Press Play: Port Juvee

Despite what their band name may imply, Port Juvee comes from the landlocked city of Calgary. The Canadian quintet’s brand of alternative rock transcends boundaries, incorporating NYC post punk and California surf rock. They bring frantic and tenacious energy with droning guitars and gritty lyrics. Their 2014 EP Revenge is full of bravado with bright guitar leads, baritone vocals and a pounding rhythm section.

After the success and wide acclaim with their Revenge EP, Port Juvee continued to ride a post punk/surf rock wave on their sophomore EP Crimewave. They brought tons of energy with punchy guitar rhythms and dizzying arrangements. Frontman Brett Sandford’s calm vocals layer each song for an atmospheric feel. On tracks “Bleached Out Soda Pop” and “Mania”, Sandford’s minimalist vocal energy is juxtaposed with the liveliness of the instrumentals. Crimewave moves seamlessly from track to track, exploring faraway melodies and coastal garage rock grooves all within a fuzzy lo-fi environment.

Last month Port Juvee released their debut album Motion Control. For this effort, the band doesn’t stray too far into unknown territory, but they do benefit from a few sleek studio touches. As expected with any work from Port Juvee, it’s an absolute ripper from start to finish. The sweeping title track is a blistering cut with frenzied guitar riffs, rapid-fire percussion and searing vocals. The record’s lead single “Hope to Lose”, is larger than life with lashing guitars and howling vocals. The track tackles ideas of adolescence and technological advancements. The accompanying visuals were shot on an old VHX camera, and the grainy images cut with old stock photos of outdated machinery paint a perturbing picture of how we look back on our supposed progress.