Gif by chelseafc on Giphy
(I swear, I was looking for a STRUT GIF, but this CHELSEA-related one popped up. Oh well!)
Hey there, Connectors! Welcome to the weekend!
Okay, let’s talk about that band.
They’ve been everywhere since one of their live performances went viral a couple of months ago. About 50% of what I’m seeing on my Instagram feed right now is related to these folks.
They’re selling out shows quickly and have a huge free, outdoor set lined up for The Montreal International Jazz Festival this summer. I wouldn’t be surprised if the band get a heroes’ welcome in front of 100,000 people.
I am referring, of course, to Angine de Poitrine.
The left-field two-piece’s fascinating take on math rock with loop pedals, a custom microtonal double-neck guitar and weird time signatures probably should have been enough to grab people’s attention. But the strange, polka dot-centric aesthetic really helps them stand out.
Here’s that set for KEXP, which has racked up nearly 9 million views on YouTube:
Even before I learned they were from Quebec, I knew they were from Quebec. They’re from the Saguenay region, which is around two hours north of Quebec City.
I can’t really explain why, but Angine de Poitrine are extremely Quebec coded. I think it’s partly the DIY spirit and partly because Cirque du Soleil is from here. I just clocked them as a Quebec band immediately, and they’re perhaps already the biggest one to emerge from this province since Arcade Fire.
While the triangle is the signature shape of Angine de Poitrine, their music has a lot of duality. It’s chaotic and precise; serious and not; intricate and danceable. They dart from genre to genre, dabbling in classic heavy metal, garage rock, blues, prog rock and even polka.
Their second album, Vol II, arrived a week ago. I’ve listened to it a couple of times and it has wormed its way into my brain. I’m trying to decipher whatever hidden messages these creatures are transmitting through their wild music and vocals. It’s great stuff:
Before we begin, we have a great little community on Discord, where we chat about NYT Connections, the rest of the NYT games and all kinds of other stuff. Everyone who has joined has been lovely. It’s a fun hangout spot, and you’re more than welcome to join us.
Discord is also the best way to give me any feedback about the column, especially on the rare (or not-so-rare) occasions that I mess something up. I don’t look at Twitter much.
Today’s NYT Connections hints and answers for Saturday, April 11 are coming right up.
What Are Today’s Connections Hints?
Scroll slowly! Just after the hints for each of today’s Connections groups, I’ll reveal what the groups are without immediately telling you which words go into them.
Today’s 16 words are...
ANGEL
SNOWFLAKE
JACK
SCREWDRIVER
BOMBAY
STRUT
PATRON
BEAM
CHAMPION
CHELSEA
COLUMN
ICE SCRAPER
SPARE TIRE
BRACE
SPONSOR
JUMPER CABLES
The level one hints for today’s Connections groups are:
🟨 Yellow group — road essentials
🟩 Green group — they get behind something they believe in
🟦 Blue group — hold up!
🟪 Purple group — livestream, teakettle and overkill would all fit in here
One Word For Each Connections Group
Be warned: we’re really starting to get into spoiler territory.
Let’s take a look at one word for each group.
Today’s Connections word hints are…
🟨 Yellow group — JACK
🟩 Green group — PATRON
🟦 Blue group — BEAM
🟪 Purple group — SNOWFLAKE
What Are Today’s Connections Groups?
Need some extra help?
Today’s Connections groups are...
🟨 Yellow group — found in the trunk of a car
🟩 Green group — benefactor
🟦 Blue group — structural supports
🟪 Purple group — ending in bodies of water
What Are Today’s Connections Answers?
Spoiler alert! Don’t scroll any further down the page until you’re ready to find out today’s Connections answers.
This is your final warning!
Today’s Connections answers are...
🟨 Yellow group — found in the trunk of a car (ICE SCRAPER, JACK, JUMPER CABLES, SPARE TIRE)
🟩 Green group — benefactor (ANGEL, CHAMPION, PATRON, SPONSOR)
🟦 Blue group — structural supports (BEAM, BRACE, COLUMN, STRUT)
🟪 Purple group — ending in bodies of water (BOMBAY, CHELSEA, SCREWDRIVER, SNOWFLAKE)
The yellows were first up for me, thanks to SPARE TIRE and JUMPER CABLES. No problem there. Once I realized that ANGEL (as in an angel investor) fit with the greens, I had those too.
From there, the construction-related group had to be the blues. But of course, I submitted the purples first. Didn't figure out the connection there. I blame that on feeling very tired right now, even though I'm getting more sleep than usual. The purps refer to bay, sea, river and lake.
That's win 406 in a row for your good friend Kris. How did you get on today? Here's my grid:
🟨🟨🟨🟨
🟩🟩🟩🟩
🟪🟪🟪🟪
🟦🟦🟦🟦
That’s all there is to it for today’s Connections clues and answers. Be sure to subscribe to my newsletter for hints and the solution for Sunday’s game if you need them.
P.S. I really enjoy Little V’s metal covers of video game music and pop hits. They’re so much fun. Here’s one he posted a while back for “Soda Pop” by Saja Boys from KPop Demon Hunters.
I don’t expect that many of you will dig this as much as I do. I’m mostly tickled that he added a nasty “blegh” to this song before the third verse. Sick Hello Kitty guitar too:
Have a great day! Stay hydrated! Be kind to yourself and each other! Call someone you love!
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