Those Gulls

Ottawa has an up and coming indie scene. The city once skipped over on the way to Montreal is starting to push itself out of the basement of forgotten talent and surface with a new sound. Three gents calling themselves Those Gulls are helping to drive the new vibe with their third release and self titled album.
Summed up in one word, this band is fun. Every once in awhile, you hear a band for the first time and you just know that it was formed on close friendships and an absolute love for music. In this case, three guys who just want to play their hearts out and have a great time. Their music seeps into your bones and wraps itself around your head and your heart with clever lyrics, catchy hooks, and commanding drum beats.
Favourites from the album include Your Politics and Swim with Sharks with a very post-punk, in your face, uninhibited energy. Lyrically, Choke and Say Goodnight are bold and edgy. However, the biggest surprise on the album was New Light. Appearing as the last track, it is evidence that Those Gulls understand the importance of embracing instrumental moments to get their point across. It is also exciting to anticipate what will come from these gents in the future, as it is clear that they have only begun to develop as musicians and certainly are not afraid to try new things.
Those Gulls are one of those rare finds these days, where every song on this album is likeable, and genuine, not over produced. You can find these Ottawa boys on line at www.thosegulls.com or buy the CD for only $5 online at https://thosegulls.bandcamp.com/.
Those Gulls are also starting to produce videos down for their most recent release. Catch them on Youtube. Hilarious…. - Franki Figgs

The self-titled release from Ottawa’s Those Gulls is full of catchy guitar hooks and solid melodies. It is pure rock, without gimmicks, but with equal influences on punk and new indie-style rock. With hearing the opening notes of “Your Politics”, the comparison that’s almost impossible to avoid making is with one of the most influential punk bands in the past twenty years, Green Day. Those Gulls also have three members, and have a knack for creating stuff that stays in your head for a while, whether it’s an electrifying piece or a mellower tune.

I’ll be entirely honest when I say that punk rock and harder rock isn’t exactly my choice cup of tea, so listening to a record of that type and enjoying it fully is a really great thing. What makes this enjoyment possible is Those Gulls’ proper utilization of what they’ve got; tracks like “Swim With Sharks” and “Zeroes & Oones” aren’t just helter-skelter, they’re thought out and well-written while still remaining charged and powerful.

In addition to the aforementioned songs, almost every track on this record has the potential to be an anthem. Take “What Better Way”, or “Welcome Home”, or “Give Up”, for instance. I can picture a young band practicing covering these songs in their parents garages, dreaming of one day playing on a big stage with the big lights and big crowds. It’s funny, because the three-piece band isn’t exactly at that rockstar point yet, but their music sounds like it.

Those Gulls demonstrate how well they can do the classic punk-style rock tune, but they can also do things on a milder scale. “Choke” is pop-ier sounding, and “”Say Goodnight” sounds Said The Whale like with really snappy percussion and glorious lead vocal harmonies. The guitaring isn’t too harsh, it’s just present enough to keep things running smoothly. Lastly, “New Light” ends the record. It begins unassumingly with a lengthy intro, but flourishes into a full-out epic. Those Gulls bring out all the stops to create the best song on the album. They’ve got guitar lines, string lines, percussion lines and vocal lines working together seamlessly. Well played boys, well played. Saving the best for last is a wonderful thing.

Whether or not you regularly enjoy a grittier side of rock or not, I urge you to give Those Gulls a listen. They may pleasantly surprise you.

Oh look! It’s a hilarious music video for “Swim With Sharks”! - Shawna Naklicki

Together since 2007, I first discovered Those Gulls earlier this year during one of Live 88.5‘s Big Money Shot performance nights. The band is about to release their latest self-titled effort.

The album is punctuated by driving guitars and beats. The band wastes no time getting started with Your Politics. Other highlights on the album for me include Swim With Sharks and What Better Way. Finally, the instrumental New Light, was a great ending to the album. It brought a bit of a different sound, without feeling out of place from the rest of the music.

This is one of those albums that grew on me, more and more, with each successive listen. Check it out and I think you’ll like it too. You can find a few of their songs on their myspace page. - Scott Martin

“Those Gulls.” is album number 3 for the three piece from Ottawa. It’s a great record filled with many different approaches to alternative rock. There are songs like Swim With Sharks or the opener, Your Politics, that really come at ya right away, and make their point heard. However, there is more to this group than straight-up rock and roll. New Light really showcases the bands diversity. In just under 5 minutes, Those Gulls manage to prove what makes them more than your average altrock band. These guys are musicians, make no mistake about it. There is also great midtempo stuff like Choke. In conclusion, great album. Go see them tomorrow night, at Cafe Dekcuf for the record release show! - Phil Shirakawa