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Reviews

Sick Boss — Businessless
(Bandcamp Drip Audio, 2023, CD / LP / DL)

by Jon Davis, Published 2023-12-23

Businessless Cover art

From the opening notes of “Useless Genius 1,” Sick Boss tells you they mean business. A brisk rhythm on something really distorted leads into a powerful but slightly off-kilter drum pattern, and then other instruments work their way into the mix: bass, distorted guitar, trumpet, and after a little longer, cello and violin. They build up in a very nice polyphonic way for a couple of minutes, then take an abrupt turn into creepy floating ambience, with the instruments fading in and out making eerie sounds, guitar feeding back wildly, and eventually a return to some elements of the opening section. This is very accomplished chamber rock with a tendency towards the avant. The composer is guitarist Cole Schmidt in conjunction with the rest of the band, which consists of Peggy Lee (cello), Josh Zubot (violin), JP Carter (trumpet), Dan Gaucher (drums), and James Meger (bass and synths). Discovering this band is like opening an unexpected portal into a whole world of other bands, as most of the members are involved in multiple projects, which I’m beginning to think could be regarded as the cream of Canada’s new generation of avant-rock. The other two parts of “Useless Genius” are also great tracks, as are “When the Buzzards Leave the Bones” and “Doctor Dawn,” which are less aggressive in impact but no less impressive. Lee’s cello and Carter’s trumpet in particular carry sweeping melodies that soar over the surging rhythms, and most of the tracks also involve quiet sections, providing both balance and some of the more unusual textures. For listeners familiar with the golden age of RIO in the 70s, Sick Boss is like Henry Cow and a bit of Univers Zero crossed with Godspeed You Black Emperor. This Vancouver band has produced what is certainly one of the best Canadian albums of 2023, and a strong contender for best-of-year lists. Highly recommended.

Filed under: New releases, 2023 releases

Related artist(s): Sick Boss

More info
http://sickboss.bandcamp.com/album/businessless

 

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