Thrown together in the summer of 2002, Winnipeg’s SubCity have kicked through the lines of genres, fusing a brazen alchemy of ska, reggae, punk rock and blues. Citing influences from Ray Charles and the Clash to Studio One reggae and rocksteady, the band’s panoramic musicianship and peerless sound are accompanied with vigourous, passionate performance. The SubCity stage transforms into a rock n’ roll circus floor, pulling patrons with a range of palates into the music’s inescapable lure. SubCity releases its second recording, “Where’s the Noise?” on Transistor 66 Record Company on September 15, 2009.
The octet’s 2004 outing, “When the Beat Starts to Pound,” won encouraging reviews both locally and internationally, with Adrian Mack of NERVE magazine noting the band’s ability to “reveal uncommon depth and skill, not to mention a clear sense of history.” After selling out the biggest rooms at home, SubCity took their show on the proverbial road, earning throngs of fans from Victoria to Montreal.
SubCity’s latest volume, “Where’s the Noise?,” breaks, blows and burns atop the shoulders of their previous release, signaling a leap-and-bound progression in confidence and inspiration. “We’ve really pushed back what we’re comfortable with in this record,” says Darryl, saxophonist/vocalist. “We’re getting more experimental, and have merged the bulk of our influences into one cohesive sound.”
Featuring a blasting horn section; a brazen rhythm section that seamlessly rolls from calypso to four-on-floor; cascades of guitar and gutsy vocals, “Where’s the Noise?” packs the crunch of a tank and force of a riptide. This is not a record to listen to in reverential silence, but a party-in-your-back-pocket, sweaty deluge of sound best set to the stripe of night on the town that doesn’t end until the streetlights burn out.
Autumn 2009 brings a western Canadian tour to support “Where’s the Noise,” with eastern Canadian junkets following in early 2010.
Where's The Noise?Released Sept 15, 2009 - Buy Online1. Too Loud For This City
2. Drag me Down
3. Silence
4. Sweet Musery
5. Temper
6. Gasoline
7. The Hounds Part I
8. The Hounds Part II
9. Soft Hands
10. St. David
11. The End of the Bottle
Gastown/Jerk Chicken 7"Released May 28, 2009 Side A. GastownSide B. Jerk Chicken
When The Beat Starts To PoundReleased 2007 - Buy Online1. Give Up The Gun Tonight
2. Pill Popper Rockers
3. After My Heart
4. Wicked World
5. Don't Believe It
6. Hey Brother, Don't Be Shameful
7. Chillin'
8. When the Record Comes Kicking In
9. Take Some Time
10. One More Time
11. Is This Normal?
12. Sweeya
13. No More Lies
14. Don't Say
15. Go On!
Exclaim! - Oct 2009 - by Sheena Lyonnais SubCity are back with another installment of their sexy reggae/punk/ska fusion. If the Winnipeg, MB eight-piece know one thing it's how to make fun, original music. Similar to 2007's When The Beat Starts To Pound, SubCity cast a shadow over their music that's best exemplified by tracks like the Tim Armstrong-influenced "Silence" and the smoother "Soft Hands." In regards to everything, it's better: the songs, the construction, the attention to detail. "Drag Me Down" is Where's the Noise?'s answer to previous album's standout "After My Heart." Despite sounding a little bit like that creepy Hexxus dude from Ferngully, the rough, raspy vocals are the most vital part of this record, sounding welcomingly different. With every record SubCity sound more polished. Add roaring saxophone solos from "The Hounds" and lyrics like "I know you're trouble but hey, who's not? If you ain't got trouble then what do you got?" and you know you're in for another good time.http://www.exclaim.ca/musicreviews/generalreview.aspx?csid1=137&csid2=851&fid1=41033
Winnipeg Free Press - Sept 2009 - by RWNo more playing in sewers for SubCity. The local octet has dropped the Dwellers from their name, along with the ska that characterized them early on in their seven-year career. Where's the Noise? is an expertly crafted album of horn-fuelled rock 'n' roll with nods to reggae, punk, soul and garage rock.
Gravelly-voiced vocalist Ian Lodewyks sounds terrifyingly sinister, especially on Drag Me Down, which brings to mind the Cramps, and The Hounds, with the frontman channeling his inner Tom Waits. Too Loud for This City is a balls-out rocker with horns; Silence is anything but, with a raging, fist-pumping chorus; and Gasoline is a gritty spoken-word street anthem. The band is at its best when it keeps things under six minutes -- the two lengthy songs in the middle help slow down the album's momentum.
With a calling card like Where's the Noise? and a killer live show, SubCity shouldn't have any trouble making new fans as they work their way across the country.http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/entertainment/music/pop-and-rock-59833552.html
DancingMood.net - Sept 2009 - by Andrew BarkerCanada is known for a few things like maple syrup, hockey, and friendly people. The one thing most people don’t associate our neighbor to the north is reggae music. However Canada has a rich history of Jamaican music dating back to Jackie Mittoo. So, it should come as no surprise that the SubCity Dwellers have released a solid album entitled Where’s The Noise?
Too Loud For This City” opens with the hi hats of the drummer, the bass kicks in after four measures and I think alright this is going to either be real cheesy or real good. Then Pow! the organ kicks in and hell yes it’s good. It has a gritty dirty feel that combines elements of punk, soul, and ska to create a truly original sound. The second track “Drag Me Down” continues with a dirty sound with vocals similar to psychobilly with a feel of old garage rock with the horns. The vocals though are what stand out on this track as they scream with soul that can’t be denied.
“Silence” opens with a soulul horn intro, then kicks into a punky tune, that combines off beat guitar work, and heavy tom work on the drums. Honestly it kinds of let me down as the horns are solid throughout the track but the track itself doesn’t really stand out to me. “Sweet Misery” slows it down a bit, the organ sticks out with a guitar solo that just relaxes the listener. The vocal harmonies are something to listen for as they really help bring the track together.
“Temper” reminds me of a 2 tone song, that’s a cover of a Prince Buster song, you should figure it out. ” Gasoline” is a fast paced song led by the guitar that is one of the heavier songs on the album. A heavy punk influence can be heard throughout.
The two part track “the Hounds” are probably the best songs on the album. It opens with a horn lick similar to “Summertime” by George Gershwin, and go into the the gravely lyrics that are accented by the guitar. Then pick up into a soulful sound that stretch out for more than five minutes.
“Soft Hands” is a roots reggae type of tune that is too laid back for the sound that has been established for the album. While the organ stands out, the song is too laid back for what’s presented already. If it was placed earlier it might work, but the album is too high energy to have six minute dub influenced song near the end. “St. David” picks it up with a skinhead reggae track that gets the sound back into high gear, led by some sick organ work that is influenced by the Aggrolites cover of “Don’t Let Me Down.”
The album closes out with “The End Of The Bottle” and is a soulful 2 tone track complete with punchy horns and gritty lyrics. This albums is definitely a step in the right direction for the Canadian eight piece band. The album includes a plethora of sounds ranging from Punk, Reggae, R&B, and rockabilly influences. It is something that alot of Canadian bands have done, which is to mash up sounds and SubCity has found a way to make it sound authentic. http://www.dancingmood.net/musicaloccupation/2009/09/sub-city-dwellers-wheres-the-noise/
