Arrows
Knives Are Falling From The Sky
Ford Plant Recording Company, 2007
By Helen Fylactou
“Well, we just want to inspire people to do something. Anything.” — Jackie Stanley, vocalist/drummer of Arrows
And that’s exactly what they did: Arrows inspired me to write and become excited about music again. I’ve been bored by recent releases, yet I still make an effort to check out as many shows as I can. Not thinking of writing a review, I went out on a Tuesday; interested in hearing Peru Ubu, I ended up being blown away by the opening band.
Arrows is a two-piece band from Guelph, made up of married couple Ryan (guitar and vocals) and Jackie Stanley (drums and vocals). I’ve been a fan of Ryan for years and have seen him in various musical pursuits (including Brantford band The Vermicious Knid). My expectations of Ryan’s talent have long been surpassed, and Arrows showcases his conviction to writing lyrics significant to current events, such as environment, death, and politics. Jackie’s collaborative efforts with Ryan are what make the narrative and melodies untouchable. Her melancholy voice is comparable to that of The Pixies’ Kim Deal, and is perfect in complementing the intensity of his guitar. Not since The Inbreds has Canada seen a duo with such unwavering commitment to music and poetry.
Arrows’ debut Knives Are Falling From the Sky is self-recorded; the music weaves eloquently between folk, punk, and boisterous, early-’90s rock. Every track on the album delivers a story of disillusioned reality, a couple struggling to understand the world they live in. The title tune, a song about the disappearance of the Niagara Escarpment, has Ryan playing a rhythmic guitar part, with Jackie providing a dramatic and steady beat. The pair harmonize “If we keep our eyes closed, they’ll never find us,” commenting on ignorance about urbanization. It’s a sound that Pavement fans would appreciate. My personal favourite is “Coat of Arms”: sounding like early Dinosaur Jr., it moves from rock to bouncy pop, ending with a sudden change in the rhythm. It’s a love song, even with lyrics like “Your socks are grey as the concrete / My mind’s made up, I won’t look back.”
Knives Are Falling From the Sky is rooted in hard rock and has a raw indie sound right now, but is accessible enough to one day be considered arena-ready. It’s an album by two people with a connection that can be both heard throughout the album and seen on stage.
Check Arrows out at www.arrowsband.com.
