MATT CHEETHAM
Arts Writer

The Toronto-based group Spiral Beach is an acid trip with instruments.

The band’s sound, if it could be described, is a collaboration of indie rock and punk. It is an insane amalgamation of wicked sounds with an immense sense of fun and showmanship. If you are so lucky to see them live, you will never forget them or the feeling that you were both at a psychedelic rave and at a carnival — at the same time.

Their new album The Only Really Thing was just released a few weeks ago and offers an interesting descent into another Spiral Beach musical adventure. The songs and feeling of the CD are exactly what one would expect and hope for. While not exactly doing something new or different, they have decided to continue on with what works, intensifying and amping up the atmosphere.

The musical atmosphere takes on quite a strange, chaotic yet peaceful journey, all grounded by vocalist Maddy Wilde. Wilde’s vocals range from hypnotic to upbeat to sullen, all depending on where the song is going to swerve next. 

Brothers Daniel and Airick Woodhead, who play backup with drums and guitar, keep the strange transition smooth between song styles. 

It goes from songs like “Domino,” an extreme roller coaster of rock, to songs like “7 Girls,” which just slowly takes you on this melodic path of somberness and waning. Then you have “Cemetery,” which also continues the previous song “7 Girls” with a nice little story interwoven with the music. I also enjoyed the song “May Go Around,” a very intense number with a nice rock base.

The whole album was impressive, continuing everything great about Spiral Beach and intensifying the overall feeling and mood. 

With their sense of fun and wonderment coupled with their amazing live shows, Spiral Beach is clearly on their way to greatness and I can’t wait to see what they do next.