Public Strain

The final offering from the Alberta post-punk band with a tragic fate, Public Strain is an exercise in stark contrast; as fragile as it is impenetrable, with icy heat and melodious noise. The album, supported by low-fidelity production by Chad Vangaalen, echoes the Velvet Underground’s ’60s pop and Sonic Youth’s noisy experiments of the 80s. Public Strain is a true cornerstone of the genre and has enabled the emergence of a pan-Canadian sound that includes the likes of Telstar Drugs, Corridor, Freak Heat Wave and Crack Cloud.