Fresh off their recent new music video release in support of their crime noire inspired single “Murder” off their upcoming full length “Up and AT Them”, Toronto’s premiere melodic, sarcastic punk rock trio THE MENDOZAZ are joining us today to give us a quick tour de underground music in their beautiful hometown.
The Mendozaz formed in early 2017 as a part-time outlet for three guys who just wanted to play pop punk, but were committed to bands with other things in mind. Expectations were low: play a couple shows, record a four song EP, then resume activities with the previous bands.
Today, those previous bands are defunct, and Jonny and Michael (now joined by new drummer Zozo) are releasing their second full-length โUp And At Themโ. Itโs a half hour of chaos infused with the same carefree โanything goes as long as itโs funโ attitude that made the first album a staple on punk playlists.
“Atmosphere was the number one thing for me driving this song.” – says guitarist/vocalist Jonny Mendoza, who also writes for stage and screen. “I wanted to combine the punk aesthetic with elements of horror and film noir and see what came of it…”
Words by Jonny Mendoza
๐๐๐๐๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ก๐ฆ โ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ข๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ก๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ก๐๐๐ ๐๐ฃ๐๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ก ๐๐๐ค ๐ฆ๐๐๐๐ .
Condo buildings popping up everywhere. Mom & Pop shops shutting down in favour of chains. Huge financial pressure and shady practices by landlords resulting in great music venues shutting down. (RIP Coalition). Itโs a city struggling to maintain its identity.
Despite this, you can still catch a great show every night of the week. Whether itโs a 500-capacity venue like Leeโs Palace or packed smaller venues like the Bovine Sex Club or Sneaky Deeโs. Or at least you could before the COVID-19 pandemic. Since March, shows have been either cancelled or had their attendance numbers slashed by 80%.
There have been different approaches to dealing with this mess of a virus. Stomp Records had plans to celebrate their 25th anniversary with a concert series highlighting their roster. Instead of cancelling the shows, theyโre running the whole thing digitally broadcasting from Drive Studios. You can catch bands like The Anti-Queens, Doghouse Rose or Bike Thiefs without leaving your house.
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Keelie has taken the DIY approach. They recorded their newest track “Malady” from their rehearsal space while staying as far away from each other as possible. One of the perks of having a power trio is it fits nicely into a social bubble.
Meanwhile, The Knives recorded a cover of The Bronxโs โKnifemanโ without even leaving their houses.
Talk Show Host – freshly signed to Wiretap Records – have a new single out called โThis Monologue.โ The accompanying video is a great snapshot of what post-COVID life feels like in Toronto.
Of course, even as concertgoers find themselves crammed into their apartments with their computers trying not to breathe on each other, they still need new music. Almost as if to spite COVID, Toronto provides. Hereโs some of my personal favs:
The Bare Minimum have been dropping singles throughout the year. Their latest, “Party Martyr”, flashes fire like a frenetic keg of gasoline.
Wasting Time have never been shy about wearing their emotions on their sleeve. New single “Runaways” highlights the ups and downs of love and heartbreak.
Gritty punks The Sham have a new politically-driven full-length called Urban Nightmare. It doesnโt get any more real than this.
Donโt be fooled by the title of melodic punkers Hangtimeโs new EP Destroy. This oneโs as sweet as they come. Grab it from their new label Dental Records.
The Cola Heads recently signed to new Toronto label Cursed Blessings and immediately re-issued their 2017 7โ Die Young. If you missed it the first time, nowโs your chance to have it on vinyl.
Tragic Heartsโs calling card has always been their brand of earnest, anthemic pop-punk. Thereโs no shortage of that on new EP Daylight.
Itโs literally impossible for me to do the Toronto scene justice in just one article. Fortunately Duane Timbers of Prior Convictions has done a yeomanโs work and put together four compilations of local talent on his label Lockdown Records. Itโs a great way to sample excellent bands like The World Famous Tallboys, ASOP and Hotel Murder. Check it out!
Jonny Mendoza is the founder of Cartridge Heart Records. When not playing with his band The Mendozaz, he writes for stage and screen. He has contributed to music zines Plastic and Wax, Wavelength and Crapnation.
