Ketamines released one of last year’s best albums, and now they’re back with more stuff in the vein of “Teenage Rebellion Time”. The first of four promised 45s (with cover art that joins up to a complete image) came out yesterday on Pleasance Records, and features “All the Colours of Your Heart” on the a-side, grooving on a bouncy riff. Coupled with the playful “Turning You On” (look out for it on the upcoming mixtape!) it sums up the sound of their soon-to-released sophomore LP.
Out on local Canadian label Mammoth Cave in the summer, You Can’t Serve Two Masters has a warm psychedlic air to it that might even remind you of Pavement at times. I can think of few sounds more fitting to be floating down the summer breeze. “So Clean” and “Spaceships” are both bright and smile-inducing. “Don’t Stop” is an immediate favourite starting out with keys taken as if right outta ? & Mysterians’ song book. Apart from “Double Elevens” and couple of more tunes, this album is a step away from the reverb-heavy neo-garage sound of their last release along with much of standard fare independent music today. Ketamines proved they are a force to reckoned with already in 2011 with the super hit “Line By Line”, and it’s slightly liberating listening to opening track “Come Inside”, as they fulfill a few more of the promises made by that first single.
Also out on Mammoth Cave, right now, is the debut LP from Calgary’s The Mandates. If you like Needles//Pins you’ll definitely enjoy their punky powerpop, and they deserve a mention if only for the fact they were nice enough to write in.
