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The Secret Handshake
This Is Bigger Than You And I
2005, Doll House Recordings
Remember a Tulsa, OK-based spazz-metal band called Thirty Called Arson? They released a record called You‘re Only A Rebel From the Waist Down on Pluto Records a few years ago, played some crazy, craaaazy shows and tours and then disbanded quietly - and now this album under the Secret Handshake moniker is the solo debut of TCA drummer Luis Dubuc, exploring his sensitive side. It seems Dubuc‘s always had a singer-songwriter lurking inside his percussive alter-ego, and This Is Bigger is very vocal-oriented, with keys and synth augmentation. He doesn‘t have the greatest singing voice, but really, does that matter anymore? Look at Senses Fail‘s massive success.
Anyway. The overall sound with this six-song EP reminds me of latter-day Plankeye, if that reference rings true with any readers: soothing, pleasant pop, earnest and wistful. ‘Coastal Cities‘ has a tone similar to southern-Ontario band Midway State‘s classic-rock AM-radio musings, preceding ‘Don‘t Call‘s timeless, lilting pop. ‘Friendly Reminder‘ opens with a little guitar noodle that‘s nothing short of fascinating before blossoming into a killer electronic tune, only to start sounding like it‘s been overtaken by a swarm of locusts about two and a half minutes in or so. ‘Love of My Troubles‘ is a bit of a left turn, sounding distinctly Rufus Wainright-esque, with its harmonies and Dubuc‘s mush-mouthed delivery. Drive-Thru Records licensed one of these songs for inclusion on one of their compilation CDs, and hopefully that‘s The Secret Handshake‘s entryway to bigger things.
[The Secret Handshake online] [Doll House Recordings]
- Mike Postma
Copyright ©2006