Reviews:: Woodhands Remorsecapade

When it comes to electronic beats, keytar licks and spasmatic drumming I'm kind of like the Philadelphia Eagles of blogging; even in when the situation deems otherwise, I tend to pass. I'm not really trying to get amped up for the clubs and freaking the funk to the early light these days, so it's no surprise that pedal steel, acoustic and the banjo tend to dominate my listening patterns more than beats.

But when it comes to Toronto's Woodhands, they might just be the proselytizers that open up my ears (and my closed mind) to different sounds. Dan Werb and Paul Banwatt have the unique ability to write a love song, one that runs you over with sadness and could uncovered on a dive bar jukebox, but hide the message in frantic shout/screamed vocals, an almost punk rock like anger and drums that never give up.

You could dance all night to the Cansecos-inspired hook and vocals of Talk, the Maylee Todd/Dan Werb duet Dissembler or Sluts (especially when the breakdown gives the track a spacey like vibe), but you can also listen to the record in almost any situation. When the duo is operating at top speed, Werb delivers his message with the energy of one of the crazy Kensington Market preachers or a hardcore front man (just listen to I should have gone with my friends) and Banwatt's intricate drums dance around your headphones nicely. It's almost impossible to disregard the bank of synths that fill up the stage when they play, but I've always felt Woodhands was a band that played electro jams, not just another electro act rehashing the overused sounds and repetitive beats. If Remorsecapade can change my mind, I'm sure it can change yours too.

Update - how about a Woodhands vs Pitchfork unreleased track? Ok! Download P'iss right here, right now.

MP3:: Woodhands - Pockets

MP3:: Woodhands - Dancer ft. Maylee Todd
MYSPACE:: http://www.myspace.com/woodhands
BUY:: http://www.paperbagrecords.com

Labels: Canada, Music, Paperbag, Reviews, Woodhands