The Powergoats
“Emily Haines (On My Car Stereo)”
Moonlit Crimes
(Self-Released) | 2010
I’m a sucker for clever song titles. I think it’s the only reason I listened to Fall Out Boy. Oh yeah, that and because me singing “This Ain’t A Scene” REALLY annoyed my friends. Anyway, “Emily Haines (On My Car Stereo)” is not the MOST clever name for a song in the world, but it certainly paints a picture. We all know Emily Haines. At least….I hope we all do. In case you haven’t been paying attention, she’s a part of Broken Social Scene, lead singer of Metric , AND she has a solo career. Girl gets around.
But this isn’t about Emily Haines. This is, instead, a song FOR Emily Haines by fellow Canadians The Powergoats. Lead singer Jamie Douglas is pouring on the sex with a capital S-E-X in his vocals, because he’s “just a man/and you’re impossibly beautiful” and the slow, almost Santana-esque guitar flares up in-between the verses.
If I had to write a love song to Emily Haines, I definitely think it would be more electronic. But this isn’t my love song, and The Powergoats decided to slow it down and blues it up. The organ is enough in the background to not be a distraction, but it really adds to the overall tone of the song, the sort of late night, last call, jukebox-in-a-dive-bar feel that the entire song has. I know Emily Haines is apparently on the car stereo, but I’m imagining the bar that Wolverine is in during the beginning of the first X-men movie.
And after that sentence, I’m sure I will have no more Canadian friends.
There are some breathy Emily Haines-esque female backing vocals on the track, so if you close your eyes and wish real hard, you can almost pretend it’s the real Emily. This isn’t the kind of song you can really rock out to. It’s slow and sensual, and honestly? You could probably slow dance to it. Just close your eyes and pretend it’s with Emily Haines.
by allison levin
-Allison Levin, Jezebel Music - Art of Song (New York, Apr 14 2010)
*Jezebel Music no longer exists.
Please find the full article archived on Allison's Tublr here.
"Another favourite of mine was the high energy R&B flavoured “Spin The Globe”, with some great vocal harmony by Michelle Richards, and a fantastic piano solo by Irving. I also enjoyed the melancholy tones of the guitar in the final song of the CD “Afterglow”, which had a gorgeous flowing melody, having at times an almost Todd Rundgren feel. The set ended with two more songs from Bottled Sunset, “Emily Haines On My Car Stereo”, which possessed more of that Stones/Bowie seasoning, and “Blow By Blow”, a very lively piece that was full of more great guitar licks and intermittent breaks into reggae fills. All the songs were wonderfully melodic and catchy, incorporated a variety of musical genres, and exhibited well-written lyrics not just in their context, but also in terms of their rhythmic value."
Terry Steves, Apt. 613 and Spotlight Ottawa, August 11th, 2014
Full article here.
The Powergoats are a rock n’ roll outfit that music fans of all ages will appreciate. These guys toy with a lot of different sounds, utilizing more than just guitar and drums – they incorporate piano, daring harmonies, and some pretty rad effects too. You’ll even hear tinges of blues and reggae in their songs, too. Singer Jamie Douglas’ strong stage presence matches the power of the sounds coming out of the speakers, all proving that this isn’t just band with a sweet name.
Ottawa Showbox
Bluesfest 2016 Local Music Preview, July 7th, 2016
Full article here
With a name like The Powergoats, I was expecting something a little heavier to come barreling out of the speakers. However, what I heard quickly grew on me. Ruby Headlights was my first introduction to The Powergoats and it’s well worth a listen. The songwriting is strong and it didn’t take long to find myself lost in the rhythm... It’s catchy as hell and will probably get some part of your body uncontrollably grooving along to the beat.
It rocks, it rolls, and it never disappoints.
Scott Martin, Spotlight Ottawa, August 29th 2014
Full article here.
The band has been busy in the studio, writing and recording new tunes for an upcoming album slated for this fall. Their current album, “Ruby Headlights” (August 2014), features eight tracks of positively charged rootsy rock, rich in both acoustic and electric flavours, a variety of rhythms, and coloured in plenty of backing vocals that surround the signature ‘Bowie’-like timbres of Jamie’s voice. Another single from that album, “Spark It Up”, has just been released on video.
Terry Steeves, Apt613, July 4th 2016
Full article here.
If you are craving one last dose of blues-rock, then check out The Powergoats. While the quartet (sometimes a septet) does not quite have the same buzz behind them like some of the aforementioned artists, their early evening time slot should result in them winning over more fans. Their live shows are reportedly terrific, so don’t be surprised if you, like the band, will be drenched in sweat once their hour has concluded.
Ben Yung, therevue.ca, July 17th, 2016.
Full article here.