If you’ve noticed a fierce glow on the northern horizon recently, it’s not the atmospheric shimmer from the aurora borealis. That flickering sky light is the incendiary firestorm emanating from Pet Sun, a Hamilton, Ontario quartet with a penchant for Garage riffs, Pop melodicism and Stoner Rock rumble, all played through amps with volume knobs that seemingly spiral into an infinity of astrally projected psychedelic distortion. Pet Sun is the squalling sound of the Gallagher brothers if they’d been as intoxicated by Black Sabbath and Blue Cheer as they were The Beatles.
Pet Sun has only been together since 2013, but the foursome — vocalist/guitarist Stephane Senecal-Tremblay, guitarist Sam Rashid, bassist Nic Arbour and drummer Parth Jain — has released a small but potent string of EPs that perfectly frame its dynamic sonic range, from Doom-heavy pummeling to feather-light Pop nuance. The band’s initial volleys were powerful introductions to the group’s estimable gifts, but Pet Sun’s eponymous full-length debut (due March 11) is a 40-minute piss on an electric fence, with very brief breaks for quietly powerful songs that feel like they could have been lifted from a lost Velvet Underground album or Kurt Cobain’s acoustic demo collection.
The quartet coalesced three years ago during a beer-soaked jam session that lasted well into the Canadian night and produced a sludgy concoction that captivated the band members and led to a compelling need to share it with others. Since then, Pet Sun has racked up impressive reviews for its studio output, as well as its blistering live shows, most notably three mind-melting showcases at 2014’s North by Northeast festival in Toronto. This past year has found Pet Sun opening for the likes of The Black Lips, The Wytches and King Khan & BBQ Show, leaving breathless and bell-rung converts across the Great White North and the lower 48. (The band is taking great Cincy trio Leggy on the road with them for several weeks, so we also know the band members have excellent taste.)
Ear plugs and phase shifters set to stun; Pet Sun could be the Canadian kiss at the business end of Thor’s velvet hammer that you’ve been dreaming about.
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This article appears in Mar 2-9, 2016.
