CMW Review: Gold Lake, FRANKIE, May 7

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During Gold Lake’s set at The Drake Underground, singer Lua Rios mentioned how happy they were to be in Toronto, even going so far as to refer to it as “our favourite city.” While most bands are probably buttering up whatever city they’re playing in when they say something like that, apparently these guys mean it. Inspired by a trip here for NXNE with a previous band, Rios and guitarist Carlos Del Amo decided to make the move to North America, relocating from their native Madrid to Brooklyn. Because Brooklyn is apparently just like Toronto? Who knows.

Rios’ soulful and spacey vocals were the focal point of their sound, floating atop the band’s lush, pretty pop. In reading a few other reviews of the band’s sound, I’ve come across the word “shimmering” as a descriptor and it seems fitting. The band has even made note of this, referencing it on their Bandcamp page: “Gold Lake shimmer, or so they say….”

From shimmering, we move to twinkling, namely the self-described “twinkle rock” of Vancouver based band FRANKIE. Though I’m not entirely sure what twinkle rock entails exactly, I suppose there is a certain twinkling, sparkling, perhaps even shimmering element to the band’s sound. With lots of instrument switching and three singers displaying strong harmonies throughout, they played an enjoyable set at The Paddock to a fairly full house. And while the term twinkle rock may suggest a certain lightness, there was also a bit of heft to their sound as well as a slightly dark undercurrent at times, both lyrically and sonically.

Posted on by Paul in Canadian Music Week