Greys
A handful of guys raging out of the Toronto underground unleashing adrenalised noise-punk that’ll leave you in a quivering frazzled heap. Sound familiar? When we spoke to Greys mainman Shehzaad Jiwani ahead of the release of their debut full-length If Anything, he didn’t seem perturbed by inevitable comparisons to compatriots METZ.
“They’re really good friends of ours” he says. “(METZ bassist) Chris and I go on dates to Nando’s fairly regularly. We’ve never played with them before though – we have to assume they’re intimidated by our youthful energy and boyish good looks. They’ve done a lot for the city and everyone continues to be fully stoked on everything they do.” It’s an incredibly vibrant spawning ground – from Fucked Up right through to Drizzy Drake – and that’s a source of great joy to Jiwani. “Toronto has the best music scene in the world right now and we are very proud to be part of such an amazingly creative and supportive community. All of my favourite bands right now are from here”
The album in question spans the atonal gnarl of The Jesus Lizard, through to the kind of mid-paced post-hardcore swagger that Froberg and Reis would sweat through with glee, replete with sloganeering choruses you’ll holler along to when they finally make it across the pond later this year. “I’ve never seen us live, but we get pretty sweaty” says Jiwani, “which either suggests we jump around a lot, or that we’re completely out of shape.
Greys aren’t ashamed to wear their influences on their sleeves: the album’s first single is a paean to heroes past, titled Guy Picciotto in tribute to the former Rites of Spring/Fugazi godhead. “The song isn’t literally about him” he says, “but he’s definitely the person who comes to mind when I think of people I looked up to as a kid. I mean, the dude defies gravity. Fugazi is definitely a favourite, but that Blood Brothers album he worked on is probably their best one. He also produced my two favourite Blonde Redhead albums. Plus his songs trump Ian Mackaye’s nine times out of ten! But you didn’t hear that from me.”
Trust us, once you’ve heard If Anything you’ll have a new name to add to your ‘favourite dudes’ list too. Stream the whole bloody thing below.
File Next To: Hot Snakes METZ
Words: Geraint Davies
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