Duck Duck Woodpigeon

No one can stop talking about Calgary native Woodpigeon’s third album, Die Stadt Muzikanten.

Named for the most beautiful word in the English language, frontman and indie hard-hitter Mark Hamilton has a mandate to match the band name with the most beautiful music. Inexplicably an underdog in a country that should love them, their music has been more popular in Europe than their own hometown . Hamilton’s acoustic songwriting is difficult to describe without words like ‘gentle’, ‘sweet’, and ‘wispy’, but it’s undeniable that this songwriter is top of his game. Lucky enough was I to correspond with Hamilton shortly after the release of their latest album.

Follow the jump to read the interview

Free Olympic Concerts Now as Calendar Files

You may have already seen follow blogger Brenda's handy handouts for the free concerts during the 2010 Olympics in the greater Vancouver area, if you haven't you can find them on either Earbuds & Ticketstubs or NxEW, but for any of you that use iCal, Outlook, Google Calendar or any other calendar program I've cooked up some ics files that you should be able to import into any of those programs.

I've made them into separate calendars for almost each venue so you can easily pick and choose what you want.

Downtown Vancouver
Live City - Yaletown
Live City - Downtown
Robson Square GE Plaza
Ontario Pavilion
Free CBC Events

Granville Island
Atlantic Kitchen Backstage
Atlantic On Deck
Air Canada Stage
Performance Works
Club Adrenaline

Whistler
Whistler Live - Medals or Skiers Plaza
Whistler Live - Village Square

Surrey
Surrey Celebration Stage
Surrey House Stage

Richmond
Richmond O Zone

I'd like to note that I didn't separate out all the Canadian and non-Canadian acts but if it's free and music related it should be on there.

Let me know in the comments below if there's anything I've missed or if I happened to make a mistake.

Enjoy!
- AlexOfAnders

Q & A with Mike Smith from Muskox (and many other things).

This is the third installment of my interview series with Toronto music scenesters. You can read the first (with Ben Mueller-Heaslip) and second (with Randal Ball) ones on my blog.

Mike Smith is nearly-ubiquitous in Toronto's music community. Find him at Soundscapes most days, and performing with his main band, Muskox, as well as appearing and recording with a slew of others. In 2009 Muskox put out its fourth EP, titled 5 Pieces (Standard Form). You can pick up a copy at Soundscapes, or from the band at a show. The other three---Gallantries (2008, self-released), Fever Dream (2007, self-released), and Caveman Caveman Crystal Skulls (2006, self released)---are available in digital format from wherever you like to do your online music shopping. Visit Muskox's "hindquarters" here.

Jen: First off, I know that in addition to musical projects in which you play a big part---Muskox, of course, but also the rock 'n' soul band Steamboat, and your freelance work as a composer---you've contributed to the live and recorded output of many, many bands and solo artists. Want to give us a list of some of these?

Mike: This is a tricky question, as I'm bound to forget some. 2009 has seen the release of albums from Muskox, Steamboat, Canaille, Isla Craig, Bruce Peninsula, Lisa Bozikovic, TorQ Percussion Ensemble, and MV/EE, all of which I was involved with in some capacity. I've been performing with all those folks, plus Mark Laver's Earthtones, Gabe Levine, Jessie Kussin, and I Am Robot And Proud. More casual performances abound as well, mostly in the improvised music and jazz departments.

Jen: How do you characterize the Toronto music scene? I call it expansive, mostly-unknown, ever-changing, and inspiring, but my perspective on and relationship to it is pretty different than yours.

Mike: The music scene in Toronto is never-ending! There are so many sub-pockets and communities around that you could see a different band play every night for a year without ever listening to the same folks play twice. I mean, you may have to go East of Spadina to pull that off, but you've had your shots, right?

Jen: You spent some time in Montreal. Comparisons between the music scenes in the two cities are often made. Do you have any thoughts on this? Or how things have changed in Toronto in the past few years?

Mike: I'm not so sure I can be judge on that, as most of my time in Montréal was pretty anti-social. I dipped my feet into the jazz scene a little, and was playing some early music, but I didn't really get out to many shows or establish any lasting musical relationships. I moved there right when Arcade Fire went bananas and got a little weirded out by the entire bands that moved to town together to get something happening. I was definitely more into staying at home and pretending to write music.

I came home to Toronto in 2006 with a bit of a mission to reinvent myself as a musician and become more involved with the music community as a whole, as I had previously been attempting a sort of super-pro career thing that really didn't fit with my actual personality. I kind of dove in to the Toronto scene and have been getting deeper ever since. I don't know if it's changed at all---I've kinda been too busy trying to take everything in to notice any sort of trend.

Jen: What's your motivation for participating in all these projects?

Mike: I love playing music, and I love spending time with musicians. There are so many people making beautiful sounds in town, and I'm learning that if you hang around long enough, you may get to make those sounds with them. Also, I have a total inability to say no.

Jen: I want to know more about Muskox. How do you classify the band's sound? (I like labels.)

Mike: Man, I'm so terrible at this. I've had this band for three and a half years, but I still haven't come up with an elevator description of our sound. Andrew Zukerman called us prog-americana, which made me laugh a lot, so I used that for a while. A gentleman named Curran Folkers called us post-folk, which was pretty cool too, although that "post" shouldn't really mean post, but rather it should be a nod to the "post" in "post-rock". Is this difficult? Yes.

Generally I just spout off the list of instruments (banjo, harmonium, saxophone, vibraphone, cello, double bass and electric piano), then make a vague reference to Steve Reich or something. Ideally, the band should sound like an over-caffeinated Town & Country plus this awesome record that Ensemble Ambrosius made of Frank Zappa music on baroque instruments. It sounds like I'm trying to be obscure, but this is the real deal. Reviews seem to say we sound like Tortoise or Sufjan Stevens. We don't.

Jen: Are their other bands or artists you know of that are doing similar things as you do with Muskox?

Mike: No! I want to!

Jen: At one point I know you were putting out your EPs on these little mini disc things. How come? Are you still doing that?

Mike: Nope. The 3" Muskox CDs are gone gone gone. I have a few left of the first one, but Fever Dream and Gallantries are out of print. Mostly, it is because I'm sick of assembling them, but also it is because that format is really difficult to deal with. No one has CD players anymore!

I was drawn to that format with the concept of releasing twenty minutes of music every three months. It totally didn't work that way, but I did my best. The music will reappear sometime soon, however - I am very proud of Gallantries and would like to have it available---either as a 10" record or an LP with a rerecording of Fever Dream on the other side. Anybody got any money?

Jen: What's on the agenda for 2010, for Muskox and for you, personally?

Mike: 2010 is going to be amazing! I'll slowly be writing stuff for the next Muskox record, which is going to be a crazy studio kind of project with some new sounds involved - particularly in the keyboard department. Steamboat is already recording tracks for a full length record, which is thus far moving a long beautifully. I'm very very excited to be working with Sandro Perri on his new project along with all my favourite musical pals in town---Tiny Mirrors is one of my favourite albums of the past ten years, so it's a real trip to get in on the next one. Brodie West's tropical-music supergroup Eucalyptus is recording next week, and should be performing fairly regularly as well. AND I Am Robot And Proud is heading to Japan in April. My mind is blown. Plus, plus, Caitlin Smith and I are launching an insane 21-piece pop orchestra with strings and fake Jordanaires and everything that should be playing sometime in the fall.

There are a few very exciting recordings on the way, as well---Gabe Levine's album was recorded in the fall and should be appearing in the spring. From what I've heard it sounds amazing, and is probably the best experience I've ever had recording. I got to do some string arrangements that turned out super, and that really jazzed me up since I love doing that sort of thing, but folks rarely ask.

Muskox collaborated with Bruce Peninsula on a new version of their tune "Shanty Song" which is coming out as a 7" backed with a collaboration between the Gertrudes and PS I Love You. Both tracks sound amazing, and Muskox on wax makes my toes curl. It's at the plant at this very moment, so keep your ears open . . . .

Jen: Will do, thanks Mike! Good luck with everything this year. Sounds like life will, as you say, be bananas!

Download: "Ghost Ride" (5 Pieces, 2009).

Catch Mike performing next at Holy Oak on 13 February as part of a calypso band.

Supernova.com Show Review and pictures - Vancouver BC

Photo at left:
Columbia's Kevin Schallie performing at the Supernova.com's Battle of the Band finals, Friday January 29 @ Wise Hall in Vancouver.
___________________________________________

Vancouver Supernova Finals, Wise Hall, Vancouver - Jan 29 2010, Show Review

by Jade Sperry

(Photos of the event can be found on my website, please click here.)

It's Friday in the rainy city of Vancouver and I'm off to photograph Supernova.com's Battle of the Bands. I arrived at Wise Hall and met with one of the co-ordinators, Vanessa. I then set about taking test shots of the hall in general to test lighting and shades.

The first act was a solo by Johnny Good. I found that he is a good guitarist and has excellent melodies to his songs. Johnny's music reminded me of mellow folk music with a bite to the lyrics. I found his voice to be strong and full of emotion. It was definitely a good start to the night.

The next act, This Means Nothing in Mexico, were a trio of young men probably still in high school. But looks and youth can be deceiving. I found their songs to have really good tempo and chord changes. Judging by the reaction of the crowd, they definitely have a fanbase. I also found them all to be entertaining and their personalities seem to mesh well with being onstage.

Decognition took the stage next. This was a high energy band with fast guitar riffs and a solid steady rhythm throughout each song of their short set. I also found that they have good stage presence and this will serve them well in the future.

High Life Scenery were next. I really got into the music of this band. Even though all the band members are teenagers, I didn't think that about their music. Solid chord progressions, good melodies and high energy really took the crowd to another level. At first, they seemed surprised by the reaction they received, but then really got into the show. What struck me the most was how polite they were onstage, thanking the crowd for coming out and thanking the Supernova.com people.

Red Couch Lounge came on next, and instantly reminded me of of a mix of Rage Against The Machine and Wolfmother. Funky guitar and bass grooves mixed with pop sensibility were the highlight of every song. The young man who played bass blew this writer away with his root chords and just how well he can play a bass. Mind-blowing. This band has excellent rhythm to every song with very good guitar chord progression and melodies. The singer has a very good voice and this band could very easily take it the next level if they chose to.

The next band that came onstage was Jive Talk. I loved their initial outfits onstage. Pink fur jackets with dark shades on as well as the korean drummer and the police guitarist! I knew that this was going to be a good set just based on that. I was happy to hear that they also have really well placed funky grooves as the bass player was right on the money with every song. This band can pretty much do it all – excellent chord changes and progressions, really fast tempo changes and very high energy onstage is what a band is all about. I really enjoyed a sax player onstage, and this young man can certainly play with the best of them.

Bridges and Breakdowns hit the stage next with their heavy guitars and solid chord progressions. The singer had a very big personality which really set the crowd off into a frenzy. The crowd really got into this band's set. As a collective, this band oozes with high energy that you can actually feel. That is hard to get across in any setting but they manged that without much effort. The melodies of the songs are well constructed and each member plays with enthusiasm in each song.

Soldat came on after, and this was a solid band hands down. The singer really knows how to sing and he can push it in any direction he chooses to go into. The drummer hit the skins hard which gave all the songs a fantastic backbone to work from. Add the bass into that and you have a phenomenal rhythm section. The bass player was hard on the strings but that worked well with the hard hitting drummer. Every song had very good chord progressions and the root chord rhythms just worked so well into what the guitarists were doing.

The Colombians were a good band but I wondered why they set up their own drums when no other band did that. Regardless, I was surprised by their raw sound. Solid rhythms, good vocal work and high energy made this band sound great. The drummer hit the skins hard and the bass followed the drummer in perfect time. The lead singer has very strong vocal chords and I really got into the sound of his voice. All members had great stage presence, and I liked how this band was encouraging the audience to participate with them.

Next up was the band Columbia. Most bands had a set of 4-5 songs while this band only had 3 songs. Regardless of that, I found that they played extremely well despite a small crowd and short set. Columbia used that small space of time to hit up the crowd with solid guitar chords from Richard and Jason. Each song was played in time and in tune with a lot of energy. This band really has found its members and they all click onstage and off. Columbia's songs are well executed, well constructed and have a lot to say to everyone. They were happy to be there, and found that their fans who can't make it into clubs because of age were there and they were interacting with them. That was great to see.

At that point, I had been in Wise Hall for just over 6 hours and I really needed to eat some kind of meal. Since they were only selling snack food, I left to get something to eat and call it a night. Although I didn't speak to most of the bands because of time constraints on photography, I overheard many conversations of the guys in the bands with their friends, and it was all about being excited, playing a set to people who've never seen these bands and that was the vibe for most of the evening – EXCITEMENT.

As of this writing, Columbia were the winners of this phase of the contest.

A big thanks goes out to Vanessa who was co-ordinating the event here in Vancouver at the Wise Hall, and to Corina at Supernova.com.

Footnote: As of this writing, Vancouver band Columbia were the winners. I can only wish them well in their future endeavors, and I hope you "Join Their Ride" with them in their first cross Canada tour starting in March 2010. Check out a show and you won't be disappointed.

Spotlight: Yukon Blonde

Discover Simple, Private Sharing at Drop.io

As a regular listener to CBC Radio3, every once in a while there’s a song or an artist or an interview that makes me stop what I’m doing and listen intently. This compels me to search out the band and learn all I can about them. Such was the case with the psychedelic pop sound and perfect harmonies of Yukon Blonde.

Yukon Blonde are Jeff Innes, Brandon Scott and Graham Jones. Formerly known as Alphababy, the band’s name change was a result of tour mate Jon-Rae Fletcher’s utter hatred of it. “He said Road, Sky, Dog, anything is better than Alphababy,”- Innes recalled, “Cut your losses, change your name, you deserve better.” Fletcher may have prompted the name change, but the name itself came about when “our bass player’s boss once denied that she had grey hair” said Innes, calling it “Yukon blonde.”

After returning from a cross-Canada tour with Jon-Rae Fletcher, as both as his backing and opening band, Alphababy packed their bags and moved from Kelowna to Vancouver. The band changed their name to Yukon Blonde and set out to write all new material, which they recorded in Vancouver with producer Shawn Cole.

The result was a set of 14 songs. Four songs became Everything In Everyway – the band’s debut EP. Released in Canada and internationally (digital) on October 6th 2009, the EP introduced the new band, the new songs and the new name. The veterans of long stretches of highway and sleeping on floors launched a 37-date tour across Canada which included dates at POP Montreal, Halifax POP Explosion and CMJ, and ended in a triumphant return to their home town of Kelowna on November 8th 2009 – almost two months later, picking up many rave reviews along the way.

The remaining 10 songs will be released as Yukon Blonde’s self-titled debut LP on February 9th 2010 across North America by Nevado Records. The band plans to tour extensively in the US and Canada in the months following the release.

I was able to sit down last week for a quick Q & A with Jeff Innes.

Which song on the new album surprised you? By that I

mean: was there a song that was “average” going in, but sounded

so much better as a final result?

A: I think we were all surprised by Loyal Man the most. It began as an acoustic song just a few nights before and Shawn Cole convinced us it had to be on the record. So Shawn had everyone including himself in the tracking room using whatever percussive instrument they could find while standing on these giant stomping boxes, jamming for like an hour. When that was finished, we made noise from piggybacking all the guitar amps in the studio together. When Shawn showed us the unedited version it just sounded so crazy. About two weeks later, we got the final mix and we were shocked at how amazing the song came out.

CMW is coming up for Yukon Blonde, is this your first time?

A: It is our first time and we're quite excited about it.

What do you fear most about this upcoming two-month long tour?

A: That the tour will end... along with the transmission in our van, (Helicopter).

With the move from Kelowna to Vancouver, was there a change of

allegiance to a favourite hockey team?

A: I think it's always been the Canucks for me, Bran is a Flyers fan (for now) and Graham's an Oilers fan from birth, but I think he's coming around. We're all Team Canada fans though, right?

Touring van: Newer vehicle or a piece of crap?

A: We actually tour in the 429 EMS helicopter which was designed as a medical aircraft. We Are The City just bought it for us because they are mega rich and Graham gets sick all the time.

What are your hopes for this tour? What would make it the best

tour you have ever done?

A: To start the tour off in Kelowna with friends Treelines and Red Cedar for a great album release party, followed by a show in Calgary with Two Hours Traffic followed by showcases at CMW and SXSW somewhere in there. End it all back here in Vancouver, and then take off again a few days later.

Also wouldn't it be terrific if we actually had a helicopter?

Go and experience the 60s-styled rock harmonies and spellbinding music of Yukon Blonde on their current tour.

Feb 19 2010 8:00P

TBC Kelowna, BC

Feb 22 2010 8:00P

The Black Dog Edmonton, AB

Feb 23 2010 8:00P

The Exchange Regina, SK

Feb 25 2010 8:00P

311 Minneapolis, MN

Feb 26 2010 8:00P

The Dark Room Chicago, IL

Feb 27 2010 8:00P

The Phog Lounge Windsor, ON

Mar 2 2010 8:00P

O’Brien’s Boston, MA

Mar 3 2010 8:00P

Pianos New York City, NY

Mar 4 2010 8:00P

Littlefield Brooklyn, NY

Mar 5 2010 8:00P

Le Divan Orange Montreal, QC

Mar 6 2010 8:00P

Zaphod’s Ottawa, ON

Mar 10 2010 8:00P

The Casbah Hamilton, ON

Mar 13 2010 8:00P

CMW Toronto, ON

Mar 26 2010 8:00P

Amigo’s Saskatoon, SK

Mar 27 2010 8:00P

The Palomino Calgary, AB

Lisa Christiansen interview on CBC Radio 3

http://radio3.cbc.ca/play/band/Appetite-for-Distraction/Yukon-Blonde-Jan-19-2010

http://twitter.com/yukonblonde

http://www.myspace.com/yukonblondeband

http://www.nevadorecords.com/

Special thanks to Nick Bernal @nevadorecords

Photo credit – TheRadioHead

Video: Jon-Rae Fletcher @ The Vogue Theatre, Vancouver

Last friday I had the opportunity to check out an amazing night of music at the Vogue theatre here in Vancouver. Jon-Rae Fletcher opened up for the Great Lake Swimmers, which fellow NxEW blogger Brenda Lee wrote about here.

I caught Jon-Rae's encore of "Fire" on video. Never has someone sounded so great signing about an apocalypse of biblical proportions. Needless to say Jon-Rae set a fire in the Vogue that night, and those in attendance took notice.

In my humble opinion, Jon-Rae Fletcher is one of Canada's best singer/songwriters. Hopefully him playing a large venue like The Vogue is an indication that he is well on his way to becoming a household name across this large country of ours. It has been a long time coming.

CD Review: From Halifax, Cousins' "Out On Town"

Cousins is the child of Aaron Mangle, a Haligonian who recorded all of this record on his own. The first comparison which comes to mind here is the slow burning folk/grunge/noise of the Neil Young/Crazy Horse "Down by the River" era - big guitars in slow motion, swirling sounds through ancient amps, mellow drums to keep up the time but not to overwhelm, occasional screaming choruses. Mangle's voice even reminds me of Neil Young - that off kilter semi-falsetto. It's a voice that could be irritating but, like his influences, Mangle nails it well - a perfect antidote to the swirling, crunchy guitars.

But don't think that Cousins simply mimics Young: the sound is subtle and elegant, in ways that Crazy Horse could not achieve, often incorporating more complex and mellow song structures. That is not evident on first listen, but repeated spins will make the point clear. In many ways, the better comparison is Red House Painters' creator Mark Kozelek's work as Sun Kil Moon: more melodic, intricate and thoughtful.

Cousins is at its best when it captures the inherent tension of distorted guitars that are not too loud. In "Out On Town", that tension is always there, when the guitar sound is pushed to its limits but not in the power chord way. Mellow strumming is intense but not over-reaching, always just about to break out into something larger. This is a great style to match the quirky, somewhat surrealistic bent of many of the lyrics. And yet, about 2/3 of the way through the song, the band breaks out into controlled chaos, big drums and cymbals, blended vocals, jangly guitar over pounding chord changes, and then ending with a bottom end distortion. A nice job at a cathartic ending. Best track for sure on this record, and a great way of revealing grace in the midst of a potentially harsh sound.

"Anxious", "Around Their Waists", "Growling" and "Formulas" all share that swirly, distorted guitar sound. "Anxious" expands the sound a bit, with staccato guitar solos interspersed, ending with a particularly raucous collection of notes. "Around Their Waists" takes on a mellower mood, with strummy, almost jangly moments - think late sixties guitar bands on opium, especially in the chorus.

I have to admit being somewhat challenged by the lyrics on the record. It's not clear whether it's just the mix or whether the words are inherently obscure. My guess is the latter, since the overall sound of the CD is great. "Around Their Waists" features plenty of Halifax references, but the lyrical landscape is desolate, with fears about being made to "draw a circle around my friends", and the metaphorical solution of tying a rope around them. Then there's the reference to the cruise ships sailing, bringing and taking "the finest, the finest". This is a brilliant song about being lost in the modern world. "Growling" continues with that theme, this time in the context of a relationship.

"Write Me a Song" continues the Crazy Horse style, but again the lyrics are cryptic. Criticism of hipster musicians who take themselves too seriously? ("Write me a song about bad wine and fast cars, something I can lean into....'cause we don't need no one to tell us what's our name....I don't want to go to your fucking shitty shows. 'Cause this town is in a drought. In this town, I'd rather drown.) Sympathetic attempt to understand a songwriter or someone else? ("Write me a song that comes straight from your world and give it all of those voices in your head and make it swing to the blink of your eyes. And make me wonder aloud what it means to be you."). Both? Who knows! A great track nonetheless.

"Out On Town" also does an excellent job of capturing a mellower mood, often matching a gentle subject matter. This is apparent in "Three Years Old", told from a person with a three year old's perspective, though it's not clear whether that person is three or is like a three year old. "Lullaby" appears to be a throwaway track at 55 seconds, but it also sees the band branching out into Velvet Underground style jangly melodies, with an abrupt ending that makes you want more. "John Schehr 32" is the most stripped down song on the CD, with mostly acoustic guitar and a sombre subject. Again, in this mellower form, the band expands the sound a bit: a few xylophone-like sounds and light guitar round out the end of the song. Both these tracks are somewhat weak, especially given the weight of many of the other tracks. Ironically, they are also the tracks which veer greatest from the record's core strength. That's not a criticism: "Out On Town" clearly shows that Mangle is quite capable of succeeding with those strengths but also build on them in a way which will continue to produce interesting music.

"Memory" is another stand out track: still the same slow, distorted sound, but this one has a much more melodic body, reminding me of some of Daniel Lanois' mellow guitar work. But Mangle is not content staying with that: at the mid-way point a few drum hits/guitar pounds cut through the mellowness, as if to stress the impact of the song's realization: memory's served me well. Perhaps most interesting is the way the lead guitar line mimics and and follows Mangle's voice to a pointed and noticeable effect.

With Cousins, Mangle has done a fantastic job of taking a genre that launched ten thousand garage bands and reworking it in subtle, pretty, and interesting ways. Overall, he maintains grunge's sonic tension but explores nuances which make this more than just a bar band on the hotel circuit. Mangle's voice and cryptic lyrics are perfectly balanced against the raw but melodic guitars - a nice mix which features hope in the midst of chaos. I imagine that these songs would take on an extra dynamic when performed live, which is what Maangle did with a full band last fall.

I had a chance to do a short interview with Aaron Mangle via email. Here's the result:

NxEW: "Listening to the lyrics, I get the sense that loneliness is a theme on this record, and that often gets reflected in the sound as well. Was that your intention? Or did the songs just come out that way? Or do you think the record is just open to that interpretation?"

Mangle: "It was not my intention specifically to write about loneliness, but it is true that a few of the songs were written when I was feeling quite isolated. There is also a fear I have or at least had when writing these songs, that I would be left alone by friends and colleagues in Halifax [since] people leave town a lot. The sound likely reflects that sentiment more than the lyrics, at least intentionally so. I was hoping to use a range of sounds, paces and dynamics to show those tensions. I think that patience and a slower pace that typifies the record allow it to be open to interpretation. There is a lot of optimism and playfulness [on the record], although [it is] not immediately apparent."

NxEW: "You are from Halifax, a city which has had a vibrant music scene - both 'traditional' and 'indie' - for a number of years. Have you benefitted at all from that scene? In what way? Do you have a sense of where it may be going?"

Mangle: "I have no real sense of where the music scene in Halifax is going. The past year has been very good for the local scene, although the past few years in my opinion have been not so good. I benefitted greatly from a wave of good scenes that flourished for a few years and kind of died in 2006. We had a handful of venues close and some of the coolest bands either break up or leave town that year and it was hard to be around and watch that happen. However, those frustrations inspired me to start writing and playing more - anger and loneliness do that. In the past year some really great stuff has come out of Halifax : Room Doom, York Redoubt, Bad Vibrations, Cold Warps, Jon Mckiel, Ghost Bees, Husband and Knife, Construction and Destruction."

NxEW: "Hailing from the East Coast, I assume your local live opportunities are limited by population sizes and travel to venues. I know you've come through Ottawa recently. How important is touring to you? What are the biggest challenges getting out on the road in this huge country? What do you enjoy about it?"

Mangle: "Touring is very important when you're from the east because there is a very limited number of cities and venues to play. It's also quite expensive to get to areas of the country that are worthwhile touring in....no, I'll put it this way, Canada is a terrible place for touring. There is nothing I'd rather do than tour, but we in Canada have terrible infrastructure for bands to travel and perform in. We have yet to tour past Ontario and we're really looking forward to it. We just need to bite the bullet and do a bigger tour. I guess the challenge is money. With money it's not hard for folks to just go for it and drive all around all the time, but we don't have [the money to do that]. Now that we've toured as a band, it's hard to imagine playing or touring solo.

NxEW: "Tell us about the recording process for your record, 'Out on Town'". How did touring with band affect the songs?

Mangle: "The most interesting process was that the record was written and recorded without a band. The songs were arranged in the studio and the decision to form a band actually came after the record was finished. Since finishing the record, forming the band and touring the songs have changed dramatically. I was extremely happy to form a band with some musicians/friends who I always wanted to play with. Dallin and I had been playing for a while in a band under his leadership call Crowd Power, Andy played with Museum Pieces who were very inspiring to me, and Pat plays with Room Doom who slay. The songs are much better now, heavier, more fun, more intense."

NxEW: "What's next? Another record? Tour? Both?"

Mangle: "Well the band continues to change [with] some moving around. We've done a string of two piece shows around the east coast, we're lucky to be able to adjust what instruments we play depending on who's around. we're doing some recording now, mostly at home, and making some music videos, also at home. We're planning a tour for the spring, likely in March and April, and we're hoping to line some things up overseas and in the States."


Well there you have it - thanks to Aaron Mangle for taking the time to answer my questions. Here's a clip from Talk Show Night at Juice Box Manor:

Indie Bands wanted for Podcast

This is our third all-call for any Canadian indie artist who wants to submit a track for a weekly podcast. Thanks to the almost 25 artists who have submitted and heard their songs already.

My friends Mike, Andrew and I have been producing a weekly Canadian pop culture podcast, called DyscultureD, since September 2008. Every week we try to feature a Canadian indie track and give bio and tour information. We've got agreements with Arts & Crafts, Nettwerk, Paperbag, White Whale, Weewerk and others. We'd like to feature more bands that aren't even signed to the "major" indies.

Not trying to compete with the nxew podcast in any way. We spend most of our time talking about the web, gadgets, movies, television, etc.. If you're in a band or have friends who might like some promotion, let me know at dyscultured@gmail.com. We only require an mp3 and a link to get started.

No tricks, no scams, no copyright snags (the podcast is released under a Creative Commons license) - we love Canadian indie music and want to help out where we can. We are, mostly, profanity free on the show, so if you'd like to send an mp3, please consider we may love the song, but it may not fit the podcast.

Peace all.

Library Voices - New Album Details & Tour Dates

Library Voices, an eight-piece pop collective from Regina, Saskatchewan released their EP, Hunting Ghosts (& Other Collected Shorts) on Young Soul Records in 2008. It landed them square in the crosshairs of SPIN’s music radar, who proclaimed Library Voices the “undiscovered band you NEED to hear now.” They have been featured in The New Yorker. They’ve received generous airplay on the CBC and BBC. They have won a CBC Radio 3 “Bucky” Award. They’ve been mugged twice and had their van robbed once.

Now Denim on Denim, the debut album from Library Voices will be released on April 13, 2010(Young Soul Records /EMI). Young Soul Records is the most recent label to join a decorated EMI Label Services roster alongside the likes of: Arts & Crafts, Hidden Pony, Secret City, Ultra Records, Century Media and Side One Dummy - all utilizing EMI Music Canada’s distribution and services reach.

Denim on Denim was (painstakingly) recorded in Regina in the back of a local dance studio. Staying true to their objective of documenting spacious and concise pop songs meant omitting dozens of ideas and tracks from the final mixes. Yet, the record is still teeming with instrumentation - guitars and keys, horns and synths, and (of course) the occasional feedback loop. Denim on Denim was produced by Library Voices and Orion Paradis and features guest appearances from co-prairie musicians and friends in Woodpigeon, Rah Rah, Sylvie, Northcote, as well as Andy Shauf. Right down to the die-cut album packaging - the exterior cut-away lightening bolt revealing the denim inner sleeve, demonstrates the attention to detail that extends to every corner of their work.

As with their previous EP, Denim On Denim is rich with cultural reference. Stan Getz and Fyodor Dostoevsky make cameos in songs about late night escapades. Similarly, Haruki Murakami, Charles Bukowski, Dennis Wilson, and Gram Parsons (among others) weave their way through tales of indulgence, promiscuity, modern living, and the forthcoming apocalypse. This is feel good music for an audience with a conscience (albeit likely, a guilty one). Lead single from Denim on Denim - Drinking Games is available at http://www.myspace.com/thelibraryvoices

The bands unabashed celebration of the term 'pop music' has at times, been met by confusion, leading some to expect bubble gum or auto-tuned FM shine. Although apologetic for the misunderstanding the band stands behind the term. They could have called it, “Post-Twee-Power-Folk-Nu-Beach-LoFi-Modern-Indie”- but they didn't. It's pop. Just pop. You know, like The Stranger, The Zombies, and Videodrome.

Library Voices will be playing live in B.C. over the Olympics and will be on correspondent duty for Regina local Radio 1 reporting on the Olympic experience. Olympic performance dates for Library Voices are outlined below. Subsequent details on their upcoming library and national venue tours in support of Denim on Denim will be announced soon.

LIBRARY VOICES – FEBRUARY 2010 – LIVE DATES – 

Feb 20 - Vancouver, B.C. - Saskatchewan Olympic Pavilion - 9PM
Feb 21 - Vancouver, B.C. - Saskatchewan Olympic Pavilion - 9PM
Feb 22 - Vancouver, B.C. - Saskatchewan Olympic Pavilion - 9PM
Feb 23 - Vancouver, B.C. - BC Place - Medal Ceremony
Feb 23 - Vancouver, B.C. - Show - TBA
Feb 25 - Kelowna, B.C. - Habitat                                                                                                        
Feb 26 - Calgary, A.B. - Gateway (SAIT)
Feb 27 - Edmonton, A.B. - The Pawn Shop

http://www.myspace.com/thelibraryvoices

New Woodhands track (free download): "P'iss."

"Pitchfork doesn't care about Black people...."

Dan Werb and Paul Banwatt from Woodhands have released a new track, "P'iss." It's a dance and rap track---with Paul contributing the rapping---that takes a stab at the (in)famous American music website Pitchfork. The band is unimpressed with the site (to put it mildly): "Everybody else does it better than you."

Go download it for free now!

CONCERT REVIEW : Great Lake Swimmers w/ Jon-Rae Fletcher

If there is anyone reading this who has not seen Great Lake Swimmers live, stop reading. Go buy a ticket at one of their upcoming shows, now.

Now that I've gotten that exhortation out of the way, there are few things I can say about the Swimmers' performance that has not been said a thousand times. Yes, they are tight-knit, never missing a cue from one another. Yes, their music only sounds more expansive and mesmerizing in real life compared to the already excellent recorded version. Yes, Tony Dekker has a comforting, sandy angelic voice. They've placed highly on both my favourite shows AND albums of 2009 lists.

But, I do think I have a contribution to the vast sum of critical acclaim for the Great Lake Swimmers. You know how when you're reading a good novel, you're drawn into a fantastical world that is not your own, in which you reside for the duration of the novel and for quite a while after? That has been my experience with the Swimmers' music, in particular their live shows. And their sonic tales have been ones of loving, longing, treasuring and exalting. It's not until they're finished with you that you realize you'd been holding your breath.

Seeing them, full-band and not unplugged, at the beautiful Vogue Theatre in Vancouver definitely showed that there was much more to add to my already bountiful love for GLS. They brought along Miranda Mulholland, with her lovely voice and deadly fiddling, as opposed to their usual companion Julie Fader. Watch out for this redhead, she not only stole the hearts and minds of all the men in the theatre (and most of the women), but also showed her chops during an extended jam-out of "Still" at the end of their set. In her own words, she really did "giv'er."

Opener Jon-Rae Fletcher and band showed the crowd that country is not dead. In fact, they had the crowd bursting into spontaneous bouts of applause during their songs. Crowing favourites such as recent "Maria" to the 14 year old song "14 Years," Fletcher had his heart on his sleeve and the ears of all who could hear. An encore was demanded even before the last song, and he happily complied.



Jon-Rae Fletcher's set list:
As I Die
Maria
City Lights
Red Raven
Blessed Assurance
Big Talker
Open/Broken
14 years
The Hill
Downtown
Encore-Fire

For a small handful of photos, visit my Flickr.

Spotlight: Woodhands

One of the country's top electro bands, Woodhands, a duo made up of Dan Werb (vocals, synths) and Paul Banwatt (drums, live vocals), released a new album this past Tuesday. Remorsecapade is a follow-up to 2008's explosive Heart Attack, which led to tours in Asia, the US, and here in Canada. This new release keeps the band rocking the keytar, pounding out the dance hits, and exploring its emotional baggage.

To celebrate the release and help get the word out, the band hosted a secret, invite-only show Thursday night at Toronto's not-spacious Smiling Buddha bar. Slightly north and west of the usual hotspots, and often playing host to bands even I've never heard of, I admit to not having ventured there before. I got there early, and spent a quick hour and a quarter talking with an assortment of local press-types and friends of the band. At around 10:30pm, a smoke machine and two green lasers having created somewhat of a proper vibe, and with photographers assembled at the front, the band started to play. And then quickly stopped. Aw, Woodhands. The technical issues were almost instantly sorted out, and the show really got started. The band performed a few of the songs off Remorsecapade, brought Maylee Todd on to contribute her part to "Dissembler" and "Dancer" from Heart Attack, then seamlessly transitioned into "Coolchanize," the standout track from the new album. The performance wasn't quite the display of musical wizardry I've seen from this band, but that's hardly the point. Experiencing these songs---also "CP24," "Talk," and "I Should Have Gone With My Friends,"---performed live makes me excited for everyone who'll get a chance to see this band on their upcoming tour. And, as a friend of mine told Paul after the set, it was just fun to see them play in a small venue just like the old days. (Read more about that here.)

Remorsecapade is the band's second full-length album. Like the first, it offers up eminently danceable tracks and much artistic interest. Electro isn't usually this smart and fully danceable. The best track, "Coolchazine," grabbed my attention right away. Some of the others took a few listens, but by now I'm quite taken with the record.

The first track, "Pockets," sets the tone, and assures the listener that all the ingredients that made Heart Attack great are still present. Slow builds and quiet moments compete with pounding beats and aborted symbol crashes. The song's both groovy and meaningful. It's a love song, after all. "Talk," next up, is about a girl, too. It has dance hit written all over it, but the angst-ridden, yearning kind, not the bubble-gum version. "CP24" you've all heard (and seen). Here the angst gets aggressive and embittered. "Sluts"---which I just noticed begins with a technical glitch and Dan swearing "fuck this machine"---has a more dance club vibe. The girl problems continue, but there's a resolution. What begins aggressively ends with a much more healthy attitude. Awesome. And then comes "Coolchanize." As Dan himself might say, "Oh shit!" Screams! Grunts! This song takes me through the ringer. Dan---or the man he's singing about---has been done wrong. "Why are you fucking with my focus? Why do you have to be the closest thing to me?" and etc. The man can't get a break, though, deciding next that "I Should Have Gone With My Friends" instead of following his date around. This is another great dance track. After all this "Dissembler" comes as a welcome reprieve. Maylee Todd, whose smooth vocal performance on "Dancer" added so much to the first record, is back, performing a duet on this one with Dan. Much airier, this pop love song is really lovely. Everyone now feeling better about things, it's time to dance (and scream) again. "When the Party is Over," featuring fat synth beats, under-emphasized drumming, and great singing, is another solid Woodhands song. The final track ("I Want To Be Together," followed by the outro "How To Survive A Remorsecapade"), is radically different in sound. It's slower, contemplative, sad---"I want to be together" is the repeated refrain---but also a smart way to end a record that's full of anger and heartbreak and other emotional struggles. A "remorsecapade" indeed.

Download: "Pockets" (Remorsecapade, 2010).
Download: "I Kissed A Girl (Katy Perry cover)" (unreleased, 2009).
Download: "Dancer" (Heart Attack, 2008).
Download: "I Wasn't Made For Fighting" (Heart Attack, 2008).





And the live version:



Pick up a copy of Remorsecapade at your local record store, or order it through Paper Bag Records (or whatever other online retailer you like). You can also get both full-length records on vinyl from Paper Bag, as well as some digital-only releases, including last year's Dancer EP, a must-have for DJs or dance-party hosts.

The band is playing shows throughout Canada, February through April. Go see them if you're able!

2 Feb 2010, MTV LIVE, Toronto
6 Feb 2010, Hillside Inside at Sleeman Center, Guelph, Ontario
20 Feb 2010, Biltmore, Vancouver, British Columbia
24 Feb 2010, Pawn Shop, Edmonton, Alberta
25 Feb 2010, Broken City, Calgary, Alberta
26 Feb 2010, Amigo’s, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
27 Feb 2010, Lo Pub, Winnipeg, Manitoba
2 Mar 2010, Phog Lounge, Windsor, Ontario
4 Mar 2010, Level 3, St Catharines, Ontario
5 Mar 2010, Moon Over Marin, London, Ontario
6 Mar 2010, This Ain’t Hollywood, Hamilton, Ontario
11 Mar 2010, Opera House w/ k-os (Canadian Music Week), Toronto, Ontario
6 Apr 2010, Red Dog, Peterborough, Ontario
8 Apr 2010, Mavericks, Ottawa, Ontario
9 Apr 2010, Le Cercle, Quebec City, Quebec
10 Apr 2010, Club Lambi, Montreal, Quebec

Interview with GREYAWAKE

Photo by Claire Foster, provided by the band

by Jade Sperry

After 6 years of playing in a damp basement, writing and then forgetting song after song, Kyle Baker (Vocalist/Guitar) and Tyler Lawson (Guitar) finally decided enough was enough.

They asked long time friend and ex-drummer of the band Nimfo, Matt Wawzonek, to take part in a new music project to allow his intelligent and flowing drum beats to be heard outside of the garage. After working with over half a dozen drummers in the last 6 years, it was a relief to find someone with the talent, dedication and cohesiveness to flow with Kyle and Tyler.

The fourth and final member was a testament to the saying 'last but not least', as bass player Dave Rodgers joined the gang and immediately put his unique spin on the music.

With the four members finally together, the easy part was over. Now for the music...

I had a chance to send some questions to the band to find out some general things as well as ask about their opinions on different subjects.

First off, I wanted to know what was the reasoning behind Kyle and Tyler forming a band and taking it to the next level. They both replied that “there were a lot of really awesome underground bands that we listened to such as Choke, Belvedere and Propahandhi that really rocked our worlds. These bands evoked such powerful emotions that I think we always wanted to have the same effect on people that those bands had on us. We also want to expand the Punk genre of fast, aggressive music to people who normally might not give it a chance.”

This band has that raw and powerful emotion that resonates within the group and shows in their music. I wanted to know what inspires the lyrics to the songs and was it a personal statement or was it something imagined. Kyle answered this question by saying that “the lyrics for the song 'Know This Tension' came out as an aggravated, sarcastic view of the things going on in my life that either pissed me off or was troubling me. I try and say things in a way that leaves room for interpretation so anyone can listen to them and find something that relates to their own experiences. This allows me to get things off my chest and really say what's on my mind, while avoiding a certain vulnerability.”

Getting more into how a young and intelligent band sees the “music industry”, I asked them what their opinions are on the current state of the industry as a whole. They replied that “music has become more accessible over the years and we think it's great. Not only for the musicians and/or artists who want to promote themselves, but for the listeners as well. Music is so easily accessible through multiple mediums on the internet and this allows for more variety and progression with each genre of music. With a positive side, there's also a negative side which is how the music scene becomes more diluted which makes it more difficult for listeners to find what they are looking for. With so many bands out there promoting themselves, it's difficult for the great ones to be noticed.”

With many talented bands out there, how does the lack of media coverage on independent bands and the scene in general affect Greyawake? They replied that “in this genre of music there just isn't a lot of mainstream coverage, and we knew that beforehand. A lot of bands that we grew up on became shitty as they got more mainstream attention. There are ways to get your foot in the door at the mainstream outlets. They won't come to you unless you're a band that is making some big waves in the scene which basically means you have to be making money.”

Coming from Cambridge ON., I wanted to know how the guys felt about the lack of venues in which to play unknown and unheard songs. Cambridge is a smaller city to other more urban areas such as Kitchener and Guelph, and it was no surprise that they responded “in Cambridge there are very few venues that play original music by local talent. We are forced to go to surrounding cities to get any paying gigs. Bar owners also want to ensure that you can bring in enough people to make it worth putting on the show. What this means is that we end up playing a lot of shows with no specific genre and we end up playing for a metal crowd one night and a pop rock crowd the next. And that in turn forces bands in general to not only have a tight set but to also be exceptional performers so that even if the genre isn't the crowd's first choice you're at least entertaining to watch.” I think that they hit on a good point here. In this day and age, not only should you have good tunes but you need to have a “show”. Individual talent within the band is becoming commonplace. Greyawake also add that “these days bands really need to network with other bands that are in the same genre and put together shows themselves. And by doing that you reach more of the listeners that want to hear your music.” This is another good point – self promotion is done by musicians that don't have a label to do that for them.

When I asked the band about how they would describe their music to someone who has never heard the songs, they answered “we consider ourselves a Progressive Punk band. There is a strong focus on the vocal melodies as well as the technicality of our instrumentation and arrangements.” I also asked the guys about what kind of statement that they're trying to make, and is there a message of any kind. They find that “Punk music doesn't have to sound shitty. Musically, we want to melt people's faces with our chops. There seems to be a stigma about Punk musicians who can't play their instruments and in many cases this is true. We would really like to change this perception.” With that being said, I believe that they accomplish this goal extremely well.

Finally I asked what were the goals of the band over the next two years and where did they see themselves. They replied that “we are really focused on playing shows and promoting our EP but in the future we would like to tour extensively GLOBALLY. We also want to finish writing and recording our first full length album by the end of 2010. We're all just very excited to play everywhere and anywhere that will have us. We're ready to put in the work to get our music out there.” They also added that they were in discussion about getting their own line of action figures. That could be an excellent idea, Punk action figures, complete with moving arms and guitars that work!

All in all, Greyawake present a powerful, intelligent and progressive Punk band in their debut EP called KNOW THIS TENSION.

CD Review - Greyawake - Know This Tension

CD cover for "Know This Tension", provided by the band.

Greyawake – Know This Tension

by Jade Sperry

Greyawake are a progressive Punk band from Cambridge ON. Their first EP, Know This Tension, is crafted by individual talents joining forces to create a dynamic 7 song debut. From the first song “Bebop and Rocksteady” to the last song “Handsome Stanley”, this is a solid outing for this quartet. Intricate melodies weave a fast, aggressive sound that is totally their own. Besides having a definite punk sound, I found that there are also some elements of jazz, particularly fusion jazz that is deeply layered in with punk. A good example of this is the song “Roughinit”. This song is well structured and has stellar guitar work by Kyle and Tyler along with steady rhythm lines with both the bass and drums. Another standout song for this writer is the song “Pissin' In The Wind” which is a really funked out hard punk song. Fast, aggressive guitars with good vocal work by Kyle makes this a standout.

You can find the band on their MYSPACE page. The EP can be listened to on Myspace and if you want to get the EP, you can contact the band. Also, Greyawake have upcoming shows on Friday February 5 at The Circus Room in Kitchener ON., and on Sunday March 7 at Vinyl in Guelph ON. Both shows have a door time of 8pm.

Woodpigeon "Die Stadt Muzikanten"

Those most remarkable thing about this remarkable collection (not a double album as much as two full lengths "Die Stadt Muzikanten " and the more stripped down acoustic "Balladeer" in one package) is that over 28 songs and nearly two hours of music it never once falters. An obvious testament to the amazing talent assembled on both sides of the microphone (word up Arran Fisher) but ultimately hinging on the powerfully awesome songwriting of front man Mark Hamilton.
At the center of all the crashing drums, exploding horns, soaring strings and angelic McGarrigle-esque backing vocals is Mr. Hamilton's own breathless voice and lyrical poetry (equal parts longing, dry humour and uplift.
With the similarly epic 24 song collection "Treasure Library Canada" released just last year, Mark Hamiltion might soon find himself on the "songwriters of frightening large output" list with Ryan Adams and Stephen Merrit. Do they wake up in the morning and have to wrestle their song-stuffed heads off the pillow? How about lyric migraines?
So "Die Stadt Muzikanten".... a celebration of consistent outstanding awesomeness, which is not to say their aren't a few standout tracks for me. "My Denial in Argyle" a total spirit-lifter, the Steve Albini produced "An Entanglement of Weeds" (from "Balladeer") and it's thundering cello will haunt your dreams. "The Street Noise Gives You Away" builds into something massive and massively special. But my personal fave, the startling "Our Love is as Tall as the Calgary Tower" a duet with the talk of Montreal, Jane Vain. It's simple and true and scary close to perfect.
I like that, Woodpigeon..."scary close to perfect"

10/10

http://www.woodpigeon-songbook.com/