Toronto’s Pet Sun premieres their tape of transitions, turning points and triumphs on, Feel Like I’m Going Away, released this past Cassette Store Day on Sleepless Records. As the eclectic capital of Ontario continues to present diverse samplings of the world’s newest nuances of production and sound, Pet Sun’s EP tackles the heavy on the a-side/light on the b-side style to create a full but economic sense of an expansive journey packed into an extended player.
The opening title track initiates the ignition switch, and puts the wanderlust vehicle in drive. But these guitar combustion engines are only warming up, as chords grind faster on the hopped up, “Gimme Your Soul”, followed by the shred-a-thon of “Feelin’ Lazy” that exhibits the important of indolence. Slowing down the rambunctious roll of Feel Like I’m Going Away, “Goodbye Two-Headed Monster” illustrates the exhausted anguish of departures that leave the hardened troubadours destitute and drifting down the desert roads. This feel of full immersion of vision quests and distortion filled canyons are met with a new kind of desolation on the six-minute plus sun scorcher of “Lutes”. Taking it to the altar and then all back home again is the EP’s last chance saloon crasher, “Brides”. This completes the course of Feel Like I’m Going Away where the six song run is divided between the hail and hell fire storm of the A-side’s first frontline attack, to the flipside’s dazed, slow-burning campfire of mirages and mental manifestations of matrimonial musings and more related thoughts. Following this listen, guitarist and vocalist Stephane Tremblay and drummer Parth Jain join us for a round of discussion.
Having everything from nu-tek sounds to the latest DIY garage developments; what is the latest from Toronto, and how do you all feel connected or inspired by the local scenes?
Stephane: Meeting new people and making new friends is awesome. Nice people equals good vibes, equals good times, equals fruitful, musical relationships.
Parth: What’s really great about Toronto is that there’s lots of venues interested in putting on good garage/punk shows and promotion companies like PPOP, Collective Concerts, Mark Pesci, Dan Burke that hold shows for acts of all sizes. It’s easy to see the same people out on the scene and have them hook up for other shows/come out to our shows! The scene is really flourishing and its great to be spending a lot of time in TO.
Everyone loves on Toronto, but who are some of the unsung artists that you all enjoy that need more acclaim?
Stephane: I like the intense punk duo Red Lines. They’ve got huge balls. Killer wails are also writing awesome stuff too.
Parth: Odonis Odonis, WTCHS, & War Baby.
How did Pet Sun first begin?
The band started with Parth and I. We were hanging out everyday writing songs and recording. So eventually we wanted to give it a name. Sam [Rashid] was the next addition to the band. He and I had been besties all through high school playing in a band. Lots of love and chemistry. And then Nic [Arbour] joined on the bass cause he’s the man, we were roomies in residence.
What types of life transitions of going, leaving, returning, and all gave life to the upcoming Feel Like I’m Going Away EP?
Stephane: I’ve definitely been moving a lot ha ha. Hamilton to Montreal over and over again and a bunch of moves within both cities. Parents moving too. I’m actually moving today… But a lot of the EP is just about emotional transitions between family life. Grown baby of divorce?
From rapid rocking pop cuts like the title track, “Brides”, “Gimme Your Soul”, “Feelin’ Lazy”, “Goodbye Two-Headed Monster”, to droning psych freakout numbers like “Lutes”; how do you make room for both the instantaneous kinda of song versus brain peeling numbers like, “Lutes”?
Stephane: We’ve always been big fans of bands that do both heavy and light sounding songs. Like the Vines. So “Brides” would be the mellower end of the spectrum. Moods are always changing, so the songwriting changes with it. The faster songs are also really fun to play. Whereas the ballads are something I do alone while sitting on the sofa.
Parth: The ‘rapid rocking’ cuts is really our bread and butter. It’s what we do and love. “Lutes” was really a good opportunity to take advantage of the tape medium. We wanted side-b to be a drawn out, tripped out, feedback mess leading into the last track “Brides”.
Winter/holiday plans for Pet Sun?
Sleeping. Recording demos. Playing shows. Buying gifts. Getting full. Releasing new music. Touring. Sleeping.
Pet Sun’s Feel Like I’m Going Away is available now from Sleepless Records.
