When I saw the promo package for Montreal noise rock band Cell Press, I remember thinking there was something familiar about the band — it turns out I was right: I had seen them as the local opener for Frail Body and KEN mode on KEN mode‘s NULL tour. I vaguely recall asking their merch person whether they had a new album upcoming or not, and they may or may not have said yes. As I listen to Cages, I can’t help but think of that night, where I crossed off one of my bucket list bands for the first time…
As Cell Press went onstage that day, I recall being pleased that there was a noise rock band to introduce KEN mode. Their music elicited head nods in the audience, myself among them, but they had the distinct feel of an opening band — the music did not stick in my head. Over half the tracks on Cages occupy that good but unmemorable territory in my head. Songs like “JOI to the World” (that’s “jerk-off instructions” if I’m correct) and “Kissed by a Morose on Mont Royal” remind me of Shallow North Dakota‘s less memorable songs, consisting of trance-like repetition anchored by a simple drum groove and thick, distorted bass.
While most of the album is good if unmemorable, some songs rise above the rest. “Original Uranium Baby” throws a variety of bright and cheerful riffs at odds with a gritty sound which creates a dissonance that fits the decayed future the lyrics paint. “Blue Royale” abandons conventional songwriting and goes for a noise assault that plugs an Endon-shaped hole in my heart. While some might dismiss this song as an interlude, they would not only be horribly wrong, but also miss out on one of the album’s best cuts. “Disco Naps on the Devil’s Bedpost” uses empty space and cleaner guitar to build a gripping tension, which allows the bass-led groove to be more effective.
At the time of this review, I’ve sat and listened to Cages for about half the year, searching for the right words to say. At this album’s best, you can hear the makings of something special — a band that deserves the stardom and headliner status that contemporary luminaries like Tunic, Chat Pile, and Whores. have. I’d love to see more melodicism and more overt noise in future Cell Press work — when they take the occasional detour from sludgy noise rock, the results are excellent. And at the album’s worst, you could go far worse than Cages. Grab a beer from the bar and keep watching — this show is only just starting.
