Category: Music

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Interview Music

 Erin Marcellina drops powerful new EP

The Concordia student has treated fans with the incredible EP Book of Open Tuning

Erin Marcellina has treated fans with the incredible EP Book of Open Tuning that she just released at the beginning of November. After struggling with writer’s block and trying to perfect her sound, she has taken yet another step into the indie/folk world. Erin sat down with The Concordian to talk about the meaning behind her powerful lyrics.

While her 2020 album Wait for You is about a love story inspired from the relationship she was in at that time, Book of Open Tuning deals with deeper subject matter. The EP starts off with the song “I Should’ve Told Him.” This track may be mistaken for a breakup song but is actually inspired by a story dear to Erin’s heart. A close friend of hers had recently confided in her about some suppressed memories of being sexually assaulted by one of their close friends. Immediately, Erin was impacted and wanted to use her music in order to help her friend heal.

“She was telling me about this story and she had texted me these words which are the lyrics of the bridge; He was my best friend, how could he do this to me, it was a year ago, how could he? These words just hit me in a very powerful way and all I wanted to do was turn this into music to allow her to heal and have her story told,” said Marcellina.

Like all musicians, she wanted to create music that would touch people and that they could relate to. “I Should’ve Told Him” is not only a song that can help her friend heal from her experience, but can also help so many women who have been through the same trauma feel less alone.

Being inspired by her friend’s courage to share her story, she created the last song on the album, “Your Drug.” 

“Your drug is pretty much about putting everything on the line and wanting to become something more. The two songs are basically affiliated with one another.”

Differing from the two other songs on the album, “Hot In Here,” Marcellina’s favourite song on the EP, is a transitional piece discussing the matter of seasonal depression. This track stemmed from a simple conversation with her roommate about the temperature in their apartment and the acceptance of change. Although present throughout the entire album, the acoustic guitar paired with the layering of Erin’s beautiful vocals resulted in the feeling of comforting loneliness.

“It was inspired by me and my roommate talking about the heating in our apartment. We were asking ourselves why it was so hot in our apartment yet so cold outside and why can’t people live with the fact that things change. We had this discussion and I thought that it was a good idea for a song.”

Although both of her albums were released just two years apart, they couldn’t be more different. Not only is the subject matter vastly unrelated, her recording skills have developed greatly over the past couple of years.

“I think I’m the most proud in the growth of my mixing and my recording. It’s still the same me that wrote Wait for You but I’m mature and I’m better at what I do. It’s still the same style, just better.”

Marcellina is completely independent when it comes to producing her music and does most of her recording from her bedroom. Although not the most conventional equipment, for optimal sound proofing, she records her songs underneath her duvet cover and recorded “I Should’ve Told Him” entirely in her bathtub.

There is no lack of talent within Marcellina’s family, her mom being a music teacher and her dad being a member of the Ontario metal band Shock. She began her musical career when she was three years old with classical piano and then eventually taught herself the guitar. When she performed at a school concert at the age of fourteen, she knew this was a path she wanted to continue on.

“I think my biggest inspiration would be my dad in his forties still going to rehearsals every week and practicing his guitar every day. It was no way in a professional way, it was just for the love of it.”

While giving Book of Open Tuning the appropriate amount of time to receive the appreciation it deserves, Erin is working on some new content for her fans with the possibility of features from other artists as well. If this new EP is any indication, this is just the beginning of her break into the music industry.

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Music Quickspins

QUICKSPINS: ATUM: Act One by Smashing Pumpkins

Billy Corgan and Co. have released yet another concept album, now in three Acts! 

To those who are saying Autumn is over, no it isn’t, ATUM has just been released! The Smashing Pumpkins’ new LP ATUM Part One just came out on Friday, Nov. 18. This is part of a concept album trilogy dubbed “A Rock Opera In Three Parts” that the band has prepared: Billy Corgan, James Iha, Jimmy Chamberlin, Jack Bates and Jeff Schroeder. 

This is their first full batch of content that’s been released since 2020, so you know they’ve taken their time honing their songwriting craft. Or have they slipped up? Let’s dive right in.

We start with the intro track “ATUM.” This instrumental track made its debut while the band was touring, before the release of the album. It honestly feels like one big epic sports sting that ESPN would use. Other than that, it introduces the album by giving it a sense of grandiose synthesis mixed with their buzzsaw guitar tone (courtesy of the Big Muff pedal that Corgan and Iha love to use). Keep that phrase at the ready, because there will be a lot more songs that incorporate this grandiose atmosphere.  

The second track on the album is “Butterfly Suite.” The more mature version of their single “Ava Adore” was released in 1998 when they were becoming more experimental with their tracks, incorporating electronic drumkits and bass and pad synths. They took it up a notch with “Butterfly Suite” by adding their post-grunge grittiness by using heavily distorted guitars. 

As for memorable songs from ATUM: Act One, songs like “The Good in Goodbye,” “Embracer,” and “Hooligan” reminded me of the many layers to a song Corgan would weave with each other. He truly has evolved from his seven layers of rhythm guitar in their 1994 release Siamese Dream. 

However, not every song was amazing or memorable. There were a couple that were downright questionable at the very least. “Steps in Time,” which was one of my top 3 tracks from the LP, had a great melody that became tasteless after it repeated for the whole song. 

Also Billy Corgan, if you are out there reading this, I just want to ask one question: What is the concept of “Hooray!”? Who other than you thought that “Hooray!” was a valid concept? Why is “Hooray!” in this album lineup? It’s like you, 1982 Prince, and a ’90s kids’ show had a lovechild.      

So, my honest thoughts on this album? It’s a great fusion of new synthwave with the band’s old post-grunge grit. Rock Opera? Maybe more like Synth Alternative Rock, but don’t underestimate it. Billy Corgan always delivers good content with concept albums.  

Trial Track: Butterfly Suite 

Score: 7/10

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Concert Reviews Music

 Concert review: Stromae makes his grand return to Montreal 

Stromae performing at Bell Centre. TATIANA MULOWAYI-PELLETIER/ The Concordian

 The Bell Centre was filled with 14 thousand people on Friday as Belgian artist Stromae gave a stunning performance accompanied by futuristic stage effects.

Stromae stopped in Montreal last weekend for the first of his four concerts in the city. The shows are part of his North American tour to promote his latest album Multitude. The album was long awaited by the fans after the francophone singer’s eight-year hiatus.

South African artist Sho Madjozi opened the show with a dynamic performance, riling up the crowd. Thirty minutes later, the concert officially started and the wait was more than worth it. A sci-fi short film played on stage, featuring an animated Stromae in a futuristic world. The crowd went wild as the artist himself appeared with his band to start the show with “Invaincu,” the first song on Multitude. 

Montreal welcomed back the 37-year-old singer with intense enthusiasm, which was also noted by Stromae. “We were at Madison Square Garden, and they weren’t making as much noise as you,” he told the fans. 

There was no dull moment during the concert. Beyond the wonderful vocals, there were amazing stage effects: colourful animations, robotic arms in constant movement and vibrant lights, all of which helped make the experience captivating for the audience. Stromae filled the stage with his signature gawky moves as the packed arena sang along.

The pop singer craftily balanced performing his new songs alongside some of his classics, like “Formidable” and “Papaoutai.” With almost a billion views on YouTube, the latter is his most popular song and helped expand the Belgian artist’s fame beyond the French-speaking world.

Even in the seated areas, fans were up and dancing as Stromae sang his more upbeat tracks, like “Bonne journée.” He calmed things down intermittently with softer songs like “Riez.” 

During the concert, the pop artist didn’t shy away from performing his more socially-conscious songs with heavy subjects like misogyny, mental health, and prostitution. “Quand c’est?”, a play on words for cancer, was one of the highlights of the night, the performance made eerie by the moving screens filled with black goo.

The singer took the time to name and thank everyone on his team, from the band to his marketing team, and also his wife who was present in the audience. As the show ended, he teased his fans by leaving the stage but another short film appeared on screen, where an animated Stromae from 2009 could be seen playing music. The crowd went crazy at the implication. Indeed, the singer came back on stage to close the show with his breakout song “Alors on danse.”

After receiving a five-minute-long standing ovation, Stromae — who was visibly touched — performed an encore to the delight of the crowd. The artist asked for complete silence as he sang an ethereal acapella version of “Mon Amour” accompanied by his band, concluding the amazing night.

Photo by Tatiana Mulowayi-Pelletier

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Concert Reviews Music

Concert Review: Jessie Reyez at MTelus

Jessie Reyez playing at MTelus JESSICA JAKUBOWICZ/TheConcordian

Jessie Reyez put on a breathtaking show at MTelus on Saturday, Nov. 26 

Toronto native Jessie Reyez made her debut performance at MTelus on Nov. 26. The last time the singer was in Montreal was in 2021 for Osheaga. Seeing her perform at Osheaga on the big stage with thousands of people was one thing, but seeing her perform in a smaller, more intimate venue was something else. 

The show, which is a part of Reyez’s first tour, had two incredible openers. The first opener goes by the name of Leila Dey, who is also from Toronto. The artist had a soulful R&B sound, and seemed extremely confident in herself. She even took us back to the ’90s and sang some old R&B hits to a thrilled crowd. 

The second opener was the very impressive Nija Charles. The artist has written songs for Ariana Grande, Beyonce, and many other mainstream artists. However, as she explained at the show, she wants to pave her own path in music. She was dancing and singing, looking evidently confident in herself. She got the crowd hyped for Reyez to come out. 

As soon as Reyez came out, the crowd became absolutely deafening. The singer-songwriter made it clear that she loves performing, and that she loves her fans. Her sultry, raspy and powerful voice reminds me of the late Amy Winehouse. It’s rare that singers sound better live than they do on an edited track, and Reyez is a perfect example. 

The singer was incredibly talkative with the crowd. Not only was her show musically entertaining, but she was also very funny. She cracked jokes in between songs, interacted with a few lucky fans in the audience, and even drew someone’s new tattoo for them. 

Another thing that is common at her concerts is people throwing their bras at her on stage. Reyez had 10-12 hanging on her mic stand, and it was amusing to see her sing very emotional deep songs with them hanging there. 

The concert was a beautiful experience, with a crowd so loud that the artist even started crying at one point because she was so taken aback. 

Reyez ended the concert with the song that made her famous, “Figures.” All the lights were dimmed and everyone turned their phone flashlights on. It was solely Reyez with her guitar, singing as the audience sang back even louder. It was the type of moment that makes concerts and music so enthralling. 

The show was one to never forget. Reyez put everything she had into her performance — it’s clear that she was meant to be a musician. 

Photo by Jessica Jakubowicz

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Music

Music is now mediocre, according to Todd Rundgren. Is he right?

JAMES FAY/ The Concordian @jamesfaydraws

Do you think that finding a genuine musician is hard? Is the music industry pumping out mediocre music?

In a recent interview with The Guardian, rock artist Todd Rundgren (most famous for his single “I Saw the Light,” stated “It’s hard to find sincere musical artists nowadays. The music is just mediocre.” Rundgren has a fifty-something-year music career under his belt, so his opinion must hold value, right?   

Let’s keep it simple: there’s more music out now that you have to sift through to get the good stuff. That’s just because the industry is over-saturated. There is more accessibility in the sense that you have access to multiple streaming platforms (such as Spotify, Apple Music, etc.), other than just the traditional listening methods (i.e. CDs, records, cassettes). Based on that, I can say that Rundgren does have a point because currently any Zach Fox can make and sing or rap over a beat for the fun of it, as a joke, and just because they can.

It’s 2022: you’re going to find a lot more artists that are insincere. Available at your local music store or even Amazon, you have instruments called groove-boxes that enable you to input the key and scale of the song you want to create and boom: it gives you all the notes that sound well together. It basically kid-proofs your chances of making a song that sounds melodically awful. While that sounds great, you can lose your ability to think outside the box as a musician and eventually use that piece of hardware as a crutch.

Back in Todd Rundgren’s heyday, only the rare few privileged musicians would be able to record in the studios and take the time to get good recordings for their full-length albums. In contrast, we are now in what I can call the “singles and EPs era” where artists record and release more bite-sized content, from the comfort of their bedrooms or on their laptops. 

Will radio stations and record labels push to broadcast and distribute unpolished songs that haven’t been mixed and mastered properly? Definitely not, so don’t fret, Rundgren: you won’t have to worry about opening your newsreader and finding “20 artists whose names sound like they’re internet passwords and you’ve never heard their music” like you say there are. Honestly if anything, he’s probably making a reference to 21 Savage or Blink 182. To him, they would probably be the same.

That being said, Todd Rundgren is an awesome songwriter and musician. He does have prestige from being in the music industry for multiple decades and having knowledge on musical production. Can he make quotes dissing present day artists? Yes. Should he? Maybe not. Either way, do check out his hits on streaming platforms. He also has a new album out called “Space Force.”   

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Music

 Hip-hop: a genre of music or society’s scapegoat for gun violence?

Another rapper has been killed in the United States as a result of the gun violence epidemic

On Nov. 1, American rapper Takeoff from the hip-hop group Migos was shot and killed in Houston, Texas. The 28-year-old rapper was outside of 810 Billiards and Bowling Houston when an argument broke out that led to the shooting. 

The news of Takeoff’s death spread rapidly and left many in disbelief because it seemed that he died over nothing. There were no drugs, weapons, or anything criminal found on him, which left many wondering why this happened.

It seems that every year, at least one rapper gets shot and killed and then their death eventually becomes another statistic.

Sadly, Takeoff was the latest victim in this ongoing crisis. 

According to a summary of the statistics by CNN, in 2018, XXXTentacion was robbed and gunned down in Florida. In 2019, Nipsey Hussle was shot over 10 times while helping out his community in Los Angeles. In 2020, Pop Smoke was shot during a home invasion in California. King Von was also shot and killed in 2020 during a dispute in a parking lot outside of a hookah lounge. Lastly, in 2021, Young Dolph was fatally shot while buying cookies in Memphis.

However, not everyone feels pity for these rappers. There is crime committed in all communities but when it comes to this genre of music, it’s reported differently towards the public. 

Ben Shapiro is a US political commentator known for his controversial opinions. In 2019, he interviewed a rapper named Zuby and discussed how hip-hop negatively impacts people. “From the outside, when I listen to hip-hop, I don’t hear a bunch of family-oriented messages. In fact, I hear a lot of messages that are degrading to women, I hear messages that push violence, that are disparaging to the police.” 

It seems as though people who blame hip-hop for the violence in Black communities can’t separate fiction from fact. 

Hip-hop and rapping is a form of storytelling and rappers are often talking about their own life experiences and problems, with some exaggeration to make it entertaining.   

Shéyaa Bin Abraham-Joseph, also known as 21 Savage, is a famous rapper who’s respected in the culture. On his 21st birthday, he was shot six times but survived to tell the story. This year in August, he sent out a tweet that was faced with instant backlash. “Atlanta we have to do better, put the f****** guns down!!!!!” the tweet read. 

21 Savage was called a hypocrite because his lyrics depict him shooting, killing and robbing people. He responded back and informed the public about how his music is a narration of his life. “I ain’t never promoted violence. I just rap about what I’ve been through, or what I’ve heard about, what I’ve saw. That ain’t me promoting violence,” the rapper said on Instagram. 

While there are many who advocate against gun violence, the number of rappers who have been killed this year only seems to be growing. 

In 2022, Trouble, Snootie Wild, Tdott Woo, Wavy Navy Pooh, Goonew, Lil Devin, Archie Eversole, JayDaYoungan, FBG Cash, Rollie Bands, Young Slo-Be, Earl Swavey, Money Gang Vontae, PnB Rock, Desto and now Takeoff all are dead due to gun violence. 

Although these rappers were senselessly shot dead, it seems as though because of who they were, how they looked and the fact that they rapped, they were expected to die. In reality, there is a gun control problem in the United States which is constantly left unaddressed when someone passes away in the hip-hop community.

Graphic by James Fay @jamesfaydraws

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Music Quickspins

QUICKSPINS: Drake and 21 Savage – Her Loss

 Despite being a collaborative album, this most certainly did not feel like one

After only five months since his more house-oriented project Honestly, Nevermind, Drake is back for more with Her Loss. On this new one, Drizzy is teaming up with Atlanta rapper 21 Savage for their new collaborative effort. 

After seeing massive success with previous cooperations in the past, such as “Knife Talk,” and Jimmy Cooks,” both becoming some of Drake’s biggest hits of the 2020s, it was only natural for the two MCs to unite for a whole album as they are now used to creating fireworks together.

To classify Her Loss as a joint effort between Drake and 21 Savage would feel like a crime, as it feels very much more like a Drake album featuring his sidekick 21 Savage than an equal partnership between the two. In fact, Drake accounts for 66 per cent of all words said on the record, while 21 Savage raps 26 per cent of them. The other 8 per cent is from guest appearances, such as Travis Scott on the excellent “Pussy & Millions.” Drake also has four songs alone on the album compared to 21 Savage, who only has one.

Despite not being labelled properly, this is definitely an improvement on Drake’s last two records. He sounds way more cutthroat than he usually does and even though 21 Savage isn’t on the album as much as I would have wanted, he’s still helping Drake bring out his more aggressive side with the help of some more ominous trap beat selection. Drake even goes in with some reckless disses, calling out Megan Thee Stallion, Soulja Boy, and Serena Williams’ husband, Alexis Ohanian.

Her Loss contains a lot of fun moments, and you can definitely feel their chemistry. Songs such as the opener “Rich Flex” with its various beat switches, the ruthless “On BS,” and “Broke Boys” with its phenomenal second half are all infectious yet very hard-hitting. 

Regardless, it does have some misses, like the way-too-long “Hours In Silence,” the uneventful “Spin Bout U,” and the forgettable “Jumbotron Shit Poppin.” Oh, and don’t get me started on “Circo Loco,” which is another instance of an older hit being sampled to gain more traction. This time, it’s “One More Time” by Daft Punk that is victim of this awful trend.

Drake also has a couple of corny one-liners, like on the closer “I Guess It’s Fuck Me,” where he says “If bein’ real was a crime, I’d be doin’ life,” like come on man. But honestly, he might be one of the only artists that can get away with saying things like that. He makes up for it with “Middle of the Ocean,” which is another classic laid-back Drake cut that sees him get in his bag over a beautiful instrumental.

Yes it’s not perfect, and yes it’s a shame that 21 Savage isn’t on the album as much, but overall, Her Loss is one of the more fun Drake records to have come out in a hot minute.

Trial track: Middle of the Ocean

7/10

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Concert Reviews Music

Concert Review: Bright Eyes ends its decade-long hiatus with a stunning performance

Bright Eyes playing at Corona Theater. MARIEKE GLORIEUX-STRYCKMAN/THE CONCORDIAN

The band played in Montreal last week, in one of the last performances of their 2022 tour

The indie rock band Bright Eyes is on its first tour in nine years. Their show in Montreal last week did not disappoint their patient fans.

Bright Eyes went on a hiatus in 2011, after lead singer Conor Oberst announced that they would be retiring the band. However, in 2020, they released new music and started preparing for a world tour. The tour had to be postponed to the summer of 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

After years of waiting, Bright Eyes’ return delighted their Montreal fans.

The opener of the show was Hurray for the Riff Raff, a band created by singer-songwriter Alynda Mariposa Segarra. The songs were beautifully written for the singer’s range, and the style fit perfectly with the rest of the show. Segarra had a nice stage presence, and effortlessly filled the space with their dancing. They brought that same energy when they joined Oberst for the vocals of a song later in the show. The band looked like they were having fun together, and it translated into their music. 

While it took Bright Eyes almost an hour to set up after Hurray for the Riff Raff, their performance was well worth the wait. 

Oberst sang beautifully. His unique, raspy, vulnerable and expressive voice sounded just as good as it did years ago. He perfectly portrayed the emotions of Bright Eyes’ often sad and cynical songs. 

Oberst’s delightful eccentricities entertained the crowd throughout the night. From introducing the audience to the band’s wolf plushie “Wolfy” to revealing his “Conor Oberst Ruined My Life” t-shirt, the singer let his fun-loving personality shine through between the songs. He often got sidetracked while introducing the pieces, and the concert became “The Conor Show” as he told stories about his life and the band. 

The entire band’s chemistry was very warm and inviting. Any listener could see that they loved playing together. The spotlight switched from the vocal line to a trumpet solo, a piano improvisation, or a new violin line. Oberst moved around the stage to play one-on-one with different members of the band, or to listen more closely when he wasn’t singing. 

“First Day of My Life,” one of Bright Eyes’ most well-known songs, was a moment of contrast in the night. Most of the band sat down, leaving only Oberst on the guitar and vocals, Mike Mogis on the mandolin, and the violinist. A new violin line had been added to the song, and it complemented it perfectly without ruining its soft atmosphere. 

During the last song, Oberst and the backup singer danced and sang together at the centre of the stage, and Oberst gave her the mic to finish off the song. 

Photo by Marieke Glorieux-Stryckman

Categories
Concert Reviews Music

 Concert Review: Jean Dawson lights up Le Belmont

Jean Dawson performing at Le Belmont. EVAN LINDSAY/The Concordian

 On his first headlining tour Jean Dawson proves himself to be one of the most exciting new live acts

It was 8:45 p.m on Nov. 1. when Jean Dawson took the stage at Le Belmont, dressed in a massive black denim jacket atop an Aphex Twin hoodie, paired with leopard print pants. A black ski mask with a Homer chain hanging from his neck shone bright against his otherwise dark silhouette. The outfit showed a diverse array of interests that Dawson displays quite literally on his sleeve — even in his music. His sound melds hip-hop, R&B, pop-punk and electronic music into something that sounds both familiar and distinctly unique at the same time. 

Dawson was accompanied by a four-piece backing band cramped onto Le Belmont’s tiny stage. The Montreal show was his first in Canada. Despite being on his first headlining tour, Dawson performed as if he had been at it for years. 

The show began with the wailing guitars backing “Dummy” off Dawson’s sophomore album Pixel Bath. What I expected to be a roaring start for Dawson was actually a little bit sleepy. The band was clearly giving their all, but the lead singer had yet to truly warm up. Dawson followed “Dummy” with “PORN ACTING*” . The crowd was getting excited but it wasn’t the high-octane, over-the-top energy I expected. Dawson said later in the show that he was sick, which was also his reasoning for the ski mask.

Once Dawson performed “Devilish,” the show began to live up to the tour name, named after the artist’s most recent album CHAOS NOW*. The mosh pit opened up and it was pretty tough to avoid for the rest of the show. Fans jumped up and down and shouted lyrics into the microphone Dawson would wave over the crowd.

The rest of the performance easily surpassed my earlier expectations of a high-energy show. As Dawson’s energy built, so did the crowd’s. Fans shouted out song requests; one fan requested “Policia,” which shocked Dawson. Considering the song is mostly sung in Spanish, he was taken aback that it would get requested in Canada. While the song didn’t make it into the main set, Dawson and the band appeased the fan’s request by playing “Policia” in their encore. 

Other highlights of the show included “PIRATE RADIO*,” which had the crowd slow down the moshing a bit as everyone sang along to one of Dawson’s slower tracks. The interaction between the crowd and Dawson culminated as he walked into the crowd during “0-HEROES*” leading up to the song’s massive chorus and another extended period of moshing.The backing band also held their own intense guitar and drum solos throughout the show. 

The show concluded with “Power Freaks,” with Dawson finally taking off his ski mask to reveal a head of wild blonde dreads, in an electric final number (before returning for the fan favourite “Policia” in his encore.) Despite a bit of a slow start, Dawson tore up Le Belmont with an electric performance — one that will hopefully be the first of many to come in his career as well as in Canada.

Photo by Evan Lindsey

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Music Quickspins

QUICKSPINS: Westside Gunn is a 10

LILY COWPER @lilycowper

 Is Hitler Wears Hermes a 10/10?

The Buffalo MC and Griselda record label founder dropped his 10th and final instalment of his Hitler Wears Hermes series on Oct. 28th. The 12-track mixtape concluded a decade-long legacy of HWH, which started in 2012. 

It’s very difficult for Westside Gunn to miss. Since first listening to Griselda’s perfectly eerie WWCD project in 2019, I was hooked. From then on, I’ve put every new album of his on repeat for at least a week. This one is no different. However, there are some elements from 10 that contribute to missing its spot on the shelf with his other stellar projects. 

The album felt rushed. Gunn’s last album, Peace “Fly” God, was released 5 months earlier, on July 8. There were many of the same features and similar beats, which may produce a déjàvu feeling for fans. The return of AA Rashid talking over the beat in “Intro” felt like a repeat of Peace “Fly” God, which I was listening to up until 10’s release.

This album felt less like a Westside Gunn album than it did a Stove God Cooks album. There are twelve tracks, eleven if you exclude “Intro,” which is more of a skit than a song. Stove God contributed significantly to six of the remaining songs. A featured artist should not be in half of an album’s tracks. No discredit to Stove God — he has immense talent in his verses, voice and hooks, and I couldn’t stop listening to his part on “BDP.”  

As a finale to such a grand series, I expected to hear a variety of other features on it, and found some happy surprises. This album felt more upbeat than other Gunn productions, with cheeky features from artists that we love. There were contributions from members of the Wu-Tang Clan, including RZA’s production of the Intro track, and the appearance of Raekwon and Ghostface Killah on Science Class (also featuring Busta Rhymes). It was produced by Swizz Beats of all people!

DJ Drama continues his trend of guesting on many recent albums such as Tyler the Creator’s Call Me If You Get Lost and Dreamville’s D-Day: A Gangsta Grillz Mixtape by making two appearances on Gunn’s album. The rap duo Black Star appears on “Peppas,” and A$AP Rocky makes an appearance on “Shootouts in Soho.” 

This album was very solid, and I’ll certainly listen to it on repeat. It’s superior to any other album released in the past months. I’m giving it a hard time simply because it’s not the standard I’d usually expect from Westside Gunn. It was heartwarming to hear elements of the many friends and affiliates of Griselda, and a decent conclusion to such a legendary series. It just felt rushed, and a shame that the artist had to cater to the decennial date.

Trial Track: “BDP” (feat. Rome Streetz & Stove God Cooks)

 7/10

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Music

A brief guide to Montreal’s local live music scene

Here’s Where to find Montreal’s finest live music offerings

Sometimes, keeping up with show organizers is where it’s at

Good Shows

Ever since pandemic restrictions loosened up, Good Shows have proven to be one of the most exciting organizers in Montreal. With shows sprawling across town touching on genres like math rock and hardcore to dance-punk and everything in between, you’re always in for a rowdy and wild ride with Good Shows.

Expose Noir

For five years, Expose Noir has been throwing parties of the highest caliber, turning warehouses into full-fledged all night long rave frenzies. Their mainline multi-room events, or the smaller and more frequent single-room offshoot “volume x” always guarantee international DJ talent to the highest degree.

Blue Skies Turn Black

Blue Skies might be Montreal’s premier booker for the indie scene, frequently bringing some of the top rock and hip-hop talent that’s currently on the road to a great variety of venues, theatres, and halls throughout the city.

Greenland Productions

Greenland Productions is responsible for bringing some of the biggest shows to the largest clubs and venues across Montreal. Radiohead offshoot project The Smile, and drain gang predecessor Yung Lean are just a few of the heavyweight talents coming in the next few weeks — thanks to Greenland — and with multiple shows each week, there is something for everyone.

Five bars where you can hear live music on the reg

Bar Le Ritz PDB (179 Jean-Talon O)

Owned by the members of Montreal’s own Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Bar le Ritz is one of the best places to catch out-of-town up-and-comers. Shows span from various styles of rock and hip-hop, to hardcore and metal with plenty of exciting touring acts performing every week. 

Bar L’Hémisphère Gauche (221 Rue Beaubien E)

The beer is cheap, the staff is cool and the music is loud at Bar L’Hémisphère Gauche. Located in Little Italy, L’Hémisphère Gauche is where you can find local fresh new voices performing almost every night of the week to packed and rowdy crowds.

La Sala Rossa/La Sotterenea (4848 St Laurent Blvd)

Whether it’s the saloon atmosphere of the main room upstairs (Sala Rossa), or the smaller room devoid of a stage in the basement Sotterenea, you are bound to find an eclectic mix of bookings in this building.

Casa Del Popolo (4873 St Laurent Blvd)

The sister venue of La Sala Rossa, located just across the street, is a smaller room, darkly lit and decorated by beautiful moldings on the ceilings and chandeliers above the bar. Experimental shows spanning from harsh noise to power electronics happen frequently, and you can also catch a hardcore or indie show being put on by Good Shows or Blue Skies on a regular basis.

Collage by James fay @jamesfaydraws and Catherine Reynolds @catreynoldsphoto

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Interview Music

A conversation with Sirintip about her latest album, Carbon

The New York-based artist sat down with The Concordian to talk about her new LP 

Oct. 14 saw the release of the long-awaited Carbon LP from Sirintip (AKA Sirintip Phasuk), and honestly, I am here for it. The New York-based artist took the time and effort to make this album into what it is: a means of communicating the “narrative of science” and implementing data from pollution to turn into musical sequences. She has used her Thai and Swedish influences and poured them into a melting pot with jazz, turning the project into a wonderful concept album.   

The Concordian sat down with the artist to talk about Carbon:

Tell me about your musical upbringing. What is the origin of Sirintip?

So I grew up in Bangkok, Thailand. I was always singing. I started playing Thai instruments in school but then I took private lessons for piano and violin but I was always singing. The music school I went to [in Sweden] had 1,000 kids and everyone could sing, and this happened at the same time that the Harry Potter movies came out so I felt very much like the other kids. We had seven hours of choir singing every week which was intense. Then in my teenage years, I was exposed to jazz and then I did my master’s in New York.

Tell me about your songwriting process, what comes first? What comes last?

So for this album, I started with the concept. There are 13 songs in the album and each song is a specific cause or effect of climate change. So what I did was research, among other topics, plastic pollution: what is it? How does it affect us? For the whole record, I decided that I didn’t want to put anything clearly in the lyrics, I wanted to build the message into the songs. So then people can listen and connect to the songs, and be curious enough to learn and research the concept. I don’t believe that forcing anyone to think or do anything is the way to go around this. I think it’s better to try and inspire conversation. So for “Plastic Bird,” I took plastic trash from my kitchen, recorded it with my ZOOM recorder and uploaded it into Ableton as a sample. When you put all the samples on a drum rack you can play the sounds on your keyboard. 

You all stayed at the Manifold Recording Studio in North Carolina for nine days with some of the artists who collaborated with you on this album. What was the day-to-day experience like for you?

It’s the most incredible experience. The studio is solar-powered which is really cool. That was an important piece for me, not just writing about climate change to sustainability but also to find ways to becoming more sustainable in my artistic practice and it’s so systemic that sometimes it’s just impossible like If we need to perform in Europe, we’re not going to be able to afford a ship to get us there but at least we were able to work in the studio for nine whole days. We’d work the whole day at the studio and then walk three minutes to the guest house, sleep, and then restart the procedure the next day. We were completely immersed without distraction. We were in the middle of nowhere and so there would be a lot of wildlife like deer roaming around right outside the studio.  

You said for your debut album Tribus that “The idea behind the album is to bridge the gap between pop and jazz by combining singable melodies with grooves, jazz harmonies and electronics.” Does this still resonate true with Carbon?

I think that is just something that is inherently me, so when it came to Carbon it was more like “How do we turn this air pollution data into music?” When I grew up in Thailand I would play Thai instruments and in Thailand, on mainstream media it’s just pop music. When I moved to Sweden their main musical export is pop, with people like Max Martin writing a lot of the hits of the 2000s [and even now]. So when I moved to the States I started studying jazz, but because it is an Afro-American tradition and being in New York studying it I realized it was better for me to add to the music by bringing in both my Thai and Swedish influences. I feel like the foundation of my writing is jazz: there’s a lot of complex harmonies, a lot of weird time signatures, as well as challenging concepts and improvisations when live. It’s just packaged in a more pop way, because I feel that it’s important for people like my parents who do not listen to jazz to sing along to it.

What is in store for the future of Sirintip? What do you have coming up?

I want to be working with scientists firsthand. Back in July, I went out on a research vessel with 25 scientists in the North Pacific. They were studying plankton so I was learning from them and working with them and writing music based on their research. Knock on wood I might be going in July to Greenland to study icebergs and glaciers, plus I want to do other research trips too. All this is to bring all that knowledge and write an interdisciplinary suite where I’m combining my electronic roots with an acoustic rhythm section and a small chamber orchestra to present this work so that it comes from science and the work that I’ve discovered with scientists, and to help tell the narrative of scientists

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