East End Radicals worked themselves to the bone with the release of Carry On, a 12 song album debut that will surely melt your leather and get your fists in the air.
Stomp Records recently added this four-piece punk rock band from Montreal to their repertoire, calling their album a “wild, raucous and unapologetic middle finger salute to authority, oppression and the status quo in general.”
The boys have shared the stage with the Planet Smashers, The Creepshow, The Real Mckenzies and the Mahones and toured Ontario and Quebec on their own in the summer of 2011. When asked about the tour, drummer and political science undergrad at Concordia, Matthew Di Guglielmo, said it was nothing short of amazing.
“You meet tons of incredible people that more often than not, will give up their houses and showers for the night so you have somewhere to stay,” said Di Guglielmo. “The generosity and hospitality we have received is incredible.”
Lead guitarist and film studies undergrad Eric Petraroia drops the names of Rancid, Dropkick Murphys, The Ramones and Social Distortion as some of the many influences from which they derive inspiration. Petraroia and Di Guglielmo have been playing music together since they were 12, and it wasn’t until the additions of Brent Blake on bass and Scott MacLeod on vocals and guitar that East End Radicals developed a gnarly attitude, one that would get them signed to Stomp Records.
About a year ago Matt Collyer, lead singer of Planet Smashers and manager of Stomp Records, took notice of the band on stage and approached them about a potential collaboration. East End Radicals sent in their demo, and three nail biting months later, Collyer called back with an opportunity that changed their lives.
“It was and still is a shock. This is something I’ve wanted since I was a kid, and for it to finally happen is really a dream come true,” said Di Guglielmo. Today, East End Radicals have an album available in stores and on iTunes, along with plans to conquer North America and Europe on their upcoming tours.
This great opportunity does come with some sacrifices for the band. Petraroia said that he is at “the finish line” of completing his degree, but believes touring to be a priority, for “music has always come first” for him. Blake and MacLeod have even sacrificed serious jobs to pursue this opportunity. Di Guglielmo revealed that making the decision to postpone school and commit to the band’s career was not an easy conversation with his parents.
“They are firm believers that school is very important, and to a certain degree, I agree with them,” said Di Guglielmo. “I think I would regret it more if I didn’t give music a shot because of school. I can always go back to school, I can’t always go back to getting signed.”
East End Radicals album release show is at Petit Campus on Thursday, Nov. 22 at 7 p.m.
The Concordian spoke with Jonas Bonnetta, the folk singer-songwriter at the heart of Evening Hymns, ahead of his show at Le Cagibi on Saturday.
Evening Hymns. Press photo
The Concordian: What does Evening Hymns mean?
Jonas: When I chose that band name it was meant to create a quiet place.
C: When did you start working with Sylvie Smith on Evening Hymns?
J: I knew her from her old band, Habitat. We met three or four years ago when I was recording the song “Western Roads” as a solo artist, and I asked her to sing on it because I knew she had a nice country voice. It sounded really good, and we realized we should write more music together.
C: Your father recently passed, what kind of relationship did you have with him?
J: It was great, he was an awesome dad, couldn’t ask for anything more. After I graduated high school he bought a trucking company and I worked with him there for 6 years. We were business partners. And then he bought a sawmill, and I worked there for years. I didn’t go away to university. I drove to work with him every day. I took care of him. We were really close.
C: What does your latest album, Spectral Dusk, mean to you?
J: First of all, it was for me, my mum, my two brothers and sister. We are all really pleased with it. It’s a snapshot of my dad. That’s really all that I was concerned with. But every show we play, someone comes up to me saying that they really connected to it because they’d lost somebody. It’s 50 minutes of something peaceful and gentle to think about; to cherish the people you’re close to that are still alive and think about the people you’ve lost. I don’t think of it as dark, it’s more light. It’s a 50 minute reflection, more so on life than death.
C: Evening Hymns has toured more in Europe than at home, in Canada. Why?
J: We released a record in France. This really great magazine there, Magic Magazine, reviewed our first album and a label heard it, liked it and asked us to re-release it there. We then toured in France, all through Europe. There’s a bit of a ‘thing’ for Canadian music over there. I think we got in at the right time there. The right people heard us, we got lucky. The more you tour physically, the more your audience grows. But now we’re focusing on Canada. This is only our second full tour across Canada.
C: What hole, if any, does music fill for you in life?
J: It’s my main creative outlet. I don’t necessarily want it to be my 100 per cent job. It would be nice if I could make enough money for me to take long chunks of time off to write and record, but I like working. I like having jobs to do. I probably will for the rest of my life, even if music does start paying a little bit more. I think working is important. I love working with wood. If I find work for a couple months doing that in between tours, it’s not a bad thing. It’s good; it helps me grow as a person aside from music.
C: What is it you like about working with wood?
J: I think it’s nice having something tangible to work with. I grew up in the woods and I have a nice connection to the woods. The smell of it and the way it works is amazing. It always makes me feel comfortable.
C: Why has Evening Hymns remained, at its core, a duo?
J: It just makes sense logistically to keep it stripped down. Can’t afford to bring a full seven piece band across Canada. We are touring as a four piece band when we come to Montreal. I don’t really have an interest in recreating the record live, as a full band, we already recorded it that way. I want to continue to change it and keep it interesting for us. If I have to perform for two thirds of the year, the last thing I want to do is play the same thing every night. Its nice for us to try and reinvent the songs. Its fun and challenging.
Trial track: “Arrows”
Evening Hymns play Le Cagibi on Saturday, Nov. 24.
Not long ago, three school friends casually jammed in a garage a few times a week. Less than one year later, the trio and three new recruits formed a six-member band, now known as Amongst Heroes.
Originally, the band featured three Concordia students: Frankie Valela on bass, Kevin Marriott on rhythm guitar and Dave Neuman as lead guitarist. Within months, they added Bradley Cooper’s clean vocals, Daniel Katz on drums and Nicholas Lessard’s screams. Amongst Heroes had its current and official six-member lineup as of June 19, 2012.
The inspiration for the band’s name originated in a simple brainstorm session.
“The name was [Cooper’s] idea,” said Marriott, who majors in finance at the John Molson School of Business. “We were playing with the word ‘amongst’ and [Cooper] texted us the idea of ‘heroes’ while we were at a bar.”
Two weeks after Lessard joined as the final member, and after three full days of recording sessions, the newly formed band released their debut single Topeka on July 6.
Four months later, the song surpassed 10,000 views on the band’s YouTube page. This is in large part due to the group feverishly reaching out via social media to gain support.
“We promoted our band like all hell on every social media site available,” said Valela, who majors in communications at Concordia. “The most views we got came from YouTube. We posted on other videos telling people we have a song available. It’s one of those things where the more views you get, the more people will come.”
It did not take long for Amongst Heroes to get their first gig. On Aug. 22, the band was set to play their first live performance at Cabaret Underworld. In the time between the release of Topeka and the first show, the group met five times a week to ensure they were ready.
“Shows are probably one of the most important things for new bands,” said Neuman, who also majors in finance at JMSB. “I was so stoked to play as I’d never played live before. The closest thing was a piano recital when I was 13.”
On Oct. 23, the band released their second single, Interpreter. The entire process of recording the song took less than a day.
Next month, Amongst Heroes heads to Ottawa for their first out-of-town show. At the beginning of next summer, the group plans to release their first EP.
“We’re trying to work our way up and we think that’s the best approach for us,” said Valela. “We’re writing more and we want to wait until we have the best material before releasing our EP.”
Looking back on the last five months, the band recognizes the importance of their fans and those who have supported the group along the way.
“The most important part is to get ourselves out there and grow our fan base as much as possible,” said Neuman. “The fans are what make the band. Without fans, we wouldn’t be doing this.”
The members of Amongst Heroes plan to go as far as they can with their music, with the hopes of getting signed by a major label and going on tour. Until then, the group will be balancing school and band practice in order to continue rising through the ranks of the metalcore scene.
When listening to Quebecoise singer-songwriter Ariane Moffatt, you can feel a certain ease and comfortableness between her and the music. Though her work gives the impression of a life surrounded by music, that was actually not the case.
Photo by Maude Arsenault
Her passion grew as she started taking piano lessons at a young age. She didn’t fully immerse herself in music until high school, where she had a music teacher who would direct her in several musicals. That was when she first began singing and a love for the art emerged. Moffatt then studied music at the CÉGEP and university levels, and learned to play piano through a combination of lessons and teaching herself how to play her favourite Tori Amos and Ben Harper songs.
“Music was a part of me that was just waiting to come out, it just couldn’t be any other way,” said Moffatt. “I once wanted to become a pediatrician, but I wasn’t passionate about math and science, so here I am.”
Moffatt has been on Quebec’s music scene as a solo artist since 2001, but she started off as a keyboardist and vocalist for Daniel Bélanger, a well-established francophone singer. She has accumulated awards for her albums at many Gala de l’ADISQ, including three Pop-Rock Album of the Year Awards for her albums Aquanaute (2002), Le coeur dans la tête (2005) and Tous les sens (2008), which also won her French Album of the Year at the 2009 Juno Awards.
In February of this year, her first bilingual album, MA, came out and was an instant success. The songs were more intimate, reflecting her moods and emotions. She composed them with no real deadline in mind, jotting down English lyrics as they went through her head.
As if writing in English wasn’t already enough of a departure for her, Moffatt decided to throw herself into another type of project. She came up with the idea of giving some of her latest songs from MA a second life by making electronic versions of them. She started working with her good friend DJ Poirier on an EP called MA Remix. She named him artistic director and shared ideas of remixes that she already had andgave him “carte blanche” as to what the new remixes of the songs would sound like.
“This project was a way to bring the songs to another level, to go even deeper into her work and make some elements stand out that might not have stood out in some songs in the original album,” said Poirier. “This album wasn’t made in a ‘club music’ perspective, it was more of an album that was also meant to be listened to, but there are some songs that I do play when I DJ.”
Poirier was responsible for finding the right people to remix the songs, but also participated in the process and remixed the song “Too Late.” Moffatt gave it a try herself and remixed “Walls of the World.” Both put a lot of work into this “side project,” as she calls it, starting to work on it even before the original album came out last February.
Moffatt still has a lot going on for her, as she will soon begin to tour in France and around Quebec. She will also be coaching young singers on the Quebec version of the reality television show The Voice.
The Gala alternatif de la musique indépendante du Québec has announced its nominees for 2012. The GAMIQ awards include six categories, which feature a slew of talented anglophone and francophone musicians all based in Quebec. Voting was open to the public and the winners of each category will be announced Nov.11 at Theatre Plaza. Tickets to the gala are $18.
Grimes
Grimes, aka Claire Boucher, is a Vancouver singer-songwriter based in Montreal. Grimes has recently garnered a lot of attention with her latest album, Visions (Arbutus; 2012), which reached 98 on the U.S. Billboard 200. The album’s signature dream pop and electronica sound has charmed and wowed music lovers from across the globe. Grimes is the sole producer of Visions, which was recorded entirely on Garageband. Her newest single and music video “Oblivion” has already received 3 million YouTube views, giving the talented singer some well-deserved attention.
Trial track: “Genesis”
Nominated for: Artist Of The Year, Song Of The Year, and Video Of The Year
Half Moon Run
Half Moon Run, an indie rock trio made up of Ottawa and B.C. natives has been together for less than two years but has already toured Europe, the U.K. and Canada.
Their debut album, Dark Eyes, featuring their first single “Full Circle” is causing buzz, having earned them a spot at last August’s Osheaga Music Festival. If their Radiohead-esque sound satisfies, you can catch them in concert at Le National on Dec. 7.
Trial track: “She Wants To Know”
Nominated for: Show Of The Year, Song of The Year, and Breakthrough Artist of The Year
Kandle
Singer and guitaristKandleOsborne is a 21-year-old from Vancouver, now based in Montreal, who, as of yet, remains unsigned to any record label. Her debut EP Kandle has given her a leg up on the Montréal music scene and her promising talent might one day give celebrated musicians Emily Haines and Coeur de pirate a run for their money. Kandle will be opening up for Half Moon Run on Dec. 7 at Le National. Visit her website (kandlemusic.com) to get a free download of her song “Small.”
Trial track: “Know My Name”
Nominated for: New Artist With The Most Potential
Lisa LeBlanc
Lisa LeBlanc is a francophone Acadian-Canadian singer, whose folky sound is eerily reminiscent of La Bolduc and Regina Spektor. Her self-titled and only album is certified gold in Canada, having already sold more than 40,000 copies. LeBlanc’s talent is indisputable; her songs are refreshing, different and daring. LeBlanc will be performing her self-described “trash-folk” tunes on tour this fall and winter across Canada, with a stop in Montreal on Jan. 23 at Olympia.
Trial track: “Aujourd’hui, ma vie c’est d’la marde”
Nominated for: Artist Of The Year, Show Of The Year, Song Of the Year, and Breakthrough Artist Of The Year
Philippe B
Philippe B is a folk-pop francophone singer from Montreal who released his first album in 2006. Philippe B has already worked with Pierre Lapointe, and opened for Andrew Bird in Montreal last July during Osheaga. The 2011 release of Variations Fantomes, his latest album, is giving this talented singer and guitarist his chance to shine on the Quebec music scene. Philippe B will be in Montreal, at Café Campus on Nov. 17.
Trial track: “Nocturne #632”
Nominated for: Artist Of The Year, Show Of The Year, and Video Of The Year.
Alaclair Ensemble
Alaclair Ensemble is a francophone hip-hop/rap troupe, whose signature self-described style of “postrigodon” and ‘babouinerie jouale’ has set them apart from other more traditional Quebec hip-hop acts. Mixing their beats with French and English lyrics, their latest album, Le roé c’est moé, will be released Jan. 1, 2013, but you can stream it for free on their bandcamp site. Alaclair Ensemble will be playing at Montreal’s Museum of Contemporary Art on Dec. 7.
Trial track: “Moi chu down”
Nominated for: Artist Of The Year, Show Of The Year, Song Of The Year, and Video Of The Year.
Avec pas d’casque
Avec pas d’casque is a francophone folk-country quartet based in Montreal. Their latest album Astronomie was long-listed for this year’s Polaris Music Prize. Their nine-track album, which you can purchase on their bandcamp website, was mixed by Mark Lawson, who has already worked with Timber Timbre and Arcade Fire. Avec pas d’casque are currently on tour and will be playing Montreal’s Sala Rossa on Nov. 22.
Trial track: “La journée qui s’en vient est flambant neuve”
Nominated for: Artist Of The Year and Song Of The Year.
Canailles
Canailles isa francophone bluegrass-folk band from Montreal whose eight members released their first EP in 2010. Their latest album, Manger du bois, features the voices of various band members and an old-school mix of banjos, accordions, mandolins and drums. They have already played Quebec’s Francouvertes and FrancoFolies and will be featured in this year’s M For Montreal and the Festival International de Louisiane.
Trial track: “Parle Moi”
Nominated For: Show For The Year and Breakthrough Artist Of The Year.
Kaytradamus
Kaytradamus, aka Kevin Celestin, is a Haitian born, Montreal based hip-hop/electronica solo musician. Influenced by the likes of Justice and Michael Jackson, Kaytradamus has released and self-produced his newest album entitled Kaytrap. Kaytradamus is unsigned, but you can listen to his music or buy his albums on his bandcamp page.
Trial track: “Sellout”
Nominated for: Breakthrough Artist of The Year
Ponctuation
Ponctuation, is a garage rock/punk band from Quebec. Their sound can easily be described as the future Franco Sex Pistols of the 21st century. Their 2011 EP Lèche-Vitrine features four songs of pure fun and uncomplicated punk music.
Why settle for the “Monster Mash” this Halloween season when you can high-tail it over to l’Absynthe, a local hotspot showcasing Montreal talent new and old, for their very first Halloween Rock Show?
The event features an eclectic mix of groups such as Café Racer, Rocket ’56 and Trade Secrets. Rockabilly group Rocket ‘56 highlights a
A band that will be performing at Halloween Rock Show. Photo from Facebook.
genre quickly gaining momentum in the music world. A potent mix of the fresh and the familiar, rockabilly transports audiences to that hazy point in time where past meets present. A fitting soundtrack for a Halloween-style shindig, the genre lets fifties’ style rock take on a more modern interpretation while still coming across as authentic. We can also look forward to hearing from Trade Secrets, a fresh group who will be opening the night with some crowd-pumping Indie-pop.
The band headlining the event, up-and-comers Café Racer, are sure to please audiences with their versatile sound. When asked what influences we can expect to hear through their music, frontman and Manitoban Myles Hildebrand replied simply, “Everything. Labels don’t really mean much to me. We have a great time onstage and a lot of people have a good time listening.”
It was difficult to categorize Café Racer’s sound. While their penchant for that old school sound, notably Elton John and the Beatles, definitely shines through in their work, it’s impossible to ignore the progressive perks laced throughout each track, creating a crossover between the retro and the modern.
The band admits they always feared making music that does not pertain to their generation and that keeping a suitable amount of modernity was a definite necessity. This is especially apparent in their song “Circus Girl,” a lively, upbeat tune featuring a dangerously catchy guitar riff, a smooth yet complicated drum intro and strong vocals. Taken separately these aspects might seem old-fashioned, but combined they offer an original mix different from anything our parents ever listened to.
One thing they can tell us for sure, however, is that they’re loyal to their roots. “We’re a true Canadian rock and roll band,” said drummer Josh Grant, originally from Ontario, while fellow member Shawn Forbes hails from Manitoba.
“Canadian music has a distinctive sound. You see that with Yukon Blonde, Zeus and The Sheepdogs. We know Canada very well, and I hope that shows in our music,” added Hildebrand.
Café Racer may be new on the circuit (formed just over a year ago), but its members are no strangers in the music biz. Hildebrand recently released his debut solo album Myles from Home, a light and classy homage to all things folk, available on iTunes. Hildebrand describes his solo project’s trademark sound as “Sunday afternoon music,” while his exploits with Café Racer are “Friday night music.”
As for when we can expect some fresh online tracks from Café Racer, they hope to be in the studio this upcoming year.
“I think we’re all, to some level, perfectionists,” explained Forbes, “While it’s a priority for us, as a band, we’d rather have nothing than something poorly done. With recording, you only get one shot.”
In the meantime, they’ll be keeping busy with shows booked for November and December, building a fan-base around Montreal, with their sights set on gigs in Toronto, Boston and New York this summer.
The Halloween Rock Show starts at 8 p.m. at L’Absynthe (1738 Rue Saint Denis) on Tuesday, Oct. 30. Tickets are $5 in advance or $7 at the door.
The year was 2001. Four Nova Scotia natives frequently gathered to jam on the fifteenth floor of a decrepit and somewhat forbidding high-rise apartment building. “The architect actually jumped off the top,” recalled Loel Campbell, who mans the drums. “He put a pool on top of the building that couldn’t actually hold water. If you put water in it, it would compromise the entire structure.” It was this underwhelming fixer-upper was to be the birthplace of arguably one of the most successful musical groups to hail from the Maritimes: Wintersleep.
Wintersleep, which also consists of Michael Bigelow, Tim D’Eon, Jon Samuel, and Paul Murphy, is recognized as an indie-rock band — however, Campbell disagrees with the notion of limiting their musical spectrum to one category.
“I think we definitely drift around in terms of style,” Campbell said, recalling one instance in which the band was pegged as Celtic post-rock. Their Myspace page brands their genre, equally obscurely, as German pop/soul. “I just call us a rock band, simple,” said Campbell.
The group’s name stems from the German translation of ‘hibernation.’ “The band started as a side project, so we thought that it was an apt title, because [Wintersleep] was something that we were doing on the side,” Campbell said. Originally, the moniker was meant to be a metaphor; however, while their sound has evolved since the band’s inception, Campbell claims “it still feels like a proper image to attach to the music.”
From emotion-heavy slow jams to dynamic up-tempo tunes, Wintersleep has touched on countless areas of the rock scene. The band’s self-titled first record is “very stripped down” and raw, according to Campbell— a reflection of each member’s progressive-rock background and the first step towards finding a collective voice. On Untitled, the band’s second album, the same heavy sound resonates, this time interspersed with “longer, punchier rock songs.”
Welcome to the Night Sky saw the addition of producer Tony Doogan — known for creating rock-heavy material — as well as a resulting sense of balance, power, and consistency in Wintersleep’s sound. Their fourth record, New Inheritors, is “definitely a rock band kind of record,” Campbell said. Written quickly on the road in the confines of a dingy rehearsal space, the limited resources set the tone for the resulting sound.
Hello Hum, released in June 2012, is the most vibrant and energetic album yet, thanks to the hiring on of co-producer Dave Fridmann of MGMT and Flaming Lips fame. “He was always the one who said, ‘play it faster,’” Campbell recalled. “I’m very happy with the result. It’s been this natural progression. We’ve become better musicians over time.”
As a band rooted in Canada’s East coast, Wintersleep effortlessly puts forth a human edge. “We were making music because we didn’t want to play sports,” Campbell said, compared to groups originating in the big city with “the industry side of music in mind.” Not having grown up in an atmosphere where bright lights and loud sounds are paramount, Wintersleep exudes a band-next-door feel. You can take Campbell’s word for it — they’ll never have pyrotechnics onstage.
Channeling Wintersleep’s humble nature, he asserts that there is no pivotal moment during which the band felt it safe to declare itself wholly successful.
“It’s always a struggle,” said Campbell. “Every night that we play a show, I think, ‘This is where I should be.’ But I constantly self-doubt and worry. I don’t think that, in today’s climate, you can make it to some sort of [invincible] place. I don’t even want that.” If anything, the release of Welcome to the Night Sky, the band’s third studio album, marked a monumental time in Wintersleep’s career. Ever since the album came out in 2007, touring has become a full-time commitment, and the performers haven’t looked back.
The 2008 Juno Awards saw a win for the band in the “New Group of the Year” category, placing them among the ranks of past winners likes of Bedouin Soundclash and Alexisonfire. While having a Juno under their belt allowed Wintersleep to gain publicity, “the main thing was that it validated what we were all doing for our parents,” said Campbell. “They were really proud of us.”
Despite its deceiving facade, Wintersleep has since opened for many household names, such as Paul McCartney and Pearl Jam.
What does Wintersleep have in mind for its listeners? “I hope people can relate to [the music],” said Campbell. “We try to keep things ambiguous when it comes to explaining meanings behind songs, because it’s always awesome when people take away their own interpretation. It can instantly change my day, always for the better. I hope that people can have similar experiences with some of our music. And hopefully they can dance to it sometimes,” he said with a laugh. “Dancing is good.”
Artists struggle to illustrate honest, human emotion in their work— in Animator, it came to The Luyas in a stroke of unfortunate luck.
Close your eyes whilst listening to “Montuno,” the album’s opening track, andit runs like a film on the backs of your eyelids; it is the beautiful and eerily realistic soundtrack that plays in one’s mind while coping with loss.
At first “Montuno” feels upbeat and determined, but a desperately sad violin cuts the optimism and carries the listener towards a
The Luyas. Press photo
horrifying instrumental collision and front-woman Jessie Stein’s dazed monologue. It’s as if the song itself goes through the three stages of grief: disbelief, experiencing the loss and reintegration.
“I would call it a serious record,” said the band’s drummer, Bucky Wheaton. “It’s not overly dramatic, light or playful.”
Stein joined bandmates Pietro Amato, Mathieu Charbonneau, Wheaton and Arcade Fire’s Sarah Neufeld at Montreal’s Treatment Room on a nippy February morning to work lyrics into music. Wheaton was recently hired as The Luyas’ new drummer, and the group expected the day would revolve around blending his beat into their already established chemistry.
A phone call changed everything.
The next day, Stein tweeted, “We started making a record yesterday. It is dedicated 100% to Christopher Reimer, honorary luya, who was our brother.”
Reimer, the guitarist of Calgary rock band Women, died in his sleep at 26 and was a close friend to every Luya, except Wheaton.
“It was difficult to see friends so sad, and frustrating not to be able to share it with them or do anything about it,” said Wheaton. “It took a lot of strength from them, but there was determination in the air.”
Though the shock of Reimer’s death initially came as a distraction, Wheaton claims they were more inspired than anything else to make an honest record. The band worked nonstop, barely to sleep, and after one week of recording Stein tweeted, “First day off since the news. Now I’m fucked.”
The Luyas have a tendency to work efficiently until a project is done, rather than spreading the recording process over several months.
“Our first record was recorded two months after the band was started,” said Luyas brass player and founding member, Amato. “We wrote a bunch of songs and recorded them right away.”
The band’s current lineup is the product of multiple friendships. Stein has been good friends with Amato since he played with Torngat, an indie instrumental trio also featuring Charbonneau. Stein dreamt of playing with Torngat and hoped to one day write lyrics to accompany their music. That never materialized, instead Pietro and Stein collaborated on the side, and with the addition of Charbonneau and now ex-drummer Stefan Schneider, The Luyas were born. Schneider left the band this year to pursue a career in yoga, and Amato recruited an old Concordia classmate — Wheaton.
The Luyas debuted Animator in front of a live audience last weekend at New York City’s College Media Journal Music Marathon. Wheaton revealed feelings of excitement and fear before heading south, for he’s used to performing the record in studio.
“Making a record out of music that you don’t normally play live means that when you do play it live it changes more drastically, rather than music that you first performed live and then recorded,” said Wheaton. “We’ll see how strong the material is live and figure out if we need to make changes to it.”
Animator, released Oct. 16, is bound to attract critical acclaim — let’s hope it lives up to the live test.
The Luyas’ Animator album launch show is on Tuesday Nov. 13 at the Mile-End Cabaret (5240 Parc. Ave). Tickets are $15 + service charges.
Oh La L.A festival in Montreal on Oct. 16. Photo by writer.
Synthesizer, reverb and electronic pop rocked the Ooh La L.A. festival’s first ever Montreal appearance on Oct. 16. The audience at La Société des arts technologiques was treated to the newest up-and-coming French label pop bands in a fun-filled evening. A unique aspect of Montreal’s first Ooh La L.A. was the relative lack of notoriety amongst the bands. Only Housse de Racket, the closing band, had released an album before October, while Tomorrow’s Child has yet to release their first album. It was certainly an unusual vibe with the audience never quite certain what they might hear next.
French artist LESCOP opened the night with tracks from his newly released debut album Lescop. The best word to describe this young Frenchman would be ‘smooth.’ Everything from his voice to his seamless beats and stage presence set the tone for the evening. That said, he had heads bobbing from the get-go with tracks like “La Forêt” and “Tokyo, La Nuit.”
Following LESCOP was the newly formed band Citizens! Members Tom Burke, Lawrence Diamond, Mike Evans, Martyn Richmond and Thom Rhoades hail from London and were arguably the most fun to watch that evening. Signed to the French label Kitsuné, the five-piece band provided an upbeat, captivating and danceable performance.
Burke, the frontman, has a falsetto that was offset nicely by heavy reverb guitar and cracking baselines. There wasn’t a single person in the room who wasn’t dancing by the end of their set. Formed in 2011, Citizens! released their debut album ‘Here We Are’ on Oct. 3.
Photo by writer.
Tomorrow’s Child were third on the line up. Although the duo haven’t yet released an album, they were easily the most well-renowned band of the evening because of member Jean-Benoit Dunckel. Dunckel is also a member of the hit French pop band Air. While Dunckel took over the beats, keyboard and backup vocals, a glitter-adorned Lou Hayter took charge of the lead vocals. Hayter’s ethereal voice paired with Dunckel’s synthesizer produced a dark but beautiful sound. Smoke machines and a constantly changing colourful light display aided in developing the trance-like feel that descended over SAT throughout their set.
If Tomorrow’s Child put the audience into a trance, Housse de Racket woke everyone up. Lead singer Pierre Leroux opened up their set by hailing the Montreal crowd: “We’re very tired because we’ve been on tour for two years but we’re happy to be here!” Drummer Victor Le Manse then set about pounding his extensive drum kit while Leroux hopped around the stage bringing a whole new level of energy to the packed venue.
Although each of the bands had their own distinct sound, the predominant vibe of Ooh La L.A. was an electronic one. Each artist brought energy in the form of synth or electronic beats, but tempo and style varied from band to band. In between artists a masked DJ laid down house beats as the stage was reset for the next performer.
In essence, the festival devoted a night to French labels. Founded in 2009 by Sylvain Taillet, artistic director of French label Barclay/Universal Music France, the festival aims to bring French bands and bands signed to French labels to North American audiences. Originally, Ooh La L.A. was held exclusively in Los Angeles, but it has since expanded. After a three-day stint in Los Angeles this October, Ooh La L.A. moved to San Francisco, Montreal and finally New York City. Ooh La L.A.’s coordinator, Marion Chapdelaine, was pleased with the first Montreal version of the festival: “It was a big success given that it is the first time we have come to Montreal,” she said. “We’re definitely coming back next year!”
To echo Ms. Chapdelaine’s words, Ooh La L.A. was an eventful and well-planned evening. It is well worth a look when the festival revisits Montreal next year.
With their new record, Ancient Mars, The Zolas are set to bring an energy-packed show to audiences across Canada. British Columbia natives Zach Gray and Tom Dobrzanski have been making music together since they joined the same choir as children. The two friends started their first band, Lotus Child, while studying at UBC. Although the band released two albums and garnered a strong following in Vancouver, they broke up in 2006.
“It just wasn’t fun,” said Gray. “We weren’t having a good time and we didn’t think we were good enough.”
Press photo.
Soon after Lotus Child’s breakup, Gray and Dobrzanski started playing together again.
“[Dobrzanski] and I had given up on being in a band,” said Gray. “We just hung out as we used to, played music, drank beer around the piano and wrote a few songs.”
It seems that The Zolas was really born out of a desire to have fun. “The only reason that we exist is out of the spirit of asking ourselves what is going to be fun to do right now,” explained Gray. “We just use The Zolas as an excuse to get our best friends and favourite musicians in the room and just write music together.”
The Zolas’s debut, Tic Toc Tic, was released in 2009. Blending an upbeat pop and rock feel, tracks like “You’re Too Cool” and “The Great Collapse” featured heavily on the XM satellite radio station The Verge.
The Zolas released Ancient Mars on Oct. 2 and while the record reaffirms The Zolas’ ability to write poetic lyrics, it has a very different musical feel. The bouncy piano riffs and crisp notes are replaced with heavier beats, synthesizer reverb and dreamy, smooth vocals. In short, The Zolas are moving towards progressive pop.
“The music that we’d found ourselves listening to lately was the kind of music that makes your head bob on a subliminal level,” said Gray. “You don’t even realize that you’re listening to the song and then suddenly you realize that everyone in the room is nodding in time. We wanted to make music like that.”
The Zolas hired producer Chuck Brody, a veteran of the pop and hip-hop scenes, to bring a different feel to Ancient Mars.
“The way that people listen to music on headphones so much these days gives you an opportunity to really get into their brains,” explained Gray. The hefty beats in the album’s title track, “Ancient Mars,” are almost guaranteed to set your head bobbing and your feet tapping.
“This album is a lot more personal,” Gray continued. “It’s about how you can be so insanely in love with somebody and one day that will end as well.”
While this may seem like a cynical concept to construct an album around, The Zolas are convinced otherwise.
“I don’t want to say that it’s bleak or not-bleak; it’s not about that,” said Gray. “I’d rather look at it this way: some people stay together, most people don’t, but both are pretty much equally beautiful.”
The Zolas are greatly anticipating their cross-Canada tour that sees them bring their five-piece touring band to 25 cities in just over 30 days.
“Every time we play together it’s been so easy,” said Gray. “I’ve had really draining live shows where I felt like I was working so hard but with this group I feel like I’m watching a band and singing along.”
With the release of such a progressive, forward-looking album, The Zolas have cemented their place as a band to watch out for.
Trial Track: “Cold Moon”
The Zolas play La Sala Rossa (4848 St. Laurent) with Hey Ocean! on Wednesday, Oct. 17.
Who can say if Tom Krell truly knows ‘how to dress well,’ but he sure knows how to compose music. The Colorado-born experimental-pop producer and singer’s project, How to Dress Well, has just released its sophomore album, Total Loss. It was released Sept. 17 and has already been labeled Best New Music by Pitchfork.
Krell himself is a very mysterious character, and his music has the power to soothe you, move you and draw you in.
“Who I am as a person leads me to make music that is a bit deeper. I tend to think that we should take some things seriously, like art, spirits and what is true and good in the world,” said Krell.
It’s hard to believe that Krell was first brought under the spotlight just a few years ago. He has released several EPs and two albums on which you can find “Suicide Dream 1,” “Suicide Dream 2,” and “Suicide Dream 3.” These have to be the most intriguing tracks Krell has written in the past few years.
“These are three different songs for three different experiences that … made me feel suicidal,” explained Krell. “I had this strange dream where I was in the backseat of a car and we were floating around and I could see Earth from space. I saw my own face in the reflection of the car window and it was just a crazily-groundwards feeling. I woke up from that dream so depressed and wrote ‘Suicide Dream 1.’ ‘Suicide Dream 2’ is about my family and ‘Suicide Dream 3’ I wrote for my friend after he died.”
Lately, things are looking good for the experimental artist. How To Dress Well kicks off its three-month tour across North America and Europe on Oct. 4, and Montreal is the second stop on the fall tour.
“[My show] is an all encompassing kind of engrossing and spiritual setting experience, quite emotional and dynamic,” Krell revealed. “It moves from really quiet, plaintive songs to really loud, kind of in-your-face noise, to funk-dance rhythms as well. I’m really proud of it, and I think it’s one of the most beautiful shows around. I love Montreal a lot and I’m really excited to be back.”
Trial track: “Cold Nites”
How To Dress Well plays Club Lambi on Oct. 5. Tickets are $11 in advance or $15 at the door.
As public figures, musicians can wield a considerable amount of power, often using it to further political and social causes. Laetitia Sadier has long been part of this movement, and with a recently released solo album and an upcoming North American tour, it doesn’t look like she’ll be stopping anytime soon.
Like those who have come before, she chooses to promote anti-capitalist and anti-inequality messages through her music. For much of her career, Sadier’s political inclinations have formed the backbone of much of her work, a tendency that preceded her musical history.
Sadier was born in France, May 1968, during the time of the student strikes in Paris.“I’ve always been in a state of rebellion towards the system. It’s just that now it’s becoming clearer and clearer that the system is not working,” she said. “That’s why this is a good time to start talking about it.”
Those who may be unfamiliar with Sadier need only look back two decades to the heyday of Stereolab. Formed in the early ‘90s, Stereolab was part of the time’s emerging rock phenomenon, but with a decidedly more experimental sound than many of its peers. Blending krautrock, jazz and dreamy electronic beats, their broad adoption of genres earned them comparisons to groups as diverse as Neu! and My Bloody Valentine. At the heart of the band were Sadier and then-boyfriend Tim Gane.
A French native, Sadier brought soft, dreamy vocals and politically conscious lyrics to Stereolab’s music. Though many maintain that Sadier’s later projects retain much of her former band’s early influences, her five non-Stereolab albums have allowed her to develop a more organic sound, softening and romanticizing where Stereolab bristled. Her latest release, Silencio is especially striking in its musical exploration, fusing mellow beats with electric guitar and jazzy drums to create a unique blend of lounge rock.
As Sadier readily admits, “I knew there was a timing to these things […] as long as Stereolab existed I wouldn’t be free to explore my own creative side. I couldn’t write any songs in Stereolab so I ended up creating my own space.”
This involved collaborating with new musicians, which culminated in the creation of Monade in 1996.
“Monade was really my growing up years. My boyfriend at the time told me to stop hiding behind Monade and just become Laetitia Sadier.”
Following the announcement of Stereolab’s indefinite hiatus in 2009, Sadier decided to pursue recording on her own, releasing her first solo record The Trip in 2010. Finally, Sadier had a platform all her own, with which to explore her thoughts and feelings about the “state of affairs” of the world.
“We’re spiritual and creative beings. We’re not just here to be exploited and to consume. I feel we need to fight so that we don’t have to live in a world like this.”
Though this anti-capitalist bend permeated much of her collaborative efforts, Silencio puts it front and centre, acting as the driving force behind the very existence of the album.
“I don’t see it as a duty or a mission [to spread my message], but I feel quite strongly about these things, and to me art should be made with what you feel strongly about,” she explained. “I wouldn’t make an album just for the sake of making an album. That’s not how I work. I feel propelled by something that I can’t quite explain.”
This urge to create also came with a more collaborative approach to the creative process.
“Life has provided [me] with the right people each time, and I’ve learned to trust and share the process, rather than to want to do and play everything myself,” said Sadier.
This collaborative effort also extends to her live performances, including her upcoming Montreal show.
“I am going to be playing with a trio, something which has long been my dream,” she revealed. “I think it’s going to be really good.”
In the meantime Sadier continues to speak her mind and to urge others to do the same.
“Be aware of what the forces at work are,” urged Sadier. “Organize, get together, and discuss as to how a better society can emerge out of all this.”
Laetitia Sadier plays The Ukrainian Federation with Cate Le Bon and Orca Team on Sept. 19 at 7 p.m.
