Spec Realists On a Frolic of Our Own cassette
Another rag-tag collective of oddballs from the current cradle of Canadian art-punk (that would be Calgary), SPEC REALISTS inhabit a dream world where Messthetics CD-Rs never degrade, where SWELL MAPS’ trip to Marineville detoured through Alberta’s prairies, and where TELEVISION PERSONALITIES actually were bigger than the BEATLES. The collapsing, willfully lo-fi post-FALL/WIRE damage of “On a Frolic of Your Own,” “Little Dive Bar,” and the highly self-aware “(We Aren’t Punks) We’re Art Punks” lands just over the northern side of the border from early TYVEK, while “Malcolm Tinsley (What’s Going On)” appropriates the tumbling, wide-eyed melody of the CLEAN’s “Thumbs Off” with a major Dan Treacy twist for the most convincing “I can’t believe it’s not UK DIY” invisible hit since we last heard from FAMOUS MAMMALS (who should be nervously watching their backs right now). People might laugh at them (coz they like weird music), but I’m right there with SPEC REALISTS.