Before they founded Weaves, Jasmyn Burke and Morgan Waters were typical Toronto indie misfits. Singer Jasmyn, who’d just sacked off Yeah Yeah Yeahs-inspired buzz band Rattail, was venturing into niche art shows around the city, while guitarist Morgan, an ex-children’s TV presenter, was writing a comedy web series about “one man’s misguided quest to conquer the world of home shopping”.
So far, so tragically hip, but Weaves tap into something else entirely; they jam-pack tunes with enough postpunk hooks, surf-pop jangle and manic soul to charm stoned basement punks and genre-hating oddballs alike. Last year they released a self-titled EP full of bitesize odysseys like ‘Buttercup’, a cartoonish blend of indie-pop, R&B and, in a weirdly epic chorus, classic rock. Breezy single ‘Motorcycle’, meanwhile, could’ve soundtracked a bar brawl between Karen O, Julian Casablancas and the whiskey-ravaged ghost of Jim Morrison.
Later this year, Weaves finally unleash their debut full-length. If new tracks ‘Shithole’ and ‘Tick’ are anything to go by, they’ve upped their game. “The EP experimented with what we wanted this band to be,” Jasmyn says, “but now we’ve figured out our sound. It’s more of a band.” “We’ve worked our trust issues out,” Morgan concurs, grinning. “It’s trust rock.”
A key bonding moment came earlier this year, when the four-piece received a shock request to support Marilyn Manson in Toronto. For weaker-kneed bands it might’ve been a dark indoctrination to Marilyn’s cult; instead, drummer Spencer Cole became embroiled in a garden veg-related spatwith the metal overlord’s chef. “He had a pretty big argument,” Morgan recalls. “I think it was about whether we’d eaten collard greens or swiss chard…”
A scholarly approach to veggies will no doubt endear them to the hippy set at Glasto this weekend, where Weaves will close their first European tour. “Post-Marilyn Manson, I’m always like, how do I feel about audiences?” Jasmyn ponders of the Worthy Farm crowd, shuddering as she recalls the sea of stuffy black overcoats. “And then I know I can win them over.”