Tag: Music

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Music

Queer pop icon King Princess brings the thunder live on tour

3.KingPrincess. 10.29.2019.LaurenceB.D

King Princess redefines angry queer pop at MTELUS

Drag queens, young queer couples heavily making out, bitter and angry love ballads; this is what defines a typical King Princess concert.

Even though the LGBTQ+ icon performed at Corona Theatre only months ago in May and later in August for Osheaga 2019, she returned to Montreal on Oct. 29, just days after the release of her debut album, Cheap Queen, on Oct. 25.

The night began with a special performance by local Montreal drag queen Denim Pussy, who wooed the crowd with their stage presence to the beat of Charli XCX’s “Vroom Vroom.”

The drag portion itself was enough for audience members to agree with the commonly-used phrase, ‘We are here, and we are queer,’ referring to those in the LGBTQ+ community. Indeed, we were all in the right place.

“All my pain becomes songs for the gays,” KP slurred, with a cold beer in one hand and her trademark green electric guitar hanging from her shoulder; a giddy smile plastered on her face.

She started off her set on the piano with “Isabel’s Moment,” a slow interlude-turned-intro track for the purpose of the concert, right before she jumped into “Tough on Myself.”

As soon as audience members heard the low guitar strums of the more sensual track, there was a shift in atmosphere at the venue. I’m not just referring to the young couples eating each other’s faces like it was the end of the world. No, rather I’m talking about the message Mikaela Straus, a.k.a. the “King” herself had for fans: “Listen to the album, bitch! It’s f*cking good!”

After a melodic transition from “Useless Phrases” into the title track, “Cheap Queen,” the tone was set for the singer to express the string of emotions behind most of the songs from the album. It was pretty clear that the performer was, for a lack of better words, bitter and angry towards her ex-lover.

“It’s fine guys. I’m better now.”

Could’ve fooled me KP.

Photo by Laurence B.D.

After the way she delivered performances for songs like “Talia,” “Trust Nobody,” and “You Destroyed My Heart,” it seemed like the artist was projecting the heaviness within the lyrics. The dim lighting, angry guitar solos and head-banging beats definitely said otherwise.

Nice try KP, but you aren’t fooling anybody with songs like these. If anything, your Sagittarius was emanating more than ever before.

If the title of the song “Pussy Is God” doesn’t scream dramatic enough, then rest assured, because its performance brings it to life. A stand-alone single released in late 2018, the anthem was a hit moreso live on tour.

“1950,” the song that launched KP’s career to stardom, began with a few off-beat conundrums, showing audience members that anything can happen during live performances.

“So, Montreal, who wants to hit my back?” she snickered as she addressed the crowd.

With “Hit the Back,” a lively and electric performance full of shuffling light effects and colorful flashes, the audience was jumping and dancing, even fist-bumping the air to close off the concert with a loud and energetic ambiance.

All’s well that ends well. A foot-stomping encore as demanded by the crowd brought the singer back on stage to deliver a finale with Cheap Queen’s closing track, “If You Think It’s Love,” and a performance of her unreleased track “Ohio” as a little homage to fans.

One thing is for certain: King Princess knows how to keep her audience on their toes. Judging from the attendees’ enthusiasm, Montreal is looking forward to her inevitably epic return.

 

Photos by Laurence B.D.

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Music

Jesus is King doesn’t deserve a crown

Kanye West - Jesus is King

Despite Kanye West’s abysmal rapping, Jesus is King is still richly produced and somewhat enjoyable

Amidst a long-spanning controversy over his support of Donald Trump, bold wrongful claims about slavery being a choice, and simply releasing sub-par music (I’m looking at you “I Love It”), Kanye West is back with Jesus is King, an album born from West’s embrace of Christianity.

The album was originally intended to be released on Sept. 27, but was delayed indefinitely after it failed to show up on streaming services that day. No one was surprised, really; it is Kanye West we’re talking about here.

The project is another tonal shift for West. The Life of Pablo and Ye were his only albums to not sound like he was trying to change the soundscape of hip hop and music in general. He has definitely embraced Christianity before, like on “Jesus Walks” and “Ultralight Beam,” but West has never gone so far as to dedicate an entire album to it.

Through and through, Jesus is King is a gospel album. Beginning with the Sunday Service Choir-assisted “Every Hour,” West assures the listener that this was going to be a project dedicated to Christ.

Across the album, the instrumentals are what you’d expect from West. Heavy on the sampling, gorgeous melodies, and peculiar arrangements. This is especially true on standout “Selah” that features a powerful choir harmony singing “Hallelujah” at the instrumental peak of the track. This song also contains West’s best verses on the album. That being said, the verse isn’t exactly strong.

The track bleeds hypocrisy as he raps: “Love God and our neighbour, as written by Luke.” If West really wanted to love his neighbour, he should maybe consider not supporting Trump in favour of the Democratic nominees with actual good ideas (hey, Bernie).

“Follow God” is another strongly produced track that features a Pablo type beat and cadence, but is once again burdened by horrible lines— “I was looking at the gram and I don’t even like likes.”

Despite the continuous flaws in West’s lyricism, the album still remains somewhat gripping due to the powerful production and great guest performances, most notably Ty Dolla $ign on “Everything We Need.” The track was recycled from West’s unreleased Yandhi but they chose to remove XXXTentacion’s verse.

West is clearly inspired and he’s trying, but the album is hollow beyond its production. West’s rapping is as lazy as it’s ever been, and his plight of Christianity feels half-baked as if he created this album weeks before it was even announced.

Content aside, the mixing is another point in which the album falters. “Selah,” “Follow God,” and “Water,” among others, are noticeably poorly mixed. Whether or not this is by design is moot; the album doesn’t reach its potential because of this. It seems rushed.

Even with the attempt to pair it with a short film, aptly titled Jesus is King, his message only becomes more muddled. The movie doesn’t add anything to the narrative. Its empty, albeit well-shot visuals, make for a pleasant viewing experience, but nothing actually happens. There are a few close-ups of the choir, one continuous shot of West holding his newborn son, Psalm, and a few other unmemorable moments.

The film only becomes somewhat interesting towards the end as West sings a softer, modified version of his 808s & Heartbreak stunner, “Street Lights.”

Simply put, Jesus is King is too uninteresting to merit multiple listens. It sounds nice, but the ideas aren’t fleshed out enough. Sure, we know West is a born-again Christian now, but what of it?

Following Ye, he needed something more substantive to truly paint a clearer portrait of a man affected by bipolar disorder. Instead of explaining to us where he is mentally, he resorts to underwhelming bars about Christianity that make Donald Trump Jr. happy.

Still, the album has enjoyable moments, if you can tune out whatever the hell West is saying. There are some high points on it that are unfortunately too few and far between to make this project a contender for the year’s best.

Jesus is King is at its strongest when West barely even appears. “Use This Gospel” is masterfully produced, featuring rich keys and melodies from West as he sings the short but sweet hook. Also assisted by a Clipse reunion, Pusha T and No Malice return with killer verses that outshine anything West had done on any of the previous tracks.

“Closed on Sunday” has a gorgeous string leading into it that’s unfortunately marred by a horrid bar about Chick-Fil-A. “Hands On” features a lovely refrain by Fred Hammond backed by a skeletal, chilling instrumental.

Jesus is King is, unfortunately, the weakest entry in West’s discography, but it still isn’t a failure.

It’s simply insubstantial and it would’ve benefited from a few extra tracks and fleshing out the shorter tracks. It would have also been more entertaining if West wasn’t so obnoxious in his rapping. How does someone go from claiming he is a god to following God? If only West rapped more insightfully about his transition to Christianity.

Album rating:

5/10

Trial Track: “Use This Gospel”

Star Bar: “A lot of damaged souls, I done damaged those

And in my arrogance, took a camera pose

Caught with a trunk of Barry Manilows

They sing a different tune when the slammer close”

  • (No Malice on “Use This Gospel”)

Film rating:

4/10

Categories
Music

Why Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours will be the one and only for my ears – always

Graphic by @sundaeghost

On their 50th anniversary tour, the band demonstrates that even though time goes by, the shared love and music is everlasting

“If music be the food of love, play on” – that’s how Shakespeare wrote it. If Fleetwood Mac was a meal, I could eat it everyday (and most of the time I do). My alarm went off at 6.30 a.m. this Wednesday, and I got myself ready for an opportunity I’ve wanted for the last five years: a night with Fleetwood Mac. Unfortunately, the band’s 50th anniversary tour didn’t pass through Montreal, so I got on a bus to Quebec City in the early hours to experience what has been the soundtrack to most of my young adult life.

Fleetwood Mac is the ultimate symbol of an intense, deep and heartbreaking relationship told through music. From their early beginnings with British Blues in the 60s, to their careless and hardrocking tracks in the late 90s, they have showed us how inseparable music and the turbulent excitement of love are.

About five years ago I was at a place in my life filled with doubt, changes and my first proper heartbreak, and that was when I discovered the 1977 album Rumours. I have been madly in love with their tender and honest sound ever since. Best rebound ever.

Not only is Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours one of the greatest tales of love in music history (it was a product made in a time where the band members struggled with divorces and crossover-affairs, all while they consumed huge amounts of cocaine), it is also a stroke of genius in musical terms. 

The tonal soundscapes consist of cosmic electric guitar riffs balances with the calm Americana-inspired acoustic and soul-lifting harmonies with the melodic bass humming underneath. It’s all held together by Fleetwood’s rhythm-superiority on the drums, where fills are being poured over this musical unicum as a cherry on top. Rumours topped the US Billboard 200 for 31 weeks in a row after its release in 1977, and marked Fleetwood Mac as one of the most inspirational music groups of the 20th century (last year they were announced as Person of the Year by MusiCares, the charity arm of The Recording Academy).

But a lot has happened since 1977 – the ever-changing group dynamic was not only shown on the production of Rumours, but has been an ongoing issue ever since. Fleetwood Mac has had no less than 18 different members, with the only permanent one being the founder, Mick Fleetwood. The rotation and shift of members has was caused by drug abuse, affairs, dramatic fights and firings, where the latest was the layoff to vocalist Lindsey Buckingham due to artistic disagreements. Therefore, I was extremely excited to see if the ever-changing band could give me the same nerve-wrecking sensation as the 50 year-old LP I have on my shelf back at home.

Twenty minutes after the show began, the group known to be history’s greatest soap opera band appeared on stage, and the memorable bass drum from “The Chain” surrounded us all in one joined heartbeat. My heart was (once again) stolen, and like the rest of the crowd, I got carried away for two hours in the musical universe that is Fleetwood Mac. New Zealand singer Neil Finn is the replacement for Buckingham. Even though he didn’t have the exact same tonal finesse, he still did a pretty good job (you know how it is embracing the flaws of your loved ones).

While hearing Stevie Nicks singing about disappointment and heartbreak on “Dreams” (an ode to fuckboys before the term was even invented) or experiencing the 10-minute long drum solo by Mick Fleetwood – where his characteristic eyeballs looked as if they could pop out of his head anytime – I lost sense of time and place, and everything came together in one big cosmos.

So, was Fleetwood Mac just as sharp, energetic and passionate as they were on Rumours? I think the show was as good as it gets, despite the stamp all of the members have achieved from the vanity of life (especially one as musicians). 

“We love doing this every night,” was the final words of the night from drummer Fleetwood. That’s the thing about true love – no matter how many times you spend doing the exact same thing and the exact same routines, you can feel the magic and anticipation just as strong as you did on first sight (or listen).

 

Graphic by @sundaeghost

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Quickspins

QUICKSPINS: D Smoke – Inglewood High

Netflix’s Rhythm + Flow winner shows immense potential on debut

In October, Netflix aired the first season of its new hip hop talent show, Rhythm + Flow, judged by T.I., Cardi B and Chance the Rapper. The trio stopped in various U.S. cities in search of the genre’s next big star. After 10 episodes, Inglewood, California native D Smoke emerged the victor. On Inglewood High, he proves exactly why he was chosen.

D Smoke has delivered an EP filled with mature, introspective songwriting over soulful, jazz-infused instrumentals. He uses the project’s short run time to paint a picture of what life is like in Inglewood, through various perspectives.
The album opens with the tone-setting titular track “Inglewood High”, a short, one-verse introduction that tells Smoke’s story – that of a young man who avoided gang life by pursuing a teaching position at his local high school.

Following the introduction are “On Paper” and “Lil Red,” tracks from the perspective of two of his troubled students. These tracks highlight both Smoke’s storytelling ability and his ability to effortlessly rap in both English and Spanish, even constructing verses that use both languages.

While D Smoke’s immense talent is apparent, his cadence and flow are sometimes too similar to some of his peers – namely Kendrick Lamar. For example, his second verse on “On Paper” could easily be mistaken for an unlisted feature from Lamar.
Overall, this is an extremely impressive first outing. Smoke’s poetic lyricism perfectly pairs with a great selection of smooth jazzy instrumentals. He shows a maturity that is uncommon for a debut project.

If this is just the start, we have a lot to look forward to from D Smoke.

8/10

Trial Track: Ain’t You

Star Bar:
“Seven Gang was the clique; it wasn’t no Blood or no Crip
Was more like fraternity ties mixed with bare knuckles and clips
My big homie saw something in me, said f**k hitting licks and pistols
Your test scores gon’ hit the lick with pencils, teaching credentials.”
(D Smoke on “Inglewood High”)

Categories
Music Quickspins

QUICKSPINS: G-Eazy – Scary Nights EP

The Bay Area native is back with his second EP of the year with the release of Scary Nights just in time for Halloween

Admittedly, the tracks fall flat upon the first listen but do get catchier over time. Many of the tracks have quick tempos that push G-Eazy out of his element, probably for the worse. He always sounds better on slower songs reminiscent of his earlier work like the samples on The Endless Summer. This makes “Demons & Angels (feat. Miguel & The Game)” one of the strongest songs off the project.

Despite only being eight songs long, Scary Nights also has eight guest features. Sadly, none of them are too memorable and don’t better the project by any means – except perhaps for an unexpected appearance by The Game. All in all, this EP definitely won’t add any accolades to G-Eazy’s discography and instead could have been shelved, perhaps saving a few of the better songs for a future full-length album.

Rating: 5/10

Trial Track: “Hittin Licks”

Star Bar: “Used to have no options, I can’t pick or choose / Two yellow Lambos look like Pikachus” – from “Scary Nights”

Categories
Music

Rap fans: where’s your loyalty?

GIF by @sundaeghost

In 2015, a Spotify employee released statistics related to genre consumption and fan loyalty. Of the 1,300 genres that were analyzed, metal heads were found to be the most faithful to their genre.

Spotify’s measurement of loyalty was the number of streams divided by the number of listeners, and under this criteria, the streaming platform is telling us that metal fans mostly listen to metal music. While this comes as no surprise to me, I had a question of my own: which fanbase is most loyal to their favourite artists?

As an avid hip hop head and rock ‘n’ roll fanatic, I ask myself this question because I’ve seen both sides of the spectrum.

Although I love rock ‘n’ roll, I’m a man who tends to revisit the classics instead of trying to dig through the crowd of ‘meh’ artists that we label as rock stars these days, to find something worth listening to. That being said, there’s no shortage of classics, as the golden age of rock that was the 60s and 70s have left us with an infinite amount of lifelong jams. The best part of it all is that these rock stars remain legends to this day, despite the material they may have released in their later years, which gained no significant traction in the music industry.

Paul McCartney. The Rolling Stones. Bob Dylan. John Fogerty of Creedence Clearwater Revival. Elton John. KISS. Ozzy Osbourne. The list goes on and on.

While some of these artists have released newer material in the past decade, the large majority continue to tour and sell out stadiums while playing through the same recycled songs that they wrote decades ago; some as far back as half a century. These men are legends and can do no wrong. Even if any were to hypothetically release an album in 2020 that completely flopped, their legacy would not be tarnished. They’d continue to sell out arenas fast, and would be absolved of all their sins, courtesy of their loyal fan base.

I don’t think the same can be said about the rap industry…

As an avid hip hop head, I’ve seen how quickly the tides can change and bring a hero to zero in mere months. Chance the Rapper’s most recent album, The Big Day, may be one of the best examples of a praised artist who developed a cult following after a string of successful albums, only to make one mistake and be persecuted in the hip hop community. Chance’s decision to dedicate an entire album to his newlywed didn’t sit well with most fans and he went on to say that he believed they wanted him to kill himself for releasing it.

While this is the most recent example that comes to mind, this lack of loyalty that comes along with the unwillingness to let rappers experiment in their works is not new. Kid Cudi, the “lonely stoner” who opened up doors for hip hop artists to address the struggles of mental health, and who connected with millions of youth on a personal level, gradually faded from the spotlight with the release of his experimental works Speedin’ Bullet 2 Heaven and Satellite Flight: The Journey to Mother Moon. T-Pain, the pioneer of autotune, announced last week that he would be cancelling his upcoming tour due to low ticket sales. Last year, Nicki Minaj cancelled her joint tour with Future for similar reasons despite reigning as the queen of hip hop for quite some time.

Rock stars seem to be free to experiment with their works and make below-par projects once they have reached legendary status – no one seems to mind. The same cannot be said for rappers. Unfortunately, it seems like they’re only ever as good as their last release and there is little room for mistakes. Tough crowd, to say the least.

While rock fans treat their favourite artists as best friends in good times and in bad, hip hop heads seem to treat them as mere acquaintances no matter how close they once were.

Is it possible that this change in loyalty is due to the accessibility of music in the streaming era where artists are easily disposable and replaced by one of their peers? Does this accessibility create a generational gap that takes away from the attachment older generations once had with artists after waiting for their vinyl, physically going to the store to purchase it, and finally spending hours in awe as the record was spinning? Both are possible.

There seems to be only one definite solution to maintaining a lifelong legend status in the rap world. Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac Shakur remain the game’s most respected rappers of all time, but both of their legacies were cut short by their untimely deaths. Biggie only ever released two albums, while Tupac had time to drop five. Their careers were not long, but maybe that was for the best. Who knows the hit their legacy could have taken had they released a less than spectacular album.

Maybe the only solution to guaranteeing eternal legend status in the rap game is to die on top.

 

GIF by @sundaeghost

Categories
Music

Part concert, part book tour: Canadian Twins Tegan and Sara put on a unique show at the Corona Theatre

Photo by Susan Moss.

Most artists releasing their ninth album might feel the need to forget the early awkward days when no one would pay attention to them, but Tegan and Sara do not see their messy, formative years that way at all. The twins have embraced and celebrated their roots through the release of their new album,  Hey, I’m Just Like You, and first memoir,  High School.

The Corona really felt like a theatre last Wednesday, as Tegan and Sara brought their Hey, I’m Just Like You tour to the city. They had set up chairs on the ground and had ushers in the alleys directing everyone to their purchased seats, already hinting this would not be your typical concert. The stage was simply decorated in two halves: a keyboard and guitar amps on the right, and stools and a bookcase on the left with about a dozen journals on it.

By 8:10 p.m. everyone had found their seats.  As the lights went down, Tegan came out, and began reading the first memoir excerpt: a vivid childhood memory about her sister’s night terrors. Afterwards she revealed how she had only recently found out it was her and not Sara who this story was actually about, and wondered aloud how many of her memories were really her own.

Tegan made her way over to the right side of the stage as the LED lights illuminated the keyboard and amps. Sara joined her sister for their first acoustic performance of the title track “Hey, I’m Just Like You.”  This sequence would repeat itself throughout the night: memoir excerpts from each sister, followed by a song with a similar theme. Every few tracks, archive footage of them in their highschool bedrooms would show up on screen, with Tegan or Sara narrating or cracking jokes over it.

Even the smallest cough could have been heard over the acoustic tracks and readings, yet the crowd was totally silent except when time to cheer.  They were laughing just as much as they were tearing up, as the chapters covered everything from their first kisses, water beds, and acid trips (“don’t do drugs kids,” they giggled. “It was the 90s.”), to bad reviews, internalized homophobia, and the fear of how coming out would ruin their careers.

The tracks from the new album worked with just the two of them on stage, and made up half the setlist. With just guitars and keys, it sounded like polished versions of the original demos, and let the lyrics and storytelling shine.  Songs covering the feelings of fearing the future, and messy first relationships like “Hello, I’m Right Here” and “I’ll Be Back Someday” felt like two teenage girls wrote them in their bedrooms. Unfortunately the singles from previous albums they incorporated onto the setlist like “Closer” and “I Was a Fool” left me missing the live drums and band they usually tour with.

After two hours and upon reaching the end of the memoir, Tegan and Sara wished us a wonderful night, summarizing their show as an invitation to “visit [our] younger selves more often and be more compassionate to them.”  While it is tough to define exactly what this show was, and I still hope to get the chance to see them in concert with the band one day, they really do have something special, raw and vulnerable on their hands.

 

Photo by Susan Moss

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Quickspins

QUICKSPINS: Rex Orange County – Pony

_Rex Orange County

Simplicity isn’t a bad thing on Pony

There’s sweet innocence to be found in Rex Orange County’s latest album, Pony. The project basks in simplicity and it wouldn’t be a stretch to compare him to Ed Sheeran, albeit a much more endearing version of him.

His lyrics aren’t meant to be groundbreaking, but the honesty with which Rex sings them makes this project all the more lovable and entertaining.

Songs like “Pluto Projector” sound like his best attempt at recreating a Frank Ocean song, and he pulls it off with success. However, more often than not, Rex is comfortable making clear-as-day, indie pop-rock songs that could be played at both a high school prom and at your grandparents’ house.

“10/10” is a solid single that shows Rex’s paranoia and distrust of disloyal friends and opportunists who try to take advantage of his fame. “Face to Face,” the third promotional single for Pony feels like an ode to 80s pop and specifically, Queen, as the vocal pitches and beat switches sound inspired, even if minimally, by “Bohemian Rhapsody.”

Towards the back end of the album, the piano-led ballad “Every Way” jumps out as the emotional apex of the album. It’s short and simple, but it’s also cute enough to slow dance to at a wedding. The following two and last tracks continue the sequence of great songs as the album ends on a high with “It Gets Better” and “It’s not the Same Anymore.”

Pony is a decidedly simple album, and one could mark that as a flaw given how many deep, complex, and layered pop projects have been released this year. Sometimes, though, simple is nice. The album doesn’t require much thinking, it’s just a lovely Sunday afternoon neatly packaged as a 30-minute listening experience.

7.5/10

Trial Track: “Pluto Projector”

Star Bar: “The great protector

Is that what I’m supposed to be?

What if all this counts for nothing

Everything I thought I’d be?” (Rex on “Pluto Projector”)

Categories
Quickspins

QUICKSPINS: Benny the Butcher & Smoke DZA – Statute of Limitations

Smoke-DZA-Statue-Of-Limitations-

The two New York MCs join forces on gritty Pete Rock-produced EP

Benny the Butcher has spent the last few years turning heads alongside his Griselda Records labelmates. Smoke DZA has spent the better part of this decade being one of Harlem’s premier lyricists. This EP sees the pair exchanging verses over a handful of fantastic instrumentals produced by none other than the legendary Pete Rock, giving this project a classic feel.

Statute of Limitations embodies the signature boom-bap sound of 90s east coast hip hop, without sounding dated or relying on nostalgia as a crutch. Benny and DZA feel at home over these masterfully-produced instrumentals, going back and forth and bringing the best out of each other on every track.

The barrage of bars kicks off almost immediately on the album’s opener “By Any Means.”  The track features the pair weaving in and out of each other’s verses with ease, taking turns every few lines. The duo displays great synergy throughout, both together and with guest features, including Conway the Machine who delivers a show-stealing verse on “Bullets.”

Overall, this EP delivers great bars and fantastic beats, and its short runtime makes it prime for repeat listens. Benny and DZA are at the height of their abilities, and Pete Rock showcases the skill set that proves why he is considered an all-time great in the genre.

8.5/10

Trial Track: “Drug Rap”

Star Bar: 

“Me and Smoke like weed and Coke

Hundred keys of dope hit the port of Miami, via boat

If it’s ’bout paper, we approach

I’m stretchin’, John Legend, pressin’ keys and seein’ notes” (Benny the Butcher on “By Any Means”)

Categories
Music

Truth Is… Montreal can’t get enough of Sabrina Claudio

sabrinaclaudio_bclarke-7

The singer never ceases to impress fans with her charisma

If you were lucky enough to be in the gleaming presence of R&B singer Sabrina Claudio on Oct. 17 at Corona Theatre, then you are well aware of the lasting impression she left on audience members.

Clad in a sparkly corset and three-piece lingerie set, her hair tied up in a tight bun, with hips that just refused to lie, and a voice too sultry to ignore, I think it’s fair to say that the audience got a firsthand look at the physical manifestation of utter beauty. Period.

Claudio started off her set with the first song off of her latest album released on Oct. 4, Truth Is, titled “Take One To The Head.” Her stage presence immediately captivated the audience, who were ooh-ing and ahh-ing as soon as the first verse left her mouth.

She followed up with a classic Claudio bop, “Unravel Me,” which sent the audience into a frenzy, with many attempts at impersonating Claudio’s falsetto.

Claudio is known for being very in-touch with her fans, both online and onstage. This was especially conclusive when she took a few minutes to discuss the meaning behind her masterpiece, Truth Is, and what led to the creation of the cover art for the album.

sabrinaclaudio_bclarke-19

“You guys will be surprised to know that despite all of this (referring to her sultry outfit), I’m quite the shy girl,” she said.

Claudio is known to be very private in terms of writing and producing her music. Although she usually takes the bull by the horns, she decided to incorporate the work of other producers and singers in an effort to change up the creative flow for Truth Is. She made a point to state that the efforts of so many successful female writers and producers behind this album made it the solid piece it is, hence why it is her favourite album to date. Thus, she decided to have some of their faces sketched onto the cover art.

Pulling up a stool closer to the stage, we entered the more sensual part of the concert. “Let’s see how many of y’all are emotional,” said Claudio, a playful smirk forming as she teased the audience and jumped into her timeless ballad, “Frozen.” In a nutshell, the perfume of romance was in the air, and couples were swaying along to the track throughout the crowd.

“Belong To You” came up next, with a twist from the original cover. A jazzier take, if you will. Next came “Holding The Gun” – another favorite from the new album – the lighting was dimmed down to create a more somber atmosphere to fit the lyrics of the song.

Claudio ended the night with the obvious, “Truth Is,” interchangeably mixed in English and Spanish. The half-Puerto Rican, half-Cuban artist from Miami is no stranger to bilingualism; this was made abundantly clear.

Just when we thought the night was over, we were given a last encore, with the song that some may say launched her career in music, “Confidently Lost.”

“I’m alone but I’m not lonely…,” the first verse rang through the crowd with such depth that many were straight up yelling the lyrics from across the venue in an effort to reach her.

A perfect ending to a perfect night. Fans can rest assured that Claudio will come back again, just as she has for the last three years. They can also concur that there is a god, and her name is Sabrina Claudio.

 

Photos by Britanny Clarke

Categories
Music

Charli XCX enchants Montreal with her futuristic pop

3.CharliXCX.10.15.2019.LaurenceB.D

British pop auteur performs a sold-out show at the Corona Theatre

Charlotte Aitchison, known by her stage name Charli XCX, has been experimenting and expanding the borders of pop music since she was 14. She played a sold out show on Oct. 15 at the Corona Theatre during her tour promoting her latest album release, Charli.

The audience was lively and happy, with people of all ages making up the crowd, though the majority were teens and young adults. The northern-England artist’s sound has evolved from witch house to punk, and now borders a dance-pop and electro-pop sound that resonates with youth everywhere.

Charli demonstrates a perfect balance of upbeat futuristic pop, filled with clicks and digital manipulations in both her lively party tracks as well as her slower songs detailing heartbreak, confusion and loneliness. The latter makes up most of her new album, which she performed almost in its entirety that night.

Teeter-tottering the avant-garde while still adhering to mainstream pop, Charli ponders how the future might be with her explosive sound. At Corona, she was just as dynamic as her music, bringing a fun yet reflective vibe to the audience. At times dynamic party pop songs, other times self-examining and introspective, creating this space for crowds alike to reflect.

The show opened with Toronto’s airy yet edgy electro-pop artist Allie X. Later, digital sounds and computer-musings emerged among a large flashing cube before Charli herself came on, wearing a jewel-studded mask covering her mouth and a large shiny coat. She began the show with “Next Level Charli,” the first track off of her new album, then moved on to the more upbeat and cerebral “Click.” Charli’s energy was contagious, going back and forth between slow songs and upbeat bangers. 

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She slowed it down again with “I Don’t Want to Know,” which got people swaying. She brought back the energy with the hedonistic 2016 hit “Vroom Vroom,” and then the introspective “Gone” – both a party track to celebrate with others and solo, having everyone singing “Why do we keep when the water runs?/Why do we love if we’re so mistaken?” During “I Got It,” she yelled to the audience to “get down low!”

Although Charli is known for collaborating with many other artists in the pop world such as Lizzo, Yaeji, Sky Ferreira, Troye Sivan and CupcakKe, she still brought the energy to Corona as a solo performer. Then about midway though, Charli brought in a couple Montreal artists and drag performers, giving them each a chance to perform. According to Charli’s instagram, she is continuing to bring on local dancers and artists to accompany her on stage wherever she stops on tour.

Charli then played the Pop 2 version of “Track 10 / Blame it on Your Love,” not withholding the dreamy, squeaky production of the original version. Though most of the show included tracks from her new album, she came back for the encore with past upbeat hits, starting with the electronic and dreamy “Unlock It” and the Icona Pop cover of “I Love It.” She then finished with the bubble-gum pop “Boys,” and last year’s hit “1999.”

Like in her music, Charli brought both an upbeat party energy to the crowd as well as an introspective and contemplative one, making us delve into letting loose while also considering our own personal reasons for it. Charli loves to party, and she continues to remind us to keep it real with ourselves while doing so.

 

Photos by Laurence B.D.

Categories
Music

Welcome To Loserland

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Po Lazarus proves they’re ready for prime time with the performance of their forthcoming album, Loserland

A small crowd upwards of 70 people crept close to the small stage set in the backyard of Po Lazarus’ bassist, Paul Mascarenhas. It wasn’t a particularly cold night, but the sheer number of people awkwardly close to each other made sure that the dropping temperature wasn’t an issue for anyone who attended the intimate show. The concert was set to start at 6 p.m. and one minute before, singer Joshua Carey approached the mic and said: “Welcome to Loserland.”

The show’s purpose was to raise money for the Montreal-based band to pay for studio time to fund their forthcoming album, Loserland. Po Lazarus opted to play the project in its entirety, offering the small group of fans a promising first-look at the ambitious multi-genre project, set for release at some point in the spring of 2020.

“The hardest part about having a band is making sure you have enough money to record everything,” Carey said after the show. Po Lazarus has been writing the songs to Loserland since the release of their 2017 EP, O Body, and finally caught a break when the former producer for The Tragically Hip, Mark Vreeken, offered them the opportunity to record Loserland in The Bathouse Studio, where the famous Canadian rock band recorded most of their music.

Po Lazarus has two projects available on streaming services, and their music falls under the category of “Hard-to-Define.” Their earlier projects Ways to End the Night dabbled in elements of classic rock, folk, country and punk; sort of an amalgamation of genres mixed together to create a Frankenstein’s Monster of rock.

The aforementioned album released in 2016 and the followup EP came shortly after, in the spring of 2017. Since then, however, it’s been mostly silence from the band. They added guitarist Kento Katoaka who moved from Japan to Montreal to pursue his music career, at which point Po Lazarus met him and invited him to join their musical outfit.

Their lack of output isn’t to be blamed on a lack of effort, though. Since releasing Ways to End the Night, Carey and Mascarenhas have been hard at work trying to steer the vehicular behemoth that is Po Lazarus. Some songs were written in 2016, but continue to be retooled until they’re fully satisfied with them.

“The idea for Loserland is pretty straightforward,” said Carey. “When you make music, you’re often stuck in your own head, doubting yourself. I’ve experienced it first-hand and I’ve also seen it affect other artists I’ve met. We’re all so self-critical, we end up feeling like losers. And with that, we named our album Loserland to reflect what we’re all going through inside.”

Photo by Louis Pavlakos

All the songs on the album seemed to be a hit to the audience at the backyard performance. Some audience members had been made privy to certain demos from the album and sang along while the rest sat and stared at Carey and Mascarenhas as they took centre stage during the performance. Drummer Josh Grant and guitarist Katoaka hid in the background as they both understand that the two frontmen are the engines of the band.

The songs on Loserland aren’t a far cry from what Po Lazarus has previously released. The sounds are fundamentally the same, but the tunes are sharper and the lyrics more powerful. However, the one true standout of the night was Carey’s reverberating voice that probably led to a few complaints to the SPVM.

“Bonnie Ate A Beachball” is by far the furthest removed from any Po Lazarus song heard before. The track is heavy; backed by huge electric guitar strings and a passionate performance from Carey whose vocal cords were definitely not thanking him the next day.

Things took a slight turn when Carey gracefully stepped to the side as Mascarenhas took centre stage to sing “Who Knew.” Mascarenhas’ voice offered a welcome change of pace that marked the midway point of the concert. While not as grand in scale as Carey’s voice, it still made for a blissful track that slowed things down a bit.

The performance lasted longer than an hour, which is impressive by today’s standards where most sets barely eclipse 60 minutes. Once Po Lazarus announced that the concert was over, the crowd gave them a long-lasting ovation where everyone cheered for an encore. 

Without any hesitation, the band approached their instruments before performing some of the most well-received tracks from their previous albums. Though the crowd knew some, the greatest moment of excitement from the crowd came when Carey began to sing the chorus to “If You Are Alone,” their most accessible, radio-friendly and accomplished track thus far. The audience roared along with the band as the tune marked the true end of the intimate concert.

Po Lazarus still has a long way to go and the band knows it. They still have to record the rest of the album and they’re currently planning a tour to go along with Loserland’s eventual release.

Their performance proved that they’re ready. They sound confident in their work. Most importantly, they sound at peace. Loserland is something special; Loserland is a winner.

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