Cursed Arrows’ frustrated calls to dismantle the patriarchy and other oppressive systems that are culturally and sociologically normalized–despite being dressed up in dazzling melodies and hypnotizing harmonies – stands at the forefront of Mage.
~Spill Magazine (Canada)
Stark, emotion-drenched post-punk.
~ Within Earshot (Canada)
These songs move and cajole us and then explode with stunning and impossibly vital grooves.
~The Coast (Canada)
~Spill Magazine (Canada)
Stark, emotion-drenched post-punk.
~ Within Earshot (Canada)
These songs move and cajole us and then explode with stunning and impossibly vital grooves.
~The Coast (Canada)
Sludgy slabs of dissonant, augmented power chords lead a blazing charge of pummelling drum work and vocal harmonies threatening to tear with passion with each climax.
~Exclaim! (Canada)
The songs on this record are moody and sinister and while Cursed Arrows is fearless and unbending in their exertion there is also a seriousness about the band that noticeably shows they really value the work they do.
~Delusions of Adequacy (US)
Alternating between beautifully sinister power chords and nuanced rhythm patterns, the album squeezes ample variety from just two instruments. The title track, for instance, crams more riffs into four and a half minutes than can be reasonably counted.
~NOW Magazine
Two-piece bands never fail to amaze me. I love to hear how far two people can push it. Cursed Arrows rock this buzzed-out, plug-in-and-go sound with a sort-of back-of-the-throat coarseness that reminds of me of Nirvana at times.
~Alan Cross (Canada)
Stolen Sex Tapes reaches further back to punk/post-punk reference points such as PiL, the Cramps, Stooges and Black Flag. This comes through with the retro punk feel of tracks like the raw opener, "Say No to Johnny."
~Exclaim! (Canada)
To try to define this music as post-rock, progressive grunge, new wave grind punk or something similarly ridiculous and loosely compartmentalizing is missing the point. Telepathic High Five is evolved rock music demonstrating the restless spirit of artists who take their message as seriously as the rest of their craft, and that's a recipe for timeless songwriting. Highly recommended rock with brains, balls and ovaries.
~Exclaim!
Listening to Cursed Arrows is similar to receiving a hard punch to the face followed up by a passionate kiss. Sure it hurts but it’s like the good kind of hurt, you know? Put another way it is a visceral post-punk experience put on by a duo clearly dedicated to making honest, intense music.
~Long Live The Queen Festival (Canada)
What makes Cursed Arrows interesting is the sense of inseparability of Ryan Stanley (guitar/vocals/drums) and Jack E Stanley (drums/vocals/guitar). Just as the band’s self-described instrumental order might show, they’re like two sides of the same coin, each contributing a piece of energy that isn’t complete without the other.
~Grayowl Point (Canada)
I’d love to throw a dinner party and invite over Ryan and Jack E Stanley, just because they have to be the coolest couple of people in the world. How cool? Well, their music brings to mind acts as disparate as Patti Smith, Concrete Blonde, P J Harvey and Alabama Shakes. Yes, they are that kind of cool. To go with their odd lyrics (sometimes spoken, sometimes sung) they cook up a pretty potent brew of dark post-punk mixed with some blues, acid rock and frankly whatever else they put their mind to. You never know where they are going to take you from one song to the next, but you go willingly because it’s an intoxicating ride.
~Ride The Tempo
Listening to Cursed Arrows is similar to receiving a hard punch to the face followed up by a passionate kiss. Sure it hurts but it’s like the good kind of hurt, you know? Put another way it is a visceral post-punk experience put on by a duo clearly dedicated to making honest, intense music.
~Long Live The Queen Festival (Canada)
What makes Cursed Arrows interesting is the sense of inseparability of Ryan Stanley (guitar/vocals/drums) and Jack E Stanley (drums/vocals/guitar). Just as the band’s self-described instrumental order might show, they’re like two sides of the same coin, each contributing a piece of energy that isn’t complete without the other.
~Grayowl Point (Canada)
I’d love to throw a dinner party and invite over Ryan and Jack E Stanley, just because they have to be the coolest couple of people in the world. How cool? Well, their music brings to mind acts as disparate as Patti Smith, Concrete Blonde, P J Harvey and Alabama Shakes. Yes, they are that kind of cool. To go with their odd lyrics (sometimes spoken, sometimes sung) they cook up a pretty potent brew of dark post-punk mixed with some blues, acid rock and frankly whatever else they put their mind to. You never know where they are going to take you from one song to the next, but you go willingly because it’s an intoxicating ride.
~Ride The Tempo
If you were into Dennis Thompson of the MC5, you're going to fall head-over-heels in love with Jackie Stanley because she schools his ass. It's like that old school Detroit rock where everybody got jazz, blues, and R&B tutelage and then went and joined garage bands (thus fostering the punk and metal yet to come). This woman is drumming all the drum parts that we all wished Dave Grohl had been doing for the past decade, plain and fucking simple."
~Sound Design and Assembly (US)
Heavy in noise and feedback and tone. Heavy in emotion. Heavy in soul. Not the Motown kind of soul. The, it’s from a special place, kind of soul. There are hints of Rock & Roll, Punk, Alternative, Grunge and Pop, but the album never commits to any of them. Sonic Union just dances around the fringes of said genres, staying true at the core, and commits to being a great Rock record. Cursed Arrows have created their most diverse offering to date with the marriage of so many styles.
~Music Lives (Canada)
Imagine a marvelous song structure combination between Nirvana and The Melvins, the stoney trips of The Flaming Lips, the heaviness of Black Sabbath, the voice of legendary Wendy O. Williams mutated with the L7 lead singer Donita Sparks, powerful, groovy drumming & scratchy, phenomenal, well executed guitar riffs that will get stuck in your mind & you get Cursed Arrows.
~Heavy Stoned and Doomed (Puerto Rico)