5 // Canshaker Pi // Okay Decay
Quality, inventive indie rock from The
Netherlands. Okay Decay is Canshaker Pi’s third
record, and it’s a big step up. I’d liked both the riot-indie track ‘Shaniqua’ (from
2016’s debut EP), and the slow burn single ‘If Kelly Doesn’t, Who Will?’ (from
their 2018 sophomore record – a track that got mucho radio play in the US), but
not enough to investigate the releases on which they appeared. That changed when the excellent bass-led twister ‘Glass’ appeared on my ‘new and notable’ playlist in January. When
the full album emerged a few weeks later, it showcased a more mature, versatile
and confident Canshaker Pi. I’ve seen the band, and this album in
particular, commonly described as post-punk in the music press. But for me it’s
more rooted in Pavement-esque lo-fi, (including the sardonic
lyrics). It didn’t come as a surprise to learn Stephen Malkmus had previously
produced some of their work, cause you can hear his influence throughout. There
are still frenetic moments (e.g., ‘Your Way’ recalls Maxïmo Park),
but this is slacker indie at heart. However defined, Okay Decay is
consistently excellent and amounts to a considerable step forward for this already
promising band from Amsterdam.
Quality, inventive indie rock from The
Netherlands. Okay Decay is Canshaker Pi’s third
record, and it’s a big step up. I’d liked both the riot-indie track ‘Shaniqua’ (from
2016’s debut EP), and the slow burn single ‘If Kelly Doesn’t, Who Will?’ (from
their 2018 sophomore record – a track that got mucho radio play in the US), but
not enough to investigate the releases on which they appeared. That changed when the excellent bass-led twister ‘Glass’ appeared on my ‘new and notable’ playlist in January. When
the full album emerged a few weeks later, it showcased a more mature, versatile
and confident Canshaker Pi. I’ve seen the band, and this album in
particular, commonly described as post-punk in the music press. But for me it’s
more rooted in Pavement-esque lo-fi, (including the sardonic
lyrics). It didn’t come as a surprise to learn Stephen Malkmus had previously
produced some of their work, cause you can hear his influence throughout. There
are still frenetic moments (e.g., ‘Your Way’ recalls Maxïmo Park),
but this is slacker indie at heart. However defined, Okay Decay is
consistently excellent and amounts to a considerable step forward for this already
promising band from Amsterdam.