THE INANIMATES – I’M ALIVE
Last summer, Cameron Brown and Tom Valkanas met over a mutual love of Thee Oh Sees, The Mummies and 60s garage rock. It didn’t take long before they knew what they had to do; by December they were playing shows around Toronto and releasing songs on Bandcamp.
Describing themselves as “rowdy brash garage surf, with quick high energy songs that go no farther than 1:40,” their band, The Inanimates, has already released an EP and a single, and they’re about to debut a new 4-song album, called Inanimate Objects, on August 31st.
Simple, straightforward songs, upbeat music and a touch of raucousness, The Inanimates embody the aesthetic of garage rock and the spirit of rock n roll. Their instant appeal à la early Ty Segall is undeniable and rooted in the magic of their partnership. Both Cameron and Tom come from musical backgrounds (check out Cameron’s many solo releases through his Bandcamp page here):
“We both write the songs. I’ll either write the chords and melody, or Tom [will],” says Brown. “The song really comes alive when we try it together. Then we write the lyrics last minute, after mumbling nonsense during the writing process.”
In anticipation of the release of Inanimate Objects, the band is releasing their first ever music video for the song “I’m Alive”, a fun stop-motion affair filmed entirely on iPhone in one afternoon, the creation of another friend and collaborator, sadstab (Fion Liu).
Although “I’m Alive” may only be 39 seconds long, there’s no denying how fun it is. And of course, as fans of garage rock – and fun! – here at 50thirdand3rd, we’re thrilled to debut the video with them!
If you live in the Greater Toronto Area, keep your eyes open for more shows from the band in the next weeks and months. But if you can’t see the guys in person – or you simply want more – check out their recent live “Basement Session” here for more music, including some of their other new songs. And don’t forget to check out their new album, Inanimate Objects, when it’s released next week!
FFO: Ty Segall, Traditional Fools, Thee Oh Sees
