SHADE THEMES FROM KAIROS, DRAG CITY

It’s difficult to discuss Shade Themes from Kairos without invoking the lineage of Oren Ambarchi, Stephen O’Malley and Randall Dunn. The music feels similar to the ever-looming monolith of Sunn O))) and will likely appeal to listeners of the drone and doom persuasion. However, Shade Themes from Kairos evokes more, sonically, drawing from a much wider instrumental palette than the twin guitar attack of Black One. All but devoid of distortion, it draws upon Seattle’s Earth and the Middle Eastern progressions of Om. The group all but distances themselves from the density and thrust of metal, finding themselves much more contemporarily seated with Bohren & der Club of Gore.

While there seems to be a drive for composition, Ambarchi, O’Malley and Dunn seem to be just as interested in sonic experimentation. The group attempts to create ambient soundscapes that rely heavily upon minimalism and repetition, giving the album a decidedly Krautrock and psychedelic sound. While this is certainly aligned with Ambarchi, O’Malley and Dunn’s musical philosophy, the results feel ambitious, covering territory we seldom hear from these individuals. That said, the slow pace and long, drawn-out tracks may feel disengaging. And those familiar with O’Malley’s work expecting a more visceral experience may be let down. But with Shade Themes from Kairos, there is a definite attempt to branch out artistically and tread comparatively new ground.

By Aaron J. Marko

 GET BACK, JAGJAGUWAR

Stephen McBean may be best known for his work in Black Mountain, but his other group, Pink Mountaintops, have crafted four albums since 2004 with the release of Get Back. McBean has been the only permanent member in the band as the act has worked as a collaborative between him and multiple artists including members of Godspeed! You Black Emperor, Cat Power and Cold War Kids, among many others.

Pink Mountaintops’ previous record, Outside Love, had some stunning songs (“Execution,” “While We Were Dreaming”), while Get Back stumbles at points and, on one track, quite disastrously. “Through All the Worry” is an early highlight: it is a sunny ballad aided by beautiful harmony work and church bells on the chorus. The seventies glam-rock stomp of “Sixteen” is pure fun, yet “Sell Your Soul” is hampered by wincingly self-aware lyrics. The most grievous misstep on Get Back comes in the form of “North Hollywood Microwaves.” Guest star Annie Hardy (Giant Drag) spews some repellant lyrics about consuming bear ejaculate while McBean seems lost in a directionless rock track that can easily be counted among the worst songs in his catalogue.

Get Back is a varied album with a tone of weariness to it. Some songs work, but others seem either unfocused or ill-conceived.

By James Olson

FUNERAL SKY, ARTS & CRAFTS

Funeral Sky is the debut album proper by Reuben and the Dark and absolutely must be listened to from start to finish. Prepare to soar amongst the stars and float with the oceans’ waves just below sea level as Reuben and the Dark’s frontman, Reuben Bullock, tells a soulful story about relationships and family struggles traveling from town to town as a preacher’s son.

Produced by Chris Hayden (drummer for Florence + The Machine) and Stephen Kozmeniuk (Madonna, Nicki Minaj), Funeral Sky sets the listener right beside Bullock on his journey. The album is mixed by Jim Abbiss (Adele, Arctic Monkeys), providing us with the much-loved harmonious, new alternative rock sound that spills out of Funeral Sky.

“Bow and Arrow” is the sugary beginning to the vortex of layered instrumental masterpieces that will drag you into the emotional intensity, followed up by “Standing Still.” This lyric-driven song bleeds through Bullock’s vocals in a soulful ballad about family, specifically his brother. Pessimism prevails in “Can’t See the Light,” highlighting how love is sandpapery, but only “sometimes.” Distance and heartache, youthful innocence and discovery are found here, spread amongst booming flower petals on both a rainy afternoon and a summers’ eve.

By Paige Paquette

9 DEAD ALIVE, RUBYWORKS RECORDS

It’s been five years since we have heard original material from the freakishly talented Mexican guitar duo known simply as Rodrigo y Gabriela. Amalgamating classical and flamenco guitar styles with rock and heavy-metal influences, the long-awaited 9 Dead Alive finds the two-piece powerhouse paying tribute to noteworthy individuals of the past.

Wire and wood generate instrumental magic, as the fulsome acoustics and intricate fretwork on opening track “The Soundmaker” taps into the muse of guitarist/luthier Antonio de Torres Jurado. All the while, the fragile vistas of “Megalopolis” and the doggedly optimistic “Misty Moses (inspired by Harriet Tubman) set the historic scene for the Trans-Siberian juggernaut “The Russian Messenger” (inspired by Fyodor Dostoyevsky). Organic, intuitive and brilliantly emotive, the stirring sonic portraits that comprise 9 Dead Alive are deeply reverential and yet completely invigorating. Class, consider yourselves schooled!

By Christine Leonard

…AND THEN YOU SHOOT YOUR COUSIN, DEF JAM RECORDINGS

The Roots busked themselves out of the street corners of Philadelphia and into the arms and ears of a virtually unceasing stream of fans worldwide after over 15 years of aural sweetness. …And Then You Shoot Your Cousin is the 11th album by the Grammy Award-winning hip-hop fascination and, never missing a beat, their latest sonic dreamscapes open with wonders stupendous. “Theme from the Middle of the Night” introduces the musical zeitgeist with a hearty dose of true sound from the back record collection of one of America’s prized musical acts.

Lyrical ingenuity stops and breaks over harmonic artistry, as the album commences to exhibit a dynamic energy rarely heard in hip hop and from other contemporary artists with a mind to the foundational breath of rhythm and poetry. Cut with the lilting affair of song troupes in their glorious heyday, “The Devil” ends on the notation of the following track “Black Rock,” which spins heady, spiralling with rhythmic intensity. With “The Coming,” the band highlights its musical display with a moving ambiance, pierced with the charged, ringing light of a female vocalist into the groundless space of that unique sound that can only be heard from The Roots.

There are eleven tracks in total, featuring accomplices Patty Crash, Modesty Lycan, Greg Porn, Dice Raw, Mercedes Martinez and Raheem DeVaughn. And The Roots surf a mighty wave with them, a genuine verve through lyrics raw as their subject matter. After years of lighting on the American musical consciousness with an unrivalled life force, …And Then You Shoot Your Cousin muses on identity amid the oft-overwhelming worlds of sexuality, drugs and money, that seemingly impenetrable, cascading triplet misting from the American falls of history, civilization and culture.

By Matt Hanson

BERMUDA WATERFALL, ARBUTUS RECORDS

5 A.M. The lazy morning drifts past under the hazy night sky now drifting into morning. It’s just me and Sean Nicholas Savage. Bermuda Waterfall plays softly in the background. The steady snap of the drum machine and whimsy. Every sound, every song, I feel like I know it.

It’s The Police. It’s Hall and Oates. It’s The Captain and Tennille. It’s sitting in the car in pitch darkness with my father, driving home in awkward silence as the AM radio plays just loud enough to hear it. But that’s not what Bermuda Waterfall is at all. It’s both overtly self-aware of itself and too ironic to care.

It’s anachronistic. It’s so uncool that it’s cool. It so readily embraces its influences that you can’t help but take it seriously. It is the least punk thing you will ever listen to. Even Mac DeMarco has more teeth than this. Really, his only contemporaries at this point are Air or Ariel Pink.

Ultimately though, Sean Nicholas Savage is just a guy trying to write pop songs that people can enjoy. Is the aesthetic original? Who cares? It’s like Led Zeppelin once said: “There is nothing new under the sun.” Or maybe that was Coalesce.

“But is it good?” I don’t know, bub. Why don’t you ask me again after I stop crying?

By Aaron J. Marko

EMANATE, SELF-RELEASED

With the current electronic music scene a desolate wasteland, it becomes easy to forget the diversity it once held. Aphex Twin, Squarepusher and Autechre all managed to push boundaries and challenge perceptions. Though Sunfilter can hardly be accused of shifting the musical landscape, it does make an excellent case for the future of forward-thinking electronic music.

Emanate manages to capture many tonal concepts of the aforementioned IDM pioneers. While it lacks the frenetic drum and bass of “Vic Acid,” Sunfilter’s latest finds itself in a thoughtful, meditative place. “Belly Button Logic” dances hypnotically and circular atop shifting drum patterns. This is a repeated theme throughout the album — building atop of repetition to create new structures.

Sunfilter places a heavy focus on pop progressions, but utilizes them to present complex ideas. Additionally, there’s a welcome, relaxed feel to the production. It really works to the album’s benefit, given the occasionally physically disorienting moments on tracks like “The Vertical Gardens.”

That said, there are some minor issues. Overall, it does feel as though the second half of the album is stronger than the first half. With a heavier focus on ambient, bass-heavy sounds, Emanate is allowed to explore individual ideas much more thoroughly — the high point being the album’s monolithic title track that clocks in at eight minutes long.

Still, Emanate holds its own against the established powerhouses, proving that there’s still plenty of room for new voices within experimental electronic music.

By Aaron J. Marko

BREATHING STATUES, CARPARK RECORDS

There’s an indefinable duality to Breathing Statues. If you sit with the album on repeat, you’ll find yourself neither bored nor particularly engaged. Even if you don’t care about or for Young Magic, there’s something compelling about them. But what might draw you to them is the sensation of being neither quite awake nor asleep in a constant state of melancholic lethargy.

Perhaps the most damning criticism that could be levelled against this Breathing Statues release is that it simply doesn’t feel like it wants to be actively listened to. It’s repetitious and unmemorable by design, almost as a challenge to the listener to recall the tender, ethereal sounds you have just experienced. You hear hypnotic, airy Cat Power-esque vocals atop something that sounds like a bass. Yes, there are certainly songs, structures, patterns and coherent ideas. All of it, a wispy nothing.

Yet it’s densely-layered and sonically rich. It’s interested in creating moods and atmosphere. It thrives within its conceptual framework of synth driven minimalism and sampling. And as an album, it works because of its design. Or perhaps it’s inoffensive enough that listeners simply won’t be bothered to hate it.

Breathing Statues comes with an uneasy, tentative recommendation. This is not necessarily because it is a “good” album or because most people will enjoy it. Good, however is subjective. Is it the album for you? I can’t say for certain — but maybe.

By Aaron J. Marko

FORT YORK, TORONTO, ONTARIO, JUNE 7-8, 2014

In an attempt to build on the massive success of last year’s inaugural Field Trip, organizers doubled down and turned the one-day showcase of mostly Arts & Crafts acts and the best of Toronto’s local independent food and culture community into a two-day event with the most lofty of ambitions.

Field Trip was, and continues to be, a family affair. The community of like-minded musicians that Arts & Crafts has fostered throughout their 11 years in existence is closely tied to the rise of Toronto’s independent music scene and there was no shortage of love and guest spots onstage that took place throughout the weekend. Yet Sunday, the day chock-full of some of the more prominent artists on the bill, was a showcase of how that very community has begun to age and how they’re dealing with being musicians in families.

Saturday was a bit light on big-name draws, but the spectacular weather had many a young family in attendance. Yet, by Sunday, the young families were present onstage. Fucked Up’s Damian Abraham went as far as to bring his three-year-old son, Holden, onstage to try helping sing along to the “Dying on the inside” part during “The Other Shoe.” It was pretty cute until it wasn’t. Abraham’s child wasn’t really keen on playing along and, while it looked pretty cute, the juxtaposition of young kids and punk rock wasn’t exactly a perfect match. Still, Fucked Up treated the crowd to a raucous and enthusiastic take on Glass Boys, their latest LP.

The highlight of the entire festival had to be the much-hyped Constantines reunion. With a constant rain cooling down the crowd, the band crashed through a relentless hour-long set of hits. The band looked aged but not weathered in the slightest, as smiles were routinely shared between band members throughout their set. Lead singer Bry Webb didn’t offer much in the way of stage banter, but did repeatedly acknowledge his young son, Asa, and upon hearing his son call “Daddy” during the set, Webb looked as if he could collapse with joy.

Fortunately, he didn’t: it was the crowd who could barely stand afterwards. This band’s importance and reunion has been well-documented recently and during “Shine A Light,” when the band raised their arms to the sky the crowd did the same. For a moment, it was as if they hadn’t gone anywhere and had also recaptured the spirit of rock and roll in one breath. Stunning.

While a two-day set might have ultimately been a bit ambitious, considering how thin the crowds were compared to the previous year’s festival, family friendly events such as this, including other outstanding sets from Hydra, Shad, A Tribe Called Red, another reunion from Broken Social Scene and finally, Gord Downie and the Sadies, deserve recognition for simply for their unique approach.

By Joshua Kloke
Photos by Joshua Kloke and Jessica Hammond

ROCK AND ROLL CLASSICS

“Man, I’m hesitant to even use the term, ‘garage rock.’ Every band wants to be a garage rock group these days, from the wimpiest indie rock stuff to the most straightforward punk bands. The term doesn’t really mean much anymore,” says Travis Sargent of Edmonton’s Betrayers, immediately making an interview about garage rock and Betrayers’ place within a little difficult. But, he’s right: particularly when you extend “these days” back to the early 21st century, when every band had a The name, tight jeans and vintage leather. Maybe some shared Sargent’s conviction that “we play ’60s-influenced stuff because rock and roll really never got any better after that,” but most saw a way to a cheap buck and a mountain of drugs. I’m going to go out on a limb and tell you that Betrayers are the real deal.

Betrayers (completed by Justin Zawada, Scarlet Welling-Yiannakoulias, Terry Fairfield and Joe Stagliano), were friends before they were a band. Sargent lists Andy Kim (of “Sugar, Sugar” fame) as a songwriting influence and at times, like on “Song for Sue,” on their Perfect Master-released record, Let the Good Times Die, they approach sweet bubblegum pop. Butm they’ve also got a way of writing nasty, dirty little numbers like, “White Horse,” “Creep For Me” and “Spinnin’ Wheel.” Then they’ve also got a line in sadder, slower songs that belie their influence from the Shangri-Las and the raw sound of early ’60s soul.

Right now Betrayers are working on a new record, with a more laid back and cohesive sound: “I want to make something that sounds good both on Saturday night and on Sunday morning, dig me?” They’ve got more festival appearances in the pipeline this summer, a European tour and some split 7-inches coming up. Mostly, and this is the TL;DR point so please pay attention: Betrayers are damn good at what they do.

By Gareth Watkins
Photo: Fish Griwkowsky

VERN’S PUB & DICKENS PUB – JUNE 7, 2014

Finally, payday Friday and beer o’clock rolled around for this guy. As stragglers started filtering into Dickens Pub, Krepitus led off our festivities with an ultra-tight rhythm section backing an Obituary-like front. More attack on the kick drums would have made my ears and heart melt, but very little was lost in translation. State of Demur followed suit with some down-tuned chugging riffs and wonderful time changes. While the drummer knew the intricacies of a perfect rim shot, the chosen snare sound was atrocious.

Metalfest organizer Big Nate and KYOKTYS were up next, opening to a wide range of applause and praise from the legions. There was more life in their performance this evening than usual, surely based on the event, and it showed with the crowd. Their set blew by and seemed they were only onstage for a few minutes.

Wacken Metal Battle Alberta finalists Death Toll Rising just completely slay. Go check them out. Right now. Why are you still reading this? GO! World Class White Trash was next to take stage, and their lamentable name did not subtract from the wonderfully dirty death metal they brought to the table. Excellent playing from all members made me an instant fan.

The Great Sabatini was miles different than the five bands former, bearing a slow, sludgey, doomy, stonerish style that was a refreshing treat. Delving deep into long, full band syncopation, the tracks always had the listener guessing where the group was going to take you next. Great stuff.

My favorite night of the three so far, Metalfest continues to crush. This evening will be tough to beat in my eyes, but I’m sure all the bands on the bill for Saturday will make you change your mind!

Words by Matt Telgen

All of the above bands mentioned by my colleague, with the exception of the final two that were missed due to overlaps with bands performing at Vern’s, were bloody enjoyable. Again, a shout out for KYOKTYS, because that set was the best they’ve yet to play and it was fantastic.

As for the Vern’s bands: Friday was hit and miss. There were a few screaming, coreish acts at Vern’s, and both Witch of the Waste and Astrakhan were alright, but after three days of bands, lack of sleep, and double shifts going straight from work to cover a festival, it took more than alright to prod my exhausted brain into appreciation. Of course, the ever ass-kicking Bison did exactly that. Although the sound was muddled nearly beyond recognition for the vocals, there is absolutely no doubt they are one of the strongest live bands in Canada. The crowd was wasted, people were perched on the amps, and moshing to their hearts content, and one attendee continuously stepped on stage to scream his appreciation at drummer Matt Wood, who is riveting to witness live. Utterly soaked in sweat, I collapsed in the back of a cab afterwards. It’s always excellent to cap off the night with a set that leaves you wanting more. Despite starting after 1 a.m., Bison did just that. BISON!

Words and photos by Sarah Kitteringham 

VERN’S PUB & DICKENS PUB – JUNE 7, 2014

Beer was consumed. Vicariously. All evening. The recollections of this night took a few days to get out, as Metalfest left me with a bad cold and utter exhaustion, just like any metal festival should. But here goes!

It was a night of swearing frequently over lineup overlaps on Saturday. First up at Dickens was Gatekrashör, Calgary’s speed metal denizens, who played to a small yet appreciative crowd, despite their muddy sound. Next up were the thrashy weed addled Planet Eater, who had the suddenly packed audience eating from their hands. If you’re into actually well packaged heavy tunes and can stomach breakdowns, check this band out. They were tight as hell.

Black metallers Dark Forest were next, and my alcohol-addled brain was far too distracted to watch the entire set. Although they are excellent musicians who play an apt blend of grandiose black metal, the festival crazies were setting in, an affliction only cured by fresh air and pizza. Onwards, to Vern’s!

Winnipeg’s Psychotic Gardening was performing, and their death metal songs were dull and clunky. Exhaustion had set in, but the walk back to Dickens did not disappoint: Midnight Malice was the undisputed highlight of the entire festival. This was walloping traditional metal delivered by two ex-Calgarians and their Toronto band mates, and it got the entire room moving. When it comes to this band, Fenriz knows what’s up…. So should you, damnit.

And yet another trip to Vern’s was up. Agony Spawn was delivering some groovy metal akin to Lamb of God, tailor made for the previous night but sonically undesirable for yours truly. Endless Chaos was next, and their energetic death-laden thrash metal was decent, though given my mental state all I ended up doing was wishing they were instead one of frontman Jordan Dorge’s other projects, namely the excellent black metal act Wilt.

Although they were my second last band, Chronobot capped the evening off for me. One part Acid King, second part Mournful Congregation, and third part Hawkwind, their noise-laden doom set let me drop out of life. Although the promise of friends and beers lured me back to Dickens Pub, Abigail Williams did not impress whatsoever. That ain’t black metal, bros, nor is it interesting. Oh well. The company certainly was, and it was clear that despite the odd overlaps in scheduling and unevenly organized nightly lineups, people were having a blast.

The third rendition of Metalfest was a success, and a huge thanks goes to the organizers, volunteers, photographers, friends, and foes for making the weekend enjoyable and interesting. Till next year!

Words by Sarah Kitteringham

JUST KEEP PLAYING MUSIC

Though ideas have been bounced around a lot in regards to where you can put Maica Mia on the ever-growing list of genres, sub-genres and neo-genres, don’t look to the namesake and frontwoman Maica Armata to clear the air on the subject. According to Armata, the band doesn’t think about it all that much.

“We joke around a lot and call it dance music.”

But anyone who has listened to their debut album, Des Era, can attest to the idea of dancing not being on the forefront of one’s imagination where the music is concerned. Described as everything from doom folk to experimental rock to post-punk, the atmosphere created by Maica Mia is all at once reflective and rather conceptual — a thick, weightless place where you can fathom your ideas abstractly. This is an approach Armata takes intentionally by not spoon-feeding the listener an agenda with the lyrics.

“I don’t want to be the narrator for that. I like when people can draw their own stories.”

The hard to pin-down sound is going through an evolution thanks to the addition of Godspeed You! Black Emperor’s Mauro Pezzente on bass, both in the studio and live. Now, approaching the music as a three-piece, the music has adapted a livelier pulse, one that translates well to live performance.

Currently landing gigs such as Sled Island, and with plans for a month-long voyage tour through the States in October, Maica Mia is enjoying the act of creating music. That is after all what it is all about according to Armata:

“You just gotta keep making music. Keep your chin up, y’know? Despite the Antarctic falling apart, you gotta keep making music.”

And if you can find a way to dance to it, all the better.

Catch Maica Mia at the Ironwood on Saturday, June 21.

By Jennie Orton

PLAYING MUSIC WITH HIS BODY

We’ve heard relatively little from the crowned king of East Coast indie sludge rock since Jon McKiel’s dark and dingy masterpiece, Tonka War Cloud, in 2011, but that definitely doesn’t mean he hasn’t been busy. Not only did he pack up and make the trek from Nova Scotia to New Brunswick, settling down in Sackville, but he also had a kid and started running a delicious food truck. All of this while chipping away at his newest effort, a self-titled EP put out on Headless Owl Records.

While you might think that a child to look after while also having all manner of delectable foodstuffs to sling would mean slowing down, however McKiel thinks that’s not really the case at all.

“I don’t think those changes have affected much about writing, recording or playing music – aside from the necessity to be more focused and efficient with time. In some ways, it’s probably helpful to know you only have a specific widow to work with, I like constraints like that.”

The self-titled EP was recorded with long-time Jay Crocker (Ghostkeeper) at his house in Crousetown, Nova Scotia, and was a bit of an off and on project.

“We would just start a song and finish it, so this happened six times over as many months. I had moved away at this point so getting there was tough. We’re just going to keep recording though. I’m heading back out soon. It’s a dream out there.”

As for working with Crocker, McKiel says it’s something that just happened very organically.

“I can’t think of another person I’d rather work with musically or otherwise,” he says.

“We used to clean a rich man’s house together. He’d get us to clean up before parties, paint, clean up the yard. We sang songs and got high and it was the best. I didn’t decide to work with him so much as I found myself in the fortunate position of being friends with him and his family. Also, he never says no in the studio, I mean he’d never say, ‘You can’t mic the drums like that,’ and that’s huge for me.

Laden with the masterful melodic hooks, dissonant guitar dirges and all manner of atmospheric oddities that you’d expect from the guy, there’s also a more upbeat, positive vibe going on here in comparison to his earlier stuff. While he doesn’t think it was a calculated move, McKiel says there’s definitely something about the process that lent itself well to the more upbeat nature.

“It’s not decidedly positive, but compared to Tonka, it feels more free and funny for sure,” he says.

“The recording process and creative input from Jay had a part in this, but the songs I brought him were definitely more upbeat. I played most of the instruments on the recordings this time around, but I don’t think I was doing it right before — I think I was scared back then. Maybe I wasn’t able to play freely within a rigid structure before; maybe I’m better at drums… or shittier. It’s hard to quantify the changes that happen, but there’s an understanding there that didn’t exist before. If you like, I’m old enough to know my body by now and I play music with my body… mostly.”

Before he gets back to work with Crocker in the fall to hammer away at an LP, McKiel’s heading out on a bunch of dates leading up to Sled Island, where he’ll play with a kind of who’s who of the East Coast.

“Construction and Destruction backing me up has been something I’ve thought of for a while, which now seems possible, and then throw in Aaron Mangle, Evan Matthews, and even Chris Dadge for Sled? It will be fun.”

You can see Jon McKiel perform at Wine-Ohs on Friday, June 20, and again at Haultain Park on Saturday, June 21.

By Nick Laugher

KEEPING THE ROCK AFLOAT

When last year’s flood occurred, resulting in the 2013 Sled Island festival’s cancellation halfway through, displaced bands were quick to help the show go on in the form of impromptu house shows throughout Calgary. These gigs would go down in local music history as Flood Island.

Meanwhile, in Edmonton, artists and promoters were also swift in keeping the Sled Island spirit alive, taking to social media to arrange gigs on the fly. This three-day mini-festival held in the provincial capital, which was arranged on mere hours’ notice, would become known as Shred Island.

Edmonton journalist and documentarian Mack Lamoureux of River Road Productions captured these Edmonton shows and how it all came together in the 28-minute documentary Shred Island, released last fall and now available for free online streaming.

Shred Island‘s soundtrack was performed by Vancouver’s Johnny de Courcy and the Death Rangers, who themselves were also supposed to play Sled Island and instead took the show up north. The documentary went on to become an official selection of the Global Vision Film Festival and received a nomination for Best Albertan Doc Over 20 Minutes.

Watch Shred Island in full below.

By Team BeatRoute
Photo: Mack Lamoureux

TAIGA, NEW DAMAGE RECORDS

Edmonton’s Slates are perhaps one of the hardest working punk outfits in Canada, seemingly always on the go, recording, taking care of their Jamz Club and touring. They’re indefatigable and that’s reflected in their unflinching, honest post-hardcore. With raw throats, open hearts and cranked amps, Slates are set to release their third full-length, Taiga, on their new label, New Damage Records.

Taiga was recorded in Chicago, at Electrical Audio Studios with Steve Albini. Albini, of course, renowned for his work in the studio since the ‘90s, proves to be a perfect match for Slates: the Edmonton quartet have never sounded clearer nor rawer on tape (analog, natch). Albini’s use of space, not only in the physical studio, but between the notes and instruments, coupled with his delicate handling of sheer volume elevates Slates to new heights. Thankfully, the foursome are more than match for this pressure and, on Taiga, they perform better than ever, taking their Hüsker Dü-inspired, bittersweet songwriting to a new level.

The album’s emotional centrepiece is the delicate “Minarets.” Starting with a hushed, finger-picked melody and pained vocals, Slates frontman, James Stewart, takes the lead, making a noisy, distorted mess of his demons before the release — empty and incompatible, Slates have to fight for their voice. At their core, Slates are a way of dealing with an inherently unfair world, finding your own place in a crowd with no room. There’s a reason they’ve been accepted with open arms across Canada: there’s real emotion behind the performance and legions of disaffected kids are flocking to these underground oases that provide a respite from a plastic world. Do yourself a favour: pick up Taiga and join your new tribe.

By Sebastian Buzzalino

EAST VAN SPECIAL BLEND, NORTHERN ELECTRIC

East Van Special Blend, a compilation CD released by the Commercial Drive Coffee Company in association with Northern Electric, is an assortment of songs that emulate the feeling of being engulfed in any of the myriad cafes in this city. With songs performed by the likes of Rodney DeCroo, Butch Murphy, Pointed Sticks and many others, there is no denying that the listener’s senses will be stung by their familiar scent. The album’s aromas are deeply related to folk-country blues, roots, and hard-nose rock and roll. Someone lusting for locally roasted flavour will be irresistibly compelled by the 11 previously unreleased tracks that provide spice and excitement. Certain memorable tracks like Spoon River’s “Slippery Footed Man” and Antonio’s “La Mejor Cosa Hoy” provide jittery bliss; reminding one of that euphoric moment when caffeine illuminates your system. As a compilation, East Van Special Blend can be a bit overwhelming, similar to the decisive moment when we’re caught deliberating over one out of 25 tea options. After hearing the album’s entirety, the listener will likely decide upon a few favourites and continually resort to these on subsequent trips. East Van Special Blend is replete with exceptional tracks, but the only way you’ll find your perfect roast will be by sampling them all.

By Curts Aucoin

OLD NAME BECOMES NEW AGAIN FOR SEASONED HEADBANGERS

For most heavy bands, being dropped by a major metal label might be a detrimental situation, but, when Metal Blade Records chose to release them about a year ago, the band Bison b.c. took it all in stride. After seven years and a three-album output the two camps have gone their separate ways. “They got to run a business and we aren’t making any money for anybody. So we had to go. That’s it. No hard feelings,” guitarist/vocalist Dan And deadpans. And if this seems like a step backwards these guys will have nothing of it. “We know enough people who put out records,” And says. “We don’t need some big label down in the states or whatever.” The mighty Bison does not slow easily and rumbles on.

One of the first orders of business was to change their name back to their original moniker and drop their ex-label’s suggested “b.c.” from the end and once again be known simply as Bison. “If someone wants to sue us, go right the fuck ahead. I don’t know what they would even get,” guitarist James Farwell laughs. The subtle name change may seem insignificant to people in these parts that most already know them as just plain Bison anyway. The joke was often made that the “b.c.” is silent.  Outside of their hometown that is not the case. However, they don’t seem too concerned that the name change might fly over the heads of their fan base outside of Vancouver. “Our fans aren’t rocket surgeons,” jokes Farwell. “I am sure they will catch on eventually.” It is because of said fan base that Bison will fly unfettered as an independent band. They used their years on Metal Blade to their advantage by touring relentlessly and releasing massive records. Over the years there has come a following bordering on cult loyalty. Word of mouth is the best weapon in metal and Bison has spread the word immensely with their insane live show, nice-guy underdog attitudes and hard work.

Also on the agenda is a new recording, which Bison hopes to be out in the spring followed by some tour dates. So the Bison boys, rounded out by bassist Masa Anzai and drummer Matt Wood reunited with their long time producer pal Jesse Gander at his new Rain City Recorders to lay down some new songs. “It’s going to be a two song, hopefully a twelve-inch record, 45 RPM. One song on each side.  Both songs are over nine minutes. That’s the release we are discussing,” Wood explains the plan.  “The two new songs are huge, man.”

“We wanted to do something new. We wanted to show people that we are still around thinking and creating,” Farwell pipes up in a rare serious tone. “We don’t need a big label to be able to do that. That’s why we recorded so quickly and that’s why we released something for free. That label would have never let us do something like that. It’s a lesson to ourselves and also to other people who think you need that shit to survive.”

If you have not seen Bison live then you are really missing out on a true hoof-stomping cavalcade.  Their live show is probably the most convincing reason that they will be able to continue on despite a small setback. They’ve built a reputation of delivering mountain staggering bovinian riffage soaked in beard sweat. They are the full effect and deliver with a certain amount of controlled chaos as your eardrums get absolutely drilled. Sounds like fun, now get in.

Get Bison’s brand new song here and make sure to catch them live on Feb. 22 as they headline the Rickshaw Theatre with opening bands Grass City and the Sumner Brothers.

By Heath Fenton
Photo: Derek Carr

MERGING OF THREE MAJOR ARTS FACILITIES INDICATES GREAT THINGS TO COME

For the size of this wonderful city, there has been an underlying sense that we are missing some key developments in the area of a contemporary art museum. As we can now see, the ingredients have long been here and, now, it looks like the perfect recipe for what might be a new wave of creative brilliance, as MOCA (Museum of Contemporary Art) and IMCA (Institute for Modern and Contemporary Art) join the AGC (Art Gallery of Calgary) at the latter’s current space to form a powerful new arts alliance, now simply known as Contemporary Calgary.

AGC, like the other two groups, has deep roots in our cultural development. It was originally founded as the Muttart Public Art Gallery in 1977. Several artists’ associations, representing hundreds of artists, collaborated with the Calgary Public Library to be housed in a previous location at the Memorial Park Library, where it gained recognition as a leading Western Canadian gallery. In year 2000, it moved to its current location on Stephen Avenue.

Just a little further east along Eighth Avenue, on the corner of Macleod Trail, you will find yourself at the doors of MOCA. Formerly titled Triangle, the name was changed a couple years ago in an effort to further articulate their role. For more on their background, we spoke to former board member Carol Ryder, who is now one of three co-chairs for this new collective effort. “Triangle/MOCA has been in business for almost 25 years. It was originally started in collaboration with the City of Calgary and people that were interested in contemporary arts progress,” she explains. “Jeffrey Spalding has been the creative director for three years and we’ve been making great strides.”

They were able to benefit from some of the funding available in 2012 when Calgary was named Cultural Capital of Canada and became quite involved with Nuit Blanche festival and ContainR that year. “AGC has a larger facility and space. They also have ‘Class A’ space, which is something we’ve never had at MOCA,” Ryder reasons, and it’s “what most museums will say when they lend you contemporary art from any travelling show… but we have Jeffrey Spalding who is a phenomenal curator who has access to many things that we can’t bring into Calgary because we’re not large enough to do so.” Another benefit of the AGC space is their school program, their classroom area and their desire to host programming for young adults and an 18-30 age group of students and young professionals.

Of course, many will remember recent headlines this past year where AGC’s former CEO Valerie Cooper was sent to jail for stealing $100,000 from the institution, for which Ryder distinguishes, “They had a long haul, they’ve come out of that, and I think with the merger it will finally be put to bed… staff at AGC have been phenomenal at working through that. They’ve had a cloud over their head, but they certainly weren’t any part of it.”

The new structure will be comprised of four people from each of these three separate entities that will allow them to utilize their varying strengths most effectively. It’s been described as a “working board” for the year, to be followed by a bonafide election in October. Jeff Spalding and Kayleigh Hall (former curator of AGC) will continue curatorial and fundraising roles. Yves Trépanier and Chris Cran are board members from IMCA and Dr. Terry Rock will be the Interim Managing Director. The three co-chairs are Ryder, formerly a Director of MOCA, David Rehn, formerly Chair of AGC and Daryl Fridhandler, formerly a Director of IMCA. In addition, there are countless volunteers and about 30 more people on a working committee. “The board chair of IMCA is D’Arcy Lévesque, who is from Enbridge, and I don’t think there is a better corporate arts partner in Canada than Enbridge. [Lévesque] has his finger in many things: he’s a past chair of ACAD, Alberta Ballet, he’s very involved with Walrus, and Enbridge is a supporter of AGC and MOCA,” says Ryder.

Of the three arts organizations, IMCA has been somewhat more elusive, a major cultural force just below the surface whose time finally seems to have come. First starting up in the 1990s, Daryl Fridhandler was able to tell us a bit more about that development. “It attempted, over many years, to bring people together,” he reflects. IMCA slipped under the surface for a while until about eight months ago, when “the IMCA board said, ‘Look, we have to open this up and get everybody that’s interested in contemporary art in Calgary engaged on the same platform.’ I think that was an important step… There were a couple groups in town that were trying to advance the availability and platform for contemporary and visual art, so we started this group… and put a proposal in for the Planetarium, and that’s still out there.” He assures, however, that even if they split into a series of separate spaces, Contemporary Calgary would remain organizationally unified.

So much remains in the most basic of planning phases — like what will happen with the current MOCA space, which is leased from the City, or whether the AGC building might need any modifications. The 1967 Centennial Planetarium is also still being weighed for its most valuable use and has served as an Alpha House shelter since the flood. Even if it became a major arts centre, it would take years of preparation, and by then we might also be looking at developments like Telus Sky, East Village, the second Bow Tower that was originally proposed, Seventh Avenue revitalization, NMC, and others still yet to come into focus for what is now looking like an architectural boom and a new era in arts and culture.

“I think people are getting more interested in public and contemporary art and there’s a whole new generation of young professionals who are getting involved as consumers and participants,” says Fridhandler. “We really want to create more culture for that. It’s not that we’re competitive as organizations, but we’re all competing for the same dollars and the same funders and the same donors.” Sometimes it feels like we’re losing our landscape all at once, but he makes an interesting point that “there are more people coming into the downtown core, which is making things more viable.” With this come higher-status exhibitions; just like how bands’ props need to fit into a venue and there needs to be enough seats. He cites Richard Florida’s book, Rise of the Creative Class, to explain how it “lays out this broad proposition that there are things necessary to make a city attractive, and arts and culture is a very important part of that… Creative class isn’t just actors, it’s researchers and scientists, and it snowballs as you build the creative capacity of your city.”

By Cait Lepla

STANDING UP FOR THEIR CULTURE WITH THEIR MUSIC

(AB EDITION STORY)

For musicians and artists, it’s not uncommon to carry a certain aura of pride when it comes to your heritage. Many mainstream acts from Canada carry a distinct Canadian flavour but, for Ottawa’s A Tribe Called Red, the need and responsibility to wave that flag runs much deeper than most. The award-winning electronic dance music group that have proclaimed themselves as “powwow step” identify as proud First Nations.
Since the inception of A Tribe Called Red in 2010, the boys — Ian “DJ NDN” Campeau, Dan “DJ Shub” General and DJ Bear Witness — have gone from throwing parties for the indigenous members of their community to taking their culture-based party tunes to a global scale.

“It was a kind of just an idea to create a party in Ottawa that was directed towards the indigenous community and to showcase ourselves as indigenous DJs — which is kind of just the idea we sprung out from,” recalls Bear Witness.

“It was a real feeling that we got from people that this was something that was necessary, something that they wanted and something we had to continue doing.”
Since then, they have gone on to be nominated for the Polaris Music Prize in 2012 and 2013. They also cleaned house at the 2013 Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Awards, taking home Best Group and Best Album. What is really amazing about this is how they’ve made such an imprint on so many different levels, even though it’s been merely four years of being together.

“That really grew out of the support that we got from the indigenous community at our parties and we wanted to give something back… and create something that represented, not just ourselves, but the people that were coming to the Electric Powwow parties. We started remixing powwow music for them,” says Witness.

The group has also been a large part of pro-First Nations activism and cultural identity. They even issued a public statement urging non-indigenous fans to not don any sorts of indigenous clothing while attending their concerts.

“It’s something that’s necessary. It’s our responsibility as indigenous DJs to address indigenous issues and talk about indigenous politics because we’re using our culture in our music. We’re using our community in our music. We don’t have that luxury to say, ‘Let’s just make music.’ It’s automatically gonna come with all the politics that comes with being indigenous.”

It’s a trend that will continue going into their third album, which is currently in the process of being put together in the studio. Witness notes that the group plans to take a different direction in regards to the actual beat construction on this one, instead choosing to bring in a whole plethora of outside resources, including MCs, song-writers, singers and instrumentalists.

“We’re trying to work more collaboratively with a bunch of different artists. Right now we’re just laying down our bed tracks in preparation to start working with other people.”

Photo: Brudder Falling Tree

The album will still carry that signature A Tribe Called Red vibe, however, as the groups dedication to bringing the First Nations sound to the forefront is what got them to this far to begin with and, as Bear Witness notes, it’s important that artists everywhere continue to carry that aspect of pride with you in your work.

“Not just music groups, but everybody: I think being proud of who you are and where you come from and having that knowledge of your past and of your history is super important.”

Catch A Tribe Called Red at the HiFi Club (Calgary) on February 20th.

By Brandon McNeil

ELECTRIC POW WOWS THE NATION

(BC EDITION STORY)

Say what? You haven’t heard of A Tribe Called Red? Based out of Ottawa, ON, these guys hit pretty big a couple of years ago, and there is nothing holding their type of momentum back. Musically, Ian “DJ NDN” Campeau, Dan “DJ Shub” General and Bear Witness are known for their astounding ability to take traditional First Nations songs and mix it into a contemporary dance music context.

This is something that has been craved from coast to coast it seems, and the worldwide popularity and mass tours don’t lie. Their music has managed to grab hold of people at their core, exactly where artists want to be. What A Tribe Called Red have managed to produce musically is refreshing, to say the least. “There’s this weird moment where it fits and everything is working really well, it get’s really exciting when that happens. That’s definitely the best part of making music.” Dan, being the musical architect that brings the input of three minds seamlessly together. “Dan typically sets up the helms or will build something quickly and ask what we think, where Bear and I will come in with our ‘change this,’ ‘how about this.’ It’s very collaborative between the three of us,” Ian confirms. “The pow wow samples we use are from a label specifically called Tribal Spirit, they have 10 drums on the label right now and they opened a catalogue for us to remix.”

Photo: Nadya Kwandibens

Cultural protocol can be a touchy subject here and somewhat of a line is treaded lightly, however to the guys’ amazement, there has been little to no backlash from First Nations communities, elders, or individuals at all for mixing traditional music with the styles of hip hop, moombahton, dub, etc. “The one complaint I heard was from years ago where one elder vocalized that she didn’t like the fact that we use the term pow wow in a setting where alcohol was being served, but that was quickly followed with, ‘…but I really like what you guys are doing.’ So we are definitely walking this thin line between cultural protocol and respecting that.”

As much as it’s about the music for these guys, let’s get this straight, they are very aware of the platform they have been given and the voice they have when it comes to reaching many – from speaking up about cultural appropriation or the reason that perhaps you should leave regalia that generally have specific meanings at home and not bring them to a bar (especially if it’s not your culture), to the empowering movement of Idle No More, government policies, or just simply helping open up dialogue about issues some might prefer to ignore. Ian says, “I don’t think anyone in North America can say that the Indigenous/colonial relationship is the best, and I think with the soapbox we have it’s almost a responsibility for us to use that in a way to benefit the Indigenous people of North America. We try to give shout outs to people who are doing the same thing.”

Along with making music that captivates listeners, helping open up conversations about taboo or misguided/misinformed topics, and bringing traditional First Nations music into a more modern context, A Tribe Called Red has shown that the stereotypes some very dated people hold aren’t necessarily true. Ian says, “I didn’t have A Tribe Called Red when I was young, I wish that I had something that spoke about me specifically that we didn’t have in my day. I don’t know about role models, but we are able to show young natives that we are able to get a platform and we can be celebrated, we have something worth showing, so get in there and show it.”

ATCR rock Victoria alongside Monolithium and DJ Applecat at Club 9one9 on Wednesday, February 26th, and Salish Coast Live alongside Mat the Alien, Lido Pimienta, Self Evident and more at the Commodore Ballroom in Vancouver on Saturday, February 27th.

By Jamie Goyman

JUST LIKE A GOOD SOUTHERN GENTLEMAN

Zakk Wylde doesn’t mince words. At worst, he’s a salty personification of a grassroots New Jerseyite. At best, he’s a Les Paul-shredding metal god that spent a great deal of his career being the righthand man to Ozzy Osbourne while simultaneously exploring successful solo endeavours.

These days, he’s trading in his famous bulls-eye axe and taking his band, Black Label Society, out for a metal rendition of a countrywide campfire sing-a-long. In addition to a wide array of BLS tunes, Wylde will also be performing songs from former projects Pride and Glory, his solo record Book of Shadows and maybe even a little Ozzy.

“It would be like me and you drinkin’, we’d have an 18-hour long drive or whatever, and it’s just like me and you up front drinkin’, listening to The Eagles, Neil Young, [The Allman Brothers Band], Skynyrd, Elton John, Creedence or whatever… just sitting up front and solving the problems of the world,” says Wylde of his wish for the acoustic shows vibe.

Wylde, who is anecdotal and story-oriented in his responses, notes that as much as he’s known for being one of the big names in metal, his appreciation for the mellow stuff is equally strong.

“As much as I love listening to Led Zeppelin doing ‘Black Dog,’ I love ‘em just as much when they’re doing ‘Going to California.’”

The tour is a sort of continuation of Black Label Society’s Unblackened, a live acoustic album released last year. It’s a stark contrast to hear all these songs dialled back, given Wylde’s tendency to rip pentatonic scales at light speed and throw out pinch harmonics like they’re baseballs at batting practice. Book of Shadows will be an equally interesting highlight, considering its similar focus on acoustic material. Both of these outings are decidedly soaked in a Southern-fried flavour, speaking towards Wylde’s personality and love for this unique style of Americana. This is equally represented by the music of Pride and Glory, as that band might as well have had a Confederate flag as a stage banner. As such, when Zakk Wylde performs in Calgary, you can expect a down-home style to the performance.

“It’s almost like a storytellers thing gone wrong, in a Black Label way, then we’ve got the George Carlin thing where I’m telling stories from the book,” says Wylde. The book he’s referring to is 2012’s Bringing Heavy Metal to the Children: A Complete Berzerker’s Guide to World Tour Domination. It’s a collection of hilarious tales told by Wylde from his long, successful and surreal career.

In addition to this Canadian acoustic trek, Wylde is also scheduled to make appearances on the Experience Hendrix and Metal All Stars tours – both are a sort of rag-tag ensemble of big name musicians put together to play Hendrix or, in case of the Metal All Stars tribute this year, songs by metal legends – while also finding a permanent replacement for Nick Catanese, Wylde’s longtime guitar counterpart who left BLS last year. That position is currently being filled by Dario Lorina (formerly of Lizzy Borden).

“Obviously, you’ve got to know how to play your instrument and be a cool dude,” says Wylde in regards to what he looks for in a bandmate.

“You can’t be an asshole,” he says. He concludes after a resounding belly lough, “I’m the lead singer and I’m the only one that can be an asshole.”

Watch Zakk Wylde and company on Tuesday, February 18 at Flames Central. 

By Brandon McNeil