Loans Cash In With Confidence on New EP

Loans Cash In With Confidence on Have A Nice Day Somewhere Else

The Abbotsford post-punk quartet remind us that things will get better, it’s just a matter of when and where.

by Ben Lock

Published on May 9, 2024

Loans have existed in the periphery of the bustling Vancouver post-punk scene for more than seven years, consistently releasing thoughtful and well-arranged music that contains an angular uniqueness.

This month, the Abbotsford-based quartet bark back with a cheeky and ferocious new EP, Have A Nice Day Somewhere Else, which is also their first on the up-and-coming indie imprint, Westerly Records, founded by Nathaniel Epp and Keely Rochon of Dead Soft.

It’s been three years since Loans released their debut album, Commercial, and their latest explores new topics and emotions while still retaining the jangly, guitar-driven rock sound they are known for. The band has been working on these songs and refining their sound live at their own pace. The musicianship is tightly knit and their sound has smoothed out, containing a more optimistic and distinctly happy classic rock sound.

RANGE recently sat down with Alex Smith, Nicolas Mendoca, and Cory Myers to discuss their new EP and the current era of the band. Loans is made up of four friends from four very different musical backgrounds. “Over the years we’ve brought all of our influences together with the music we mutually have a lot of love for, such as the Rolling Stones and Television,” says Smith.

“Carport” is the lead single off the new EP and portrays optimism and gratitude for life in a youthful and nostalgic way while also being mature and grounded. “I think it might have been in COVID times where things were pretty miserable,” says Smith. “I was trying to write out of my misery of hopelessness and remember that things are going to get better.

“We all met within different scenes and then became friends and joined forces,” he continues. Smith also plays in other bands including Dead Soft, Hollow Twin, and The Visions. Balancing four bands, Smith is a talented multi-instrumentalist and vocalist who likes the chaos of having multiple outlets to sink his creativity into. “We all come from very different backgrounds; Nick and Cory come from a very hardcore and post-hardcore background, whereas I’ve mainly played in pretty grungy indie bands over the years.”

Loans have been in a constant state of writing and recording since their formation, and have never shied away from debuting new music live. “We are notorious for playing new songs live, even with Commercial. By the time the record dropped, we were pretty sick of playing those songs live,” says Smith. “With multiple people in the project playing in other bands, it’s a good outlet for the members to be able to be prolific with how they write and work together.”

The band is getting more ambitious with their blend of guitarmony-driven post-punk on Have A Nice Day Somewhere Else, and they are currently working on finishing a new record as we speak. Loans continue to prove that they’re one of the most promising bands to come out of Canada’s underground in recent history, with a sense of progression and evolution in each new high-quality release.

Catch Loans at their EP release show on May 11 at Green Auto with guests Dead Soft and Computer | TICKETS & INFO