Band: Bend Sinister
EP: On My Mind
Written by: Chiara DiAngelo
From Vancouver BC, Bend Sinister’s new EP On My Mind drops on Tuesday, and with it, Dan Moxon (vocals, piano), Joseph Blood (guitar, vocals), Matt Rhode (bass) and Jason Dana (drums) once again deliver their signature power-piano-pop-rock tunes.
Intentional or not, this EP has Moxon and co taking the listener through each emotional stage of a relationship. Starting strong, “Give It A Rest” is the triumphant, uplifting anthem for all the singletons out there. With the most poppy, sing-along worthy chorus of the five tracks, it is a perfect replacement for “Things Will Get Better” (Spring Romance). Warning: It may not be the greatest choice to listen to on a crowded subway. You will dance. People will stare. And yes, I did learn that the hard way.
Second track “Got You On My Mind” has this great care-free, 60’s soul feel, complete with plucky piano and Blood’s supporting back-up vocals.This is the tune you’ll be humming when a fresh new relationship has you giddy and excited. The EP then takes on a darker edge with “I’m The One Leaving You,” with its pounding keys, heavier driving guitar and exaggerated drawn-out vocals as Moxon defiantly belts out “I’m the one leaving you.” The sped up repetition of “please say that you will say” gives next track “Please Say” an insistent, almost begging quality, which perfectly fits the crazy obsessed feeling of one who refuses to accept a relationship’s demise.
“The Road Divided” closes out the EP on a bit of a sombre note. There is a melancholy grandeur to Moxon’s voice as he sings “say goodbye to that old-time feeling, soon you’ll be gone, now that your road leads nowhere,” a lyric guaranteed to stick with you long after the music ends.
You can pick up On My Mind starting March 6, and if you want to catch one of the most energetic live performances I’ve personally ever encountered, come out to Cherry Cola’s on March 10th to help Bend Sinister celebrate its release.
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