REVIEWS of the Big City E.P.
“Local long-time collaborators Erin Ross and Amber Goodwyn team up with drummer Eric Lapointe to form Nightwood: Montreal’s own take on the lovely lady-smacked scene of dark, moody rock that the now-defunct The Organ unearthed for our pleasure in 2001. Big City is a debut EP: full of promises, potential and a few minor bugs here and there that can easily be chalked up to the new experience of finally laying one’s craft down on something more tangible than a live show. The promise lies in the unaffected, sexy female vocals that intermingle over a trudging backbeat that can’t be ignored. (NV)” - Nightlife Magazine, October 2008
“Strangely familiar sultry rock music is the taste of summer, like putting little beads on the spokes of your one-speed. As you bump gently down rocky ol’ Esplanade humming throaty sex ballads to yourself, the mountain and the city and your motion suggest something cinematic, and your right brain scans quickly for an appropriate soundtrack. Maybe something fresh- like that Nightwood band- who kinda sound like happy, cocky grrrl goths. Their simple songs make you feel comfortable and the good ones make you want to sing along. Equally good for pre-drinking or 4a.m. seclusion- Big City is good music for good people. Think end credits of a nihilistic ’90s cop movie.” - Nick Cabelli, The Concordia Link, April 15, 2008
“Goodwyn’s voice is commanding and, at times, raw, and it is beautifully paired with Ross’s sweet backing vocals. The music is plodding and driven. One can imagine the power of their live show.” – The Wheat Sheaf, Full review
“It’s low, slow indie rock with guitars and vocals that harmonize and harvest seedy riffs and melodies, sometimes to entrancing effect.” – Lorraine Carpenter, The Montreal Mirror Full review
“Montreal’s Nightwood are capable of writing a cool post-punk guitar lick” – Jordan Bimm, Now Magazine, May 2008
<<Trio emotif montrealais, Nightwood lancera son premier EP a la Casa del Popolo le 17 mai prochain. Lancement double d’un beau video (pour la chanson Cave of the Spleen) et d’une tournee canadienne. Au premier plan, deux filles qui ont du chien, appuyees de leurs guitares et de la batterie de Famous Eric. Tout en sentiments profonds et noirs, les six chansons de ce premier EP sont assez lineaires dans le ton. L’aspect vocal peut rappeler Melissa Auf Der Maur, mais l’esprit rock est moins energique et plus introspectif chez Nightwood. Une autre facette de notre scene locale a regarder faire son chemin.>> (LL) – Bang Bang, vol. 3 no. 5
SELECTED PRESS
“Instead of jamming each chord with enough synth to short a fuse, Nightwood prefer simple, unfettered guitars, dual female vocal work and strong, incisive songwriting.” – Shain Shapiro, Hamilton View + Niagara Pulse, May 2008 Read article here
“There must be something in the air in Montreal because this city seems to churn out quality indie rock bands like they’re going out of style…Moody, minimalism at its best.” by Toula Foscolos, The Monitor, Front page article available here.
“The crunchy, grinding, grungy guitars rock over a syncopated scape of drums from Lapointe. It is complete aural satisfaction for those who fancy dark, yet dreamy, dramatics in their music.” - Tricia Davidson, The Record
