Local singer-songwriters Bailee Woods and Jory Strachan, known by their stage names Housepanther and Wrecker, respectively, will be releasing their collaborative EP Homewrecker this Valentine’s Day at Forth.
Housepanther’s debut indie-pop album Club Soda Lows ranked number four among the “Best Albums of 2018” as listed by the Cups N Cakes Network, a music production collective based in Western Canada.
Wrecker was involved in several Winnipeg punk bands, in addition to having his own band 1971. The two combined their styles for Homewrecker, a five-track EP tied together by the theme of infidelity.
“Releasing [Homewrecker] on Valentine’s Day, I think we were really just taking the piss out of it,” said Strachan.
Each song has a different perspective on the theme of “homewrecking,” or ruining a relationship through infidelity. Some songs explore wanting to be a homewrecker, “other songs [are] about not wanting to be the homewrecker, but unfortunately falling in love with someone who is already in a relationship,” said Strachan.
“Once we decided that we were going to take this project seriously and actually make it, actually write songs around this theme, we started writing about our own experiences,” said Strachan.
“We had written the skeletons of the songs while we were apart over the summer and then we were sending little sound clips to each other back and forth on the last song.”
Writing tracks along this theme also allowed Woods and Strachan to work through some of their experiences with heartbreak.
Woods wrote the track “17% Wine” on the theme of leaving an unhealthy relationship and dealing with low self-esteem that comes with it. She describes the track as a “big pity party song.”
The track also focuses “on when you meet someone really nice or cool and you immediately push them away […] because you feel like you don’t deserve good things,” said Woods.
The video for “17% Wine” premiered on the Cups N Cakes network on Feb. 8.
Liam Duncan, a good friend of Woods and Strachan, co-produced the record in his home studio.
“It was by far the best recording experience in my life,” said Strachan.
“It all just came together really easily and quickly,” agreed Woods.
The album highlights both musicians’ unique qualities.
Strachan’s delicately strummed guitar adds to the themes of romance and heartbreak. Woods’ gossamer vocals elevate the album’s tenderness, allowing for a soothing lull to all those whose hearts may have been tarnished.
Homewrecker will be available on cassette, CD and digital download via Toska Tapes and Transistor 66 on Feb. 14.
