Though religious in nature, this sacred genre isn’t as impenetrable as its name suggests
Hiding under the umbrella of classical music, “holy minimalism” is a genre steeped in European sacred tradition, which sounds centuries old but has been composed and re-popularized only within the last 50 years or so. The label “holy” does not relegate the work to purposes of liturgy. Rather, it suggests themes of spirituality and religious contemplation, considering some of the music’s settings in biblical texts.
Graphic by Samuel Provost-Walker
The term minimalism is usually associated with the style of avant-garde American composers like Steve Reich and Philip Glass, whose work is recognized for electronic and instrumental experimentation, counterpoint drone-like undertones and repetitions of phrases and themes.
While holy minimalism draws from these techniques, it also pulls from traditional genres including plainchant, Gregorian chant as well as 19th century classical composers. With vocal and instrumental influences, there are both choral compositions and instrumental works attributed to the genre. In terms of texture, vocal patterns are more monophonic and homorhythmic rather than polyphonic. A traditionally slow use of repeated phrases, rhythms, or pulses also identifies with holy minimalism.
The renowned masters responsible for this contemporary revival of sacred Mediaeval, Renaissance and Eastern Orthodox music are Arvo Pärt born in Estonia, Henryk Górecki born in Poland, and the late John Tavener born in England. Though grouped categorically in the holy minimalist genre, their oeuvres are diversified by unique styles of arrangement, particular technique and use of instruments.
For instance, the word “tintinnabulation”—used famously by Edgar Allan Poe to describe the resounding sounds of “The Bells” in his aptly titled poem—has been appropriated by Pärt. He uses the term to describe the technique where he composes particular chords to evoke the ringing of bells. Interestingly, Tavener’s compositions have implemented the gentle tapping of ancient Tibetan bowls for a particularly monastic tone.
Tavener is perhaps most famous for “Song for Athene,” which guided the funeral procession of Princess Diana at Westminster Abbey. His other notable works include “The Lamb,” a setting of the text from the poet William Blake, and “The Protecting Veil.” These pieces are more accessible for the classical music sceptic who balks at the possibility of listening to a 40-minute canticle.
The ubiquitous Pärt is credited in 70 film soundtracks on IMDb. His two notable compositions “Fratres” and “Spiegel im Spiegel” written for cello, violin and piano, have inspired filmmakers like Paul Thomas Anderson in his 2007 film There Will Be Blood. Last but not least, Górecki’s “Symphony #3, Op. 36, “Symphony Of Sorrowful Songs” is an hour long, three movement stunning symphonic lament with a solo soprano.
The effects of holy minimalism obviously differ for each individual, but generally, there is evocation of a deeply emotional response, perhaps because of a heightened awareness of spirituality drawn from the choral texts or the beauteous harmonies.
For some, the music is incredibly meditative, especially because of the repetition; this is exemplified in Tavener’s “Funeral Canticle,” in which the middle chant text is repeated twice and the opening and closing are bookended monophonic prayers. In a way, listening to holy minimalism is a means of connecting to the origins of musical history, without leaving the 21st century.
Though shorter in length by Joanna Newsom’s standards, Divers, her fourth record, is wonderfully complex and full of the melodic storytelling the singer and harpist has become recognized for. The unique arrangements and varied instruments found in tracks like “Leaving the City” and “Goose Eggs” contribute to the feeling of a more contemporary version of the singer emerging while still inhabiting a space outside of popular folk pop. Divers exemplifies Newsom’s genius lilting lexicon; she effortlessly rhymes Ozymandian and Sapokanikan in a poetic ode to Manhattan on the album’s strongest track, “Sapokanikan” before guiding the album towards a pleasantly subdued second half. A beautiful balance of theatrical folk tales and melancholic melodies, Divers is a delectable delight.
k-os – Can’t Fly Without Gravity (Dine Alone Records; 2015)
Can’t Fly Without Gravity, the sixth album from Toronto rapper and hip-hop artist k-os, is an impressive compilation of speedy rap lyrics, electronic beats, retro samples, jazzy keyboards and bold trumpets. The album is funky, fast, and dramatic, which is something expected considering k-os’ alternative approach to hip-hop and avoidance of the typical formulaic beats heard in top 40 playlists. The majority of the tracks play out with an even amount of zeal. However, comparing the slowed-down, retro crooner samples on track six, “Crucify,” with the revved-up punk sounds on track 12, “Steel Sharpens Steel (Still in Love),” one may find it hard to believe that both pieces come from the same album. While this demonstrates the range k-os is capable of covering in terms of genre, these differing pieces divide the album and disrupt the flow.
Rating: 6/10
Trial track: “Vous Deux (Denzel Washington)”
Edmonton pop duo, Purity Ring, have released, Another Eternity, the follow up to their acclaimed debut album, Shrines (2012). Not surprisingly, Megan James’ vocals are strong and clear, her soothing, sweet voice singing of heartbreak and anguish. However, any expectations of innovative, genre-defying pop songs were dashed upon the first listen. Another Eternity is simply put, another electro-pop album. Most of the album sounds as though it was remixed to be more appropriate for clubbing, with repetitive beats and continuous layering of synth samples. Though songs like “Bodyache” and “Repetition” have catchy choruses, their overall sound mimics what every pop musician who wants to be played on Top 40 radio is striving for today. This is disappointing for a band who emerged with slick, sharp, and sinister pop songs like “Lofticries” from Shrines. While Purity Ring have evidently joined the auto-tune, club mix bandwagon, there is still hope for the future and the possibility that this album will not dictate their future sound.
The cheerful band members draw inspiration from their fascination with a post-apocalyptic world
Listening to the dark, heavy tones emanating throughout Viet Cong’s EP, Cassette, and self-titled debut album, one would assume that the men behind the music were sombre individuals. “Everybody thinks that we’re going to be really serious,” confirms guitarist Scott Munro.
Munro was joined by Matt Flegel on vocals and bass, Mike Wallace on drums, and Daniel Christiansen on guitar to form the group, Viet Cong, in 2012. Hailing from Calgary, Alberta, they released their EP, Cassette in July 2014 and are set to release Viet Cong from Flemish Eye Records on Jan. 20. Their sound can be heavy at times, but is rich with heavy drumbeats, samplers, synths and vocals that evoke the angst of old school British bands of the 1980s. Viet Cong belongs more in the punk rock and experimental spectrum rather than fitting into the all-encompassing school of indie rock.
The new album was co-produced by Munro, Flegel, and Graham Walsh of electronica band Holy Fuck with contributions from musician Julie Fader. Over eight days in the winter, the band split their time between Munro’s home studio, recording vocals at the studio of Blue Rodeo’s Greg Keelor, then recording in a refurbished barn near Hamilton, Ontario. They see winter as the perfect season to be working, since, essentially, you are stuck inside and somewhat forced to be productive. So, Viet Cong hibernated and then emerged with seven exquisite tracks.
A fascination with the gloomy post-apocalyptic landscape has been an influence for some members of the band and is reflected in their heavy sound. The obsession with apocalypse, natural disaster, raptures, and the collapse of society has been permeating popular culture for decades. This fascination has manifested in novels like Cormac McCarthy’s The Road—a book which Munro fittingly happened to be reading leading up to the end of the Mayan calendar.
On the topic of the end of the world and post-apocalyptic thought, Munro says: “I think everyone wonders how they would deal with the collapse of everything they know… I’m always thinking about how defensible my house will be. [These] thoughts in everyday life, I think, factor into how I think about music.” Hence the melancholic vibes running through their albums. Yet, Viet Cong are not quite the pessimists their angst-ridden songs make them out to be. “We’re all pretty upbeat people and we’re all pretty stoked about everything,” Munro says.
Viet Cong are surely stoked to be embarking on a fourth month-long tour, playing nearly forty gigs across North America and Europe from now until May. In months past, they toured in a compact Toyota Echo.
“Can you imagine that four of us lived in a car that size for seven weeks? I had some of the best sleeps of my life on that tour. I prefer sleeping outside on the grass than sleeping on some hippie’s couch,” Munro says. Now they have purchased a new tour van from fellow musician, Chad VanGaalen. The van came complete with a rainbow coloured floor.
Touring the Viet Cong album will prove to be much different than recording, and to keep things fresh the band tries to build improvisation into each show. Munro says this is good for them, because “you have to listen to each other” and “nobody can just get into their own little world, because its not always the same.” This improvisation on tracks such as “Death” allows for an exciting set, as Munro says that the improvisation “gives you something to look forward to.”
“Being in a band is always a compromise … nobody in [the] band has egos,” Munro says, which makes the writing and recording process quite smooth. Not to mention, many of the members have been playing and recording music for years, so their experience has helped them to improve on the collaborative process that is music making.
They respect a policy in which ideas presented in the group are “[followed] through to the finished recording,” Munro says. Instead of throwing away material, they try to rework songs and ideas that can be picked apart and then reuse them. When they first began Viet Cong, Munro and Flegel sat down with material they had been collecting and working on, and decided that everything was ripe for the picking, using samples and riffs for new innovative tracks that would end up on Cassette and Viet Cong. Ultimately, as a band, their goal is “to make music that [they] like and [to] make something good” which requires work and dedication. But this has been achieved thus far with both the promising Cassette and their full length album, Viet Cong.
Eraserhead is a deranged tale about one man’s efforts to survive in a very strange world
Montreel-X presents a David Lynch selection this week at Concordia VA-114 cinema for free
“Now if you’re playing the movie on a telephone, you will never in a trillion years experience the film. You think you will have experienced it, but you’ll be cheated. It’s such a sadness that you think you’ve seen a film on a fucking telephone. Get real!” So states, calmly, the legendary film provocateur David Lynch in an interview on the special features section of his movie Inland Empire (2006).
Montreel-X, a group of passionate cinephiles from the film specialization class at Concordia, have a lovely evening planned out on Nov. 28 for Concordia students and the Montreal community, one that will allow you to sink your teeth into the twisted world of this somewhat eccentric yet undoubtedly talented director.
Wild at Heart follows a peculiar couple in their crazy and bizarre journey.
The group invites everyone to take part in a classic double-bill screening featuring Lynch’s surreal, personal debut feature, Eraserhead (1977), and his polarizing Oz-like Odyssey, Wild at Heart (1990). Eraserhead brings us to an industrial town where one man has to deal with its psycho girlfriend and a mutant baby. Wild at Heart is the epic story of an odd duo trying to resist their tragic and strange fate.
Not only will the screening be free, but both films will be presented in 35mm format. With the rise of digital projection, the ability to experience 35mm has become an increasingly difficult opportunity to come by.
With the impetus of technology around us, it may not come as a grand surprise that the medium of film is quickly being ushered out of the cinema in favour of digital. Granted, digital projection may be more economical (shooting digitally certainly is), but a certain human touch is lost due to the sidelining and disintegration of the film medium.
As the audience would sit perplexed by the shadows and light on the screen above, a lone projectionist used to reclusively operate the projector and switch the reels with the intention of preserving the illusion and magic of the motion picture. It is now a machine that fulfills this task.
Then again, does it really matter whether or not the motion picture is experienced on film or digitally? Whether or not a human element is present? Cinema attendance is drastically decreasing as movie exhibition practices continue to evolve, for better or for worse.
Eraserhead is a deranged tale about one man’s efforts to survive in a very strange world
The cinema, as it has often been dictated in its short one hundred year-old history, finds itself once again at a crossroads, a challenging period of redefinition and adaptation. Whether it is via your phone, your tablet, your laptop, or even your home-theatre setting, how you view and interact with motion pictures has been redesigned. Don’t get me wrong, this new accessibility and democratization of the movie has its fair share of advantages, but at the end of the day, nothing is comparable to the big screen experience. Besides the cinema, what else can offer you the enticing, rich and beautiful experience of sinking deep down into a square box of darkness with people who will all excitedly embark upon an adventure of laughter and thrills with you? Going to the cinema is an event. It always has been. There is something to be said about strangers, or friends, gathering in order to experience the unknown. Other viewing media fail to permit this.
Come experience the power and beauty of the cinema, and if this is not a solid enough reason, they will be serving homemade cherry pie. So drop your phone for a few hours and “get real!”
The event will take place from 6 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 28 at the VA-114 cinema (on the corner of Réné-Levesque Blvd. and Crescent St.). For more information check out montreelx.tumblr.com.
Filmmakers explore the great soundtracks that accompanied their films’ classic scenes
“One thing about commercial films is, doesn’t the music almost always really suck. I mean isn’t it always the same shit?” – Jim Jarmusch, MovieMaker Magazine, 2004.
The importance of the use of music in cinema cannot be overemphasized, with the exception that sometimes the artistic intent of a film relies on silence. That being said, with the overuse of clichéd songs in films today, such as “Escape (the Pina Colada Song)” by Rupert Holmes, we look to the past to explore filmmakers who understood how to effectively pair their artistic visions with brilliantly paired music.
The famous American filmmaker Mike Nichols passed away only a week ago on Nov. 19. It seems only appropriate and necessary to discuss what is arguably his most famous film, The Graduate. Anyone who has seen this 1967 film will remember how Nichols cleverly complemented the angst-ridden, coming of age story with the sounds of folk duo Simon and Garfunkel.
According to Peter Fornatale’s book, Simon & Garfunkel’s Bookends, choosing the music of Simon and Garfunkel was an idea that came to Nichols in the shower—as all brilliant ideas usually do. While many of the songs used in the film had been released before the film was even made, the final song, “Mrs. Robinson,” was only a skeleton. Once Nichols had decided to collaborate with Art Garfunkel and Paul Simon, “Mrs. Robinson” was aptly titled and a few more verses were written.
The final version used in the film was still a simpler version of the one released on Bookends in 1968. Watching The Graduate takes the viewer back in time aesthetically, but also aurally, as the distinct sounds of Simon and Garfunkel are associated with the turbulent times in America during the 1960s.
In keeping with Nichols’ tradition, Jarmusch has worked with music icons such as Neil Young and Tom Waits to commission the music that accompanies his films. Jarmusch has frequently emphasized the importance of music and film, suggesting the two artistic processes are quite similar.
RZA of Wu-Tang Clan composed the material for Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai in 1999
Notably, Jarmusch worked with hip-hop musician and producer, RZA, of Wu-Tang Clan, to compose material for Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999).
RZA was hired to do the score and would allegedly disappear, watch the rushes, record material, then bring it to the studio for Jarmusch to experiment with. Unlike the material recorded for Jarmusch’s Dead Man (1995) wherein Neil Young would play and record as the film was playing and the music would remain chronologically intact, Jarmusch was able to play with RZA’s score and cut up tracks or layer them together.
In a Q&A video on YouTube from Marcelo Paulo De Souza, Jarmusch ultimately explained that neither musician composed with the intent to manipulate viewers into feeling specific emotions. He said “[Young and RZA] really wanted to make something that grew out of their impressions of the film [and add] another layer of texture.”
The fitting tracks composed for Jarmusch’s films further demonstrate the originality of the work, and whether they are used diegetically or not, the music and sounds contribute to the overall atmosphere and world in which the films exist.
Alternatively, Stanley Kubrick and Terrence Malick are two incredibly influential directors who hired composers for their films. Later, they chose instead to use classical material that had been written decades or even centuries before. Kubrick had planned to use the talents of composer Alex North to create the sounds for 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968). Amazingly Kubrick’s decision to use older compositions from composers such as Johann Strauss and Aram Khachaturian worked to his advantage.
Scenes from 2001 matched with Strauss’ “Blue Danube Waltz,” for example, turned into legendary spectacles of film history. Kubrick once suggested in an interview with Michael Ciment that “however good our best film composers may be, they are not aBeethoven, a Mozart or a Brahms. Why use music which is less good when there is such a multitude of great orchestral music available from the past and from our own time?”
This notion was confirmed when Terrence Malick commissioned well-known contemporary composer Alexandre Desplat to create the accompaniment to Malick’s The Tree of Life (2011), but instead used already existing classical tracks. For Malick, the choice was a rewarding one. The beauty of the film is owed, in part, to the exquisite tracks from composers such as John Tavener and Henryk Górecki. By pairing the equally talented musicians’ work with the filmmaker’s vision, these movies were catapulted into the memorable vault of classics for generations.
Ontario natives Tokyo police club went from paying for their own gigs to touring all over the world.
Keyboardist Graham Wright reminiscences about touring, new fans, and young dreaming
When Canadian indie rock group, Tokyo Police Club, first started touring in the United States, they were booking their own shows. They were paying their own way on tour with money from odd jobs back in their hometown of Newmarket, Ontario. Graham Wright recalled the need to start playing shows outside of Canada.
“We did a little bit of everything you know? We worked retail in the suburbs,” Wright explained. “You took that money that you were ostensibly saving for your college education and spent it on going to stay at a hotel in Cleveland. It was like starting a business and making an investment.”
This means of exposure was obviously a tactic for days past, before crowdfunding websites like Kickstarter and Indiegogo could find enough fans to finance a band’s entire tour.
Nearly ten years later, Tokyo Police club has toured all over the world. They are presently playing sold-out shows on their Canadian tour, for their newest album, Forcefield, which was released in March. Forcefield is the band’s third full-length album, which took them nearly four years to perfect. While they were criticized for the lengthy gap of time between albums, Wright suggested that they had one guiding philosophy to live by: “There is no good time to put out a bad record and there’s no bad time to put out a good record.”
Ontario natives Tokyo police club went from paying for their own gigs to touring all over the world.
He heard that quote first from the band’s manager. “I don’t know if this is an original to him or if he stole it from someone else,” he said. If anything, Forcefield sounds even more complex and sonically layered than their older songs, a result of the quality time spent on the material.
Having played shows since 2005, the band has accumulated many fans who have been following their progress for years. They consider being able to keep people engaged and listening over this time span a point of pride. But, as Wright suggested, it’s always nice to see new faces too.
Just recently there was a fan who came to one of their shows and stood directly in front of the stage, singing every word to only the new songs, from Forcefield. Frequently at their shows, lead singer Dave Monks plays an acoustic version of the highly requested song, “Tessellate” from their debut album, Elephant Shell (2008).
Recalling one concert where fans were whistling the piano riffs from the song, Wright laughed. “You can’t whistle in union, it’s not a thing that people do, but I admired their dedication.”
Tokyo Police Club have often included playing shows in smaller cities while on tour. They say that not much thought ever went into specifically picking smaller Canadian cities, but that they have always played them because, as a Canadian band, “it’s just been like a part of [the] business model,” Wright said.
However, nothing is intrinsically Canadian about the band aside from their origins. Their sound is a fusion of indie rock and punk, with distinct and strong vocals, catchy choruses and cool guitar riffs.
When asked about the band as contributors and representatives to and of Canadian music, Wright dismissed the notion of pigeonholing themselves.
“I have no interest in border divides on style … it seems pointless to me to ever shoehorn yourself or try and identify with one particular scene, its just limiting,” he said.
Tokyo Police Club have established themselves in a more global context of indie music culture playing festivals and shows in Europe and Asia. While touring in a band is something Wright said he always dreamed about as a young boy, inspired by watching rock ‘n’ roll documentaries, a well-deserved day off is something he really looks forward to.
After playing show after show, Wright explained, “you feel like you’ve earned the right to indulge yourself a little.” With three successful albums completed and eighteen shows to play over the next four weeks, a day off is surely deserved.
The value of music is put in question when U2 gave their album away for free
iTunes had to publish an entire article dedicated to the steps describing how to remove U2’s new album, Songs of Innocence, from your iTunes library. You can sense something went terribly wrong.
The renowned Irish rockers released their 13th studio album, Songs of Innocence, to immense backlash. The album, which was available digitally on Apple platforms Sept. 9, is still sparking discussion surrounding the method of its distribution. Upon its release, the album was exclusively available to all iTunes customers, and was directly downloaded to their music libraries as a “gift” from the company and the band.
Today, digital downloads are seemingly the preferred method of consuming music. iTunes, as a digital music platform, dominates the digital music industry. It seems only logical that a band such as U2, who have had connections with Apple and iTunes in the past, would want to take full advantage of the benefits of an exclusive digital release. However, writers and musicians alike have brought up problems with this method.
Patrick Carney of The Black Keys (in an interview with The Seattle Times) and Nick Mason of Pink Floyd (in an interview with Rolling Stone) agreed that by releasing their music for free, it was sending a message to other bands and the public that the album somehow has no value. This is very problematic, as musicians should be supporting each other and helping to remind the public that their work is valuable. Their music is their career. Their music is their livelihood.
Bono, the lead singer of U2, revealed in a Facebook interview a few reasons for why the band chose to “generously” give back. He bizarrely suggested that the iTunes release was partially out of “deep fear that these songs that we poured our life into over the last few years might not be heard.” This sounds utterly appalling coming from a band who have sold over 150 million records and who have won more Grammy awards than any other band in history.
To think they could justify forcing their album on consumers out of fear it wouldn’t be heard is completely outrageous. Generous intentions aside, not every band can have the luxury of giving away their music for free. It would seem likely that every musician or artist in the world lives in fear that his or her hard work won’t be seen or appreciated, but then again, that is life.
If something is worth being listened to or watched or experienced, the public will find it. They will do whatever they can to seek it out, whether that means waiting in a line up outside of a record store, or risking illegal downloading. Sure, Songs of Innocence was downloaded and listened to and enjoyed by millions of fans. Yet, it is unfortunate to think that these musicians arrived at a point where they had “poured [their] life” into their work, and still they weren’t even able to give it away.
Hook answers questions about his musical past, current shows, and revisiting classic songs.
It is difficult to know where to start when discussing an individual whose contributions to the history of music have been incredibly influential. That being said, Peter Hook is one such individual. If you are familiar with iconic British post punk band Joy Division and the subsequent alternative sounds of New Order, or the bands Monaco, Man Ray and The Light, then you have been privy to the brilliant work of Peter Hook. From playing bass guitar in Joy Division and New Order to starting his own nightclub and creating a Master’s program in Music at the University of Central Lancashire, Hook continues to engage in many facets of the industry. He is currently on tour with The Light, which includes members who form the band Monaco, as well as his own son. Peter Hook and The Light will be performing songs from the New Order albums: Low Life(1985) and Brotherhood (1986) on their current tour, and will be opening their sets with selected works from Joy Division. They are not to be missed.
The Concordian (C): I know you played Joy Division albums on tour before, so what inspired you to tour again, playing New Order material specifically?
Photo courtesy of Craige Barker.
Peter Hook (PH): It’s all been part of a process, really. I plan to play every track that I’ve ever recorded before I shuffle up to join [deceased] Ian, Rob and Tony upstairs. It began when I saw that Bobby Gillespie from Primal Scream was planning to play Screamadelica live back in 2010 that I had the idea of performing Unknown Pleasures as well. The gig sold out in just a few minutes, which was amazing, so we added a second night. That really was supposed to be it, but then we were invited to come and play all around the world, to some truly great audiences. When I saw that people were enjoying it, we decided to progress the show and perform the second album, Closer, live. We followed this by performing the last Joy Division album release, Still, live which meant that we had then played every single Joy Division song live once again.
As we had played all of this material, going on to perform the first two New Order albums was the next step in the journey of this project. Now we’ve come to perform the next two albums, Low Life and Brotherhood, and the singles from New Order from 1983 to 1987. That includes some great material including “Confusion,” “True Faith,” “Bizarre Love Triangle” as well as the lesser known and lesser heard album tracks like “Let’s Go.” I am very proud of the members of The Light and I think they do a great job in performing this material live.
C: Were other members of New Order interested in touring with you? Or did you set out to do a solo tour?
PH: I have to stress that it’s not a solo tour, the band (Pottsy, Kehoe and Andy Poole) are all people who were in Monaco with me, and because I’m doing vocals, my son, Jack, fills in and doubles up on bass duties with me. It’s called Peter Hook and The Light, but I would much prefer it to be called just The Light. However, the nature of what we’re doing, playing the back catalogue means that its becomes necessary to use my name.
C: Are you finding younger or older audiences at your shows? I realize this probably depends on what material you are choosing to play, as in old vs. new albums.
PH: Not really, in fact if anything you find that the Joy Division audiences tend to have a greater make-up of young people than the New Order albums we are playing, but both attract a mixed crowd which is testament to the ongoing influence of both bands. Joy Division does seem to hold a greater fascination with young people if anything. I’m surprised in a lot of ways at the amount of Joy Division t-shirts that we see at the gigs, more than New Order even at the New Order gigs.
C: As a musician, do you find you need to be in a specific space or mindset to work? Can you write on tour or do you need to be at home?
PH: Ideas come to me all the time, on the road, at home, but yes to work properly and write new material you do need to allocate time and also get into the right mindset. It is something that has been lost with the advent of technology, sitting in a room as a band and knocking out ideas on your instruments. That was how we always worked with Joy Division and in New Order prior to sequencers, drum machines and technology coming in. There are advantages in the use of technology, but for pure songwriting, I do believe the best results come from jamming with band members on ideas.
C: A lot of bands have cited you, New Order and Joy Division as inspiration for their own music and material. So, do you ever listen to music and hear your influence or similarities in sound?
PH: Being an inspiration to other bands is quite funny really. It’s a great compliment but sometimes I hear it and sometimes I don’t. Sometimes it is really apparent like with White Lies and Interpol, but other times bands are compared to us and I don’t really see it. Nonetheless, I still find it hugely ingratiating to have been in two bands that have shaped the course of popular music over the past thirty years. It is always good when people cite you and say you’ve had a positive effect on their lives.
C: From playing in bands years ago in Manchester, to creating house music inspired by the Hacienda, how have you seen the music scene in England shift?
PH: There have been so many changes, not only in England, but across the world since I started out—that [is] a difficult question to answer. You have to take into account technology and the Internet, the nature of the industry and how it has changed, the decline of vinyl and CDs as a mass market product (which I don’t believe has been replaced by downloads) and much much more.
I suppose The Hacienda did inspire the advent of dance music in the U.K. but there were other factors and influential people championing dance music throughout the ‘80s. Now it has become the staple of the charts where all music seems to owe a debt to house music. Yet bands are still current and exist alongside dance music, and there are even live dance acts like Underworld and The Prodigy. There’s so many new developments, but in a lot of ways, performing live, gigs and club events are relatively the same arts they always were; just in the modern day and modern versions of them.
C: I know you’ve dabbled in electronic genres, but a lot of your work is considered to have a more new wave, rock/pop sound. Is there a genre of music you prefer to listen to? Is there a genre you prefer to perform?
PH: I listen to a lot of dance music at home for DJing and also make dance music as Man Ray with Phil Murphy but also listen to bands and hip-hop. I really do have diverse tastes, from Metronomy, to The National to Drake. I tend to listen to things at the gym three mornings a week, so I get through a lot there. As for playing live, I think I’m very much in the band/rock bracket although with the New Order material, a lot of it is electronic. As a DJ, I play a lot of upfront dance music and classics, so I have a foot in both camps really.
Peter Hook and The Light play Club Soda Monday Nov. 10
Downloading is sweeping the music world by eliminating the money-hoarding 3rd party
Anyone who has downloaded music for free over the past few years has likely come across the concept of BitTorrent. This free file sharing software allows you to download files from peers who are using the same platform on their own computers. This makes for faster download time, since there are more accessible files from which to get content.
Now, what you probably haven’t come across is an artist offering their music to be downloaded through BitTorrent, and using the platform to promote and sell their work. This innovative and legal method of content distribution is referred to as BitTorrent Bundles — instantly connecting the artist to the fan.
Artists who are leading the BitTorrent craze include Thom Yorke, Madonna, The Pixies, Public Enemy and Moby. Yorke was actually the first musician to experiment with exclusively releasing content through the bundle. His new album, Tomorrow’s Modern Boxes, was offered through a gated or protected process, meaning once the bundle is purchased, it is limited to one IP address and one computer for downloads.
Up until Yorke’s release just three weeks ago, the BitTorrent Bundles were usually free to users, simply by providing an email address. The Tomorrow’s Modern Boxes bundle comprised eight tracks and a music video for $6. There was even an offer of a free download of one track and video off the album.
So why was the album so inexpensive? Because BitTorrent takes a significantly smaller cut from the sales, therefore the artist doesn’t have to rely on a record label. So really, it’s a win-win.
Music and music videos aren’t the only creative content available in bundle form. Companies like Bond/360 Labs and VODO offer films through digital downloads. FilmBundle and Cinepacks are websites that curate groups of selected films into “pay what you want” bundles. Depending on how much you pay, you can gain access to special behind-the-scenes content and extras.
The release for Yorke in particular was evidently a success, with over one million downloads of his album, including both the paid bundle and free track. Services like Amazon and iTunes and now even BitTorrent prove customers don’t need to have a tangible album in their hands. The artwork is there: downloads come with booklets, videos and more. The only thing one might be looking for in the physical record are lyrics, but given that you can usually find them on Google, well, you don’t even need those anymore.
Although there are cons to the BitTorrent Bundle accessibility — since you need a computer to download the content, and there isn’t a cloud service to synchronize across all devices — the pros outweigh these inconveniences. The artist can connect directly with the fans without a third party distributing their material and taking a large cut. Also, you don’t need to create an account to use BitTorrent and, of course, there is a constant stream of new free content ready to be discovered.
Evan Weiss sets out to play more solo shows and record a new LP
“There has always been a great scene and a great collective force of people that are working together, even if they don’t play the same style of music or want the same things. You know, it’s a pretty fortunate place to be.
-Evan Weiss on being a musician in Chicago.
At the suggestion that he puts on quite the balancing act, Evan Weiss, of Into It. Over It., answers “you’re tellin’ me!” He then ironically adds that he doesn’t like to multitask. Weiss’ solo project, Into It. Over It., has just turned seven years old. Having done countless shows and releasing numerous splits, EP’s, compilations, and two LP’s, he will soon be working on a third album. Weiss has done all of this while juggling side projects in bands such as Pet Symmetry, Their/They’re/There, and Stay Ahead of the Weather. He has dabbled in emo, indie and math-rock genres.
Weiss says he prefers to focus on one thing at a time and divide his creative endeavours. “You know it definitely helps to put time aside and make sure that I am not losing my mind… With bands like Their/They’re/There or Pet Symmetry, which are super casual, I kind of wait for the other members to be like “Hey, we’re ready to write” and then I show up! Whereas, for Into It. Over It., I have to set aside specific downtime to be able to work on things.”
So Weiss has no special secret when it comes to endless creativity and multiple band affiliations; he simply prioritizes.
Having been on the road promoting his full-length album, Intersections, since September 2013, Weiss has a few more months planned of touring in North America. This last leg includes playing solo shows with the band Lemuria. Having played solo shows for the first five years as IIOI, Weiss realized earlier this year that he was missing the intimacy of a solo gig. He honestly admits that he misses “being able to goof-off and communicate more with the crowd…it’s a more casual atmosphere when I’m by myself-but equally rewarding and equally fun to do [with a band].”
Photo by Mitchell Wojcik.
When asked if he could tour with any band, past, present or future, Weiss doesn’t hesitate. He blurts out, Pearl Jam, then, continues, “I mean I’m thirty years old. They’ve been my favourite band as long as I can remember having a favourite band.” So, Eddie Vedder, if you’re reading this, you know what to do…
After touring, Weiss will hopefully be able to get back into writing and recording this winter. Plans for the new record, which will be co-written with drummer Josh Sparks, include an attempt to eliminate distractions, particularly of busy city life in Chicago, and to experiment with analog synthesizers. Having used a Moog and experimented with a glass harp on Intersections, Weiss is eager to become familiar with analog synthesizers since he explains it isn’t something he has really learned how to use. Inspired by the music of Brian Eno and David Bowie of the ‘70s & ‘80s, Weiss hopes to “…see what kind of weird sounds [he] can make.”
Along with experimental synth rock and pop, Weiss says he listens mostly to instrumental music and a lot of jazz. Call him old-fashioned, but this music fanatic has some pretty spectacular ‘set-ups’ in his home for listening to his eclectic collection. “We have a record player in every room,” shares Weiss. “It’s really nice to be able to just listen to records everywhere in the house.”
In this age of 99-cent downloads and snippets of MP3’s here and there, the idea of taking the time and listening to an album in its entirety seems an altogether unlikely possibility. This makes Weiss’ vinyl dedication admirable and also enviable to those who don’t even have one record player – let alone four!
Weiss has his own philosophy when it comes to writing and recording an album. His intention is for the album to be played from start to finish and sound like a complete thought. Discussing the concept of an album as a complete work, Weiss says “you’re meant to put it on, sit down, and enjoy it. I’m probably a dying breed with that kind of mentality, but that’s what I enjoy and that’s the thing that I want to make.”
No, Evan, you aren’t a dying breed and thank heavens for that. Stores like Urban Outfitters obviously realize there is a new generation of vinyl addicts and they’re cashing in on that trend. Then again, at least the trend is helping to reinforce the importance of supporting the artist and experiencing the album as a complete work.
For IIOI, the first song written when creating a new album determines the overall vibe of the record. While both albums are dynamic, 2011’s Proper has a louder, rock tone– the result of the first song falling closer into the rock category. Intersections has a more subtle tone and was established with a mellow finger picking sound found on the track “Your Antique Organ”. Weiss emphasizes that “…you [might] pick-up a record from a band and that record doesn’t sound like the record before, or the record after, but it definitely sounds like it is its own record.”
We don’t yet know the tone of Weiss’ next record, but we can deduce that it will follow the path of the previous two. When you sit down to listen to it for the first time, play it from start to finish; let it be a complete thought.
Into It. Over It. plays Cabaret Underworld with Gulfer, Kittyhawk and Foxing on Oct. 8.
