Matchless – Randomly Generated Numbers

Those who know me well understand just how devastated I was when Montreal’s Gutter Demons called it a day back in 2008.  There it was, the greatest, most well rounded and ambitious band in psychobilly, calling it quits barely nine months after their mind blowing and genre eclipsing third album, Misery, Madness, and Murder Lullabies.  A little part of me died that day, and I couldn’t help but wonder if another psychobilly band could ever rival the Gutter Demons for that top spot.  What I hadn’t considered though, was that while frontman and lyricist Johnny Toxic had upped and left the Montreal scene, the remaining two members still had the drive and were looking to get their hands dirty in some new local projects.

In fact, drummer ‘Custom’ Pat and Upright Bassist ‘Flipper’ have been particularly industrious, getting involved in projects ranging from the newly formed street punkers in Tailgunner to making up half of the freshly exhumed rockabilly classic, The Alley Dukes.  And while the aforementioned projects are nothing to scoff at, the one that really grabbed my eye first that Flipper had joined the straight up psychobilly act Matchless.  Promising Flipper’s thick bass and all the inspiration that defined the Gutter Demons, the prospect excited me.  Unfortunately my initial impressions left something to be desired.  The band rushed out a quick little EP in early 2009, and while reasonable in foundation, suffered from sounding more like a demo than a finished product (I was later told that it was a demo).  Without going in to too much detail, the vocals lacked a certain punch, and the music just didn’t leave much of an impact.  It was disheartening, so I just sort of abandoned the search and looked elsewhere for my fix.

Now, at this point I should mention that occasionally I find myself navigating to the Gutter Demons’ website in the off chance the defunct band might have an update.  So one day while checking up and listening to the sound of nostalgia, I thought that I might as well check up on the boys’ new endeavors.  And damn, am I ever glad I did.  For when I found myself over at the Matchless website I was greeted with the closest thing to the Gutter Demons shy of the band itself.

Since their previous release, Matchless has completely revamped their mechanics.  For starters, they’ve solved their vocal issues with frontman “Frank” ditching his rockabilly overtone in favour of a more natural punk persona.  His manner takes a nod from Johnny Toxic’s growly, raspy French Canadian accent, giving Matchless a fantastic edge and instant draw for psychobilly enthusiasts.  And of course, with Flipper back in the saddle, rest assured every track thumps along with unmatched energy and aggression.  They’ve also eliminated production issues, with the new full length, Randomly Generated Numbers, sounding satisfyingly crisp.  Every chord finds that perfect balance between pulsating pedal work and distortion, backed by a ton of atmospheric sounds and moments of toned down spoken word.

The effect is both nostalgic and fresh, and sounds like the natural progression of the Demons’ sound.  At their core Matchless builds their sound around that characteristic 80’s psychobilly sound that bands like Batmobile and The Krewmen pioneered by meshing rockabilly and punk into one.  And unlike many of today’s poppy psychobilly outfits like Ontario’s The Creepshow, Matchless looks for inspiration in the genre’s rock n’ roll roots, particularly evident in the neo-rockabilly numbers “Fourteen Years” and “Grease Monkey Blues.”  But even so, placing a label is a tough task.  The best comparison comes from looking at the Demons’ later material.   Much like the local legend’s final work, Matchless fuses an element of country in their stylistic concoction.  It’s always present, but comes and goes in waves.  For example, tracks like “Selfish Thoughts” and “Randomly Generated Numbers” reveal but trace hints, while those like “What’s Wrong With Mary” and “Legacy Of Bitterness” embrace a real western flare in sound and content.  There aren’t many bands that can pull off – or even fit in – with this sound, so from this standpoint Matchless aims to build off of what The Demons never truly finished.

Speaking of which, there are quite a few instances of subtle sound effects and atmospheric flourishes.  From the occasional sound of gunfire and hooves during the climax of “Legacy of Bitterness,” to the sound of casino slots in the title track’s tale of revenge and greed, the tracks take on a life of their own.  Furthermore, “Frank” is credited with writing duties, and he more than gets the job done.  His lyrics are smart, not overly obvious, and leave plenty of room for thoughtful interpretation.

In short, Matchless isn’t cookie cutter psychobilly.  Rather, their debut full length takes a nod from their past influences for an altogether unique fusion.  If you loved the Gutter Demons, then Matchless is a shoe in.  Admittedly, in some places the four members sound as if they’re still finding their footing, but based on the strength of their debut, I hold no serious reservations and can’t wait for their next offering. Randomly Generated Numbers hasn’t left my iPod, car stereo, and various other outlets for musical output in over a month, and with each passing listen, continues to grow on me.