Gulfer: Neighbours

By Kerry Doole

Gulfer: Neighbours (Royal Mountain/Topshelf Records): This Montreal quartet put out a self-titled third album last year, and now follow up with this one-off single, one that showcases its emo meets indie rock style.

A label press release notes that guitarist/vocalist Vincent Ford has explained that "the song was written specifically about processing his experiences with a loved one diagnosed with schizophrenia, but that he only realized when the song was done. Ford explores what it must have been like to live with schizophrenia and not know it. When Ford sets out to write a song, the words often come before the music and, even then the overarching meaning isn’t always clear until the song is complete."

The lyrical subject matter on Neighbours may be serious and sombre (sample line - "if I let my mind slip I know I’ll have an awful, awful time"), but the tune features jaunty guitars and harmonies and enough tempo changes to keep things sounding rather upbeat.

Joining Ford in Gulfer are co-writer/guitarist Joe Therriault, bassist David Mitchell, and drummer Julien Daoust.

In November, Gulfer is playing shows in Toronto (Baby G, Nov. 13), Ottawa (Live On Elgin, Nov. 18) Montreal (Casa del Popolo, Nov. 19) and Quebec City ( L’Anti, Nov. 20)

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Publicity: Conor Mackie, Hive Mind