Montreal is the Williamsburg of Canada I think. So many cool, weird bands come from there. Countless variations of post rock hail from Montreal. It also has a fair amount of even more experimental skronk bands. Aids Wolf obviously belongs to that latter category.
Despite this possessing many of the things I hold dear (loud abrupt movements, opening for Whitehouse) it just doesn’t connect with me. Each time I come back to this album thinking “maybe this time it will be different” but it isn’t different. Songs sound the same, the yelps are the same, and the whole things feels like I’m listening to a cover band of “Teenage Jesus and the Jerks” or “Harry Pussy”. A cover band who are still working on the songs.
Having angst isn’t enough to exactly propel you into a new realm. They aren’t experimental enough to be interesting, nor are they as catchy as say “Arab on Radar”. So they uncomfortably exist in this in between area. “Chinese Roulette” is probably the best song on here, followed by “Panty Mind”. The rest of the songs are considerably less memorable.
I don’t think I’ve ever given a band so many chances. This isn’t the worst or most boring thing I’ve ever heard, but considering their near-obsession with self-promotion (see the hairy naked photos of them) you’d expect something with a bit more bite.