NovemsBer 19, 2004

Alec O’Hanley A&E Editor

An Evening With Smothered in Hugs Charlottetown indie-pop three- piece looks to bust some chops, kick some can.

Dozens of vibrant kid-like paintings plastered on a series of front porch windows send rainbows streaming across the street while the next-door neighbour’s dog, visibly insane, attempts to rip down the picket fence protecting any pedestrians from certain death. Enter the House of Hugs.

“Its tricky around here,” says Ryan Crane, front man for Smothered in Hugs. Ryan isn’t referring to his immediate surroundings; rather, he is talking about the difficulties of being an original band in Charlottetown, and seems actually quite content in his bandmates’ house. Their practice area/dining room is some sort of rock sanctuary, plastered wall-to- wall with artistically placed duMarier cigarette packets and amps. This

Tue CADRE © 10

An Evening With Smothered in Hugs

esthetic fills every room in this house — it’s rare to walk in and not hear either the band in the midst of practice or some

great indie album tearing the paint off

the ceiling. Smothered in Hugs started in February of this year and are named

for a song off of “Bee Thousand” by —

Guided by Voices, one of the band’s favourite albums. The band consists of brothers Ryan and Aaron Crane, singer/ guitarist and drummer respectively, and Josh Burn on bass. Smothered in Hugs sound similar to REM before they sold their

souls. The group is explicit in their distaste for most jam music and are reluctant to put themselves in a situation

like Justin Hawkins (of the Darkness), we could do all kinds of stuff, but that’s not the way it is.”

where they might get called a ‘bar

Smothered in Hugs’ Top Ten Favourite Albums

10. Daft Punk— Homework

9. The Libertines — Up the Bracket

8. The Replacements — Let it be

7. Belle and Sebastian — If You’re Feeling Sinister

The guys from Smothered in

Hugs seem very realistic and levelheaded in their expectations of the current PEI music scene: “We don’t expect the average person

6. Wilco— Yankee Hotel Foxtrot to walkous the 5. The Smiths — The Queen is Dead street ahi 2 s 4. Pavement — Slanted and Enchanted nai - 3. My Bloody Valentine - Loveless vite wees 2. Guided by Voices — Bee Thousand al opoegt 1. REM-—Murmur While the 2: ww eas * os group band’; in addition to keeping their set the inherent obstacles for a little PEI relatively brief, the trio rea indie band, they are optimistic that things band’s songs. are definitely moving in the right

“Us playing covers is kind of pointless because we wouldn’t do a good job of the songs we try because we’re a three-piece, so the only way we can really work it is to write our own songs around what we have to

work with.” Ryan explains. “If we had —

a five-piece band and if I could sing

On the Arts: What’s on in Charlottetown

For the cultured among you, we’ve compiled a list (by no means comprehensive) of artistic and cultural events going on in Charlottetown dur- ing the rest of November. We would obviously be remiss if we were to ig-

nore the stuff going onrighthereoncam- —

pus, so we’ll start with that. As noted elsewhere in this issue, The UPEI Thea- tre Society is staging Doctor Faustus

beginning on the 20". This show should prove to be a crowd pleaser, and hey, it’s cheap. Earlier in the day on the 20", why not check out the UPEI Music Majors Lunchtime Recital at 12:40 PM in the Dr. Steele Recital Hall... it’s free.

Off campus, The Confederation

Centre of the Arts is presenting its usual array of acts, including the PEI Music

Awards, The Nutcracker Ballet, Sym- phony PEI, anda Christmas party night called “A New Fashioned Christmas” which is offering a free drink and a beer mug with a ticket. Check out the Confederation Centre website at:

w.contedera! th KOmICenire

So

i 'dowsities and ticket information.

direction. “There’s a little community growing,” says Aaron, citing the Robots and Two Hours Traffic as like-minded Charlottetown bands.

Look for Smothered in Hugs at the Wave and Baba’s Lounge in Charlottetown in the near future.

The Nutcracker at the Confederation Centre this Month.