young Hearts Spark Fire" is a bittersweet story about fading youth a la No Age. But you would never compare Japandroids as a whole to any of these bands – they’ve perfected the art of encapsulating what is great about each of their predecessors and putting a new twist on it. They sound both like and unlike every rock band you’ve ever heard. King and Prowse's half-shouted, half-sung duet vocals are an approachable and likeable complement to the lyrics. Even cooler-than-thou indie kids can't help but sing along to "Wet Hair" - despite its embarrassingly inane lyrics about bikinis and going to France to "French kiss some French girls."
King and Prowse will be the first to admit they're motivated by angst. They've even said they started the band as an outlet for their post-teenage angst, an admission that some bands would be embarrassed to make. But the angst never gets the best of Post-Nothing. Its sincerity, humor and youthful energy are what carry it. Japandroids aren't here to have a pity party. Just a party.
Stream: Japandroids - Wet Hair
Written by Dana Raidt, Radio K volunteer.
Japandroids, Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band, and Gospel Gospel are playing on September 13th at the Turf Club