Oh No Forest Fires, The War On Geometry

Have you ever had someone tell you they saw a great live band, and you’re like, “what the hell does that even mean?” Well, I’ve been watching YouTube videos of Oh No Forest Fires after receiving their The War On Geometry EP, and I think I’ve found the definitive answer on that.

Yet another band with “Oh No” in their name, yeah, but that’s for another debate. Oh No Forest Fires hail from Toronto, and this four-piece has been called prog-pop and indie-math. What I hate about that comparison, though, is that whenever people start talking “progressive” this or “math-rock” that, I immediately think that the music is more pretentious and less accessible to someone who just wants to sit back and hear a good song, and that’s not what Oh No Forest Fires is about at all.

These guys ooze cool and keep it indie, and on their latest EP, the music explodes. Rajiv Thavanathan has a Simon & Garfunkel timbre to his voice that completely captivates you, while the guitars wake you and the drums invigorate you. If I have one beef with them, it’s that their song titles take longer to say than the length of the actual songs — and who in their right mind names their EP after an Xbox video game? But hey, some people may find that charming.

Other than that, though, The War On Geometry has got a bit of it all. It’s got pop, it’s got weirdness, it’s got indie, and it’s got a touch of prog. First track “It’s Not Fun And Games Unless Someone Loses An Eye” has an awesome breakdown two-thirds into the song, replete with accordions, cellos, and four-part harmonies, while “You Know What That Is…Trouble” bounces with as much energy as these guys unleash onstage. Oh No Forest Fires makes me feel, thankfully, that Canada maybe has a little more to offer than Martin Short and William Shatner.