Think of an egg—an archetypal, wonderfully oval chicken egg. We see this as a singular object, but it’s composed of such vastly different and symbiotic parts. The firm yet fragile shell, holding its iconic shape or transforming into something jagged. The aether-like albumen that swirls within the space. And the core of it all, the yolk, is a glorious dot of radiance ready to emerge. It is hard not to think of this fantastically unique entity in listening to Century Egg’s vibrant new EP Little Piece of Hair, where the Halifax rockers are shining with the same juxtaposition and cohesion as their namesake.
Little Piece of Hair comes hot on the heels of Century Egg’s inclusion on Debaser’s Mood Ring as well last year’s release We Can Play, and the group is taking the energetic dance-punk vibes of their previous releases and running with them. The familiarly colourful style of Century Egg is still there loud and clear, but everything comes at you stronger than ever.
The overall sound of the EP buzzes with raucous energy tightly controlled by the band. Century Egg’s strength as a unit radiates here, and the concise bursts of reckless abandon and positivity make for a shower of playful punches. There’s a decidedly vintage tone to the guitar-centric instrumentation, harnessing the power of The Stooges with the gleeful riffs of The Replacements. This plays satisfyingly against the awareness and sensitivity the songs feel centered around, echoing Mitski’s more energetic fare. The band truly feels like a fresh new face for post-punk, just as meaningful and profound in their positivity as any somber ruminations.
“Do You Want To Dance?” sets the tone perfectly for the rest of the EP, and definitely answers its own question. A striking bolt of colourful lightning that shreds its way into a bopping, bounding rhythm that nicely highlights the band’s new additions of Matty Grace on bass and Meg Yoshida on drums. Shane Keyu Song’s vocals soar smoothly and enchantingly atop the jagged rock guitar textures churned out by Robert Drisdelle. It makes for a strong first single and indicative of the band’s mission statement:
“The desire to move, to dance and be free of our walls and our traumas. Century Egg creates music to make us free.”
That infectiously carefree energy permeates Little Piece of Hair, the combination of the band’s limitless energy and punchy unity with Song’s borderline riot grrrl delivery making a recipe for joy. That spiral of alacrity is at its most concentrated on “Ring A Bell,” a repeating drive of pure bliss and self-assured happiness.
The final two tracks take the EP in slightly different directions. “Riddle To Place”, the shortest track on Little Piece of Hair, serves as an unexpected lament. But unlike most alt-rock reprieves, this entirely maintains the character of the rest of the EP while still breathing out a different tone—proof of the band’s strength of vision and ability to execute. “Cornered” closes out the affair with a darker edge and Song delivering captivating vocal lines in Mandarin. It’s a swaggering, tense headbanger with interesting uses of sonic space, ending abruptly and leaving you wanting much, much more.
Little Piece of Hair is a distinct gem in the Canadian music scene. Raw and gleaming, rough and flawless, it is a treasure from the shore kept on your dresser evermore. It takes cues from places of punk past and surges ahead with its own unique wealth of jubilation. Century Egg has figured out exactly what they’re here for, and it’s to help the rest of us out of our shells.