Following up their peculiar 2015 set,
Blessed
, Canadian trio
Walter TV
return with their third tonal dispatch of unclassifiable rock in the form of the optimistically titled
Carpe Diem
. Based in Montreal,
is the musical vessel of singer/guitarist
Piece McGarry
, bassist
Simon Ankenman
, and drummer
Joe McMurray
, the former and latter of whom have a history of collaboration with fellow Canadian oddball
Mac DeMarco
. With
, the group continues to inch closer to an overall more palatable fidelity, though the lo-fi affectations and grainy recording methods remain one of the key ingredients in their architecture. As with previous releases,
McGarry
's keening tenor expends the bulk of its presence filtered through a warbling chorus effect, a feature which immediately wore out its welcome on their first album, but at this point just seems like a standard -- if persistent -- preset for the band's approach. Production aesthetics aside,
represents some legitimate growth in terms of material and themes for Walter TV. The dark desperation of lead-off track "Begotten" makes for a striking opening volley and further noir-ish undercurrents can be felt in the murky layers of songs like "Cattle" and "Laura Palmer." It creates a strange juxtaposition the way their ebullient and sometimes manic performances clash with the harsh, digital-sounding framework making for a distinctive push-pull of human and fabricated elements. Three records in,
remain a somewhat frustrating bunch, flashing their wild creativity and slap-dash antics in equal measure. ~ Timothy Monger