Hello Reader,
Welcome back. How have you been?
Today, we’re going to delve into The Discarded, a Canadian band formed in 2016 in a small town in the Ontario province by punk rock veteran JP Wasson (guitar, vocals) and his two sons, Caden (drums) and Jared (bass guitar). At the time, Caden was 13, and Jared was 17. In the nearly 8 years since, the band has been called various genres, from garage punk to garage rock to rock and roll, among others. Ultimately, I implore you to listen for yourself and list your own genre(s) if you choose. To me, they are wonderfully doing their own thing. And very good at it. Recently, the band added a fourth member, Ben Keestra, as an additional guitarist.
The Discarded has built up an excellent discography so far, including their self-titled debut, a full-length album, The Discarded (2017), followed by a second full-length Manifesto (2018), their five song Not From This Town EP (2019), Sound Check and Fury (2019), The Live Pandemic Sessions (2021), the 13 song and 8 vignettes original soundtrack for the animated film of the same name, The Getgoes (2022), and the live album, Hey, can I have his hat? (2024).
Recently on November 25th, The Discarded released their sixth full-length album, The Green Door, for your listening pleasure. The album is named after the studio where it was recorded, Green Door Studios. If Bandcamp isn’t your vibe, another way to purchase their music is via local record stores and via the band itself. Visit the band’s merch page and scroll down to see more!
Giving credit where it’s due. Listed album credits for The Green Door:
- JP Wasson – lead guitar, vocals
- Caden Wasson – drums
- Jared Wasson – bass guitar
- Michael McKenzie – guitar
- Carmen Toth – background vocals
- Lee Rose (of Ace of Wands) – heavy metal violin on one track
- John Critchley produced and mixed the album
- Joao Carvalho mastered the album
- Rachael Muir illustrated the cover design
And now for some hype for both your ears and eyes!
From the band’s YouTube channel, the lyric video to the rollicking song “Testify”:
(All credits and rights to The Discarded)
The lyric video for the gorgeous punk meets surf rock song, “Going Down To The Beach”:
(All credits and rights to The Discarded)
Another video with lyrics. Follow along as you listen to “Ooh Yeah!”:
(All credits and rights to The Discarded)
Overall, The Green Door is a solid release. It has a lot of what you’d want in an album, regardless of whether you’re a long-time fan of The Discarded or this is your first time listening to them. There’s a lot of energy and fast-paced, moving melodies. Ones you can easily dance and groove along with. The melodies are varied and stick with you. They truly are a talented band. To add to those good-feeling vibes, JP Wasson’s often anthemic but always heartfelt delivered vocals elevate the songs more. The band and its additional members get chances to shine on this album. Kudos to this group of skilled musicians. And the production team. I think some Discarded fans will find this album their favorite of the group’s discography so far.
The album’s opening song, “Testify!” preaches in the best way you can expect from a rock and roll song. It’s a fantastic way to introduce and kickstart an album. The bass guitar really anchors the melody within the album’s next song, “Wait and See,” and bass guitarist Jared Wasson shows off nicely. The rest of the guitar work is also top-notch, and the addition of background vocals fills out the sound well, creating a lovely chorus.
The YouTube video for the song “Going Down to the Beach” mentions both the Ramones and the Beach Boys. While every listener may have slightly different bands in mind, those legendary bands listed are a good frame of reference to start with. There are definitely some three-chord punk moments and some moments that will transport your ears to the beach. There is some funky guitar work amidst the most introspective lyrics so far on The Green Door album.
“Twenty Years Gone Bye” is another song in which all the guitars shine brightly. Hard-charging punk chords are the song’s foundation, interlaced with gorgeous bass grooves. The lyrics are JP Wasson’s most angrily delivered so far, and they pair perfectly with the melody and noise the song creates. The next song, “I’m Not Very Helpful,” slows down the melody, allowing the listener to reflect upon Wasson’s weary, downtrodden vocals and adamant lyrics even more. I love how Caden Wasson’s drumming progressions meshed with his father’s vocals and carried the deliveries forward throughout the song. Adding female backing vocals from Carmen Toth adds some depth and contrasts the main vocals from JP Wasson. The abrupt ending of the song is the right choice and plays beautifully.
The next song, “It’s a Lie,” begins with playing up and down the guitar neck on top of some solid drumming from Caden. JP’s punk delivery and the frenetic guitar work combine to form a memorable listening experience. This is one of those shake your head from side to side while listening to the song, songs. The end chugs and charges forward. Lee Mason’s heavy metal violin gets a moment to shine, especially as the song’s outro comes around. This one has got to be a treat to hear live, seeing all of the instrumentation in person.
“Ooh Yeah!” builds nicely as the song progresses, blending JP’s gritty delivered vocals and bittersweet lyrics with a propulsion of drums and guitars. At times, JP even shouts another song that shows off his range. Caden plays the kit well, and you hear him during the rare quiet moments during the melody. Listening to “A Couple of Cats” and you’ll be transported to power pop genre songs of the past. Perhaps the ’70s? What do you think? The lyrics are matter-of-factly delivered, almost ’80s new wave-esque, and are a little slower than the pace of the melody, but it is not a negative contrast. It works as the band shows off their talent and skill in composition and instrumentation.
The second from the last song on the album, “New Trick,” offers a few amazing guitar solos and a great mic effect on JP Wasson’s vocals to create a distant-sounding effect. The album’s last song is a fitting way to end. “Sex, drugs and Rock n Roll” is a rocking good time with its rock-steady drums and over-the-top guitar solos. Again, the band is talented, and it all plays fantastically. The lyrics are steadfast in their desire.
Album Title gets 4 out of 5 Scum Drops from me. If you like garage music of any genre, you’ll like this. If you like well-written melodies, you’ll also like this album. The release falls squarely into the 4 Scum Drop territory of all of 2024. Here’s a reminder of our rating system. It is worth adding to your collection in the format of your choice.
Album Title Track listing (song length)
- Testify! (2:45)
- Wait and See (3:21)
- Going Down to the Beach (2:59)
- Twenty Years Gone Bye (3:39)
- I’m not very helpful (4:39)
- It’s a Lie (4:17)
- Ooh Yeah! (3:50)
- A Couple of Cats (3:00)
- New Trick (3:23)
- Sex, Drugs and Rock n Roll (5:02)
Total runtime: 37:05
I’ll always advocate that you take the time to listen to every album in its entirety. The listening process from start to finish with The Green Door will take you a little bit more than 30 minutes if you listen once. Listen twice through, and it’ll take just over an hour of your time. Along the way, you’ll discover your own favorite songs without the influence or bias of others. After a few listens on my own, the songs that are highlighted in green font above are my favorite songs on this album.
Visit The Discarded’s comprehensive and kickass website right here. Their Bandcamp is another excellent way to hear more of their music and support the band. Follow them on Facebook, Spotify, and the lovely new app Bluesky.
Thank you for reading and supporting good music and reading my reviews this year!
Until next time,
Alex
Scummy Water Tower Productions co-founder, reviewer, business manager, and editor. Thank you for visiting this site: scummywatertower.com, and YouTube for Water Tower Sessions!
Contact me: alex@scummywatertower.com
