Air Sea Rescue

Recommended for Listeners of :  The Smiths, The Strokes, Go Betweens, Gene, Suede, Shed Seven, Joy Division, Editors, Interpol, Psychedelic Furs, Morrissey, New Order, Maximo Park, Gersey, The Dears, R.E.M., Teenage Fanclub, Wedding Present, The Church, The Chameleons, U2, A Certain Ratio, The Cure

Track Reviews

1. Victory Line
Guitar-wise most of the tracks on this record are Johnny Marr styled, even the phrasing. Marr is listed as their first influence on their MySpace page. Victory Line starts of like a Smiths song as well, the guitar intro into the verse where  Charif-Pierre Megarbane's finger-picked electric guitars provide the underlying melody. Raphael Parent may not be as good as Martin Rossiter (Gene) when it comes to sounding like Morrissey but he surely displays emotion with every word like the master himself.
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2. It Takes A Long Time
The vocals here sound a bit more Ian Curtis. A very britpop sounding track.  A bit more attack on the guitars. A bit of shimmering effects is layered on for good measure. The bassist rips out some good grooves over some excellent touch drumming.
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3. There's No One.
It reminds me of Cemetery Gates by The Smiths in all it's jangly glory. The finger-picked styled guitars here work as a great layer for Raphael Parents vocals. The chord selection works well.
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Video: Heroes and Villains-Theres No One

4.Stella Maris
“Stella Maris” is the name by which many seafarers know the Apostleship of the Sea. This is because many of the Apostleship of the Sea seafarers’ clubs and hostels around the world are named “Stella Maris”, in honour of the patron, Our Lady Stella Maris. The lyrics of this song seem to tell the story of a ship named Stella Maris who is in trouble at sea. "What are we drinking to blacken our eyes..". A haunting song with excellent musicianship. One of the highlight songs on this record.
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5.Drink
Drink starts like a typical post-punk track. Repeating guitars and bass. A short song with shivering guitar work. Thanks to some finely used effects pedals.

6.The Phantom Ones
Nothing special except the intro-outro riff which they managed to have it not sound like anything else on the album.

7. It Will End In tears
A jangly classic that gets you from the first strum. Immensely catchy and melodic. Live this must be a top sing along track, with fans almost crying. It also evokes Morrissey's approach to lyrics and music more so than any other track on this record.
It may also be the best song on the record.

8. Vampire Town
A bit more aggression from the band here, but not much more. The chorus sounds like bit of the Editors. Heroes & Villains maybe the only of these modern post rock bands who manage to get a bit more emotion into the music.

9. Kidnapper
Curish guitars kickoff this track. Raphael Parent's vocals sound perfect on this track. There are some more guitar effects abuse on this track. Even the Peter Hook, Simon Gallup bass has a part to play on this song.

10. Air Sea Rescue
"It was boxing and rock roll, now it's hip-hop and basketball"..Title track and a big one it is, for the brilliant drumming on this song. Another two minute song. Perfect.
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11. Silent Discotheque
A brooding track which with the drummer do a clapping like pattern. If you love post rock guitars or the repeating post-punk guitars. You will get a bit that on this track. Really a good to begin the end of this record.

12. Gene Clark
Acoustic closing song, sung by someone else but Raphael Parent. It sounds like a slow folk song you may hear at any fishing village across the world. They even use some accordion.

A lot of people tend to shy away from bands that sound like the untouchables in their music collection. If you are a fan of early R.E.M, The Smiths and Joy Division and don't mind hearing a good mixture of these, this record is recommended. With strong melodic vocals and guitars, Air Sea Rescue is a record that evokes both sadness and joy. It is filled with elements that have been key to the many great records. Good songwriting, musicianship, arrangements and emotions.  It may not leave your CD player for a while, once you get hooked. 

Listen
@ MySpace

Videos:
Heroes and Villains-Theres No One

Short Artist Biography

Country: Canada
City: Montreal
Year Formed: 2003

Heroes & Villains is a  four-piece band featuring Charif-Pierre Megarbane on guitars, Raphael Parent on Vocals, Jeremy Proville on bass and Dominique Salameh on drums. Before the formation of the band Megarbane and Salameh, who grew up together in France and Lebanon  recorded a pair of unreleased albums together. Parent on the other-hand had no musical background. An ad brought the three together.  The first year saw them involved in the Emergenza battle of the bands.  In 2004 the band started booking shows and started work on the EP All the Giants Are Buried at Sea. Patrick Garon did the bass guitars on this EP. Garon soon left and Jeremy Proville joined to complete the unit.

All the Giants are Buried at Sea was self released in 2005. The EP made its way to Canadian college radio with its songs reaching, in many cases, top 5 charts. Two songs, “Firstname.Lastname” and “Loveline” appeared in the New Zealand charts.

In November 2006, their first LP, ‘Air Sea Rescue’ was released. Air Sea Rescue was recorded,  at the famous Hotel2Tango by Howard Bilerman, of Arcade Fire/The Dears/Godspeed You Black Emperor fame. This record has now established the sound of  a band that is dying to be heard by a larger audience. Air Sea Rescue made its way into the Canadian radio charts  peaking at number 10 in March 2007.

Heroes & Villains has played over 50-plus shows, including several shows at Pop Montreal Festivals. They toured Eastern Canada in August of 2006. Raphael Parent departed the band in early 2007. The band is currently working on a new album, to be released in the fall of 2007. Megarbane has taken over singing duties. The band is still without a recording contract.