LOC-NAR sound like they’ve been up for days, surviving on a strange combination of substance and Pizza. These guys have termed their take on weird garage psy-pop ‘slackcore’. It don’t get more lo-fi than this— lot’s of space and pacing in these compositions that sound like they’ve been recorded through a tin can on a string.
LOC-NAR is a 5-piece based out of Montreal’s own Plateau. Four of the five band members are Ontarians— Arthur Rossignol is on percussion, Tess Roby on keys and vocals, Andrew McConnell on lead guitar and vocals, Max Murphy on the bass and vocals and New Hampshire import, Jono Currier, also on git and vocals. These guys hooked up through various programs at Concordia University and this project has lots of juice and has produced some good tracks already.
It’s worth noting that everyone is this band is in another band, which is interesting in that it sheds some light on the inner workings of a fertile little pocket of artists here in the city. This is no summiting genius alone talking to God(s) – this is a collective interested in exchanging ideas and influences, and through this exploration producing art.
As far as process goes, it’s McConnell who’s bringing in most of the bare bones skeletons, which the other members flesh out with their own flavour. I talked to McConnell about the nuance of being the catalyst, if he felt any pressure, or if he relished the control… He answered neither of these questions, which is a good thing because almost any answer would have been douchey. Instead, McConnell stressed the idea that LOC-NAR was very much a coming together of friends, and that they have a collective approach to writing and the creative process. It’s a mash-up, and all the more interesting because of it.
Last year they released an EP, Sink of Mayo, which you can listen to via their Bandcamp. Then they put out a couple of singles on compilations. This year they released Sink of Mayo B-sides on tape. Plus in the next while they’ll be dropping a new EP, Hotter Water. This group is getting it in hard in Montreal right now. If you’re down with lo-fi production and fresh tricky lyrics, give these links a spin. And if you don’t catch the inference of the band name you’re slipping right now. W#RD.
LOC-NAR perform as part of POP Montreal Friday, September 19 with 36?, Krill, Brazilian Money and Kurvi Tasch at Casa del Popolo. Doors open at 7:30 p.m., $10 at the door.
* photos by Ellen Belshaw for LOC-NAR
