Don't Treat Women Like Objects OR Can't Live Without 'Em, Can't Live With 'Em

Because in this case, they're an indie rock band, and probably too cool to live with people who read blogs. Women hail from Calgary, also the home of Flemish Eye label mate Chad VanGaalen, who recorded their self-titled debut in his basement on boomboxes and shitty tape machines. This gives the album its permeating tape hiss as well as it's dense, oppressive feel, recalling to these ears a Sonic Youth who listened to and learned from their idols instead of killing them.

Before I delve deeper into the debut at hand, I just want to mention that I was lucky enough to see these guys on their current tour. They opened for King Khan at a show at the bar on my college campus, throwing me for a serious loop when I showed up ready to rock out (read: drunk). Instead, the angular guitars and chilling monotone of Patrick Flegel lulled me into a deep haze, where I decided the instrumental freak outs reminded me of Pavement's noodlier bits and the songcraft reminded me equally of the Beach Boys and the Velvet Underground. I hadn't heard any songs by Women (although I had obviously seen them creeping around the intranet), but after being so pleasantly surprised by the show, I immediately copped their debut.



Now that I've spent a few weeks with it (took a while to get past the infectiously addictive should-be-single "Black Rice"), the Pavement comparison has fallen by the wayside, replaced by things that seem more suitable upon reflection not colored by the thick, thick haze of malt liquor (Fuck you, Olde English). The instrumental bits are less jangly and meandering than Pavement, fall more into the category of drone music ("Woodbine") or concise, wiry, post-punk sifted through the 90's indie rock explosion and marinated in some fuzz ("Sag Harbor Bridge"). And although these songs are interesting in their own right, it is in their more traditional songs that Women really shines, applying the experimental sonics and concision to brilliant short cuts like opener "Cameras". In addition, Patrick Flegel makes the most of his obviously limited range on his vocal performances, juxtaposing a monotone with a gorgeous falsetto on "Black Rice". Other standout tracks include punchy and unpredictable "Shaking Hand" and the hauntingly brief "Group Transport Hall".

The biggest flaw of the album seems to be time management. Clocking in at a little under a half-hour*, you have to wonder why they felt the need to spend so much time on instrumental drones and overly long breakdowns, which initially help with the atmosphere of the album as a whole a great deal, but ultimately drag it down under their weight. However, in its totality, the debut transcends that burden handily, providing one of the years most insidious growers and a member of my shortlist for top ten albums of 2008.

Women -- Black Rice (left-click)
Women -- Group Transport Hall (left-click)

*This has been a great year for the really short album. Little Joy, anyone?