CMW 2012: Army Girls @ Parts & Labour by Cody McGraw

THURSDAY – With exposed walls and a low ceiling, the downstairs of Parts & Labour in Parkdale definitely feels like your parents’ basement. Luckily for Army Girls, this is the perfect atmosphere for their music. On guitar we have Carmen Elle, also of Donlands And Mortimer, slashing with the best of them while she’s backed up by her thrashing drummer Andy Smith. Her voice suggests the vulnerability of Chrissie Hynde and the passion of Pat Benatar, which helps the songs of Army Girls pierce your mind and tattoo themselves into your memory.

If the packed house was any indication, Army Girls could very well be gaining the momentum they need to become a real force in the Toronto scene, providing us with some of the good, old fashioned rock and roll we all desperately need in our lives. And I say let them. Army Girls is a breath of fresh air, with a live show that can bring you to your knees. And having seen Elle play – not just with Donlands And Mortimer but also such great live acts as Spiral Beach and People You Know – I know better than to question the success of any band she graces with her presence.

MP3: "The Power" by Army Girls

Find all our coverage of Canadian Music Week 2012 here

Photos by Carmen Cheung

Cody McGraw is many things but the thing you can actually call him to his face is the Managing Editor of The Little Red Umbrella. See more posts from him here or follow him on Twitter (@cody_mcgraw).