REVIEW: PS I Love You – “Death Dreams”


[May 8th 2012 – Paper Bag Records // Find it at: iTunes | Insound]

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From Kingston, Ontario, home of Kirk Muller, Dan Aykroyd and the Tragically Hip, comes the ear drum rattling duo PS I Love You with their sophomore album Death Dreams which, like its predecessor, is loud enough to listen to while you mow the lawn. If you’ve ever heard someone tell you they were impressed by the amount of sound produced by the three guys in Rush, you’re doing that person a disservice if you don’t tell them about PS I Love You. Guitarist Paul Saulnier is still better behind his axe and feedback-generating distortion pedals than he is behind the microphone, and he sticks almost exclusively to singing in his high-pitched avant-garde warble rather than the sort of angsty shout used by other groups in the noise-aesthetic. His voice could still easily be a deal breaker for those that can’t connect to the emotion being pumped recklessly from Saulnier’s amps and Ben Nelson’s drum kit. Comparisons to J Mascis and Sonic Youth still bear fruit – but some hints of development and even a sniff of epic theatricality set Death Dreams apart. The album opens with a mood setting instrumental piece that would have been at home on Fucked Up’s last concept album and during longer instrumental portions (as on “First Contact”), Saulnier surprises with riffs that sound more like the Allman Brothers than Dinosaur Jr. It’s clear on these songs (“Red Quarter” is another riff-heavy number) that he’s been doing a lot more than working on the perfect over-driven tone during his marathon guitar sessions. He’s also been growing as a songwriter. Now if only the singing…

Download: “Sentimental Dreams”, “First Contact”

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