“Cha/ Boys don’t get me/ Girls wanna get with me/ You’re so shifty/ Don’t you think you’d fit me?” belts Jordan Miller, bassist and vocalist of The Beaches.
Juno-award winning, Toronto-based all-girl band The Beaches provide some groovy vibes on their latest album, The Late Show, released Oct. 13, 2017. With an interesting musical combo of glam rock, indie rock with hints of garage, The Beaches provide a unique listening experience, not unlike the Arctic Monkeys.
Miller sounds a little bit like Nancy Sinatra and a little bit like Alanis Morrissett, while the music created by her sister Kylie on guitar, drums by Eliza Enman-McDaniel and keys and guitar by Leandra Earl provide a nice a canvas for the band’s overall tone and aesthetic.
The album is produced by vocalist Emily Haines of Canada’s Metric. Their inspirations of The Strokes, Yeah Yeahs, St. Vincent and Blondie are threaded throughout The Late Show, while the aesthetics are very 60s and 70s with just a touch of 90s glam.
The Late Show kicks off with an impressive jam about respect. The song demands attention with its catchy strumming, unique vocals and relatable, motivating lyrics.
“I know things are looking up/ I don’t know how long, I’ll try my luck/I just know someday, I’m gonna get there/ So don’t hold me back, just hold me up/ I can take a hit, I can take a punch/ ‘Cause today’s the day, I’m gonna get there,”
The title track “The Late Show” is clearly inspired by The White Stripes, with the vocal style and fun guitar riffs. The song is sexy, flirty, fun and a little bit cheeky with lyrics like:
“You wanna go to the late show/ So wear your fox coat, I’ll wear no clothes and stilettos/ Oh/ Or we could go to a party/ And eat smarties, and get naughty little hottie, sweet hottie,”
The album’s second single, “Money,” serves up a hints of Joan Jette and a little 70s rock. It’s the kind of song you’d pre-game to. With a fun beat, a cool riff and even cooler lyircs, it’s a song that will be on replay.
I don’t really want it to stop, I just got on it/ I never knew, I never knew/ It’s not like I planned it, I don’t know how you stand it/ You do, what you do/ I need to make money, need to make money/ Woo woo make money.
From sexy to sassy, this album covers sex, money and respect with a unique take. With silky, diverse vocals, funky riffs and a fun aesthetic, it’s no wonder the Toronto-based band won Breakthrough Group of the Year at the 2018 Juno Awards.
Although the band is clearly inspirational for being as successful as they are, especially for women in the male-dominated rock industry, The Beaches prefer not to mention it, as they believe it should not be the one thing that defines them. They roll their eyes at the term “girl group.”
The Beaches are playing at the Toronto Opera House on May 11.
