Here are some of the words that have been used to describe live shows by Victoria band Slam Dunk: blistering, chaotic, fiery, raucous, scorching, sweat-filled and spastic.
Boring isn't one of them. Echoing the punk scene that preceded them, the five-piece has developed a rabid local following, thanks to a do-it-yourself ethic and a certain level of absurdity. Performances in recent memory have included tying together a shoe-string guitar strap while performing a satirical cover of Mr. Jones by the Counting Crows, according to one music promoter, as well as crowdsurfing before the music even starts.
So while joining a label and producing in-studio is par for the course for most bands, those milestones are a bit more novel for this one, comprising Duncan McConnell (vocals/guitar/ piano), Luke Postl (drums) and Kain Bryson (saxophone), as well as Jordan Minkoff (vocals/guitar) and Caitlin Gallup (vocals/bass), formerly of Immaculate Machine.
The band recently signed to independent label File Under: Music and its second full-length album, Welcome to Miami, will be released Nov. 13.
"It was our first time in a studio, which was pretty funny," Minkoff said in an interview from England, where he was celebrating his 26th birthday with family.
They recorded the album over four days - a sprint for most, but a marathon for Minkoff, who expected it could be done in one. "I guess in a studio they want to make sure everything sounds right, which we'd never done before."
Case in point: Slam Dunk recorded its previous album The Shivers in a Saanich barn. They spent two nights there, but when it turned out the microphone was off for the first night, they just used all the second takes.
"And then the cops came while we were recording the last song, so it never made it to the album," he said.
This time was a bit different. While it was still "really bare," there was a process, led by producer Colin Stewart (Black Moun-tain/Ladyhawk/Sleepy Sun). The lyrics are more intelligible and the sound is cleaner, thanks to the sacrifice of a little scrappiness.
But fans shouldn't fear a radical departure.
"Even though it was more produced, it was still the same old us," he said.
"The album just sounds to me the way the band has always sounded in my head."
Fittingly, they only wrote half the songs before entering the studio and some of the recordings were improvised. Minkoff's favourite was the final song, Fantasy - there was a moment during recording when they all winged it and just started yelling.
Slam Dunk will play a CD-release party Nov. 23 at Logan's Pub, one of band members' favourite venues.
There's been some change and growth for the band in other ways, too.
They've moved from playing house parties to performing at major festivals across Canada and the United States, including South by Southwest, the CMJ Music Marathon, the Halifax Pop Explosion and Sled Island. Outside Victoria, audiences are mixed, however. The best turnouts are in Toronto and Montreal, where former Victorians familiar with the band bring their friends.
That's not a problem for Slam Dunk, whose aspirations are more modest.
Their ideal venues are small ones - art spaces or parties like the ones they started out in.
"That's kind of why the band started, just to play rowdy, smelly shows," Minkoff said. "And that's what I hope we keep doing." [email protected]
