Ottawa Buzz: My Dad Vs Yours Usher In Spring

The new My Dad Vs Yours record is called After Winter Must Come Spring, and it's both an accurate musical description as well as a handy mantra to repeat when Ottawa's frozen winter months seem depressingly endless.

"We hope we're lifting people's spirits with our music," says band member Jose Palacios.

They certainly are. With nary a lyric or voice, the instruments layer and build and shift and shimmer, driving gentle melodies right through to the end.

"We've got some pretty bleak things to think about, including our own personal struggles," Palacios says. "We need optimism but we also need to be engaged.

"I think the album is trying to celebrate the importance of not giving up when you're stuck in a time of darkness, and to remember that change is inevitable."

With the release of the album (which will be available on both CD and vinyl), My Dad Vs Yours join the ranks of A Silver Mt. Zion, Arcade Fire, The Dears and others who've recorded at Montreal's illustrious Hotel2tango studios.

"We chose Hotel2tango because they record on analogue tape and I'm a fan of the albums that they've put out, " Palacios says. "I respect them as musicians, but more importantly they're really nice people with social values similar to ours."

Many instrumental groups associated with Hotel2tango — from Godspeed You! Back Emperor to Fly Pan Am — have been stuck with the "post rock" label, but Palacios prefers to describe his band as "pop songs with a twist of lemon." My Dad Vs Yours officially releases After Winter Must Come Spring on Saturday at Babylon, with guests J'envoie and The Empiricals. Watch for a cross-Canada tour later in the summer.

Synthesizers have been creeping into indie rock in increasing numbers, and Ottawa groups aren't immune to the lure of a synth's possibilities.

In fact, there are now enough of them to hold the first-ever "Synthfest," which will featur Pianosaurus Rex, F!ghtF!ghtF!ght, Place and a few others.

"I wanted to promote some Ottawa bands that use synths in interesting ways," explains Andrew Pulsifer, Synthfest's organizer and a member of the group Place (a trio that boasts more synths than band members).

"I wanted to dispel the myths that the synth was only for techno and electronica, that it can be used for some good ol' rock 'n' roll, too."

Pianosaurus Rex singer/guitarist Sassasaurus Rex explains the appeal of the synth as "the futuristic sound of yesterday. We aren't breaking any ground. Most people compare our sound to bands that are 30 years old."

Pulsifer, however, thinks that synths offer something a little bit more... now.

"Not only something different, but something with almost infinite possibility to make your own, unique sounds," is his explanation.

"Place sounds like a mix of other bands, but really what we're going for is a combination of '80s-style new wave, '70s-style prog and '90s-style electronica. I believe very firmly that electronica and rock have been separate for too long."

Witness the melding of the synths and the rock at Synthfest on May 17 at Babylon.

Remember how good the Hilotrons debut was? Remember how scarce it was, too, after going out of print?

The band have fixed that little problem with a re-release of the self-titled record. It has new artwork, a remastered sound, a few bonus cuts and a new record label (Music For Cats). Celebrate it all over again on Friday night at Barrymore's, with openers The Acorn.

The lineup of big names and out-of-towners for the Cisco Systems Ottawa Bluesfest has been announced, but there are still a few spots reserved for some local talent.

The slots will be filled through a few weeks' worth of showcases at Zaphod Beeblebrox on Sundays (and a couple Mondays) in May and June. Watch F!ght F!ght F!ght, The Setbacks, The Kingmakers, Kingston Fog and Mile Over Mecca strut their stuff on May 7. The Murder Plans, Trevor Alguire, As The Poets Affirm, Lure and Amanda Rheaume step up to the plate on May 14.

The next night will feature Emergency Broadcast System, The Habit, Poorfolk, EZ3 and River City Junction.

The Fiftymen play a three-day stand at the Black Sheep Inn this weekend. Club SAW hosts Transitaural, Butterflies And Zebras, Symphony In The Stairwell and The Rainbow Garden on Friday.

There's also some full-on rock at Barrymore's on Friday with The Sick Fits, Bush Pilots and Good2Go.

Daiquiri opens for Japanther at Cafe Dekcuf on Sunday.

The Soiree hit the Aloha Room on May 10.

Detective Kalita will release their new album, The Michael Parks, on May 13 at Babylon on a bill with The Banditas and Andrew Vincent And The Pirates.

Send your Ottawa music news, releases, complaints and queries to cscrockard AT hotmail.com.