This cut-and-paste pastiche is as retro as Ottawa is staid, and that makes Underwater Cigarettes a real looker for fans of old school zines. Complied by a lass who goes only by Ez, UC is a bit skimpy on content, clocking in at a mere 16 pages. Luckily, each one of those leafs is decked out in some kind of weirdo visual, whether it be some creepy dude with a slingshot or a freak dressed up like a giant cupcake. Thusly, this becomes a matter of quality, not quantity. In terms of the text, UC features a slipshod stream-of-conscious buffet, puked out on the pages for all to see. Sideways, diagonal, hand-written, Sans Serif–it don’t matter–Ez keeps the reader guessing and off balance through out. Perhaps the most shocking nugget about this zine is the recipe for a vegan chocolate pie on page five. Most wouldn’t think of consulting a zine for a dessert recipe but this tart is damn tasty, making UC a pleasure any way you slice it. (Cameron Gordon) (Cameron Gordon)
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