No Frills Sad Clown

Sad Clown, No Frills’ second full-length album, builds on the themes of the band’s 2022 debut LP, Downward Dog — a release that reached #28 on the North American campus radio charts and saw No Frills perform at Pop Montreal and Sled Island. The 12-song, 40-minute collection continues Busheikin’s exploration of life’s absurdities, blending ramshackle Beatles/Zombies/Monkees-inspired melodies with sparse orchestral arrangements.

The band – Busheikin alongside bassist Maddy Wilde, guitarist Matt Buckberrough, and drummer Jonathan Pappo – recorded the loose, jammy performances of Sad Clown with engineers Chris Shannon and Nate Vanderwielen (members of cult art-rock band BART) at Toronto's 500 Keele. Vocals, additional guitars and synth were recorded by Busheikin in his basement, crafting a warm and intimate soundscape. For the first time, Busheikin wrote string quartet arrangements, and intivited collaborations from Toronto musicians, including Eliza Niemi (cello), Alex Hamlyn (saxophone), and Kristina Koski (flute).