Magneta Lane
Dancing With Daggers (Paper Bag)
By Elizabeth Rhodes
Published: March 1st, 2006 | 12:00am
It’s a simple recipe, but oh so good: melodies that stick and resonate, sung with Lou Reed cynicism and drizzled over a distorted, hard-strumming stomp. Toronto’s Magneta Lane maintains its 2004 EP’s Strokes-esque sound on its debut full-length.
Recorded with Death From Above 1979’s Jesse Keeler, Dancing With Daggers is relentless, clocking in at less than 30 minutes and speeding through killer tracks like “Broken Plates” without a single look back. Lead singer-guitarist Lexi Valentine sings with monotone irony while bassist French and drummer Nadia King thrash away in a Veruca Salt fashion. Although every sound is doused in the spirit of a perpetually eye-rolling teenager, the 21-year-old rockers tentatively show a little vulnerability. “I’m sorry that I lied, I always thought I could run and hide,” Valentine sings, taking a sincere moment as the guitar drops out in “Artistic Condition.”
Magneta Lane occasionally fights its dependence on the tight, primal riff, but so far it’s a losing battle. Experiments such as Valentine’s sweet cooing on “Secrets Aren’t So Bad” sound out of place and awkward. When the band gets louder too often it’s doing just that — getting louder. Variation can’t be done for variation’s sake. There’s no increase in fury or lyrical venom to warrant the change.
The potential of this band is so palpable they shouldn’t stand still for a minute. Magneta Lane is sure to rattle stereos with its tuneful garage-rock.
Issue #27
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