![]() ![]() Critics of DeMarco have levelled kindred complaints with his music, but his live shows are notoriously raucous. The result, in the form of their latest Helium, is an album that knows it wants to be chill but not much else. Melodies never quite get fleshed out and Sagar’s lyrics rarely stray from the mundane and the faux-profound. That distinction could have been refreshing if the haze hadn’t obscured any clear direction or trail for the band to blaze. Fresh out of DeMarco’s band, Sagar’s sound started similar to his prior squad’s, but has gained gained a more hazy and abstract R&B bent with each of his four albums since In the Shower in 2014. Based out of Montreal, Sagar’s brand of concerningly chill, stumblingly smooth indie-rock has become omnipresent in the city’s lo-fi circle. He left the band when Homeshake started to gain traction. Homeshake, for those who don’t wear Vans in the winter, is a project started by Sagar, former Mac DeMarco guitarist. The crowd didn’t know whether or not to take it as a jab. I’ll be looking forward to the next one for sure.“Feels like a loosely-packed living room in here,” said Peter Sagar, Homeshake’s frontman. It’s hard not to see HOMESHAKE as a project affiliated with the mighty Mac DeMarco (who currently has indie music by the balls) but with Midnight Snack, Sagar further pushes his own distinct sound – a jingly, chilled out blend of pitch-bending, R&B funkiness, and clever guitar work. Of course, the whole album is definitely worth a listen through, especially if you’re trying to wind down after a long day. Seriously, listen to the two back-to-back, it’s the same part. Also worth checking out is “Under The Sheets,” which features some female vocals after the chorus which are oddly similar to “Always Be My Baby” by Mariah Carey. Other notable tracks are “Midnight Snack” – a sauntering, beachy gem featuring a pretty blend of guitars and synths that complement each other perfectly, and “Love Is Only A Feeling” – a sleepy, somber number defined by lazy, echoey strums and a nice ride cymbal rhythm. There’s some really nice sounding guitar lines thrown in and his lyrics on love are delivered in a sweet, high-pitched harmony. The simplicity and great use of melody makes it one of my favorites on the album. The song is irresistibly catchy, with Sagar singing about the coldness of his homeland, Montreal, with a sparse vocal melody that sounds instantly familiar. The track pretty much sets the tone for the whole album: relaxed, mid-tempo, and subtly groovy with drum machine beats, clean basslines and slight synth chords.Īnother great track is the single “Give It To Me,” which sees Pete playing with pitch-bending and a shimmering synth loop. One of Midnight Snack’s highlights is “Heat” – the second track after an introduction of pitch-bent vocals and strange effects. The entire album has a very warm R&B feel, with the beats and keyboards providing the body of most of the tracks, though there are bits of echoey guitar and analog drums here and there. Most of the album’s percussion is heard in the form of gentle drum machine beats, which give the songs a crispness unseen in Sagar’s previous work. The album is chock-full-of interesting loops and keyboard sounds that drive the songs with a twinkling electronic flavor. ![]() This same subtlety and mellowness carries into HOMESHAKE’s newest release Midnight Snack, an album that manages to be even more chill than In The Shower. Sagar proved his keyboard prowess in brief moments throughout In The Shower, but here we see his love for synth take over. All these elements make for great, catchy tracks and an overall very chill listening experience. His songs are intricately structured with warped vocal samples, jazzy guitar chords and mellow synths sprinkled over light drum beats, while his voice rarely breaks from a timid falsetto. While Mac’s sound is defined by warbly lead guitar parts and his prominent croon, Sagar’s style is much more subtle. ![]() Musically, the album is somewhat reminiscent of early Mac DeMarco recordings, but has its own very distinct flavor. Once I figured out this affiliation, I was instantly intrigued and downloaded In The Shower, Sagar’s first LP which was released last August. At the time, I didn’t realize that the band was in fact the solo effort of Peter Sagar, Mac’s longtime lead guitarist for live performances. I first heard of HOMESHAKE after watching our favorite indie poster-boy Mac DeMarco give them a shout out during a 2014 Salad Days Q & A. Album Review, Featured, Music, Songs You Might Hear This Week ![]()
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