Canvas – 'Touch the Sun' - Track review

Originally from Burnley and now occupying Manchester Indie-Psychedelic band Canvas have just released their first single onto major streaming platforms entitled ‘Touch The Sun’. Tinged with grunge rock and punk this band have more to offer than your average indie outfit. ‘Touch The Sun’ was recorded at Mad Fox Studios in Rochdale, originally intended to be a home recorded demo the track started gaining traction and Canvas decided to make it their first single. Written by leader guitarist dan their first release is described by the band as “just the beginning.” This beginning is in itself definitely feels like a psychedelic-indie rock record. Too often new Manchester bands describe themselves as indie and Psychedelic or Punk to try to set themselves apart from the average Oasis clones without actually drawing anything from those respective genres to add to their music. This isn’t the case with Canvas or “Touch The Sun”.

At only 2:05 seconds the track isn’t the longest ballad ever but this works to its benefit and keeps the rolling guitar riff from becoming stale and boring. Knowing when to end a track is difficult and not many new bands get it right but Canvas really does. The intro riff builds up in an almost Stone Roses manner that I believe qualifies it as the bands opening track in any live setlist for a while to come. The track is versatile enough that I can picture it being played whilst busking in Piccadilly gardens or in one of the many basement bars or venues in Northern Quarter. Combining indie guitar tones, punky bass, grungy vocals and psychedelic backing sounds the track is certainly a mish-mash of different inspirations. You can feel bands such as The Doors and Kaleidoscope permeating through the track in a way that shows some real potential.

In the future I’d love to see Canvas explore each of these Genre’s individually leaning into them more heavily to give their track a strong foundation with which they can build upon with their individual influences. By doing this I feel the band would be able to deliver a really coherent project that covers all of their individual styles. Hopefully we Manchester’s underground scene will have a chance to watch this young band gig in the near future and see how they develop from ‘Touch The Sun’ into the EP they plan to release this summer.

- Reece Ritchie -