Music Review—The Projectors

Artist: The Projectors
Album: The Projectors

Victoria, B.C.  indie/garage rock group, The Projectors, have released their debut self-titled LP, with an accompanying video for the single “Golden Age”.  The music video is available on YouTube and the album is available for streaming anywhere you get your music.

The band consists of lead singer/songwriter Dylan Rysstad, Robbie Shirriff on guitar, Dustin Tiljoe on second guitar, Conor Brandt on bass, and Evan Matthiesen on drums.  According to the band, they “unabashedly” draw their influences from early “aught-rock” like The Strokes or Franz Ferdinand.

Of the LP, Rysstad says, “With the first couple songs, ‘When the Lights Came Up’ and ‘Golden Age’, I really embraced certain influences and didn’t try to obscure or hide the fact that it was starting to sound like someone else.  The songs I’ve been writing for this project are what I want to be playing and listening to, and somewhat ironically, I feel like it’s the most ‘me’ if that makes sense.”

The Projectors consists of eight tracks: You Can Only Wait; Golden Age; Lost in Spaces; Slow It Down; Concessions; When the Lights Came Up; Tired of the Small Talk; and Valentine.  The songs “You Can Only Wait” and “Tired of the Small Talk” also have music videos available on YouTube.

After listening to the album, The Stokes influence is readily apparent (in the best way possible).  I also hear a lot of 60’s rock influence, reminiscent of The Beatles.  The vocals and instrumentals are raw and sincere, and the overall mixing of the album is very vintage.

While all the songs have a very similar light, upbeat sound, the lyrics completely change the vibe for each song.  Some songs, like “Valentine” and “When the Lights Came Up” are sweet love songs, while “Tired of the Small Talk” and “Golden Age” are self-deprecating songs about loneliness.  Others, like “Lost in Spaces” are vulnerable, and very accurate, descriptions of depression.

My favourite song on The Projectors is probably “Tired of the Small Talk”, with lyrics like “You know I wrestle with my thoughts/I can’t help but lose/To the boy who says he’s not into you/I tried to be what I know I’m not/I tried to steal but I got caught/Don’t know what I need from you.” I also love the song “Valentine” because it’s just one of those songs that will make your heart happy, with lyrics like: “Tell your lover/That they’re heard and understood/Show you can love them/Like some secret Latin lover would.”

The music video for the single “Golden Age” perfectly fits the band’s aesthetic.  The video looks as if it was shot on a giant camcorder from the early 2000’s, and follows one of the band members as he packs up his car and drives to the beach to go surfing.  It also features some beautiful B.C.  coast.

Overall, I really enjoyed The Projectors.  You can check them out on their website, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.