Modern Superstitions

The Superstitions
Honey in the Lion’s Ear
By Sofi Papamarko

If you feel like you've accomplished little to nothing in your life, you'd probably do you well to avoid the Superstitions — they'd only make things worse. Barely out of their teens, this Toronto quartet have already mastered the art of rock'n'rolling; it's apparent that they spent their formative years spinning and studying their parents' (errr, possibly grandparents') dirty garage and classic soul records. Yet it's unfair to focus on the band's collective age; they shouldn't be defined by their years, as they're certainly no novelty act. The musicianship is polished, controlled and imaginative, while Nyssa Rosaleen's vocals are a devastating force of nature. Combining the sweetness of honey and the fierceness of a lioness as she does, might Rosaleen be the long-awaited second coming of Shocking Blue's Mariska Veres? We can only hope. (Independent) - Exclaim!

Hailing from Toronto, The Superstitions are a four-piece led by the powerful vocal stylings of Nyssa Rosaleen (who was last night sporting a pair of very high heels). The groups undeniable early-70s classic rock influence held together a set which included the punchy Mercy Line and the rollicking Beck and Call, two tracks that absolutely command you to dance. Throughout their set, I couldn't help but think that the group's chief influence must be The Who -- a suspicion which was all but confirmed when My Generation came blaring through the Silver Dollar's speakers.

Here's the link to read about the rest of the evening:

http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/theampersand/archive/2009/03/14/cmw-2009-a-taste-of-pop-montreal-at-the-silver-dollar.aspx

March 14, 2009 - The National Post

Grade: %88

Could The Superstitions be Canada's answer to Be Your Own Pet? All they're missing is a dollop of thrash. Rosaleen is a gifted singer, and crafting catchy pop tunes seems to be effortless for these kids. There wasn't much room in The Silver Dollar, but people were dancing anyway.

Here's the link to read the rest of the report card:

http://www.chartattack.com/reviews/67322/the-superstitions-cmw-2009
- Chart Attack

She was dressed in all black and the three guys behind her all wore the same blue plaid shirts. They started playing and I knew Toronto's The Superstitions weren't just your average indie group.

On the tiny Silver Dollar stage, Nyssa Rosaleen's low, sultry voice filled the bar and I couldn't keep my eyes off of her. She contrasted with the rest of the band, the three of them bopping and moving with the music, reminding me of a band from the ‘50s (a la Buddy Holly), while her slow dancing was reminiscent of the ‘70s (a la Stevie Nicks).

The drums were the driving force behind the songs, making them upbeat and dancey, but with great vocals and lyrics to match. "Deceiver", completel with catchy lyrics, had me grooving throughout the entire song – of course, every song they played kept the crowd going, while "Beck and Call" was probably the stand-out.

In between songs, the band schmoozed with the audience, talking, joking, even asking about the Burton Cummings show later that night. And finally, just to demonstrate how damn good they were: Having never heard of them before, I left the show with their EP in hand.

- Soundproof Online

The Superstitions
Toronto ON, March 11 to 14
By Ian Gormely

The Pop Montreal showcase at the Silver Dollar belonged to the Superstitions. The crowd, which was reaching capacity by the time of their 11:00 set, responded well to the quartet's pop rock sound and singer Nyssa Rosaleen's powerful voice. And what is there to dislike? The songs are simple and the band know their way around a hook. Though they tread well-worn territory — their brand of garage-y rock peaked with the Posies — when done well live it's hard for even the most hardened music snob to have a bad night.

- Exclaim!

MODERN SUPERSTITIONS at Tattoo Rock Parlour Rating: NNN

In an age when revivalist acts like Black Lips and King Khan are injecting new hope into garage rock, Toronto’s Modern Superstitions (formerly the Superstitions) may soon hit pay dirt. By tying together Motown hooks, punk bass lines, psychedelic undertones and surf-rock guitar solos, they’ve found their groove – surprising considering that the members’ average age hovers around 19.

A new track called No Longer Me sounds like a Dick Dale song coupled with a Frankie Lymonesque hook. Vocalist Nyssa Rosaleen’s sharp howl is the band’s defining characteristic. Not only did it pierce through the Tattoo’s poor sound mix, but it also seemed to belong to someone twice her age. Instrumentally, the four-piece could benefit from a little tightening, though the “fast and rough” thing adds to their charm.

ANDREW RENNIE

http://www.nowtoronto.com/music/story.cfm?content=171301#at
- Now Magazine

"...An all-local card got the blood pumping early...Modern Superstitions showed signs that their stage presence is catching up to their hook-heavy take on garage rock and Stax soul. Give the kids another year or two and they could be local heavyweights."

4/5

Richard Trapunski - Now Magazine

April 3rd at Sneaky Dee's:

Local teenage garage rockers the Superstitions, who opened the night, sound like a bluesier Debbie Harry singing over a more rock ’n’ roll version of the Jam. Their stage show needs work, but expect big things once they get more comfortable under the lights. Headlining Edmonton psych rockers the Whitsundays had attitude and presence, but lacked the Superstitions’ knack for writing absurdly catchy pop blasts. 

Benjamin Boles - Now Magazine