Partner: Everybody Knows
The new single from the Windsor duo's raved about debut album features playful lyrics and righteously ringing guitar and is as refreshing as a dip in an icy lake. They're spreading the gospel with international touring.
By Kerry Doole
Partner - "Everybody Knows" (You've Changed Records): This Windsor-based duo describes its sound as "Canadian queer post-classic rock." We're not sure about the 'post' part, as Partner brings to mind the '90s alt-rock stylings of the likes of Hole, The Breeders and Veruca Salt.
Whatever the tag, this sound is bracing and very welcome at a time when big riffy rock seems an endangered species. Quite how Josée Caron and Lucy Niles summon up such huge widescreen sonics is a mystery, but even as they pin you up against the wall, they tickle the ears with melody embedded in the muscle.
"Everybody Knows" is the latest single from the debut album In Search Of Lost Time, one of the best-reviewed records of 2017 and a potential Polaris contender. It doesn't have quite the unrelenting ferocity of earlier gem "Ambassador To Ecstasy," but it remains a winner. The guitars ring out righteously, and the playful lyrics throw in a The Big Lebowski reference.
Partner continues to pound the rock 'n roll highway in earnest. Dates in the US and Ontario precede SXSW gigs, followed by more US shows and a 12-date UK tour in May that includes The Great Escape fest. An itinerary here