It’s been a while since anything’s been heard of Daniel Busheikin and his No Frills buddies. The Toronto band’s self-released debut album ‘Downward Dog’ trundled into the US college radio charts of summer ’22 with its lo-fi jangling pop, chiming with Mersey Beat and Sarah Records melodics. Busheikin’s songs saw funny and fragile tangled together, stories dealing with mundane everyday clutter, underpinning sadness and deeper struggles, wrapped honestly in a DIY sound.
Perhaps the low-key notoriety needed a pause. As Busheikin himself reflects “Coming out of the Downward Dog album cycle, the dissonance I experienced between performing as an entertainer and writing songs about depression led me to the concept of the ‘sad clown paradox‘, which I find very relatable”.
Naturally then the title of the next collection of songs from No Frills will be ‘Sad Clown’ due 7th March next year. The album marks the group’s debut on the singular We Are Busy Bodies label plus brings the core No Frills players back together, Busheikin on vocals/ guitar, bassist/vocalist Maddy Wilde, Matt Buckberrough on guitar and drummer Jon Pappo. There’s news that Busheikin has turned in some string arrangements as well, so how these merge into the band’s loose, lilting shamble pop will be something to be heard. No Frills go ‘big music’- probably not.
First taster for what’s to come on ‘Sad Clown’ is the infectious tuneful twang of ’Shopping in the Toothpaste Aisle’. It’s got that unhurried, day-dreamy strum, a guitar hook which tingles like The La’s and cosy harmony vocal from Maddy Wilde for that indie pop lift. Busheikin reckons “If you’ve ever had a panic attack in Shoppers Drug Mart, this one’s for you” and it’s that hint of real desperation that reminds you of No Frills’ singularity. ‘Sad Clown’ release day can’t arrive soon enough.
Pre-order your copy of ‘Sad Clown‘ by No Frills from your local record store or direct from WE Are Busy Bodies HERE
