On THE AMERICAN DEVICES - by Will Glass

 

The American Devices are one of Montreal's longest running musical

acts, and one of its most original. A freewheeling outfit with roots in

the first wave of punk rock to hit Canada, the band features two

contrasting singer-songwriter-guitartists, Rick Trembles and Rob

Labelle, and a tight, lively rhythm section. They come to join us this

weekend in New York and Philadelphia in support of their 25th

anniversary compilation on Grenadine Records. It's not often that one

hears music so original as to be unfamiliar, actively 'fresh' sounding

to the ears. Catchy melodies and choruses are easy enough to come by in any genre, but to hear a band with an original inner dynamic, a complex yet spirited give-and-take between players, is very rare in rock. The Devices have this. Their fast-picking guitar work has certain technical corollaries, like the Meat Puppets or Captain Beefheart's Magic Band, but its expressiveness and tone are entirely original. They are that rare thing: an original creation, conceived and realized vigorously, weathered over time. It will be an honor to play with them. You should check them out; you won't see another band like them this year or ever.

 

On GLASS BURNS

 

Originally, the Devices were supposed to come down with another

freewheeling Montreal band called Crackpot, a band I was in from its

founding in 2000 to when I moved to New York in 2003. Sadly, Crackpot broke up last fall. But over the past few years, its frontman Chris Burns and I have pursued our mutual love of both rock and free-form improvisation in duo form, which we're calling Glass Burns. The music takes all of our playing together over the years - with Crackpot, godspeed! founder Hrsta, a special show with Mike Watt, and numerous large-group improvisations - and distills it into a hopefully coherent river of noise. Chris is coming down so we can do a short,

palate-cleansing set, between the Devices and the Octagon.