Category: Music

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Music

An interview with Montreal-based The Damn Truth

The band members are keeping their answers damn truthful

Despite a turbulent year, The Damn Truth haven’t lost hope. If anything, they’ve managed to persevere during a time where many have been plagued by anxiety and despair, shifting their sound to one that radiates optimism. The Montreal-based rock band consists of Lee-la Baum (lead vocals/guitar), Tom Shemer (lead guitar/vocals), PY Letellier (bass/vocals), and Dave Traina (drums/vocals).

The band is best known for their catchy songs like Kinda Awkward and Get with You. Over the last nine years, the band’s fanbase has grown exponentially, not only nationally but internationally as well.

While Traina couldn’t make it, The Concordian spoke with the rest of the band, who discussed the process of creating their third album Now or Nowhere and what the future holds for them.

TC: Can you talk us through the process of bringing together your latest album Now or Nowhere, especially during such a weird time?

TS: Most of the record was written on the road before COVID, so after we had done our second album, we toured excessively. When you get to that kind of point where you forget what day of the week it is, some sort of magic happens and your creativity flows. So we wrote songs on the road, in the van, on our days off. We kind of noticed, even before COVID, that there was this bond between humans that felt like it was broken a little bit. So we felt that we wanted to write an album that was more hopeful and positive.

LLB: We found ourselves a few months later going to Vancouver to record with the popular producer Bob Rock. We had basically four days in the studio and were prepared to do three or four songs. We were ready to do a whole album, so we managed to do six songs in four days. Then we were booked to come back in March 2020, and that’s when things fell apart. So we had to finish it in Montreal on our own. We were lucky that we had some studios at our disposal. We were able to finish the last three songs and put it all together.

TC: This new album focuses a lot on the theme of love, and features songs that offer a sense of hope. Was that originally the direction that you had in mind before you began writing?   

LLB: Since most of the songs were written before COVID, if I listen back now, a lot of these lyrics are shocking. They’re a bit predictive in a way. It freaks me out, because this was written before everything happened.

PYL: Now that COVID has happened, I think a lot of people are now seeing the world the way that we saw how the world was feeling after touring around a couple times.

TS: One thing I didn’t really love about our second album is that we were kind of in a place of… I don’t want to say worry, but maybe fear. Lee-la and I were just about to have our kid and we were thinking all the time, are we making the right decision? Are we bringing a kid into the world that’s worth living in? So the second album was a lot like finger pointing and society-bashing. So I thought, why would we take the time to point out the bad things when we can use our stage for love, peace, and hope? I don’t know if the next album will be the same, though. Who knows, it might be angrier.

TC: Can you talk me through the creative process of writing your song “This is Who We Are Now.” How did it come together?

LLB: That one happened in the van. We were driving through Texas in the middle of the night. Tom was driving and PY was next to him. Suddenly the song kind of just hit us.

TS: I heard that voice in my head, just the whole verse that goes “this is who we are now.” I felt it, so I sat next to Lee-la and asked her to pull her phone out to record. It kind of also became like our tour motto. Like if we’d go to a venue and the guy wouldn’t pay us for the night, we’d say “well, this is who we are now!”

PYL: It was less of a motto, and more of a mantra because we used it when shit went bad to lift our spirits.

LLB: It’s a malleable sentence that just made sense in every scenario!

TC: How are you feeling about being able to perform live again?

LLB: It’s what we’ve been dreaming of for so long. We’ve been doing our best to try and stay connected to our fans and audience so we’re pretty active on social media, but it’s not the same as playing in front of real, warm live bodies.

PYL: If I can be candid about that question, the first few shows really kicked my ass. We were playing over 200 shows a year. I remember I walked up on stage thinking, “oh this is going to be a piece of cake,” and then I came off sweating bullets and barely able to breathe. It was a really big wake-up call.

TC: What’s in store for you all now? Can we expect another album in the near future? 

LLB: We’ll definitely be touring, that’s really the main goal. There’s a tour that’s already been announced for February 2022 and we’re going back to the U.K. for 30 days. Very exciting! So fingers crossed that they will allow us to get on that flight. And we’re always writing, so the next album is imminent.

For more information on The Damn Truth and touring dates, please visit their website.

 

Photograph by Lee-La Baum

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Music

Some premature Grammy predictions

The Grammys are predictable, and here’s what’s likely to happen

Love or hate them, the Grammys are the music industry’s biggest night. This ceremony rewards artists for their releases throughout the year by nominating them into separate categories where they have a chance to win a trophy for their accomplishments.

On Sept. 30, 2021, the 13-month eligibility window closed, meaning albums released after this date won’t be eligible to be nominated for the 64th annual Grammy Awards.

That being said, despite the Grammys happening in late January, here are some way-too-early nomination predictions for the Album of the Year category. As predictable as the Recording Academy can get, (I’m looking at you H.E.R. nominations in at least two of the four biggest categories), there are rarely any surprises when it comes to the nominees in this category. Before beginning, there are a couple of different groups of candidates that I’d like to classify when it comes to nominations done by the jury: The Grammy Darlings, The Newcomers, Rap Albums That Have No Chance of Winning, Even if It Was the Greatest Album Ever Made, and The Wildcards.

 

The Grammy Darlings

This group includes albums from artists who have won in the past or that are often nominated in this category. Whenever these artists drop a project, they are almost always guaranteed at least a nomination (unless you’re The Weeknd and you decide to perform at the Super Bowl instead).

Billie Eilish – Happier Than Ever

Despite not being as popular as her debut album WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO? (for which she won five Grammys, including Album of the Year), Happier Than Ever is still a solid record and could have been talked about a bit more over the summer. This album is an automatic lock in the category because of her last album winning the award.

Taylor Swift – evermore

Swift is the current holder of the Album of the Year award. She first won the award in 2009 with Fearless, then went on to rob the award from Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp A Butterfly back in 2015. She won again in 2020 with her more folk-oriented folklore. Swift’s change of style had a little less commercial success than her more pop-oriented records, but received more critical success instead. Now she’s looking to go back-to-back in the same category.

Ariana Grande – Positions

Ariana Grande has a strong advantage over other artists in this category, by being one of the largest pop stars in the world, (pop albums have been favoured by the jury over the years). The sex-infused Positions saw the Florida singer top the charts in the tail end of 2020. Her last album, thank u, next, was nominated in the Album of the Year category two years ago.

Others in this group include: Justin Bieber’s Justice, Megan Thee Stallion’s Good News, and H.E.R.’s Back of My Mind.

 

The Newcomers

This group includes artists that have been bursting onto the scene with their first studio albums, gaining massive commercial success in doing so. The Recording Academy particularly likes this group of artists since they have a higher chance at becoming supernovas.

This list includes albums such as: Olivia Rodrigo – SOUR,  Lil Nas X – MONTERO

Both albums had chart topping singles. Rodrigo even had two No. 1 hits with “drivers license” and “good 4 u,” while Lil Nas X only had “Montero (Call Me By Your Name).” Both records also received commercial and critical success, showcasing the massive talent and potential of both artists. Both of these entries are also guaranteed locks at being nominated.

 

Rap Albums That Have No Chance of Winning, Even if It Was the Greatest Album Ever Made

This group brings together some amazing rap albums that should be considered as potential winners, but are only on the list because it looks good for the jury to have multiple genres in the category. The same goes for country music, where they’ll often put an album in the mix just to look versatile. After all, artists have made it clear in the past that they’re not happy with how the Grammys categorize them.

This list includes albums such as: Tyler, The Creator – CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST,  Kanye West – Donda, Drake – Certified Lover Boy

Despite how underwhelming and flavourless Certified Lover Boy was, I’ll still include it here for the sole reason that it’s Drake: he does numbers and the jurors usually like him.

As for the two others, they both deserve a nod in the category for being outstanding albums that are in the conversation for the best albums of 2021. Though they each have a good chance of winning in the rap categories, it’s just sad that the Grammys won’t acknowledge them even further because they deserve to have a real shot instead of only serving as placeholders in the category in an attempt for the awards to seem diverse.

 

The Wildcards

These albums could very well compete for the award but all for different reasons. Whether it’s Bad Bunny’s EL ÚLTIMO TOUR DEL MUNDO for its commercial success, while also being a nod to Spanish music, or even Kacey Musgraves’ divorce-themed star-crossed, it wouldn’t be surprising to see one of these albums being nominated.

Honorable mention : Doja Cat’s Planet Her

 

The Verdict

While all of these have a shot at the title, on Jan. 31, 2022, at the 64th annual Grammy Awards, the host will read, “and the winner for the Album of the Year is… SOUR by Olivia Rodrigo.” Mark my words.

 

Graphic by James Fay

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Music

Cadence Weapon is here

Toronto-based rapper Cadence Weapon sheds light on his experience as a Canadian rapper and discusses current events and the pandemic’s impact on his music.

Nominated once previously for his self-titled album in 2018, Roland Pemberton was yet again nominated for the Polaris Music Prize Album of the Year for his recently released album Parallel World. The “propulsive energy to the majority of the lyrics of this album does come from the urgency of the subject matter, but also the urgency in which [he] created them.”

The Polaris Music Prize is an annual award exclusive to Canadian artists who produce groundbreaking and impactful LPs.

Pemberton feels like he is “just a Canadian guy”, originally hailing from Edmonton, is now based in Toronto where he writes most of his music. He also lived in Montreal for a six-year period, which is where he wrote the Hope in Dirt City LP and his entire self-titled album, which features songs like “Soju” and “Five Roses,” a reference to Farine Five Roses in the Ville-Marie borough.

Like every artist on the planet, Cadence Weapon was affected by the pandemic by having to work remotely to collaborate with artists on his latest album Parallel World. Regardless, Pemberton remarked enjoying working with artists remotely through multiple forms of communication, and it helped him attribute the theme of the album to our relationship with the internet. The artists featured on this LP are based all over the world, from London, England (Manga Saint Hilare), the United States (Fat Tony), and even Montreal (Backxwash).

He recently performed twice at The Garrison in Toronto, opened by artist Myst Milano, and has recently embarked on a tour across the United States alongside Fat Tony.” The two of them have collaborated before on two songs; “Poet Laureate” in 2018 and “WATER” in 2021.

Cadence Weapon has a discography span of 23 releases, 5 of which are full-length albums (LPs) with an average run-time of 40 minutes. To date, he has a Polaris nomination in 2018 and a Polaris Award for this year.

The Concordian spoke to Pemberton about his recent release, the music-making process, and what his ambitions are. This interview was done just hours before Cadence Weapon won the Polaris Award.

 

TC: What does “Cadence Weapon” mean? Does it play a role in the songs you write?

RP: When I first came up with that, it was something of a mantra. “My cadence is my weapon, my cadence is my weapon,” and it just kind of stuck. It’s really a way of describing my music, my music being a weapon of change.

TC: Using this mantra of your music being a weapon for change, I’ve seen that, especially in your latest album, you’ve tackled a lot of issues concerning racial divide and systemic racism. How did that songwriting process start?

RP: Well, I wrote this entire album throughout the pandemic, and during the early months of it, I was really inspired by the protests of George Floyd. Seeing people organizing and becoming active and engaged against systemic racism and institutional racism that I’ve always noticed and my family would discuss it and suddenly it’s just on every TV screen in the world and people are noticing all the stuff that is pervasive in our society for so long, so that was a big inspiration for me to really go deeper in this album.

TC: How did you feel when you witnessed these topics shown on TV?

RP: For me, I felt really emboldened to discuss these things more openly, doing a lot of research in the form of reading books and getting deeper into these subjects because I think I’ve always touched on said topics in subtle ways but I felt like the moment that we were in culturally, it really called for me to speak truth to power, and to go all-in when it comes to the racism that I see not just in America but here in Canada as well.

TC: What style is your forte?

RP: When it comes to writing songs, particularly this album, I’ll get fragments of lyrics and snippets of flows and write them down into my notes app. Usually, I’ll listen to a beat over and over and then eventually the ideas and flow start coming out to me and then fill in the blanks. Particularly for the song “Africville’s Revenge” on Parallel World, I wrote that song during a run. I got into jogging over the pandemic, so I would run and then throughout the session I’d stop and write down ideas so I wouldn’t forget. A lot of the propulsive energy to the majority of the lyrics of this album does come from the urgency of the subject matter, but also the urgency in which I created them.

TC: How did you fit in and use pop culture references in your albums, notably in “Ghost” and in “Soju”?  

RP: Particularly on “Ghost,” it’s not just the fact that I’m making references, it’s the meaning behind them. There’s a reason why I’m fitting them in there and there’s a reason for example why I bring up Fred Hampton on a song like that, “the ghost of my ancestors.”

TC: Which LP for you was the most fun in terms of features? 

RP: Definitely Parallel Worlds. It’s kind of strange because it was all done remotely, but I definitely felt the energy from every collaborator, whether it was having phone calls, texting, or Zoom. It felt very futuristic and in line with the subject matter of the album, which is our relationship with the internet.

TC: How do you prepare for shows?

RP: I’ll usually rehearse a song for a little bit, but I’ll call myself an athlete that doesn’t train enough. I definitely need to practice more often!

TC: Myst Milano is opening for you, have you linked with them before for shows?

RP: Through North by Northeast, I got them to play a show that I was curating, this is our first time performing together. Shoutout to Myst Milano.! They are actually raised in Edmonton, so we have that connection, and I really like all the new music opportunities from them.

TC: You’re a Toronto-based rapper, so what’s your tie to Montreal and why was it important enough for you to mention Montreal many a time in your songs? Over the weekend I listened to a song of yours called “Five Roses” (a reference to Farine), hence why I asked.

RP: I have a bit of familiarity with Montreal because I lived there for 6 years, from 2009 to 2015. When I was working on my 2018 album I was mostly in Montreal, Hope In Dirt City  [released May 2012] I also wrote when I was in the city. I feel like I’m just a Canadian guy, I’ve been across the country so much and thus have a sense of familiarity with audiences all over.

TC: You remixed songs from Lady Sovereign, Common, and Ghostface Killah. Which was your favourite experience?

RP: Oh well for me by far was the Lady Sovereign, I mean those other two were just bootlegs that I just made on my computer, but the Lady Sovereign one was actually the official remix that was commissioned by Island Records and it was also the first official remix that I did back in 2005. It was the first rap money I ever got. It was before I even had a record deal. I remember that I bought a pair of Nudie Jeans and a Bearbrick Doll and all kinds of early 2000s trinkets!

TC: What’s next for you?

RP: Thursday, I’m going to Denver to start a U.S. tour that’s going for the next month, touring across the states with Fat Tony, another rapper, and I have a book coming out called Bedroom Rapper. I wrote the book and it’s in the final stages right now but it’ll be coming out in May.

 

Photograph by Colin Medley

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Music Quickspins

QUICKSPINS: By the Time I Get to Phoenix – Injury Reserve

Injury Reserve’s latest album is all over the place, but it’s beautiful

Injury Reserve is a hip hop group known for their jazz rap mixtapes, their self-titled debut album Injury Reserve from 2019, and their quirky sense of humour. However, they’ve been through a lot as a band in the short span of just two years. The pandemic, personal turmoil, and the political uproar that occurred in the wake of George Floyd’s murder in 2020 pushed the trio to move away from their already defined sound, and work on a project darker in tone.

While it was supposed to drop in 2020, the tragic passing of core member Stepa J. Groggs put the album on hold and the future of the band still remains uncertain. It was only this past August that the remaining members quietly dropped a new single and announced that the album would release on Sept. 15. Since its release, I’ve listened to this album five times and have processed my thoughts about it. One thing is certain: if this ends up being Injury Reserve’s final record, then I can rest easy knowing they put out one of the best albums of this year.  

By the Time I Get to Phoenix is quite haunting in its presentation. The album is defined by its  lo-fi distorted sampling paired with abstract lyrics that are almost incoherent at times. It gives the album a raw, visceral, and manic sound. Tracks like the opener, “Outside,” are filled with odd panting and words being repeated frantically by lead rapper Ritchie with a T. The song amounts to almost lyrical gibberish accompanied by a busted chiptune sample looping in different variations.

Another incredible track, “Superman That,” is one of the highlights on the album and is all over the place in terms of structure. It’s a weird blend of EDM, autotune, and rap, and it’s hard to even describe what kind of genre it is. It’s explosive, lyrically depressing, and creates a sense of anxiety.

At times, the abstract nature of the album gives off the feeling that certain songs are incomplete demo tapes or lost recordings that weren’t meant to be heard. While I had issues with a few tracks sounding similar, I think the often barebone elements of the record’s production are necessary to its overall themes, even if it makes the project hard to listen to casually. Parts of the album can say a lot without saying anything at all, and “Wild Wild West” is one of the best examples. The song delves completely into the rise of conspiracy theories: Ritchie impersonates a conspiracy theorist and rambles on about 5G towers being set up everywhere by the “Inspector Gadget.” 

The late Groggs has some incredible vocal performances on the album. His screeching on “Footwork in a Forest Fire” brings a lot of heat and energy, and “Knees” is one of Groggs’ most vulnerable performances and takes a hard look at his mental state before his passing:

I should probably take this booze off my rider

Okay, this last one is my last one, shit

Probably said that about the last one

Probably gon’ say it about the next two

Well fuck it n****, at least my dreads grew

This dark and emotional moment perfectly characterizes the album. The song’s depressive themes of falling back into bad habits such as alcoholism, feeling stuck in a place and unable to grow as a person, make it a hard song to process.

Ritchie also provides some of his best material on the album with “Top Picks for You.” Through spoken word, Ritchie delves into grief and attempts to move on. It is the most straightforward song on the album in a sea of abstractness. He delves into how despite the fact that the people he’s lost are no longer physically present, bits and pieces of themselves that they left behind are a constant reminder that they once existed. For example, even with the passing of the person he grieves, algorithms on subscription services they shared such as Netflix still recommend shows that this person watched, but never finished. The system is asking the user if they want to “jump back in”:

Grab the remote, pops up something you would’ve watched, I’m like “Classic”

This some shit I would’a seen you watch and then just laughed at

Your patterns are still in place and your algorithm is still in action

Just workin’ so that you can just, jump right back in

But you ain’t jumpin’ back

While the album can be difficult to digest given its themes, abstractness, and eerie production, the overall listening experience is probably one of the best I’ve had this year. I find myself diving into this album often to help absorb the impact of these dark times.

8/10

Trial Track: Superman That

 

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Music Quickspins

QUICKSPINS: MONTERO – Lil Nas X

Lil Nas X’s ascension to fame was quite impressive

From sleeping on his sister’s floor to spending 19 weeks at the No. 1 spot on the Billboard’s Hot 100 Chart back in 2019 with the worldwide hit “Old Town Road,” Lil Nas X has certainly come a long way.

The promotional rollout for MONTERO was completely wild. With singles that did enormous numbers (the title track even topped the Billboard Hot 100), to “scandalous” music videos that sparked discussion in good (and bad) ways, it’s clear Lil Nas X is not afraid of being extra dramatic. Most notably, by acting pregnant on social media, with MONTERO being the baby he was expecting. Lil Nas X’s camp really played it well with the promotion of the record and it quickly became one of the most anticipated releases of the year.

On MONTERO, Lil Nas X blends the two genres he is most comfortable with, pop and hip hop, in a brilliant but distinctive way. The hip hop portion of the record seems to appear more at the top of the tracklist while the poppier section is more towards the bottom. While he executes both genres extremely well, his hip hop tracks hit more home than his pop tracks. Songs like “INDUSTRY BABY,” “DEAD RIGHT NOW,” and “DOLLA SIGN SLIME” are by far some of the best tracks on the record.

No matter what genre he’s working with, Lil Nas X always has an ear for a catchy chorus, and MONTERO features some of the most infectious hooks of the year. The artist also doesn’t back down from hopping on current trends in music. From a high use of horn-dominated instrumentals on hip hop tracks to even embarking on a pop-rock cut with “LOST IN THE CITADEL,” he knows how to exploit the trendier and fresher sounds of today in a more than profitable way. Although not as triumphant as some of the bangers on the first half, the more mellow second half is as enjoyable with smoother and sweeter tunes like “VOID” and “SUN GOES DOWN” showcasing Lil Nas X’s versatility and willingness to switch things up.

Being one of — if not the only openly gay and queer black man mainstream rapper — brings a breath of fresh air to the industry. Hip hop culture is often perceived as homophobic, so for a figure like Lil Nas X to rise so astronomically within it and proudly representing his genuine self is great to see. The industry has been in need of a figure like Lil Nas X for a very long time.

With his debut album MONTERO, Lil Nas X proves to the world that he is here to stay and that he is a force to be reckoned with among other mainstream artists. He has completely left behind the “One Hit Wonder” tag that was stuck with him.

Trial track : “INDUSTRY BABY”

Score: 7/10

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Music

Global Citizen’s virtual benefit concert

The 24-hour charity live stream was a financial success, but here’s why it was a cultural failure

Last weekend, Global Citizen launched Global Citizen Live — a 24-hour long live stream benefit concert. All over the world, artists based in the music industry have come together under Global Citizen to raise awareness and put a stop to current issues such as poverty, world hunger, environmental crises, and inequity.

Global Citizen is an organization “of engaged citizens who are using their collective voice to end extreme poverty by 2030.” The movement is dedicated to educating people around the world on pressing issues, “that are impacting the masses.” Founded in Australia, they have spent over a decade working towards ending world hunger, and since then have set their sights on more contemporary issues, one of them being COVID-19.

The 24-hour live concert started on Sept. 25 with an introduction by Hugh Jackman who listed out all the cities that were hosting the live stream, tallying up to 15 major cities. Each city accommodated multiple artists from a wide variety of genres: Stevie Wonder, Ed Sheeran, Duran Duran, Kylie Minogue, and then some. The first city to perform was Paris, which was hosted by Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Denis Brogniart. 

To kick off the live event, France took the lead in hosting Elton John as their primary artist. The Eiffel Tower overlooked the crowd as he started his set with a stripped version of “Tiny Dancer”, a fan favourite hit. The British star went on to play another single, “Rocket Man” and a new song with Charlie Puth called “After All.” 

On the other side of the pond in L.A., the crowd started to cheer when Stevie Wonder performed “Superstition” with artist H.E.R. In New York, Coldplay, Billie Eilish, and her brother FINNEAS played the former’s song “Fix You” to an audience count of sixty thousand people. The Coldplay hit has been used by many charity organizations for their promotional videos and adverts, evoking uplifting feelings of hope.

Since 2008, Global Citizen (GC) has amassed and distributed $35.4 billion to the impoverished. Just from the 24-hour live stream, GC raised $1.1 billion. Recently they unveiled what they call “A Recovery Plan for the World,” a 40-page report outlining how to “end COVID-19 for all and kickstart a global recovery.” The report is split into five pillars or categories explaining how the organization will help the World recover in different spheres, such as advancing education and protecting the planet.    

Music-related benefit initiatives like Live Aid, the “We are the World” Single, Rock Aid Armenia, and the Tibetan Freedom concert always felt more intimate and have remained iconic to this day. Take Queen’s performance at Live Aid for example — people remember them because they focused on a specific issue (for example, raising money for famine relief in Ethiopia). The main advantage to live concerts nowadays is how easy one can donate money online, whether it’s via Instagram, Facebook, or even the main site of the live stream itself. Live Aid was able to earn $127 million with over 75 artists and 2 venues while GC’s live concert amassed $1.1 billion around 70 artists and 15 locations.    

Unfortunately, Global Citizen’s impact could have hit a little harder; while the GCRP aims to do a lot of good, it focuses on one too many issues and spreads itself thin. A good approach right now would be to direct their energy to COVID-related issues, especially in countries that were hit the hardest like India and Iran.

Even with modern-day technology and using a live stream, the event was not spoken about fervently across social media platforms. All that was heard were criticisms about the celebrities that took part in the “woke fest” last weekend. People like Meghan Markle and Prince Harry were chastised for telling the public how to change their habits towards being environmentally friendly, when they had chartered a private jet to New York to watch artists like Billie Eilish, Coldplay, and Lizzo perform.

In between songs, Elton John said it best: “It’s an enjoyable thing to take part in raising awareness.” But at the same time, if you listen to some of the celebrities’ speeches, how many of them are practicing what they preach? What makes Bono more special than the average hard-working citizen, that he can charter a private jet to retrieve his misplaced hat from a previously attended U2 show while still talking about environmental concerns?

Since COVID hit, there have been multiple online concerts that have taken place over multiple genres of the musical spectrum. One of the most memorable of said shows was the Post Malone “Nirvana Tribute” which he hosted with Blink 182s drummer Travis Barker. Since then there have been artists like Erykah Badu, Jacob Collier, and Gojira & Deftones gig that took place throughout 2020 and this year. Global Citizen coordinated 15 host cities with a plethora of artists, especially during the pandemic. Health safety measures had to be taken place for the in-person audience as well as the online audience. 

The actuality, however, like every online concert, is that it is just not the same as being there in person. There’s a certain feeling that the audience gets to experience when the artists look their way and wink at individuals while taking part in their antics, leaving the show having felt like they were a part of something special. Online shows unfortunately have yet to perfect this, and maybe never will.

While these events are made with the best intentions, they could work to be less superficial. Global Citizen put together this event not only for people to enjoy watching their favourite musicians live, but also to educate and bring light on the issues that the public likes to shy away from time and time again. This is no small feat, and yet, there is still room for improvement in the way that celebrities use their voice for the betterment of the world.

 

Feature Graphic by James Fay

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Music

Local band Squeeze Mason on their first EP Sleeping Mercury

The Montreal based trio discusses the creative process and challenges behind the launch of their first EP

Squeeze Mason, a locally-founded trio consisting of Dexter Dippong and brothers Ted and Gary Schulze, dropped their first EP this month, Sleeping Mercury. Forged in the fires of the Grey Nuns dormitory where they met, this Montreal-founded trio has a sound like no other.

They couldn’t nail down a genre for the EP, let alone the entire band, and that was the point. If you give the EP a listen, it’s safe to say that this versatile nature is front and centre. “We didn’t want a name that sounded like a heavy metal band or any specific thing, we kind of want to play around with a bunch of different genres,” said Dippong.

“Our Spotify is not fully representative of how wide our sound is, it’s just the ship that we’ve decided to record,” said Ted. Dippong added, “We’re still trying to find our proper audience.”

“I like a lot of different music, so why would I limit myself to say one genre?” Gary stated. “Let’s write music under those many genres.”

The band started by doing shows before the pandemic in bars such as Blue Dog in the Plateau, but once COVID hit, they all had to separate and go on hiatus. “We all went back home,” Dippong said, describing the past year in quarantine. “They [Gary and Ted] went to the Yukon and worked over the summer. I went to Vancouver over the summer and worked.”

“We all agreed that we were going to take it up a notch when we got back,” said Gary. They certainly did.

Once reunited, the process began with the song “Jabberwocky.” In what was described as a normal process for them, Ted came up with the riff, which Gary took and turned into a more complete song, then Dippong added lyrics and other touches until they had a package to send to singers and get polished. The final result was lovingly described as an “exuberant funk song.”

The EP features singers from the Montreal area such as JC Taylor, Danesa, and Free Real Estate. This proved to be a learning process in itself. At first, they thought to “just make the instrumental and just send it to the singer and see if they want to do anything,” Dippong described, to let the singer figure out their part. They later realized — as the artists hosting the project — they could write the entire piece before moving forward with a singer. 

The EP was a major improvement in recording quality from their first single, “Voodoo Chainsaw.” During the hiatus, they removed two of their three songs from streaming, due to quality issues, leaving only “Voodoo Chainsaw.”

“When we got back we were like, ‘we need to do this one properly,’” said Dippong, referring to the EP. “We could take our time, so we had to make sure that it actually sounds really good before we get it out.”

In every part of the process — save for distribution to Apple Music which was met with frustration — their enjoyment was obvious. The only part they don’t do themselves is mixing and mastering. “Everybody says they mix and master,” Dippong said, “I don’t know how to do that.”

“I wrote a “Sleeping Mercury” demo and sent it to Chris,” Dippong said, referring to Free Real Estate, the singer on the title song, “and he wanted to do some things, and I actually wrote the lyrics with him.”

Before a song gets sent to singers, however, a demo still has to be made. 

For their practicing and recording sessions, the trio rents a small lockout space in the garment district, Marsonic Studios. Everything is recorded directly into a computer, except on the off chance the three of them are doing vocals, the solution to which Dippong describes as “a little vocal booth set up in [an apartment] closet.” They emphasized the keyboard as a base of operations for their process, for which Ted is the master, “because Ted just comes up with riffs so fast,” said Dippong.

“Don’t tell Ted, but he doesn’t actually need us,” Gary joked, “we’re just here for the sex appeal.” This is beyond dubious, as they took every chance they got to complement each other’s playing ability.

Beyond just recording new songs, they’re also playing live and busking. Since venues are still shut down for the most part, they’ve been playing occasionally on the weekends outside Paul’s Boutique in the Plateau. The audiences are limited and the payout is in exposure and tips. 

“Playing live, you’re restricted so you can only play one layer at a time,” Ted said. This translates to real problems for the trio, as they can only play one instrument each when on stage, but their songs include various layers of melodies. “There’s a couple of songs we recorded we don’t have worked out live right now because it’s just like too many parts and instruments we’re not having,” added Dippong.

For now, busking in the Plateau lets them “Test all our songs and see how they play live,” said Dippong. Once shows open up more fully this fall, they are planning a bigger gig with some of the featured singers on the EP, both as vocalists and separate acts.

 

Photograph by Lou Neveux-Pardijon

Categories
Music

A look at the new Rolling Stone 500 all-time songs list

It’s only natural that such an opinionated topic can divide a large portion of music fans

Rolling Stone just released their list of the top 500 greatest songs of all time, creating a polarizing conversation in the music community. They sought help from over 250 people coming from every corner of the industry — artists, producers, musicians, critics, writers and journalists all pitched in for the 2021 edition. The list of people who contributed spans from Megan Thee Stallion to Joey Santiago from Pixies, to people working for Spotify, Rolling Loud and even RCA Records. Contributors were asked to submit a ranked list of their top 50 songs of all time. Nearly 4000 songs were mentioned and they then cumulated the results.

An inaugural version of the top 500 list came out in 2004, which was compiled by a variety of figures across the industry. Unfortunately, the list had many issues. The first and most obvious flaw is that the list contains next to no variety: 40.8 per cent of the 500 songs, which equals 203 tunes, are from the 1960s alone. The 1970s also have a lot of entries on the list with 142 songs, (28.2 per cent) of the list. The list is basically telling listeners that for the hundreds of years that music has been around, 69 per cent of the 500 greatest songs of all time have been created in a 20-year time span. As great as the ‘60s and ‘70s were for music, this is a highly controversial take.

In addition to lacking different eras of music, the 2004 list is also deprived of breadth in the genres and languages it presents. The list is mainly composed of early rock and soul songs with not a lot of other genres. It does make sense that these are favoured the most by the list since it is dominated by the ‘60s and ‘70s, an era where rock and soul were at their peak. The vast majority of tracks on the list are English songs, with only a few exceptions such as “La Bamba,” by Ritchie Valens, which is sung in parts English and Spanish and “Barrio Fino,” by Daddy Yankee, which is sung solely in Spanish. Songs in English are widely more popular in North America and in the U.K., where Rolling Stone is mostly based, but to not have a single song in another language is problematic. All-time classic songs like “La Vie en rose,” by Édith Piaf, which is sung in French, could have easily been worthy of being on the list.

The latest 2021 edition of the list addressed most of these problems by incorporating a wide range of musiciality. This saw every major genre being at least represented, and significantly more songs being featured coming from artists all over the world. With its latest version, the list isn’t afraid of incorporating songs that are incredibly contemporary — putting them next to all-time great songs from decades past. Tracks like “Old Town Road,” by Lil Nas X (#490) or “Dynamite,” by BTS (#346) that had tremendous success in the past two years both appear on the list. The highest charting song of 2020 on the list is “Safaera,” by Latin superstar Bad Bunny, which occupies the 329th spot.

 

The top 10: 

 

  1. “Hey Ya!” by Outkast, released in 2003

 

  1. “Dreams” by Fleetwood Mac, released in 1977

 

  1. “Get Ur Freak On” by Missy Elliott, released in 2001

 

  1. “Strawberry Fields Forever” by The Beatles, released in 1967

 

  1. “What’s Going On’” by Marvin Gaye, released in 1971

 

  1. “Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana, released in 1991

 

  1. “Like a Rolling Stone” by Bob Dylan, released in 1965

 

  1. “A Change Is Gonna Come” by Sam Cooke, released in 1964

 

  1. “Fight the Power” by Public Enemy, released in 1989

 

  1. “Respect” by Aretha Franklin, released in 1967

 

The top ten is pretty solid in its own right. “Respect,” by Aretha Franklin at #1 is a safe and great pick, and every song on this list has had a lasting impact on music. The only song that feels out of place here is Missy Elliott’s “Get Ur Freak On,” which is a great track, but should be nowhere near the top 50. ”Imagine,” by John Lennon (#19) or “A Day in the Life,” by The Beatles (#24) could have easily replaced this for a spot in the top 10, but regardless, it could have been way worse.

As you would expect from such a subjective list, people complained about the placement of certain songs — for instance, the article on the Rolling Stone’s website has amassed over 1900 comments. While the value of a song is in the eye of the beholder, this list cannot be perfect. Some songs are deemed way too low, others are placed way too high. Some placements make sense, others are truly outrageous. Are we really living in a world where Robyn’s “Dancing on My Own” is the 20th best song of all time? Where “Royals,” by Lorde (#30) is one spot higher than The Rolling Stones’ “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction,”? Where “All Too Well,” by Taylor Swift (#69) is ranked a spot higher than “Suspicious Minds,” by Elvis Presley and three spots higher than “Yesterday,” by The Beatles? Absolutely not.

Putting “Hotel California,” by The Eagles at #311, “Wish You Were Here,” by Pink Floyd at #302, “Wouldn’t It Be Nice,” by The Beach Boys at #297 and “River” by Joni Mitchell at #247 should be considered a crime.

With all this being said, while the new list has its flaws, it is exponentially better than the 2004 list by being far more versatile in every aspect — with songs from every era, a greater variety of genres, and by also incorporating tracks in other languages. While some people have problems with the idea of a list like this, I personally find it extremely entertaining that some of music’s brightest people can put together such a list for casual and devoted music fans alike to debate and have a discourse over. Yes, some placements were not great, but overall, the list is not as bad as people make it seem and it arguably contains the 500 greatest songs of all time.

 

Graphic by James Fay

Categories
Music

Turbo Haüs welcomes another live jam session

Jam sessions are still alive and well

Turbo Haüs welcomed its second Growve MTL event of the month on Sept. 15. The night was met with a packed venue space and filled with a lively audience. Many members of the crowd were excited as they had attended said event on previous occasions. One individual called Growve MTL a “must-see event every young musician in Montreal has to be a part of at least once.” Before going into the bar, however, COVID-19 precautions such as vaccination status were necessary to check before enjoying the live show.

Growve MTL is an event that hosts live jam sessions at different venues: Wednesdays are at Turbo Haüs and every other Thursday is at Blue Dog. Shayne Assouline, a Concordia student in the jazz studies program, is the host and co-founder of the event, alongside Shem G. who is a professional beatmaker in the Greater Montreal area. They are both part of a band called The Many, and met three years ago at a bar called Urban Science, which hosts jam sessions under their “le Cypher” event, according to Marcus Dillon, a member of the Dust Gang community.  The Many are the main act of Growve MTL, and are associated with the community known as Dust Gang.

The aim of Dust Gang and their event Growve MTL is to bring together artists who are so comfortable in their respective musical craft, whether they play drums or bass or even the flute, that they bring something new to the table each time. In doing so, they make every show unique, even if they play the same song for multiple events. For example, a new musician will come to the stage with a saxophone and perform differently than the other woodwind musician, just because of their different influences and past environments.

When asked what the main genre of music played at Growve events, Assouline said “They focus on mostly hip hop and jazz since they come from the same roots.” Dillon, a member of their group, replied “Mostly Black American music,” since they welcome other categories such as funk and blues. This could open the door to many musicians who want to take part in these public jam evenings. The majority of the music styles we know of today have ties to music made by African American communities, ranging from rock to alternative, to even metal.

The niche for the night’s event was “The Internet Theme,” which brought covers cherished by the internet like “Them Changes” by acclaimed bassist Thundercat, and “Ain’t Nobody” by Chaka Khan. After the internet theme, a jam session followed, which saw a plethora of musicians make a statement to the crowd and converse with The Many, the main act of the night. Overall, a total of 20 musicians played together, feeding off of each other’s energy and musicality.

After the show, the crowd thanked Assouline, Shem G., and Dillon for the colourful night. The performers there were humble and it showed; there was no ego, only the need to lose themselves in the music. All they asked the crowd in return was to “Bring more folks next time!” Despite the pandemic and the new regulations that circulate around COVID-19, a congregation of unique musicians created a wonderful event that night. It is comforting to know that there are individuals out there working hard to let people escape their present-day troubles with opportunities for musicians to come let loose during a live jam session.

 

Photographs by Saro Hartounian

Categories
Music

Anna Justen takes a step in the right direction with Saintclaire

Meet Anna Justen, a third-year Concordia student fresh off the release of her first EP, Saintclaire.

Anna Justen moved to Montreal two weeks before turning 19 to study journalism at Concordia. Having been born and raised in Seattle, Washington, it was quite the shock for her to leave the family’s nest. She’s since embraced this change and is making waves in the Indie/Folk genre with her new EP Saintclaire already released. Even while having lived her entire life at the same house, she was ready to face her new reality, living in Montreal.

“It’s awesome being in a big city with other people my age and Seattle is not a lot like that and I really loved it,” said Justen.

The musician’s parents aren’t musicians, but they did a great job of integrating her into the music world, by listening to a ton of music and forcing her to pick up an instrument at a young age. Even with a love for singing, she began her musical career by playing trombone for four years in elementary school, (which she admits she hated), then went on to learn instruments she found more interesting.

“I eventually decided that I didn’t want to play trombone anymore, so I taught myself piano, and then I was like, I can’t transport this anywhere, I can’t play it anywhere so I taught myself guitar instead like a couple months later,” she said.

Coming from the United States, Justen had always been busy with sports throughout her life — and since enrolling in university, she has not been a part of any sports teams. This afforded her more time to work on her craft, and she capitalized on this opportunity. “Since coming to university I have written so many, so many songs and I can’t stop. It’s like all my energy goes here,” she said.

When it comes to her sound, Justen blends elements of indie and folk, with a slight touch of pop music. Certain names in the music industry come to mind when listening to her work. She shares similar qualities with artists such as Phoebe Bridgers or even the band Big Thief. In recent years, her biggest musical influences have been largely from bands from the indie scene such as Slow Pulp and Soccer Mommy, who have really helped the young artist refine a sound and style that is true to her. Some of her other influences include the 2000s underground scene and the 90s Seattle grunge scene.

Justen had only released two songs when she decided to work on dropping an EP. She herself played most of the instruments on the project, and teamed up with producer Ash Always to work on it. After months of hard work, Saintclaire is finally out. It is an intimate experience that presents a subtle vibe instead of an in-your-face one, but is still hard-hitting and appealing like any high quality project. Justen’s vocal quality, where she will fade some words in order to prioritize how they sound, results in hauntingly beautiful vocals that deliver a profound sense of melancholy. From the pop-influenced and lighthearted “Centralia,” to the emotionally charged “Buckman,” the EP’s five tracks all bring something different to the table.

[spotifyplaybutton play=”https://open.spotify.com/track/3rhUnGnutvm25V7Znpb4oh?si=b42a032662594687″]

“Once I released my first single, I knew I wanted to do three songs and then release an EP and I knew generally what songs were gonna be on it. When I wrote each song, I knew immediately that it was meant to be on the EP like each song individually came together for me in that way. I have a lot of different versions like the order of the songs and I had different ideas for each of them,” she said.

The track “Buckman,” is a highlight in Justen’s catalogue (and also happens to be her favorite track off the EP) because of the message behind it. This song talks about childhood memories, and is dedicated to her late cousin, David, and her late aunt, Jane. In the middle of the track, we can hear a vocal message of Jane speaking at her son David’s funeral before passing away. This track is super meaningful and a strong feeling of nostalgia is present all over the song. The meaning behind it is embellished with gentle acoustic guitar, added rain sounds and gorgeous vocals which all build on the song’s beauty.

“My aunt Jane is a twin and her twin Julie is alive and listened to the song and cried and told me she loved it. My whole family is listening to that sobbing,” she said.

[spotifyplaybutton play=”https://open.spotify.com/track/1RLG1kfpFGnvNbzpVFiXxE?si=0a392848d6284d58″]

Anna has the talent to become a known name in the Montreal scene –– all she needs is more visibility. Her debut effort proves that she has the capacity to break out someday.

 

Photo by Gabe Sands

Categories
Music Quickspins

QUICKSPINS : Baby Keem – The Melodic Blue

Baby Keem is only getting started

Californian rapper Baby Keem is one of hip hop’s most prominent up and coming figures. After an XXL freshman appearance in 2020, he was poised to conquer the world in 2021. Keem has been under the spotlight over the past couple of weeks, releasing two singles with Travis Scott and Kendrick Lamar, the latter being Keem’s cousin. He also was a feature on the song “Praise God” on Kanye West’s Donda.

The Melodic Blue marks Keem’s first studio album, and showcases how talented and creative the 20-year-old is as a musician –– him being credited for 14 of the 16 tracks on this record. Throughout the album, Keem isn’t afraid of switching up a song’s mood completely by incorporating beat switches on multiple tracks. While this can be interesting and offers a new look on certain songs, it feels a little bit out of place at times, and in some cases is poorly executed. The opening track “trademark usa” suffers from that ambition following a questionable switch in the middle of the song, which cuts all momentum it had gained in the first part.

Keem’s greatest quality throughout the record is his versatility and willingness to experiment. He isn’t afraid to deviate from his usual full-of-energy baby voice with some more lowkey autotuned ballads like on the songs “scars” and “issues,” which makes for some of the most entertaining songs off the album. The track, “south africa,” has by far the most infectious chorus on the record, which is on par with the closing track, “16,” which sees Keem singing a catchy hook in beautiful fashion over an 80s-influenced drum loop.

The Melodic Blue might be a slight change of pace from his previous mixtapes when it comes to experimenting with new ideas, but it still has its fair share of abrasive bangers, like on the songs “family ties” and “range brothers,” both featuring legendary MC Kendrick Lamar.

Praise is due to Baby Keem for the fact that he is not afraid to experiment with all kinds of new sounds, but in some places it can be a detriment to this record. He is trying so much to be different from his peers, that sometimes some of his ideas fall short of being fully polished. The fact that this release is all over the place and that it could be more focused sadly drags the quality of the record down a little bit.

Overall, The Melodic Blue is ambitious for a debut album and it unquestionably proves that Baby Keem has all the potential in the world to drop a classic album someday.

 

Trial track: “family ties”

 

Score: 6/10

Categories
Music

A short glimpse of this summer in music

Five albums that defined summer 2021.

With life returning to a more or less normal shape, summer 2021 was an eventful one in every sphere of society. We as fans got to reap the fruits of what artists had been creating over the past year and a half of COVID-19.

The Off-Season – J. Cole

Released May 14, 2021

J. Cole’s The Off-Season was long awaited, and it did not disappoint. As one of the most praised figures in hip hop, this album is an improvement on all fronts from his last project, KOD. With his first release since 2018, J. Cole made his return to form with this project. It leaves behind any memory of KOD, a project that left fans and critics with mixed feelings. This project is bolstered by Cole’s confident and assured delivery, appealing storytelling, and the triumphant instrumentals using many samples throughout the album. The Off-Season marks the first time Cole welcomed different artists to feature on his songs since Born Sinner in 2013. This adds a new dimension to the work that was missing from his previous records.

Trial track: “l e t . g o . m y . h a n d”

SOUR – Olivia Rodrigo 

Released May 21, 2021

From a Disney star to one of pop’s most promising young talents, Olivia Rodrigo’s ascension to fame was immediate. The hype around SOUR was immense with all three of her singles reaching the Billboard’s top ten songs chart. Two of them even sat at the number one spot with the worldwide hits “drivers license” and “good 4 u.” On SOUR, listeners get a glance at a deep hurt. Tender lyrics of torn feelings towards an ex-lover make Rodrigo a compelling narrator and most of the record’s success is due to this. The instrumentals are most of the time either mellow and charming piano and guitar ballads, or Paramore-influenced bangers. As a whole, SOUR is one of the defining records of the summer.

Trial track: “good 4 u”

CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST – Tyler, The Creator 

Released June 25, 2021

Two years after his Grammy-winning masterpiece IGOR, Tyler, The Creator came back swinging. CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST marks The Creator’s sixth studio album, and brings him back to rapping form. DJ Drama is featured all across the record with ad libs in a DJ Khaled fashion, but Drama is actually pleasant. Tyler Baudelaire, his alter ego for this record, raps mainly about travel, and pinpoints love as the main thing missing from his life now that he has reached mogul status as an artist. The production is absolutely stunning, as you would expect from a Tyler, The Creator project. Tyler surpasses himself on every beat by always adding a lot of layers to the mix. This album contains a strong mix of hard-hitting tracks and laid-back beats that see an honest Tyler rely more on storytelling. No matter what direction he decided to go in, every track on the record found a way to keep it interesting for the listener.

Trial track: “SWEET / I THOUGHT YOU WANTED TO DANCE”

Vince Staples – Vince Staples

Released July 9, 2021

Vince Staples waited until his fourth studio album to release a self-titled record, which was most appropriate considering this new project might be his most introspective body of work to date. Staples, known for being a curious name in hip hop, has a style that stands out from your average rapper. His past release, Big Fish Theory, flirted with the lines between hip hop and house music. On Vince Staples, he continues to stand above the pack with clever one-liners and by opening up about himself, which all makes for an inviting listening experience. Production-wise, Staples plays it pretty safe here by using basic yet captivating trap flavoured instrumentals. The record’s short length makes for an album that is easily approachable.

Trial track: “TAKE ME HOME”

Sling – Clairo

Released July 16, 2021

Sling now marks the first record since Clairo’s 2019 breakout debut album, Immunity. Sling is a complete departure from the sound that got her bursting onto the scene. This new album adopts more of a singer/songwriter approach, one that builds off of the gentle and languid sounds of her debut project. The album’s production comes from none other than Jack Antonoff, a renowned producer whose influence is likely responsible for this sudden change of pace. Antonoff does a great job at making the most of a talented Clairo, with sounds that complement and hug her strengths, tying listeners into the album. A large portion of Sling is dedicated to Clairo’s dog, Joanie, which is also the name for one of the tracks. Sling’s best quality is this level of intimacy, and while it is simple and not too flashy, this is in the best way possible. 

Trial track: “Amoeba”

 

Graphic by James Fay

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