‘Playing in Cement’ with Stoby

Gather your friends, get out your hash pipe, fill the cooler with Heineken, and get ready to rock out in the garage to the new hard-hitting LP from Stoby.

The project’s title pays homage to a favourite line in a song from one of the group’s main influences, Transistor Sound & Lighting Co. from Winnipeg, Manitoba. While struggling to find a title, the idea of using the lyric was thrown into the mix and ultimately stuck.

“For me personally I think of the idea of being trapped in your circumstances. Not like you’re gonna die but being cemented in who you are,” said Kevin.

Playing in Cement is the group’s sophomore album and the first release in the new era of Stoby. The updated roster consists of Maryse B on vocals, Devon G on drums, Kevin S on guitar, and Rick V on bass.

“Devon is our new drummer… of two and a half years,” laughed Kevin. “This is like his first testament as our drummer.”

“First time on record,” Devon continued.

“Funny enough our first show together was here (House of Targ) for a french Weezer night,” Maryse interjected. “Most money we’ve ever made… and then we went into the pandemic.”

After tracking the drum parts at Audio Valley with Josh Hart, the rest of the recording was done DIY-style at their jam space and the finished product was mixed/mastered by BlindSightMusic.

The Ottawa/Gatineau-based rock band introduced their new album to the public with a highly anticipated release show on October 22nd with support from Aylmer folk-indie band, Okies, and garage-rock duo, All Day Breakfast.

“We recorded our first album with Stefan from All Day Breakfast,” mentioned Kevin. “We knew that we wanted to do a show around this time and we got a message from Okies asking us to play a show on the same day we wanted to release Playing in Cement.”

The project opens with Giselle (You Should Know) and immediately grabs your attention with explosive, syncopated instrumentals which, when played live, shook the neon-lit basement of House of Targ.

The first track sets the scene of the LP which is reminiscent of 90’s alternative-rock nostalgia with a modern indie spin. The combination of distorted guitars with harmonizing synth lines, booming drums, and falsetto vocals is a constant theme that hints towards classic indie-rock albums such as Pinkerton by Weezer.

“When a guitar is too distorted you can’t really hear the tone but if you add a bit of synth it kinda clarifies it,” Kevin explained. “It’s not meant to be its own thing… it’s just because I don’t know how to record guitar.”

As the band played through their setlist of the new album and past releases, their “small cult following” (as Devon described humorously) danced closely to the 3-inch tall stage. The energy coming from their performance was contagious and circulated through the basement venue. Between the dance-offs on stage, the “free drinks”, and the fan interactions; the feeling in House of Targ was the

“That was really lovely to watch. I think it was really cool, it was like an aggressive form of new-age punk, but it was really awesome to see a female vocalist voice that emotion of our generation since you don’t often see that,” said a fan who interrupted my interview to ask for a lighter.

Younger days, lost love, the trials and tribulations of life, and dreaming of escaping one’s reality. The lyrical content of the songs seems to depict very personal stories through the veil of obscure yet detailed references. All these situations are vaguely described in a way that allows the listener to openly interpret the meaning and relate to the subject matter.

“It’s usually someone’s idea and then if you’re having a little gap you consult,” said Maryse.

“I don’t write lyrics,” Devon stated. “I like instrumental music.”

“It’s a bit of a negotiation,” Kevin Joked “He has this big bucket of ice he puts his head into whenever we try to write lyrics.”

The ebb and flow of the project feels very cohesive as it transitions between high-energy finales and slower intros of the next song before a gradual crescendo right back to a fast pace. This is most noticeable in the songs Living in Automobiles and Centipedes.

“There was a small back and forth about how it should go but I don’t know… maybe I was thinking about that. What about you Devon?” asked Kevin.

“I agree. I think it flows very naturally. I think the songs are very dynamic and the LP has a lot of valleys and peaks,” answered Devon.

Acting as the longest and final peak of the album, Mission to Mars sends the listener off with a catchy chorus that is bound to get stuck in their head. The final track features Adam Ferris, who joined Stoby on stage when performing to create an even more grandiose feel. A mix of the lead vocals supported by everyone on stage, the melodic guitar riff that is followed by blasting drums, and a thunderous bass line perfectly illustrates the preparation for a mission to mars before blasting off into a long fuzzed-out sustain to close the LP.

“I mean I think he is the unknown institution of the Ottawa music scene,” noted Kevin.

“Outfielder is great,” said Devon.

“We had him over for dinner one time,” Maryse included.