SONG REVIEW: Pottery – Hot Heater

By Jeanette Arsenault

Now there’s a name for you. A band called “Pottery”. Ok – sooo…that’s interesting and no doubt there’s a story behind the name. They are from my part of the world – Montreal, Canada so that further piques my interest.

But is that a British accent I detect in their new song “Hot Heater”? No. Not quite. Maybe? But it’s a distinctive vocal with an attitude. Really reminds me of Talking Heads.

Ok guys. You’ve got my attention. So what exactly are you singing about with *Hot Heater*? Surely not a hot water heater? It is? Really? Haha! I read the lyrics and realize that it sure sounds like it.

“Heat water, don’t let it boil

Black turns to red, don’t touch the coil”

Clever writing. Bet there has never been a rock song rhyming “don’t let it boil” with “don’t touch the coil”. Who sings about a water heater anyway? That makes me laugh and tells me they have a sense of humour. And personality, too.

Starts out kind of rock/psychedelic groove and then they funk it up:

Hot heater your hands facing

Your heads on a

Hot heater your hands facing

Your heads on a

Huh? Shades of MacArthur Park? Just string together nonsense because if the music is good, no one cares what the lyrics are? “Your heads on a”….on a what? You never do find out.

By the time they hit this part of the song, the funky groove is so cool and, well, groovy that it really doesn’t matter what they are singing or singing about.

When the band drops out leaving just the drum then some vocals, you can’t help but imagine how powerful that is in a live show. Great percussions come in, too. I love songs that drop out the band leaving only the drums – there’s something about that gets your heart pumping. I’m pretty sure I’m not alone on that.

Pottery is a really good band, with a really well-produced song and they have energy, attitude and a whole lotta cool. Not the contrived kind of cool when bands try too hard. A nice self-assured cool to follow their muse and however that translates into a song.

The song ends abruptly with “Huh!”. Your sonic journey has ended. “Ladies & gentlemen the exit is to your left. Thank you for travelling with Pottery – come back again to see us soon”.

It truly is simply a sonic journey because the YouTube video just has one graphic spinning like it’s on a record player. But branding wise – the graphic is true to their image.

True to form, it’s a cool ending. So *Hot Heater* is psychedelic, funky & cool. That should be intriguing enough to entice you to have a listen.

YOUTUBE