Under Review

Woodhands

Remorsecapade (Paper Bag Records)

Review By Sarah Berman

Woodhands - Remorsecapade
Woodhands - Remorsecapade
Much like its title suggests, Remorsecapade is a portmanteau: a frantic blend of equal parts euphoria and despair, excitement and heartbreak. Hailing from Toronto, the drum and synth duo have injected an unexpected amount of emotional honesty (and intensity) into their sophomore release.

In a nod to older formats, the album is divided by sides. Side A begins with a relentless brand of electro you might expect from an album with a laser-mounted robot-spider on its cover. Both “Pockets” and “Sluts” are upbeat and danceable, punctuated with reverberated snare and frontman Dan Werb’s trademark shriek. “Coolchazine” and “Talk” explore darker territory, with a few dub inflections. On the recently-released single “CP24” Werb expresses an urge to launch Roman candles at an ex-lover’s home with an unsettling amount of confidence.

Side B, however, is an entirely different beast. On the whole, tracks are downtempo and less distorted, with the sweet harmonies on “Dissembler” standing out from the pack. The lyrics are moody and self-conscious, with frank emphasis on the anxieties caused by partying too hard. “When the Party Is Over” and “I Should Have Gone With My Friends” both capture the discomfort of a weekend complicated by regret and substance abuse.