Montreal’s James Parm released his debut record, Oh My Darling, last week. The album is a striking blend of Parm’s musical influences: 90’s garage rock, jazz and hip hop. With the single, “I Know I Know I Know”, a propellent slice of post-punk falling more towards the garage rock end of the spectrum.
Parm has been something of a fixture of the local Montreal scene for a number of years now; ever since his first teenage band began playing shows across the city. With a breakthrough within his grasp, Parm hit a bit of a roadblock in the form of a devastating break-up with his long-term girlfriend. Following a 3 month trip across South East Asia, Parm returned to Montreal to find himself without a job and his band broken up.
In weathering these new developments Parm succumbed to something of a solitary life, working in a bar downtown and living out on the outskirts of town. He also began writing more music. Music which would eventually come to form the basis of Oh My Darling. It’s a strong and compelling record, with the songs offering a pointed criticism of the materialism and lascivious and loose attitudes towards love and sex.
There is a lot of love about “I Know I Know I Know”, it’s clever, with a strong message, and is an enjoyable listen; with some wonderful guitar work and strong vocals. The additional backing vocals were a nice touch too, giving the track something of a subliminal message. Oh My Darling as a whole is well worth your time as well, it’s creative, it’s varied and really a fantastic introduction to Parm’s musical world.
“I Know I Know I Know” and Oh My Darling are available now. You can find out more about James Parm via his Official Site, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
