Tag: Music

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Concert Reviews Music

 A sold-out Psychedelic Porn Crumpets frenzy at Bar Le Ritz

Psychedelic Porn Crumpets performing at Bar Le Ritz PDB on October 17th, 2022. CATHERINE REYNOLDS/The Concordian

PPC constantly flirted between playing perfectly on-beat and nearly losing control, keeping audience members in a satisfyingly hectic musical limbo

Montrealers were treated to a heavy set of acid-dosed tunes on Oct. 17, courtesy of Perth rock outfit Psychedelic Porn Crumpets (PPC) and supporting alternative rockers Acid Dad. While it’s still not quite clear what a “Psychedelic Porn Crumpet” is, the band name does at least serve as a spot-on description of their music.

PPC are very much a product of Australia’s gold-standard modern psychedelic rock output. While the scene’s bigger names like Tame Impala and King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard may be filling larger venues, PPC proved that the smaller acts can still set crowds ablaze.

The band’s set exploded with a particularly bumping rendition of their hit single “Tally-Ho,” immediately turning a sold-out Bar Le Ritz into a human wave pool like some kind of magic trick. The song’s jumpiness can be attributed to the riff-heavy nature of the track, as looping fuzzy guitar riffs proved good contrast with frontman Jack McEwan’s signature soothing vocal style. These kinds of guitar-based songs like “Bill’s Mandolin” were the highlights of the night, as crowdsurfers levitated above the packed audience below.

But PPC proved to be about more than just heavy riffs played in front of psychedelic video projections. The five-piece also often broke out into seemingly impromptu jams, stretching and pulling their tracks way beyond what you’d hear on-album. 

As McEwan led the band into these chaotic moments, guitarists Luke Parish and Chris Young noodled over the backing beat created in tandem by drummer Danny Caddy and bassist Wayan Biliondana. PPC kept pushing the musical envelope during these wilder instrumental sections, flirting between playing perfectly on-beat and nearly losing control, keeping audience members in a satisfyingly hectic musical limbo where it seemed like anything could happen.

This ability to “jam” is really the testament of a good psychedelic rock group. Many bands can adopt the flower aesthetic but only few can create that sense of chaotic yet controlled concert experimentation that gets to the root of what psychedelic rock can attain as a genre. While contemporary acts like Tame Impala can feel somewhat stiff at times, PPC’s more fluid chemistry really contributed to the quality of their live show.

Graphics by James Fay @jamesfaydraws

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Concert Reviews Music

Concert Review: Demi Lovato at L’Olympia 

Demi Lovato performing at L’Olympia Theatre October 16th. JESSICA JAKUBOWICZ

Demi Lovato put on a stellar performance at L’Olympia on Sunday, Oct. 16 

The pop-star-turned-rock-star performed in a significantly small venue on Oct. 16, considering her fame and popularity over many years. The last time the singer was in Montreal, she performed at the Bell Centre with a capacity of 21,302 people. L’Olympia, on the other hand, has a capacity of only 1,120. 

While the show started at 8 p.m., fans began lining up outside the doors nine hours prior to the entry time at 6:30 p.m. 

Demi Lovato opened her show with Royal & the Serpent aka Ryan Santiago, an American singer-songwriter. She absolutely killed it with her energy and evident passion for music. The crowd’s energy matched hers, with fans jumping and headbanging to the music. 

Santiago ended with her most famous song “Overwhelmed” that went viral on TikTok, and the crowd got extremely loud and pumped up for Demi’s appearance.  

Demi came on stage with an all-girl band and the crowd went nuts. The singer started with songs from her new rock album HOLY FVCK and then went back to her Disney days with songs like “Don’t Forget” and “Remember December” — but with a rock twist. Having grown up with these songs, the fans knew every single word, including myself.  

She also performed the song “29” which is the most talked-about song on the new album, since it is about the singer’s past relationship with Wilmer Valderrama. The song points out how the then 29-year-old actor dated Lovato when she was only 17. Upon turning 29, the lyrics say that she finally realized how wrong the relationship was. 

Lovato spoke to the crowd before performing the song saying that she’s seen how her fans have been sharing their stories of going through the same thing, and how she’s sorry for them going through it too.

As someone who saw Demi perform at the Bell Centre four years ago when she was still making pop music, had long black hair, and dressed completely differently, I could say that this rock era is by far her best. 

The singer’s powerful raspy voice fits with the rock genre perfectly, her vocals coming through more powerfully than ever. The singer seemed to be at her most confident during the Sunday night performance, and her voice has truly never sounded better. 

The energy was palpable throughout the show, with a loud crowd screaming all the lyrics back to the singer.There’s been talk that this is Lovato’s last tour, and if it is, I’m very happy that I was there to see it.

Photo by Jessica Jakubowicz

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Music Quickspins

QUICKSPINS – Return of the Dream Canteen by Red Hot Chili Peppers

What did we do to deserve such a lovely comeback album from the funk rock group?

Unlimited Love who? Make way for the Return of the Dream Canteen! This is the second album that features Red Hot Chili Peppers’ staple guitarist John Frusciante. Frusciante, singer Anthony Kiedis, bassist Flea (Michael Peter Balzary), and drummer Chad Smith (totally not Will Ferrell) came out with an extremely trippy album with artwork to match the audible art.   

There were many memorable songs from this LP — honestly, I could name all of them! The debut track “Tippa My Tongue” is a perfect dip into the acid trip that is this album. “Eddie” was an emotional experience, paying homage to the late Eddie Van Halen.  

“La La La La La La La La” was a curveball after the heavy track “Bag of Grins.” It is the softest song in the entire album and that is saying something because, besides the last track of course, it pales in comparison to the heaviness of the rest of the songs. “Fake as Fu@k” reminded me a lot of their “Look Around” phase from their album I’m With You.  

“In the Snow” is the last track of the album. I did mention that the band dove into an electronic phase with this album, featuring synth plugins and drum machines: well, this track has it all. Being the bastard child of the stereotypical Pixies song and a TR-808 drum machine, the cowbell rings clearly while square wave synth pads (a soft wide sound that is used in the background) envelop the entire song. 

Halfway through the song, Kiedis commences a monologue, not unlike what the late Prince would do in his 1999 album. He continues it in a second verse toward the end of the track which ends up sounding like he is talking about nothing and everything at the same time.

Did I like Return of the Dream Canteen? Yes, a heck of a lot more than the previous Unlimited Love LP. There were a lot more memorable songs and they shook off the rustiness of not having Frusciante in the group for more than a decade. No hating on Josh Klinghoffer though, he was a gem on both I’m With You and The Getaway. Definitely check out the new release once you’ve read this!              

Trial track: Eddie

Rating: 8.5/10

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Music Quickspins

QUICKSPINS: Slipknot – The End, So Far

With the resurgence of nu-metal on the horizon, there is truly no better time for a Slipknot comeback!

Released Sept. 30, Slipknot’s The End, So Far is a full-bodied, experimental, nostalgic album that has had many fans thrown for a loop. Formed in 1995, Slipknot burst onto the scene hailing from Des Moines, Iowa with their 1999 debut album, Slipknot. Arguably one of the most influential pioneer nu-metal bands on the scene, the nine-man powerhouse always finds a way to innovatively impress their audience (affectionately called ‘maggots’).

In a recent interview for NME, lead singer Corey Taylor stated that the album is “more about relating to people and less about purging again,” referring to the creation of their 2019 album, We Are Not Your Kind, which he described as a “purge.” Taylor cited this change in tone as the reason for the variety found throughout The End, So Far. 

The beauty of their latest album can be found in its impressive balance of new experiments and old influences. Slipknot pushes the boundaries of what “heavy” can imply in music, having clearly prioritized a more melodic approach to most of the tracks (namely the opening track, “Adderall,” “The Dying Song (Time to Sing),” “Hive Mind,” “De Sade,” and “Finale.” 

Despite these melodic elements, Slipknot still manages to maintain their classic, ruthless metal sound, drawing influence from their third studio album, Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses).

Slipknot have effectively innovated metal even prior to their debut, and it’s clear they don’t plan on stopping anytime soon. Despite death, despair and disease, the nine have always prevailed as a band. This album most definitely serves as proof. 

Though The End, So Far proves itself to be solid from start to finish, there are still some tracks that are stronger than others. The opening track, “Adderall,” smoothly eases listeners into the album with psychedelic undertones while simultaneously subverting any preconceived notions of what Slipknot are about. Tracks like “The Chapeltown Rag” and “Finale” push the boundaries of metal, setting a new precedent for what metal can explore, both in sound and subject matter. 

Going into this album, I expected to be more drawn to the heavier songs, however I was more enthralled by the ones with slow, entrancing intros and a show of vocal versatility from Taylor (specifically track four, “Yen,” and track 11, “De Sade.”) 

This album grew on me very fast. With every listen I would find hidden gems in tracks that I’d previously dismissed. For a band that has been active for 27 years, I’d say they’re still going strong. There is definitely something for everybody in The End, So Far. 

From psychedelically atmospheric intros and experimental steps to their familiar, vicious metal sequences and intense lyricism, the versatility of The End, So Far is sure to please those who are willing to embrace it. 

Though some fans may find Slipknot’s subversive efforts to be out of character, I think that’s the point. I think fans will soon find it in themselves to embrace these new changes, changes that could arguably be considered advancements. 

The world of Slipknot continues to expand and astonish, an unsurprising feat for a group with such a prominent presence.

There are some tracks that feel a bit unfinished or underproduced, but overall I did really love The End, So Far. With their departure from Roadrunner Records, I hope Slipknot continue to surprise us with their work. 

Trial track: “The Chapeltown Rag” 

Rating: 7/10

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Concert Reviews Music

Concert Review: Cigarettes After Sex at MTELUS

Cigarettes After Sex burned their way into the hearts of Montrealers

Romance was in the air at MTELUS on Tuesday, Oct. 4, as the sold-out theatre swooned with their loved ones awaiting dream pop band Cigarettes After Sex to appear.

The show was opened by The Furniture, an experimental duo from Baltimore, who played a sequence of synthetic (and almost robotic) sounds, awakening the audience’s senses. Although there were no lyrics to their songs, the crowd was in awe.

The duo performed their self-titled debut album which consisted primarily of the synthesiser, the drums and small sprinkles of unconventional instruments (like a necklace to make twinkling background noise.) Even though this was a peculiar production of sound, it made for a unique experience and a good way to begin the show.

After a quick intermission, two of the Cigarettes After Sex members teased the audience with an instrumental intro. Moments later, lead singer Greg Gonzalez made his way on stage and kicked the show off with the crowd pleaser “Crush.”

With the band having only released the albums I. in 2012, Cigarettes After Sex in 2017 and Cry in 2019 the setlist, although short, was packed with fan favourites.

The group was complimented by a very minimalistic background consisting of a black and white flame in order to have the audience truly focused on the music.

Contrary to the music, the crowd was deafening. The audience shouted the lyrics to every song which made it hard to hear people calling for help when two girls were injured.

Luckily for them, Gonzales stopped in the middle of performing to make sure everyone was alright and went so far as to restart the song from the beginning.

They ended their setlist with “Sunsetz,” one of their most beloved songs from their 2017 album. The audience illuminated the stage with flashlights and lighters, creating a romantic ambiance.

After the band made their exit, the crowd wept and cheered. Running back on stage, they stated that they don’t usually perform encores but that we had made for such a great audience they simply couldn’t resist. The group began with “Apocalypse,” which made the crowd fall in love with the band all over again. The first row held out their hands as they sobbed for Greg. 

Finally, they ended the show with a haunting rendition of “Dreaming of You.”  A disco ball dropped from the ceiling, beaming through the smoke above the audience.

If the crowd’s reaction and the sold-out show is any indication, their next concert will definitely take place at a larger venue and I highly suggest you check them out!

Graphic by James Fay

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Music

The importance of cover art: how it can make or break a record

Cover art is the first look you get at a body of work — might as well make it count with something eye-grabbing.

Choosing cover art to associate with a piece of music will always be a big decision for artists, as the art introduces the music. Before listening to a single second, your experience with a body of work starts with the art that accompanies it. Since it is the listener’s first contact with the music, the cover has to be intriguing enough for the listener to decide to dive into the record.

In some instances, cover art can be so eye-catching that it transcends a record’s popularity and gets even more appreciated than the album itself, becoming its own thing. Album covers such as Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon, with the famous triangle prism and the beam of light passing through, or The Beatles’ Abbey Road which sees the band members wearing suits and crossing the street, are prime examples of this.

Don’t get me wrong — these albums are considered some of the best of all time, but having such iconic covers definitely helped them gain the status and universal praise they still get to this day. These covers became so popular over time that you can now see them on clothes, posters, mugs, and tapestries, to a point where they’re almost symbolic.

With the streaming era, where everything is compiled on your phone, album art might not feel as important as 30 years ago when people would go to their nearest record store to skim through different album covers and buy whichever one caught their attention. Regardless of the period we are in, album covers still abide by the same set of rules as before for picking good cover art.

The most important rule is that the cover art has to be representative of the music. The genre that does it best is metal music, where the violence showcased on the album art is an excellent indicator of how brutal the music is going to sound. Death metal outfit Cannibal Corpse have some of the most gruesome album covers out there in metal, often picturing truly disgusting and unimaginable things done to people (look it up at your own risk) — and their very gross and murderous sound matches the vibe they portray on their front cover. 

R&B also does it well, as it’s a more sexy and intimate genre, where artists don’t shy away from sensually posing on their album arts. You can take Doja Cat’s 2019 single “Juicy” as an example, a song talking about “juicy booties,” where Doja Cat herself is showcasing her butt on the cover art.

The importance of cover art should never be neglected — while at its core, music is a form of sound art, an album or song also needs visual art to represent it. Who knows, maybe that split second of looking at and judging a cool album cover might make you discover your next favourite artist.

Some of my favourite album covers includes:

Killers – Iron Maiden

In the Aeroplane Over the Sea – Neutral Milk Hotel

The House Is Burning – Isaiah Rashad

Kids See Ghosts – Kids See Ghosts

Twin Fantasy – Car Seat Headrest

Midnight Marauders – A Tribe Called Quest

Stranger in the Alps – Phoebe Bridgers

And Justice For All – Metallica

Cosmogramma – Flying Lotus

Songs In The Key Of Life – Stevie Wonder

Graphic by James Fay

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Music

Remembering Coolio

 The hip-hop community mourns the loss of “Gangsta‘s Paradise” rapper Coolio, who passed away at the age of 59 on Sept. 28. 

Coolio passed away in Los Angeles, California on Sept. 28. The cause of his death was determined to be cardiac arrest. Foul play was not suspected, but questions were still raised amongst his friends and family. According to NY Post, it turns out that he suffered from severe asthma, which troubled him for years. 

The rapper, whose real name was Artis Leon Ivey Jr., was born in Monessen, Pennsylvania on Aug. 1, 1963. When he was 11 years old, his parents divorced, meaning he and his mom moved from Monessen to live in Compton, LA

He first got into the rap scene in 1987 when he met with members of the hip hop group WC and the Maad Circle. Networking with them got him on their 1991 debut album Ain’t A Damn Thang Changed. 

Coolio had released five studio albums and three compilation LPs. His most recent work was a collaboration with Teddi Gold on “The Floor is Lava” single which was released earlier this year. 

In 1995 he released the infamous “Gangsta’s Paradise” which sampled Stevie Wonders’s “Pastime Paradise,” which came out in 1976. Since then it has been on the list of iconic rap songs and is loved by many.

Since his passing, many newcomers and loyal fans alike have been listening to his first album It Takes a Thief, seeing as the debut track “Fantastic Voyage” has over 18 million listens more than the other 15 tracks on Spotify. Celebrities like Ice Cube, MC Hammer, and LL Cool J mourned his passing by posting pictures of the late rapper on social media and sharing their condolences.      

He is succeeded by his six children, his girlfriend Mimi Ivey, and his timeless music that greatly impacted the rap scene. You’ll be greatly missed, Coolio. 

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Concert Reviews Music

Concert Review: The Killers at the Bell Centre

The Killers murdered their performance in Montreal

Downtown, the streets flooded with fans of all ages. From Gen X to Gen Z, the crowd rushed into the stadium in anticipation of the intoxicating performance they were about to see.

The Killers opened their show with none other than Johnny Marr, an English singer and songwriter who was previously lead guitarist of the ’80s rock band The Smiths. Brandon Flowers, lead singer of The Killers, has previously cited that he was heavily influenced by The Smiths and was thrilled to have Johnny join them on tour. 

Marr started off his act with songs such as “Spirit Power and Soul” and “All These Days” from his newly released album Fever Dream Pts. 1-4. His performance consisted of a great mix between classic British rock and an electronic vibe which kept the crowd roaring for more.

After bantering with the audience about what song he should play next, Marr decided on two classics from The Smiths; “How Soon Is Now?” and “There Is A Light That Never Goes Out,” creating a nostalgic experience for the older demographic. 

After a lengthy intermission, The Killers warmed up their crowd with “My Own Soul’s Warning” from their 2020 album Imploding the Mirage, which was accompanied by the breathtaking art from their album cover splashed across the big screens in the background.

Two albums, four years, and no tours, The Killers expressed their excitement and gratitude to their audience. “It’s been four long years,” Flowers stated to the crowd. 

Flowers was all smiles throughout the entire show, laughing and chatting with his band members and those in the front rows. His energy was infectious. 

Although the group stuck to hits from their new albums, they broke up the rock and roll with a heartfelt rendition of “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” which brought tears to many. Definitely a performance I will never forget.

They ended their setlist with “All These Things That I’ve Done” from their 2004 album Hot Fuss. Their performance was exhilarating. The band was able to unite the audience through their music, having the crowd scream lyrics back at them. 

Finally, after 10 minutes of cheering and stomping, the band jumped back on stage to treat the audience to an extra performance with Johnny Marr before ending the show with a seven-minute version of “Mr. Brightside” which was the perfect way to wrap up the night. 

Graphic by James Fay

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Music Student Life Videos

ChatCordia: What Are Students Listening to?

The Concordian’s Music editor Guillaume Laberge and Video editor Jordan Tsering, asked students about their go-to songs that get them through the year.

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Music

What’s it really like taking the ‘Ye’ class at Concordia?

A deep look behind the scenes at Concordia’s new course dedicated to Kanye West

It’s late March 2022 and while browsing through electives on MyConcordia, the last thing you expect to find is a whole class dedicated to one of hip hop’s most controversial figures, Kanye West. 

We’ve seen the Twitter frenzy and we’ve seen the Hypebeast article. Three weeks into the semester, you and around 200 other students are cramming into room 110 in the Hall building’s auditorium every Thursday to listen to what professor Yassin ‘Narcy’ Alsalman has in store.

“Honestly, anybody can come to the lectures.” said human relations student Alfred Umasao. “The professor doesn’t really care if you’re not in his class.”

If you’re curious about the nature of the course, look no further than the course outline to get a hint of what it’s like. The syllabus is presented in a PowerPoint format with artistic pictures and font, sequenced in typical Kanye creativity. 

“The purpose of this class is for you not only to appreciate Ye for his work, his vision and his addition to culture, but to also build a critical thinking of public domain, ownership, self-actualization, the world and more importantly, a realistic lens on celebrity, industry, media, community and power. Nobody’s Perfect. Why is Ye so influential?” reads the first page of the PowerPoint.

Umasao, who’s been to all classes so far, has nothing short of praise for the topics discussed so far. 

“It’s less of a Kanye-based class but more of an intrusive self-reflection where you’re on your own and have to think about who you are as a person. One of our assignments for example is ‘What made you disconnect as a five year old’ and like ‘How would you reconnect with him/her.’”

One of Alsalman’s ways of getting his students to feel comfortable in this environment is to play some chill Kanye beats before the lecture begins. Finance student Alissya Ghader describes the first day of class as entering a jam packed concert. 

“The teacher somehow managed to put us all at ease from the second we walked into the first class by blasting some Kanye beats until everyone got settled in which gave me the same feeling as entering the doors of a concert venue.”

Professor Alsalman interacts with his students in a way in which they can feel comfortable expressing themselves. Ghader says that the professor even opted for some Gen Z relatable humor. She also echoes Umasao’s previous comments about how immersive the class is. 

“He said that he’d like for us to not only see this as a “Kanye Class” but more like a venue for exploring contemporary issues especially within the rap industry and how Ye was able to make something out of himself by overcoming it all,” Ghader said.

One of the course’s assignments, called ”Kaneyetive Dissonance,” calls on students to examine a controversial moment in the rapper’s history and to explain critically why Kanye is or was problematic, whether the incident was racialized and whether or not the rapper was right or wrong.

The course has also faced some criticism for its apparent “meme” approach to the subject of Hip Hop and whether or not it should be taken seriously as a university program. 

That being said, the class does come with a hefty bill. Jenna Wilson, a Concordia student who works at the bookstore, says that the two books Alsalman’s students must buy for the course aren’t cheap and were at one point in back order. The course pack, written by Alsalman himself, costs $99.25. There’s also a smaller book called “Kanye West’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy,” bringing the total to around $130 for the course.

Another student who preferred to remain anonymous told The Concordian that he still has mixed feelings for the course.

“I found it quite mixed, honestly… I’m not really sure of the whole point of the class. In some ways I feel like everybody there is just a Kanye fanboy/girl and that people don’t take it seriously.” 

Graphic by Joey Bruce

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Concert Reviews Music

Concert Review: Tayc at Place Bell and Le Salon Richmond 1861

Everybody boards the afro-love plane!

Fear not, the one who appeased all of our bad heartbreaks over the past couple of years with his melancholic lyrics and high-tempo beats has finally come to Montreal to spread the “afro love” sound. 

Indeed, 26-year-old French Cameroonian artist Tayc performed at Place Bell on Saturday, Sept. 24.

Tayc saw his international success grow recently with hits like “N’y pense plus” and “D O D O,” a pretty fast come-up in the international music scene considering that his first studio album NYXIA, came out in 2019. 

The show on the Place Bell stage started with a high-energy performance by the artist and his female backup dancers, also known as the “OG wifeys,” with great choreography and dance breakdowns from all of them. 

Dance was a big part of the show, with Tayc making sure his fans could show off their moves by having some of them get up on stage to dance to his song “P A S C O M M E Ç A.” 

Tayc has been associated with the rise in popularity of French afro-beat, or has he calls it “afro-love”, a mix of afro-beat sounds that usually come out of Nigeria, paired with French love-song lyrics.

In my opinion, Tayc could have sung a little bit more, as he left a lot of the singing to the audience that knew all his lyrics by heart and sang at the top of their lungs.

If someone had a tight budget for concerts this year, I would’ve suggested only attending the Tayc official after-party. The tickets were $60, compared to the concert tickets ranging from $50 to hundreds of dollars. Plus, you were guaranteed to be close to the performer. 

The official after-party took place at Le Salon Richmond 1861. Located in Griffintown, the venue is an old church whose inside is converted to a party room with a bar and a small stage. The after-party started around 10:00 p.m. where a DJ was already present to get the party started. 

It wasn’t until around 1:00 a.m.that Tayc showed up when he played almost the same set as the one in concert. This time, however, he was just a couple of feet from the public in a beautiful historic monument. 

Tayc stayed almost until 2:00 am, performing his biggest hits, after which the DJ kept the party going.

A day full of afro-love was what Tayc gave to Montrealers, with everyone singing all of his heartbreak songs loudly. 

Graphic by James Fay

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Music Quickspins

QUICKSPINS: Blink Twice by Arkells

It was to great anticipation that Arkells released their album Blink Twice on Sept. 23. Hailing from Hamilton, Ontario, the Indie band first released their Blink Once LP last year. On their blog, they said that the album was “about resilience. It’s about grieving with loss and fall outs and finding your way back.” 

The last track of Blink Once, “Last Night I Heard ‘Em Sing (Outro)” leads right into Blink Twice’s first track “Reckoning” where the opening lyric goes “Last night, I heard ‘em laughing.” 

Blink Twice uses a lot of synth, coming off as more poppy than indie, though they don’t lose their soul in the mix, which is something that a lot of indie bands lack once they get into a comfortable spot (I’m looking at you Maroon 5 and Coldplay). 

There were a lot of songs on this album that I appreciated on an emotional level. 

The first one has to be “Past Life” because it was a breath of fresh air from the previous track “Reckoning.” Arkells frontman Max Kerman and Cold War Kids frontman Nathan Willett sing this song together.

It feels like an ’80s driving song that mentions Bob Dylan’s son Jakob Dylan from The Wallflowers. My favourite part is when Willett sings “I was born an old soul, / I feel like Bob Dylan’s son, / Always in the shadows.” At first I thought it was a diss to the junior Dylan but in fact Willett has expressed his appreciation for Bob Dylan and his son.

Another track that was on repeat for me was “Miracle” for its grittiness that stood out from the other tracks. Honestly, it felt like the lovechild of Alex Turner (Arctic Monkeys) and Paul McCartney, which was an even bigger incentive for me to keep repeating it. 

My least favorite song is “Dance With You” with Cœur de pirate and Aly & AJ because it sounded way too processed for the band, even if it had an emphasized groovy funk line. Too poppy for my taste, sorry Arkells.

Besides the aforementioned features, there are many other artists in this LP: pop duo Tegan and Sara, Wesley Schultz of The Lumineers, Joel Plaskett, Jake Clemons and Lights.   

Do I like the new Arkells? Yes, with an asterisk. While they kept to their roots, there were some songs that could have been less processed, pop oriented and quantized. Could be better. 

Trial Track: Past Life (Feat. Cold War Kids)

Rating: 6.5/10       

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