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August / September 2021 Stylus Magazine
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2 Stylus Magazine August / September 2021
AUG/SEP 32 2021 VOL NO. 4
Production Team Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gil Carroll editor@stylusmagazine.ca Assistant Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . Jen Doerksen assistanteditor@stylusmagazine.ca
On the Cover DOMINIQUE “DOMO” LEMOINE primarily paints in sound, being a musician, but also dabbles in the visual realm sometimes. One of the ways they tend to approach art / music is from an educational standpoint - exploration, discovery and sharing - being a keen student of good ole life. Find Domo on instagram @domolemon and their band À La Mode at https://alalamode.bandcamp.com or on youtube.
Art Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kelly Campbell design@stylusmagazine.ca Cover Art . . . . . . . . . . . . Dominique Lemoine Advertising Contact . . . . . . . . Rob Schmidt manager@ckuw.ca Print by JRS Print Services . . . 204-232-3558
Contributors Nigel Webber Olivier LaRoche Ryan Haughey Jason Poturica David Tymoshchuk
Joel Klaverkamp Myles Tiessen M. Adam Daniel Kussy Michael Duboff
Adam Dawda
Stylus is published bi–monthly by CKUW 95.9 FM, with a circulation of 2,500. Stylus serves as the program guide to 95.9FM CKUW and will reflect the many musical communities it supports within Winnipeg and beyond. Stylus strives to provide coverage of music that is not normally written about in the mainstream media. Stylus acts as a vehicle for the work of new writers, photographers and artists, including members of the University of Winnipeg, of CKUW and of the Winnipeg community at large. Stylus reserves the right to refuse to print material, specifically, that of a racist, homophobic or sexist nature. All submissions may be edited and become the property of Stylus. All opinions expressed in Stylus are those of the contributors and do not necessarily reflect those of the editors. Contributions in the form of articles, reviews, letters, photos and graphics are welcome and should be sent with contact information to:
Stylus Magazine Bulman Student Centre, University of Winnipeg 515 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, MB, R3B 2E9 Phone: 204-786-9785, Fax: 204-783-7080 Writing submissions: editor@stylusmagazine.ca Graphics submissions: design@stylusmagazine.ca
Table of Contents Blah, Blah, Blah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Winnipeg State of Mind: Mooki . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CKUW Program Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CKUWho: Lost Chunes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Local Spotlight Reviews: Central Heat Exchange . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ulteriors Reviews: Praises, Alice Ava, Motorists, + more . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CKUW Bi-Monthly Chart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Features Radio Starmaker Fund’s Orion Program for Bipoc Artists . . . The Business of Music: Record Label Agreements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CKUW Show Slot Puzzle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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www.stylusmagazine.ca Contributions will be accepted in the body of an email. No attachments please. All submissions may be edited and become the property of Stylus. Unauthorized reproduction of any portion of Stylus is strongly discouraged without the express written consent of the editors.
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August / September 2021 Stylus Magazine
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RADIO STARMAKER FUND’S ORION PROGRAM FOR BIPOC ARTISTS The Radio Starmaker Fund, founded in 2001, is a not-for-profit Canadian organization that provides marketing and promotional support to help launch the careers of emerging Canadian artists. While the organization’s main fund is aimed at artists ‘with a proven track record’, including in an effort to lower the barrier to entry, it has recently announced The Orion Program. In particular, Orion was created to distribute its funds to eligible artists who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour who have yet to meet the main Starmaker program’s sales criteria. Orion is titled as a ‘stepping-stone’ program, created to support racialized artists as they build and develop their careers so that they may eventually be eligible for the main Starmaker program. Orion has also been dubbed as a ‘living program’ in that the program has been made to be flexible in order to adapt to changing circumstances to reflect collective learning, community feedback, and industry change. The funding applied for through Orion may be used for any music related expense, including recording, promotion, publicity, advertising, digital marketing, touring, videos, and other related ventures. The maximum amount of funding that may be applied for is $25,000, and applicants will only be considered for one of these grants once per calendar year. While explanation of the funding being applied for should be made within the application, extra materials such as Letters of Support are generally not required. QUALIFICATION: In order to be eligible for The Orion Program, there are two main criteria:
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1. Applicants must identify as either Black, Indigenous, or a Person of Colour. If the applicant is a band, the majority of the band must identify as BIPOC. 2. The Applicant must show full-length or bundle sales of at least 1,500 units. A full-length release will contain at least 6 unique studio recordings and at least 25 minutes of music. On the other hand, a bundle release contains at least 3 unique studio recordings and at least 9 minutes of music. These releases can be either physical, digital, or equivalent streams. For the unit sales threshold, 750 single track streams or 5 downloaded tracks from a full-length release or bundle will constitute one sales unit. As well, multiple releases from the previous 5 years leading up to the deadline for the round can be combined for eligibility purposes. Lastly, a Juno or Grammy nomination, or Polaris prize shortlisting, for a release from the last 5 years will qualify you as an applicant for the program. 3. Applicants without previous approval for the Orion Program or those that had their eligibility lapse must show their current eligibility via Michelle Farres (the current Manager of Finance & Administration at the organization) at least one week in advance of the deadline. APPLICATION PROCESS: The entirety of the application process can be completed online through the ‘Getting Started’ portal of the Starmaker website. As well, sample applications can be found on the website, which take you through the full application process. Once the initial application has been completed,
the applicant will be redirected to a page where the Orion Program may be selected. If selected, a one-page business plan/proposal is required to be completed. Here, attachments to the proposal may be made, including explanation of eligibility, breakdowns of expenditures, and other key information in support of an application. Any details on both domestic and international activity as well as ‘industry momentum’ should also be given in support of the application and proposal. OPERABILITY WITH THE STARMAKER FUND: It is important to note that the Orion Program has been created as an alternate avenue to the core Starmaker Fund. However, those who are (or have become) eligible for the Starmaker Fund may still apply for funding through Orion. As well, all general rules that exist for Starmaker – which can be found in detail online – also apply for the Orion Program. CONCLUSION: Starmaker’s new Orion Program is an exciting new opportunity that all eligible BIPOC artists should take advantage of and apply for, if they meet the sales thresholds. For further information we recommend you visit the starmaker website or get in touch with an entertainment lawyer or a grant consultant / writer. UPCOMING DEADLINES: - Thursday, August 19, 2021 (5:00 PM EDT) - February 10, 2022 (time TBD)
Blah, Blah, Blah
Live music is back! Let’s get out there and support the arts in a safe and fun way and also remember to not talk loudly when bands are performing because they can hear you up on stage and it can be distracting and annoying***Diaphanie and Rayannah play The Beer Can at Granite on August 5***Dirty Catfish Brass Band turn up the heat at Blue Note Park on August 6***The Retro Rhythm Review bring the retro fun vibes to Blue Note Park on August 7***Slow Leaves plays music from his amazing new album at Blue Note Part on August 10***Culture Not Condos : Concerts For Equitable Communities is happening on August 13-15 at Blue Note Park featuring Noble Thiefs, Ridley Bent, Sol James and many more***Red Moon Road blasts off at The Beer Can on August 19***Catch Mariachi Ghost (featured in the last issue of Stylus) at Blue Note Park on August 24***August 27 and 28 in Portage la Prairie is the Whoop & Holler Folk Festival featuring Juvel, Little Miss Higgins, Double The Trouble, Burnstick, and much more***September 10 UWSA Roll Call and Sherbrook Street Festival presents free live music at The Beer Can on Granite featuring Ila Barker and Anthony OKS***September 11 Sherbrook Street Festival presents free live music at The Beer Can on Granite with Show Pony, Bridge Academy, and much much more***Godspeed You! Black Emperor on March 17 at The Park Theatre***Lots more stuff will be announced in the coming weeks so make sure to keep checking out local listings and go support live music***
“My heart preaches what my mind knows, sense over emotion” - Meyhem Lauren On the mic and on the dancefloor, Mooki has been carving out a space of his own in Winnipeg’s hip-hop scene for over a dozen years. Adamantly attesting that he’s always loved hip-hop culture as a whole, Mooki elaborates that, “because of breaking, I was able to look at music a little differently.” That unique angle has benefitted Mooki in his relatively short time rapping. With a few assists from the homies along the way, Mooki is now wellestablished within the local music community and eager to continue pursuing a distinct path in the art form he finds expresses himself the best. Long before Mooki had ever released any music, he was well known and connected within the breakdancing community locally, saying, “most people don’t spend 11 years in hip-hop culture before they start making music.” But it was through breakdancing that Mooki was able to initially connect to the hip-hop culture that he so loved and admired. Dancing also afforded Mooki the opportunity to travel around North America entering breakdance competitions, which in turn opened his eyes to the vastness of the culture both locally and abroad. Mooki explains that, “the breakdancing scene is a lot bigger than me,” but that, “I met a lot of really dope individuals through breaking.” But there was something more Mooki had to say, things he could not express simply through dance any longer. Growing up in the city’s West End, Mooki’s older brother was already making hiphop music, rapping and producing, including collaborating with local heavyweight Fresh IE. West End living also provided Mooki a number of other connections in the sizable centre circle of the Venn diagram that is Winnipeg’s West Indian community and the local hip-hop community, in particular one Dill the Giant of 3Peat fame. Mooki describes Dill as encouraging him, with Mooki frequently sending out voice notes of rhymes or little song
ideas. It was Dill and fellow rapper Ed Riley who were the recipients one night of a Mooki voice note, a rough version of what would end up becoming the song “Chop” off of “Mooki Tape.” That same night Mooki attended the Fourth Quarter Records studio for the first time and recorded with BBS Steve the track “Dutty Forces,” also off that first EP. A short, 14 minute jaunt through the West End as seen through the prism of Mooki’s childhood and adolescence, “Mooki Tape” is an extremely cohesive seven song EP. The brief, perfunctory tracks blend together giving a calming feeling, a feeling of being home again. Although he switches it up a bit to more of a singing rap, Mooki’s flow and cadence are generally coming from the school of Roc Marciano, usually a bit slower paced but with the immaculate wordplay and more of a story-based style. Mooki explains that, “Realistically, I’m not looking to tell a specific story; I’m trying to create worlds through my music that people can find their favourite characters and hold them dearest to their hearts.” A task perhaps best compared to that of Atlas, but one Mooki seems entirely confident in. “Blue River” the lead single and video off of “Mooki Tape” dropped a week before the pandemic hit in March of 2020, with the full tape dropping online a few weeks later at the beginning of April. But far from dismayed or disrupted by the COVID chaos, Mooki has soldiered on. In fact, the stay at home orders of the past year and change has allowed Mooki to go for it on his own. Embodying
the independent as fuck ethos, Mooki’s focus right now is on what works best for him, and how can he express himself the best through his music, saying, “I’m really just focused on working by myself as much as possible.” Keeping consistent, Mooki has dropped a number of videos since fall of 2020, most notably the stunningly beautiful yet simple “Jamaican Honey,” produced by Mooki’s homie, St.ill. Recorded at 4:00 a.m. on Mooki’s birthday, the song follows that smoky vibe; close your eyes and you can picture their Exchange District studio early that morning. The run of singles was in the lead up to Mooki’s second EP, “Ma Jolie,” which dropped in May of 2021. The 4 song EP was produced entirely by Tee8, a producer whose beats Mooki selected off YouTube. The project was also mixed and mastered by Mooki himself, admittedly very poorly but intentionally so, to give it that immediacy of the late night bedroom sessions that produced the tracks. Hinting at much on the horizon, including a particularly special project to be titled “Black Sheep,” Mooki is content to forge on and continue exploring the depths of his musical soul. For those fortunate enough to be on board with Mooki so early in his musical journey, stick around, it only goes up from here. NIGEL WEBBER PHOTO BY ADAM DAWDA
WINNIPEG STATE OF MIND: Mooki
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August / September 2021 Stylus Magazine
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The Business of Music: Record Label Agreements MICHAEL DUBOFF Being a musician is a business. Everyone has to make a living, and one way to more likely have a sustainable career as a musician is through the support of a record label, including from recording funds, distribution, and promotion. Resources such as Manitoba Music are great to help artists attract label attention, discover what the labels are looking for, and finding the label that’s the best fit. If you have what they’re looking for, and they’re the right partner for your needs and aspirations, you’re that much closer to signing a label agreement. Before signing, it’s important to understand what the label is proposing, to help you make an informed decision about how to respond to the offer. Below is a brief discussion of some of the topics above the dotted line. For a complete analysis, speak to a music lawyer regarding your specific circumstances. Master Recording License You may be asked to give the label an exclusive license to use the master recordings of your music in a territory for a period of time. An alternative that is generally less in your favour is if you assign all rights including copyright in the music to the label. Initial Term and Option Periods The agreement’s initial term will likely cover a
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specific set of music. The label will also likely want the opportunity to exclusively represent your future music by having the opportunity to extend your commitment by way of “option periods”. During each option period, you will be required to deliver a minimum amount of music. Advances + Recording Funds A key reason to work with a label is their commitment to you – such as money up front in the form of an advance against money they will generate from selling your music. The funds are generally used to pay off costs of making music. As the advance should be non-returnable, you are not required to pay the advance back to the label in the event the album doesn’t sell well. Funds might also come in the form of a specific recording fund, which has its advantages over advances. Grant of Rights It’s reasonable to provide the label all rights it reasonably requires to exploit the master recordings. Regarding use of your image, it may be reasonable to allow the label non-exclusive rights. There are some rights that you may want to resist providing, namely the right to be your publisher as well. Sales The payment of funds generated from sale of your music is generally subject to the recoupment of
advances paid to you by the label. There are various ways these royalties may be structured. One of the most common routes is the net profit route. Here, the label pays you a percentage of the net profit calculated by taking the gross revenue and subtracting the label’s expenses. It’s important to clarify the formulas used to calculate the gross revenue and expenses. Mechanical Rights Assuming you are the singer and songwriter, you will need to give permission to the label to exploit the compositions, in the form of a mechanical license. However, not all mechanical licenses are the same. Release and Marketing Ideally, you’ll receive a commitment for a specific release and preferably there’s a specific financial commitment for marketing initiatives. To the extent possible, you’re ideally involved with the plan. Accounting and Audits The label should provide clarity regarding when you will receive statements outlining everything related to the sales of your music and payment. Breaching the Agreement If you think the label didn’t fulfill their obligations, namely paying you sufficiently and/or on time, there should be a clear process in place to deal with this. With a record label, like any other music relationship, the key is who you are working with because working with the right label, for you, and your project, is usually the most important consideration. Michael can be reached at: michael.duboff@edwardslaw.ca
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August / September 2021 Stylus Magazine
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!EARSHOT 20 FrAÑOL
Worldbeat Canada Radio CANQUEER
Fly Travel Radio
The Phil-In Show
AMPLIFIED RADIO
MODERN JAZZ TODAY
Jazz
DEEP THREES CELT IN A TWIST
BACKBEAT
THE SENTINEL'S MARVELOUS KALEIDOSCOPE
HURLEMENTS SUR LA TOUNDRA
Two Princes Princes
! E A R S H O T D A I LY
FABLES FOR YOUR MICROSCOPE
S.A.N.E. * RADIO
Local Experimental Music
Country/ Roots/ Big, Dumb Rock ‘n’ Roll
TWANG TRUST
So Bad, It’s Good
AMATEUR HOUR
SPACE CADET
MUSIC, OUT OF THIS WORLD
Classical Kaleidoscope
ALTERNATIVE RADIO
The Motherland Influence
NIGHT DANGER RADIO
LISTENING PLEASURES
BREAK NORTH RADIO
METAL MONDAY
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! E A R S H O T D A I LY
PLAYING THE BLUES
BLUESDAY
Lost Chunes
Square wave
Winnipeg Arena is on Fire
The Stuph File
THE GREEN MAJORITY
COUNTRY
BOOTS & SADDLE
THE WONDERFUL & FRIGHTENING WORLD OF PATRICK MICHALISHYN
Electronic
PHASE ONE
Dub City Steppers
Adult Kindergarten
Pop/Rock
TAWNY, THE BRAVE
EAT YOUR ARTS & VEGETABLES
PAGES
STARROAD JUNCTION
MANITOBA MOON
Brain Drainer Radio
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Funky
CHECK CA
THE HOW DO YOU DO REVUE
PEG CITY PLAYLIST
CKUW's Top 30
Chart Noises
THE EXILE FILES
What's Up Winnipeg?
B�R�I�G D�G Past 'n Present Folk 'n Roots
GLOBAL RESEARCH NEWS HOUR
HOW TO SURVIVE A TORNADO
LIVED EXPERIENCES OF HOMELESSNESS
NO FIXED ADDRESS
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!EARSHOT DAILY
ACCESSIBILITY MATTERS
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! E A R S H O T D A I LY
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THE TONIC
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INNER CITY VOICES
PSYCLE RADI0
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outSPOKEn
C�M�D�O�O�O�I�A� R�P�R�
POP/ROCK
DEPARTMENT 13
Wooden Spoons
World - Island Music
FanTasTic fRidaY
DEMOCRACY NOW!
This Way Out
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CKUW MORNING NEWS / FRONT BURNER (CBC)
MORNING BREATH
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ckuWho?
Lost Chunes with Eton Harris
Tuesays 6:00-7:00 PM collection - early Fleetwood Mac, Boz Skaggs in a sweet pink blazer, Alan Parsons. Then in the late 80s it was raiding my brother’s CD and record collection as he took a deep dive into psychedelia if you know what I mean. How did the Pandemic affect your ability to make radio? EH: The pandemic was tough - I love the spontaneity of live radio. All my jokes come from live riffing! Pre-recording from home was killing me. The music selections were carefully thought out but the banter between songs was tough. How do you discover new music or the artists you play on Lost Chunes? EH: Hmmm - new music? What is that? Ha ha - I do keep my ear to the pavement as much as possible. There’s actually a ton of amazing artists making what I’d consider Lost Chunes. Just gotta be on the lookout. How do you decide what to play each week?
WORDS & PHOTO: STYLUS STAFF Stylus : How would you describe your radio program? Eton Harris : Lost Chunes is like driving down the Pacific Coast Highway in 1973 with the top down and your hair flowing in the summer breeze. It’s
those gold soundz, those crate digger’s delights, mom & dad rock for the adult contemporary in your life/soul. How did you get into the music you now love and play on your show? EH: Mostly started with my parent’s record
EH: I usually try to have a bit of a subtle theme to each show - when possible. Summer chunes, psychedelia around 4/20, lost holiday tunes around Krampus, my classic Women in Song mix around March 8th, prideful chunes in June, and I always have a plan to do a summer turning to fall chunes show but never end up coming through on that one - this year though!
Local Spotlight and create a record while locked down in early 2020. Each confined to their own home, they collaborated through texts and DMs, ultimately shaping a broadly-inspired sound. The album takes a bedroom popangled take on 2000s indie rock, sounding simultaneously carefree and preoccupied, as if the record is experiencing mood swings at every turn. Each segment was recorded inside the bandmates’ respective CENTRAL HEAT EXCHANGE homes, generating that homy, closeknit feeling, which is so incredibly Formed by members stretching ironic given the distance separating across the continent, from here in the musicians while they wrote and Winnipeg all the way to Chicago and recorded. Austin, Texas, Central Heat Exchange Distance is a theme not only intrinsic arrives onto the scene with their self- to the creation of Central Heat titled debut, out this September. Exchange, but also a central musical Having all met at shows in previous and lyrical thread tying the record years, the musicians decided to unite
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together. This album sounds like a long distance relationship. It sounds like wondering how your loved ones are doing, miles and miles away. It sounds like separation and reunion all at once. It perfectly summarizes the pains, the joys, the bitter-sweet of distance. Each song is dripping with a hazy, meandering melancholy that ties the album together, displaying the overarching narrative of distance in sonic form. While a tapestry of warm riffs and soft vocals characterize the music, a wider assortment of instrumentation is hidden underneath, from drum machines subtly replacing acoustic kits to violins adding layers to the melody. This variety gives each song its own life, allowing them to stand out from one another just enough while remaining attached as a whole in the
context of the album. On “You Showed Up” the band tells the story of a “friend of a friend, but the kind that sticks around”, a strangely relatable tale of unspoken friendship, perhaps one neither person is even aware of. “Dusty Glass” describes the weight that loss can have on everyday life, that sometimes “it takes all day to get up”. Just like the instrumentation, the lyrics play a similar role in telling their own stories, but all while being connected by the theme of distance and all the feelings that accompany it. While it may serve as a painful reminder of love lost over distance to some, it undoubtedly doubles as a comforting reminder that they are thinking of you too, wherever they are. Olivier LaRoche
Ulteriors pulsing beats, dark minimal bass, softly dissonant vocals and crackling textures. It’s over before you know it and you want more. This is a moody record. Definitely put “Apples For My Love” on your make out playlist at the very least. Joel Klaverkamp
PRAISES EP4 When you’re a music journalist, people will literally send you music to write about that they think you will like and the more they get to know your taste, the better the music you get to listen to! It’s the dream really, I highly recommend you start writing music reviews. That’s how I came upon this little gem from Praises called EP4 on the label Hand Drawn Dracula. It is so good! It is definitely my kind of thing. Unfortunately when you’re a music journalist you often read the preexisting bios and snippets before you start writing and feel like you’ll never be able to do the music justice to describe it so well as it is already described. Well, here goes. Praises slow your heart like a potent drug. The opening track, “Apples for My Love”, is immediate sensory relief. Your breathing slows too. Your surrender is instant. Warm and slow waves of deep peace and dark longing ebb and flow through your mind and body. Like the score to the high school slow dance scene in the imaginary 80s cool indie movie you’ve been developing, the music has now possessed you. “We Let Go’’ is a bubbling rage. It must be said the PJ Harvey vibe is strong on this track. The grooviest one on the EP, it carries you along with it’s low bouncing beat and makes you feel a lot cooler than you actually are until it descends into absolute screaming, nearly unlistenable chaos at the end. OK perhaps not for everyone but like I said, it’s my kind of thing. “Soil” is just straight up murder music. Sinister synths and a pulsing, hypnotic, and simple beat with a soft vocal melody meandering around up top. It is crash you into the rocks kind of music. Desolation jams. This whole EP is night drive music. Goth in vibe. Synthetic leather. The final track, “A World On Fire” wraps up the EP perfectly. More
ALICE AVA “THE HUNTED” MUSIC VIDEO Some music videos just make sense. Not necessarily in a logical or objective way, but they work in perfect synchronicity with the song on a level of harmony that cannot be summarized easily. This, of course, is the case with Alice Ava’s video for the song “The Hunted” from her latest album Can You Feel It. The song evidently showcases Alice’s talent and pedigree as an artist, having played in various bands since 2002. This latest record is described as one that deals with the contradictions faced in life, and “The Hunted”, accompanied by its video, could not have portrayed this element any better. The ominous pitched chants that introduce the song are mirrored in the video by superimposed shots of the singer amongst the clouds cloaked in dark clothing. As soon as the drums and infectious bass line kick in, the video cuts to oddly groovy shots of Alice walking across Brooklyn rooftops. Again, the synergy between the song and picture is satisfying but inexplicable. It just works. The song itself feels like a groovy, headstrong tune after the dark introduction. In fact, the almost sinister first leg of the track is entirely forgotten when it is replaced by the pumping rhythm of the verses. The lyrics bring a stark contrast to this seemingly joyful energy however, with lines like: “All that you had wanted is gone now, abandoned”. Even the title, “The Hunted”, suggests a dire tone. The strange but beautiful darkness of it all is perfectly replicated in the video. In fact, certain shots of Alice cleverly point to this mixture of light and dark,
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between her joyful, bouncy walk and her ghastly black gown. Other shots in the video, like the little glimpses into everyday life, like brushing her teeth or going for a drive, also point to this straddled line between happy and sad. Depending on the day, or who you are with, or what you are listening to, these everyday occurrences can be incredibly pleasant and light, or can be extremely difficult. This angle adds to the ambiguity of the experience. Depending on your mood, this video can make the song feel so much more upbeat, or vastly more depressing. The winter also defines the video, from the barren trees to the shots of shovelled snow. As Alice says herself, “Cold felt right for this song”. It’s up to you to decide if it makes you smile or makes you shiver. Olivier LaRoche
MOTORISTS SURROUNDED When you first look at the cover of Motorists’ debut LP Surrounded, the amalgamation of roads, bridges, and cars is clearly and deliberately messy. It’s a rat’s nest representative of the chaotic and relentless hustle and pressure we put ourselves through. The black and yellow contrast further adds to the anxiety-inducing nature of the art- like a thousand wasps are flying around, ready to strike. It’s eye-catching, powerful, and, most importantly, it’s a visual thesis for the album. On Surrounded, Motorists blends cynicism, ennui, and apathy into a motley collection of songs built around the symptoms of unfettered technological innovation. Through the tune of power-pop, punk, postpunk, classic rock, and various other influences, Motorists express their supposition not with a quiet whisper but with a loud and proud shout. The band’s creative wit pushes the themes further than your traditional misanthropes. They are aware enough to explore the possibilities made available by innovation and technology, and there isn’t a track that
ever feels particularly dower. There are no melodramatic interludes or even Thom Yorke-style platitudes to wallow in. Lead vocalist Craig Fahner uses his experience on the road touring to simply point out how life is. Fortunately, you don’t have to wait long to figure out what the band wants you to hear. The album opener “Surrounded” spends a great deal of time dismantling any form of structured community it can find. From suburbia to communes, the narrator, clearly feeling thwarted, packs his bags and hits the road, looking for another opportunity in the next town over. It’s an enjoyable bop, and the outlaw country bones of this song play nicely with the punk aesthetic. As the album progresses, the idealism of the band shines. On tracks like “Through to You.” Fahner expresses the need for genuine human connection. “I’ve been seeing through the lens of another eye to get through to you,” Fahner signs through a tight janglepop chorus. Like a road trip down a web of highways and overpasses, Surrounded gives us a glimpse into the frailty of life. Motorists show us how anxiety and interpersonal relationships can become strained from years of overdependence on technology, but how a change of scenery or even a different outlook can help us grow and learn. Myles Tiessen 2ND GRADE WISH YOU WERE HERE TOUR REVISITED Normally, when I review an album, I review it in context with the artist(s) other works. How does it fit? Have they progressed to new territory? Or have they stagnated? Reflecting on this style of review I began to question its fairness. Is it fair to judge an album based on their previous works? I’m sure we have all heard objectively good albums that fell short of our own builtup expectations and were ultimately discarded. In the face of this question, I will be reviewing 2nd grade’s sophomore album: Wish You Were Here Tour Revisited with “no context”. Pete Gill wrote the songs to Wish You Were Here Tour at a frenetic pace over the course of one summer back in 2018. Recording all the instruments himself, Gill never anticipated his LoFi garageband recorded album would see wider release beyond the few tapes put out by Philadelphia’s Sleeper Records. In 2020, equipped with a full
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Siggelkow reconciles in lieu of a series is more curious than afraid of what band, Gill and co decided to re-record 8 Adult might come over the horizon. of emergency doors and her own self songs and include remastered versions of For fans of: Phoebe Bridgers, Dizzy, consciousness (bleeding out of my Barking all 14 of the original tracks. hand/I called him and said/comin’ Tomberlin. Daniel Kussy Adult The first thing that struck me about Boots as fast as i can/his whole face turned the album was the Rush of Lo-Fi guitars Barking Cadet green/but he stayed brave for me). on the introductory song “As Long As Adult Boots CKUW SHOW SLOT PUZZLE The dreamy guitars on “what if love Carp We Can Talk About It.” Masterfully BY DAVID TYMOSHCHUK Barking isn’t enough” are a brief departure Cadet complimenting the guitar was a driving Checkca from the sadgirl-meets-bedroom Boots rhythm section which had my head Carp Adult indie sound that is signature to Ellis, D R E D B O X R E Cadet G F Checkca I H Danger bopping almost immediately. Gill’s vocal Dog they glisten underneath Siggelkow’ s Barking meshes wonderfully with the jovial guitar Carp E G O X O C F V I B D F F Danger window gazing, baring the question at God and upbeat rhythm while the lyrics Boots hand that shares the title. Checkca Dog juxtapose what could be relationship R G Y U C G G W X S W S I Hide “hell,” the final track, is a chilling problems onto the overall upbeatCadet song. Danger God duet with satanic sweetheart Brandon After maintaining a frantic pace, laden G V I B E S R B I V O R Y Island Dog Hide Williams (aka “Chastity”). Siggelkow Carp Ivory with interesting drum fills and soaring gives a nod to Phoebe Bridgers, IslandT S S S A T U R D A God Y H T guitar, 2nd grade slows things Checkca down on Kindergarten melodically channeling the explosive Hide one of my favourite songs off the album Ivory Princes Q U A D R A F U N K L A U emo-folk singer “Scott Street,” Danger “The Bad Boys of Rock _ roll”. With Gill Island KindergartenQuadrafunk Siggelkow matches her heavy-handed in almost hypnotic fashion repeating the S A D D L E U B R Ivory U O W C Dog Princes yet tongue-in cheek lyricism (“is it Red box line “they’re the bad boys of rock and roll,” the heat or the loneliness/the fear Quadrafunk which wormed its way into my God head and C H E C K C A E D Kindergarten H U N A Saddle that makes your stomach turn/well lingered days after listening. Things pick Princes Red box it can’t be any worse than this”). The Hide B A R K I N G A M Quadrafunk V I Y R Saturday back up almost immediately with “no Saddle wholesome chemistry is vibrant when Space more parties” and the introspective “Work Island O O X Q U N I S L A N D P Red box their voices synchronize (“I’ve seen Saturday till I die,” another stand out track, possibly Tawny hell and I’m not afraid to die”). Saddle Ivory reflecting his laborious job renting swan SpaceE O V O Y A G E M S P A C Vibes Best experienced under the deep blue boats on the Delaware river that summer Saturday Tawny Kindergarten Voyage street lights on Wellington outside T C A D E T P R I Space N C E S in 2018. Vibes of Munson Park, “nothing is sacred The energy peaks with thePrinces album’s S K I N D E R G A Tawny R T E N anymore” bathes in the moonlight, and Voyage heaviest song “Kick in the Head” which Quadrafunk had my whole body moving. The reVibes recorded songs close with “Held Redback” box Voyage 95.9 FM CKUW CAMPUS/COMMUNITY RADIO which perfectly combines the slower BOOTS & SADDLE 200 TH SHOW PLAYLIST ( July 20, 2021) sound the band achieved on BadSaddle Boys of !=LOCAL CONTENT * =CANADIAN CONTENT Rock_Roll with the rush of Lo-Fi guitar Saturday and drums, driving songs like “Wish you ARTIST SONG RELEASE were here tour” and “Superglue.” Space Gill’s vocal work shines throughout all of Sean Burns & Lost Country ! Chaparral A Bakersfield Half-Dozen the re-recorded tracks, and this Tawny holds for Ray Price Better Class of Losers Prisoner of Love Cal Smith Loser’s Lounge Drinking Champagne the demos as well, which provide a more Vibes Chris Gaffney Loser’s Paradise Loser’s Paradise stripped back take of the songs I came to Voyage David Houston A Loser’s Cathedral A Loser’s Cathedral really enjoy. While the spirit of the demos Jimmy Martin & Ralph Stanley Stone Walls & Steel Bars First Time Together clearly exist on the re-recorded tracks, the Dick Curless Loser’s Cocktail Capitol Collectors Series versions are different enough to still feel Tammy Wynette The Bottle I Still Believe in Fairy Tales fresh. The demos also really highlight the George Jones I Always Wind Up Loser The Ballad Side Of George Jones personal nature Gill injects into his lyrics, Dave Insley Win-Win Situation for Losers Just the Way That I Am and songs like “I’m an Old Dog” give us an Dave Van Ronk Losers Down in Washington Square: ... intimate look inside his mind. One Hundred Dollars * Everybody Wins Songs of Man Overall this was an album I really David Allen Coe 3 Time Loser Compass Point enjoyed. It had nostalgic elements David Thompson * Losers Bar & Grill A Sketch In Country reminiscent of the early 2010’s but still A Born Loser The Essential Don Gibson felt fresh. Even after listening to the record Carl Belew Three Cheers for the Loser Wishful Thinking several dozen times. Wish You Were Here Losers Weepers The Magic Touch Of Floyd Cramer Floyd Cramer Tour successfully left me wanting more. Leave It to a Loser Georgia Hard Robbie Fulks Luckily, since this was my first foray into Jerry Lee Lewis Born To Be a Loser Southern Roots 2nd Grade’s catalogue I still have their Loser Making Good Single Red Sovine 2020 debut record Hit to Hit to listen to! Monday-Friday Idiot(S) ! Loser’s Game Who Done What Now? M. Adam I’m the Honky Tonk On.. Hank Williams, You Wrote My... Moe Bandy ELLIS NOTHING IS SACRED ANYMORE The melancholic piano melody on “dopamine” stands adjacent to a clear starry night, so long as the sun is rising when the instrumentation expands towards the end to include heavy-handed drums. The delicate and ever angelic voice of Linnea Siggelkow, who performs under the moniker “Ellis,” aches with loneliness and the following lust for connection throughout the EP. on “hospital,”
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Casey James Prestwood & The Burning Angels King of All Losers
Merle Haggard & The Strangers Amber Digby Johnny Rivers Freddy Powers Lullaby Baby Trio Johnny Paycheck Ernest Tubb Darrell McCall George Jones Paul Weber * Jay Lee Webb Pickin’ On Series Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
Born Too Late I’m a Good Loser Hag Loser’s Game Here Come the Teardrops Loser’s Can’t Win Go, Johnny, Go! Loser The Spree of ‘83: The Life and.... Even the Losers Lullaby Renditions of Tom Petty... Loser of the Year Lovers and Losers Yesterday’s Winner Is A Loser... Single The Loser The Essential Darrell McCall Even the Loser (Likes to Dre.. At His Best Two Bits Worth of Hurtin’ Two Bits Worth of Hurtin’ The House Where Losers Go Single Even the Losers Pickin’ on Petty: A Bluegrass... Even the Losers Damn the Torpedoes
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August / September 2021 2020 Stylus Magazine
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UPCOMING EVENTS BAHAMAS WITH MADISON CUNNINGHAM
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10 Stylus Magazine August / September 2021
