I first heard about Clinic in one of those innocent ways that one may often learn about a band. I was having a passing conversation with a co-worker about concerts we were going to see in the near future and she mentioned going to see Clinic. As we have similar taste in music, I decided to investigate.

Clinic reminds me of a wedding....something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue. Their alternative funk sound is one-of-a-kind with a hint of something familiar. There's a constant touch of sadness and melancholy throughout the songs. They have found a very good formula to their music and they've used the music samplings on their MySpace page for good.

Clinic's MySpace page with 6 songs

Memories feels heavy. There's a heavy guitar riff throughout the song, the vocals are heavy and it's all layered together to produce a heavy song. But rather than feel like it's maybe too much, it really becomes a powerful song.

Tomorrow is a bold contrast from Memories. It's a simpler guitar intro and as more adds into the mix, it never gets weighed down. It builds towards the end with more layering of sound in the bridge but then it pulls back for the end. Its only weakness is that it feels slightly long

The Witch quickly takes over with an upbeat intro. It's one of those songs that's based around one guitar riff and they do a great job of adding and subtracting to that sound.

Free Not Free is yet another song that comes and goes, builds and fades. There's a lot to it but it never feels overwhelming. The music seems to be going somewhere bigger and better, but then it is pulled back and it maintains the original casual feel. It's really a mellow song with a few well placed accents throughout.

You may need to take a second listen to Shopping Bag, but don't rule it out if you're a little unsure at first. It's a cacophony of sounds, but over all of that, there are some great vocals. What may at first seem like noise actually develops into a strong song.

Corpus Christi is a seemingly cute song with a darker, more melancholy feel hidden deeper within it. It starts with bells which sound bright and happy, but this is quickly changed by a ominous sounding guitar riff. It's an amazing song that plays with your emotions throughout the duration. It waxes and wanes and then it just ends. It leaves you hanging and wanting more.

Which is precisely why Clinic is a must see. They're intense, unique and simply enjoyable. It's a great way to end the weekend.

Clinic
@ Lee's Palace (529 Bloor Street West)
416.532.1598
Sunday, May 11, 2008
$15.00

Photo by Andy Hebden