A deeper look at the grooves pressed into Territories’ Colder Now LP. I waited far, far longer to review this album than I had any right to. The reason I waited to review Territories’ Colder Now LPwas because I wanted the season to match the album cover – because there’s a sense of isolation about it which doesn’t compliment the music, but does compliment the sense of isolation which comes with a positively frigid Canadian winter. Depending upon where you are in the country, the cold silence can really get to you and cause you to react against it – and that it is possible to hear laced into the eleven cuts which comprise Colder Now by Alberta-based punk rockers Territories. Since forming in 2015, Territories have cut a singular path through the ranks of Canadian punk bands and, this time out, they have set themselves up all on their own; the guitars react against their surroundings, directly; with volume creating the overdrive on their guitar sound (no distortion pedals here), Territories screams against cold silence and causes those who hear the sound to join them in doing the same. On its own, the band doesn’t sound particularly aggressive on Colder Now, but those who hear it will sing along in solidarity, and that’s where the energy comes from, here.
As soon as needle catches groove on the A-side of Colder Now and “Pacific Ghost” opens the running, listeners who have experience with Territories will be familiar with what they’re hearing because the band hasn’t made turn to change their approach – but listeners will also be excited for exactly that reason too. There, backed by a solid and dense rhythm guitar chord progression, singer/guitarist Kyle Hegel takes more than a few elements from DOA frontman Joe Keithley’s palette (the hardened bark of a singer who has been known to spend years at a time on the road and chunky punk guitar movements which worry about presenting the song – no frills included), revs them up on a leaner guitar tone and just launches the results at listeners with the help of guitarist Jimmy James, bassist Matt Young and drummer Eric Jablonski. Those who recall Hegel’s work with Knucklehead will recognize the approach of what they’re hearing here, and will be onboard right away because of the simplicity and accessibility of the song; by taking standard issue patterns that every guitarist knows, the song burrows its way into the minds of listeners – and the familiar speed and energy are equally appealing. Simply said, Territories take everything that they know has worked before, lines it up for listeners, and makes the delivery so rich that even the uninitiated will love the flavor.
After Colder Now gets on a roll, “Hello Outsider” follows “Pacific Ghost” with a tone which honestly feels more British highlands than Canadian prairies. The vocals have never sounded like they have an accent before, but they sure do here as Hegel clips his lyrical phrasing and the bass in the song takes a more dominant role in the mix which, again, plays unusually at first – but quickly feels comfortable. That the bass plays a greater role in the song begins to feel like a blip as “Superhero” rages in earnestly after it with guitars (and also that vocal accent) blazing.
As the side continues, it refines its public image by building in different aspects of punk and making them its own and ultimately presenting a pretty impressive image and sonic design. On “Hello Outsider,” for example, Territories adds some speedy punk urgency similar to DOA and/or Social Distortion, while “Superhero” simplifies simplifies the amphetamine rush of the side’s movement just like The Ramones used to do and “Powder Keg” keeps things even simpler by just turning the volume up to ear-bleeding levels and rocking out an anthem of teenage defiance which isn’t exactly pointed in any particular direction, but cuts a striking and accessible image that anyone can want to follow behind. The final cut on the side, “10 A Street,” follows a very similar path – albeit with the assistance of some keyboard overdubs in the chorus for a little additional warmth – and leaves listeners nicely energized with just the right mount of crunch to get them to flip the record over for more; the bait is sweet in the end the last crash of the drums after the song’s three-minute running seals the deal.
…And, after Territories take a second at the beginning of “Hometown Calling” – the opening cut on the B-side of Colder Now – Territories will have listeners’ undivided attention when Hegel chuckles understatedly, and the guitars start raging at the top of “Hometown Calling.” There, the band brings some Canadiana into the mix as they sprinkle a pinch of Tragically Hip-ish rock (the early stuff – not the later, more dreamy stuff) to both the melody and the lyrics of the song, and do the exact same thing on the slightly more punk-flavored “7 lbs of Hope.”
In the late playing of the B-side, Territories comes dangerously close falling prey to a healthy helping of disillusionment as they find a natural extension of questioning everything – as many punks do – but find no answers on the aptly-entitled “Do It Alone” before before finally closing up shop with one last rootsy salvo in “Recognize The Game.” There, again, Territories straddles a line which sees some lessons learned (getting older, but surviving and carrying on) and some open chords ringing out and sounding big, warm and free. This is a similar form to what Against Me did years ago and works exactly as well now as it did then – so how listeners respond to the close of this album depends entirely on how much they appreciated it when Tom Gabel was doing the exact same thing, back then – it’s solid and good rock but doesn’t feature the kind of explosive close which would signal the end of a big album – so listeners are left to either restart it or walk away at their own chosen speed (which reads are awkwardly as it’s intended to sound).
Reading the above back, it’s impossible to not feel like this review doesn’t really appreciate what Colder Now wants to be – but that’s not true. Speaking as someone who has been following for a couple of years now, I can recognize some great moments in this running – I just wish the album was developed in a way which felt more satisfying, and a band that already has two full-lengths and a great EP to their name should likely has figured that out by now. That said, Colder Now hasn’t chased me away from Territories, but my expectations for the band’s next album will be pretty significant. [Bill Adams]
Artist:
https://territoriescalgary.bandcamp.com
https://www.facebook.com/territories.punkband
https://www.instagram.com/territories_band/?hl=en
Listen:
Territories – Colder Now LP – [Album]
Further Reading:
Vinyl Vlog 437 – Territories – When The Day Is Done (10” EP)
Vinyl Vlog 417 – Territories – “Short Seller” CD Record
Album:
The Colder Now LP is out now. Buy it here, on the band’s bandcamp page.
