Album Review The OBGMs – The Ends

The OBGMs are based out of the same Toronto punk scene as flag-bearers PUP. And, while the cans-in-the-air chorus of ‘All My Friends’ and Pixies-Weezer axis- indebted closer ‘Move On’ echo a lot of the same touchstones as their Canadian counterparts, ‘The Ends’ is largely a broader take on the genre. Opener ‘Outsah’ clamours immediately, its asymmetrical, multi-layered percussion a perfect foil for frontman Densil McFarlane to spit lyrics one second, let out a guttural roar the next. ‘WTFRU’ both pummels and swirls; ‘Fight Song’ features an almost Blur-like guitar line, and ‘Cash’ marries garage punk with a biting vocal rhythm. The one to leave a grin on your face, however, is ‘Karen O’s’ in which Densil repeats “yeah yeah yeah” over the kind of whirring guitars Nick Zinner would be proud to put his name to. Tongue firmly in cheek, The OBGMs couldn’t be more serious.