Kandy Roar

Kandy Roar – Demon Blues (EP Review)

Kandy Roar

Artist: Kandy Roar
EP: Demon Blues
Release Date: October 24, 2022
Genre: Rock / Blues

Vancouver, BC-based Indigenous, non-binary artist Kandy Roar (aka Karly Palmer) unveiled their EP, Demon Blues, on October 24. The six-song release is partly funded by FACTOR, the Government of Canada, and Canada’s private radio broadcasters.

Kandy on the message within Demon Blues:

“Demon Blues was created while navigating difficult, real life emotions, and became the compass to guide myself through my own darkness. If you are able to rewrite your own story, that’s awesome, and if you just need something to grasp, perhaps this story will offer you some relativity, or maybe just a much needed distraction. Demon Blues is for the people out there who have largely felt trapped, scared, desperate, and depressed. The ones who are still with us, and the ones fighting every day to be here. I felt alone when I wrote these songs, but you don’t have to when you hear them. Knowing you are not alone in your experiences is everything. ”

The EP begins with “Ain’t That The Way It Goes,” a blues-infused jam that starts the release off on a strong point. The music gets you moving, and Kandy Roar’s gravelly bluesy vocals keep you hooked from start to finish. The lyrics, “You gotta work hard, you gotta work fast, If you don’t make your move, you’ll end up in the past, Ain’t That The Way It Goes,” caught my attention, because isn’t so true of what’s expected of us all. There’s no time for life outside of work, there’s no time to sit and enjoy special moments, it’s all about do this, do that, hurry up, get it done! Through the song, there are other examples, which continued to ring true. Isn’t it great when a song has the ability to relate to many people at once?

“Blue Collar Classification” is a track that I previously reviewed and absolutely loved. The track treats to a lively jazz beat, which is joined by Kandy Roar’s pleasantly husky rock-style vocals. This is the type of song that once you hear it a few times, the lyrics will stay with you, and you’ll be doing your best at belting them out along with Kandy Roar. You won’t even come close to their talent if you’re like me, but you’ll have fun trying!

Next up, “Devil Got My Soul” pulled me in from the beginning with the inviting beat and the lyrics, “I wanna be rich, I wanna have a lot of money, I  wanna be rich, I wanna have a lot of money.” I think this track is my favourite on the EP. I love the steady beat, and the lyrics are fun to sing along with. At the end of the track, Kandy Roar belts out, “I ain’t got no soul, and damn I spent all the money,” which I must say is the most bluesy ending I can imagine!

The title track, “Demon Blues,” starts strong and wastes no time getting to the vocals. This track leans hard on the rock side, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. There’s still a predominant blues sound, keeping true to their sound, and the vocals mix various styles from rock to blues to punk. The lyrics, “Gonna run, run, run, run from the demons in the mind,” really speak to me. Our minds are all trying to defeat us, like a demon made up of negativity. So join me in running from that demon, and while you’re at it, give this track a listen! “I say lord, lord, lord, help me, lord.

“Good Times” continues the blues-heavy style that Kandy Roar is known for, but on this track, it seems the vocals are the star. The backing music is mellow, and Kandy’s vocals shine brightly. The lyrics, “Well I got a little story, that I know all too well, It’s about the struggle with my mental health, Should be singing about the good times,” begins the insanely catchy track. Throughout the rest of the track, the lyrics are somewhat repetitive at times, but it works perfectly, such as “Say goodbye to the good times,” joined by different endings, such as “Say goodbye for me” and “They don’t come around easily.

Closing out the EP, “The Path” is the only slow track on the release and also the shortest. “The Path” showcases a different side of Kandy Roar, and once again, they nail it. Their vocals, with the slow and steady drum beat, gave me chills. Towards the end of the song, there are added sound effects, which add a mysterious vibe to the track and leave you wanting more.

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