When Peter Sagar stepped out on stage he was rocking a Mariah Carey shirt and I really hope it wasn’t ironically. I mean Butterfly rocks right? Or maybe it was too on the nose considering the sound he’s going for? Albeit hipster-ism has taken over millennials, Peter Sagar is not the embodiment of cool and I think he’s ok with that. The set was sold out and the crowd was young and simmering with excitement. The line to the bathroom was insane because people were definitely doing drugs.

The set launched with “Fresh Air” and heads started immediately bopping. The vibe if you’re unaware with Homeshake, is 90s/80 R&B. The sound was even more prevalent live. The sound quality of live compared to recorded is pretty spot on except for the fact that during “Every Single Thing” he used an insanely sped up vocal modifier that can only be compared to that of a chipmunk voice. Now Sagar has always used slight vocal modifications in his recordings and for the most part it’s tasteful but this was not. He has been criticized for his vocals before and I wonder if this is his remedy to a voice that’s been overworked on tour? However, his album came out only a little over a month ago. Sagar and crew are also known for not taking themselves too seriously so it could all just been in good fun.

Towards the end of the set, the band does go into a somewhat jam session and they do something I love that most bands don’t do. When they are done they get off the stage, no encore. I personally think encores are superfluous, just play until your done and get off the stage. I feel like encores are somewhat of weird ego strokes.

The set was almost exactly one hour long and after my first whisky, I found myself grooving. I love Sagar’AShASs sound. It’s simple and sexy and the lyrics are taking us on a story about love and relationships that most of us can identify with. I highly recommend catching him in your city and bring a dance partner with you if you can.

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Just in time for Valentine’s Day, Homeshake released his third album, entitled Fresh Air. Its overall sound is a sexy, smooth, electric R&B vibe – but once you take the time to digest the lyrics, you realize Homeshake (what I perceive to be Peter Sagar’s alter ego) is dealing with some communication issues with his lady.

Sagar used to tour with Mac DeMarco’s band until 2013, when he decided to focus on his solo career – but he’s still showing his yacht rock roots on Fresh Air. Tracks like “Hello Welcome”, “Getting Down Part II (He’s Cooling Down)”, “TV Volume”, and “Fresh Air” feature that lazy, loopy, doped down guitar strumming that’s become synonymous with the genre. Low-cost synthesizers carry the rest of the album, along with drum machines and Sagar’s snoozy, languid voice. “Serious” walks the border between bad ’80s and kitschy hipster music.

If it weren’t a loveable hipster like Sagar making this music, it may not be well received – or even considered a serious album. Let this be a lesson, kids: persona is half the battle.

The heavy hitters on the album are the three singles he pre-released before the album: “Call Me Up”, “Every Single Thing”, and “Khmlwugh” (this has got to be something phonetic, but I’m not sure what – feel free to throw out any guesses).

All three tracks lean more towards the electronic, R&B vibe that Sagar is trying to capture. They also follow the vibe of miscommunication that seems to be the theme of the album.

“Every Single Thing” opens up with what we can only assume is Homeshake asking, “are you even paying attention to me right now?” The beat it self is super danceable and will do well as background music for your next get-together. I honestly feel like some of the tracks could have been featured on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

“Call Me Up” probably hits the whole ’80s vibe most directly on the head – sound wise, that is. Lyrically, he’s singing about the space that has grown between himself and his lady. “Khmlwugh” seems to focus less on communication problems and more about the mundane feeling that long-term relationships can fall into.

Some believe we’ve been following Homeshake on his journey of love since the beginning. In The Shower and Midnight Snack were about him lusting after and eventually “getting the girl.” All relationships experience lulls – and perhaps with the miscommunication vibe happening on Fresh Air, we’re witnessing the first lull of this relationship. The title could also be referring to that first gulp of fresh air once the honeymoon cloud of sex and snuggling has cleared and things become more real.

Either way, Homeshake’s third album is an easy listen. Perfect for coffee shops, house parties, or even a booty call. You can pick up the vinyl via Sinderlyn or Royal Mountain Records in Canada. 

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