Can You Hear The Sound of Joy ? Jonathan Migneault

Last Saturday I was lucky enough to see The Creeping Nobodies at Ottawa's Club Saw. The show, which was organized by i (Heart) Music's Matthew Pollesel, had the Toronto band follow two great local acts: Ennuie and The Bridegroom. The headliners, though, stole the show. Attached to Toronto's Blocks Recording Club, which also houses Final Fantasy, The Creeping Nobodies have lived up to the co-operative's eclectic reputation. Like most artists linked to Blocks, The Creeping Nobodies sound is not easily classified. At their music's heart is the idea of opposition. Their post-punk aesthetic melds with the notion of contrast. Their songs navigate a soundscape that is both quiet and loud, harsh and soft, smooth and sharp and rarely anything in between. Their latest album, Sound of Joy, carries the listener from high musical peaks to quiet valleys. Just when you think you've gotten comfortable it lifts you up for another ride. Believe me, once it's all over you'll want to come back for more. Tracks like "Treachery" and "Sense of Belonging" find a delicate balance between the creation and release of tension. The entire album juggles nervous energy, especially that of lead vocalist Matthew McDonough. At times that energy is let loose in brilliant outbursts while at others it is subdued by Sarah Richardson's and Valerie Uher's soft vocals. This gives a "calm before the storm" effect that only makes McDonough's sonic eruptions that much more powerful. If you have an adventurous musical palette The Creeping Nobodies are well worth a listen. The sound of joy awaits and it is wonderful. Download: The Creeping Nobodies - The Sound of Joy The Creeping Nobodies - Treachery The Creeping Nobodies - Sense of Belonging Buy: The Creeping Nobodies - Sound of Joy