Reviews

A Tribe Called Red: Nation 11 Nation

Submitted by cashbox on Thu, 05/16/2013 - 14:14

Tribal Spirit

On this sophomore release, A Tribe Called Red flex their technological muscles with slick and hooky manipulation of samples, multi-tracked pow wow drums and genre stretching vocals. The basic approach of mixing up pow wow music with modern dance sounds was born in the clubby environment of Ottawa’s Electric Pow Wow parties. It proved a grabby blend from the get go and since then the guys have wisely worked at enriching the sound every which way.

Having made their case for an Aboriginal urban dance sound, the trio of DJ NDN (the performance name of Ian Campeau), Bear Witness and DJ Shub (Dan General) are beefing up their style by stretching out towards a futuristic dubstep pow wow sound all its own.
The arrangements are clever enough for the tunes to mutate naturally from one set of beats into another. It’s a hooky thing, born from the dance floor, but such is the meld the guys are putting together, even the most socially conscious tracks never drag on dropping the message. Not unexpected from an album where the technology is thoroughly informed by the organic rhythms of pow wow drumming.

Jane’s Party: Hot Noise

Submitted by cashbox on Thu, 05/09/2013 - 12:04

Independent

No flies on the guys in Jane’s Party. Just under three months after dropping an EP, "Til You Got Yours", a new full-length album is ready to go. It’s the first since the foursome’s 2009 debut ‘The Garage Sessions’ and if you liked the sunnier sides of that, you’re gonna love this one.

It’s mostly about that sunny, upbeat sensibility which enables them to open for a variety of upper-tier acts from Kathleen Edwards to Jully Black, Jim Cuddy to Zeus.

There are the obligatory downtempo moments but the prevailing tone is set on opener "Palm Reading," with its bright’n’bouncy guitar lines, snappy drum patter and multi-layered harmonies. Dudes involved are Jeff Giles, Devon Richardson, Tom Inoscu and Zack Sutton and they’re very much doing the ensemble thing, with all writing, playing, even harmonies credited across the board to Jane’s Party.

The production reflects this with producer Taylor Knox throwing up a solid little wall of sound, using sparkling guitar riffs and evocative organ bits as inspired decorations. In this regard, standouts are “Loose Ends” and “Hot Noise Pt. 2” but all over the thing, there’s tasty picking’n’ riffing.

It’s a slick set that’s light but not air-headed, sweet but not syrupy and sure to nest in car speakers everywhere this summer.

As befitting its romantic nature, 'Hot Noise' drops May 21, just in time for Opening Day (May 24) of Outdoor Shagging Season 2013.

James Lizzard

Andria Simone: El Mocambo

Submitted by cashbox on Thu, 05/09/2013 - 11:02

Toronto ON
Photo: Andria taking a little piece of your heart...

So it’s back to the exposed bricks and minimal wall coverings at the El Mo, making it just that little bit more challenging for mixing at volume. More on this later.
The willowy and tempestuous Andria Simone was in the house to work her debut disc 'Nothing Comes Easy' and generally buff up the brand. At 23, Simone’s still young enough to pull off the hippie brat rocker personna and it’s working for her, as a dance floor of adoring young female fans attested. They stayed with Simone throughout the trip, bustin’ out to every song and singing the words to covers and originals alike with bright-eyed enthusiasm.

No Joy: Wait To Pleasure

Submitted by cashbox on Fri, 05/03/2013 - 11:48

Mexican Summer

Ok, there’s a little more joy this time around. Still sounds unmistakably the work of NJ’s ladies Jasamine White-Gluz and Laura Lloyd. Formerly firmly filed under shoegazing, this is the sound of No Joy looking to come a little ways out from under and buff up the brand.

They smartly build on the elements of 2010 debut Ghost Blonde to rock out a little harder and in the process, sounding more like a band.

The message is sent right from the start by opener ‘E’, five minutes plus of riff-rich rock and underlined by the blazing speed of “Lizard Kids” and the hook-happy “Ignored Pets”. They aren’t just another shoegaze band, see. They’re one that’s not afraid to fuzz out and get all distorto.

The playing’s matched by an increase in vocal intensity from the ladies with more major key hooks. That they’re buried way deep in the mix is an irritant when it comes to decoding the lyrics.

Given that they’ve always penned allusive and slippery lyrics it would be nice to get to the core of such as “Blue Neck Riviera” and “Lunar Phobia”.

There are a few missteps, “Wrack Attack” among them but No Joy have crafted a soph album that does with one is supposed to. Namely, build on the sound of the debut to keep the fan base and show enough forward movement to hook fresh ears.

Lenny Stoute

Young Galaxy: Ultramarine

Submitted by cashbox on Fri, 05/03/2013 - 11:46

Paper Bag Records

Still not standing still, Vantown’s Young Galaxy’s fourth album, Ultramarine is a giant step from the guitar-driven indie rock of their f9rst albums into a total immersion in synth-pop and electronica.  The signposts appeared on the Shapeshifting album and reflected the influence of Swedish electronic producer Dan Lissvik. For this one, the boys put away the guitars and pedals and flew to Sweden to work with Lissvik on his home turf.

The result is not as cold as it may sound. Opener “Pretty Boy,” lives up to the ‘pretty’ part with lightly pattering beats and defining synths making gorgeous backdrop for Catherine McCandless’ warm vocals. On that front, the lady elevates her game on the majestically melodic “New Summer”, with lyrics like. “It never would have been as good if built to last. We never would have stood a chance if it didn’t move fast”, coming soon from an open car window near you.

Individual appreciation of this album will come down to your tolerance for Eighties dance music. Given that musically Sweden is in a time warp, Lissvik brings every Eighties trad touch to the party without a trace of irony.

Everyone involved sounds like they’re having a fun time. The sound is bright and sharp-edged, the ensemble playing tight, McCandless has never sounded better. But still this nostalgia trip could have used some edge to help it stand out from the rest of the Eighties recyclers.

James Lizzard

China Crisis Live!

Submitted by cashbox on Fri, 05/03/2013 - 11:19

Submitted by Michael Williams
Photo Credit Cyndi Ingle Photography
Photo at right: Eddie Lundon and Michael Williams

Hailing from Liverpool, the home of the Beatles, Gary Daly and Eddie Lundon started China Crisis in 1979 and released their first single in 1982. “African and White” was picked up by Virgin Records. It charted on UK radio leading the way for their second single “Christian” (#12 on the charts). Virgin’s expansion to Canada aided the band in their success here. With such outstanding initial success they continued to turn out perfect pop songs with a soulful depth rarely heard back in the day of Wham. They used Walter Becker of Steely Dan as producer, and guitarist, for two albums - “Flaunt the Imperfection” and Diary of a Hollow Horse”. “Flaunt the Imperfection” was a massive hit and achieved critical acclaim.

As the record business changed, bands with members over a certain age were set adrift in the changing digital music distribution landscape. Littered with independent labels and specialty labels, what does a band do while waiting for the dust to clear? Play live.

Recently, I saw the best China Crisis live shows ever in Toronto and Hamilton. This trio, featuring Brian McNeil on keyboards, were great fun. Fans made their way from all over eastern Canada to see them and it was well worth the trip. I had an opportunity to interview Gary and Eddie just before they went on stage for their Hamilton show.

Drake Jensen: OUTlaw

Submitted by cashbox on Fri, 04/26/2013 - 03:43

Soaring Eagle Productions

Awright buckaroos and buckarettes, Drake Jensen’s back with some sweetass music so y’all better be watching. On account of the gay thing, dude’s debut disc was a well-behaved calling card, designed to at least get his boots inside the door. That one dropped in ’11 and since then Drake’s not only put himself way inside the room, he’s looking at redesigning the sucker.

So this time around, the big guy can unlax and have fun and it shows large. Backed by his OUTlaw band, itself anchored by the amazing chops of producer/multi-instrumentalist Jonathan Edwards, Jensen is in full on beltin’n’croonin’ modes, where appropriate.

The interpretations, the attention and expression of nuance is coming easy here as is the song craft displayed on the Jensen-written or co-written tracks on the album.

Opener and deserved first single, “When It Hurst Like That” is trad country all the way, leaving it up to the vocals to elevate the tune and dude does great in that regard. “Fast Enough For Me” follows with Jensen dropping into a gravely growl atop a Texas swing rhythm with this snappy self-penned ode to life in the love lane. Another Jensen-written (co-write with Tia McGraff and Tommy Parnham) “Checotah Oklahoma” follows, leaning more on the baritone end of his range and with stark lyrics and an ominous drum pattern reminiscent of a Johnny Cash number.

Cinemascope Bill King

Submitted by cashbox on Fri, 04/26/2013 - 02:59

Submitted by Sandy Graham

This multi-talented musician has done it again. He has managed to capture a feeling by his sincere and beautiful offering of music through his heart and soul of his piano. After the release of his last CD, “Gloryland”, this new CD takes a different direction in the mosaic of musical interests that capture Bill King’s creative inspiration. He is a very visual soul, and his photo postings with his camera show that side of his nature.

Screening great cinema is a matter of practice in his house. King has a great passion for foraging through specialty bins in off centre video outlets looking for that special gem. He also recently started posting rare vintage photographs of Hollywood and specifically the starlets of that era on his Facebook.

“My new CD “Cinemascope” arrives as my response to the world around me, much of it is shaped by film. The twelve compositions orchestrated for piano occur for various regions of the mind and soul, channeled through persons, places and celluloid time.”

KEN mode: Entrench

Submitted by cashbox on Fri, 04/19/2013 - 03:45

Season of Mist

Ok crucifixion season is over but Entrench qualifies as a genuine resurrection. If you’ve never heard of this headbangin’ Winnipeg quintet, it’s easy to assume they’re a new thing you’ve missed. At once fiercely classic and stylishly modern, this collection doesn’t sound at all like a fifth album, which it is.

Something good happened between album #four and Entrench to Jesse Matthewson (guitars, vocals, bass, piano, microkorg), Shane Matthewson (drums) and Andrew LaCour (bass, vocals). In the decade since KEN mode’s been in the rock’n’roll game, they’ve made music that may have been a little too hemmed in by the Henry Rollins’ infamous “Kill Everyone Now” aesthetic. Dabbling as it does in prog rock, hardcore and sludge rock, Entrench is the sound of this band breaking free of its past.

Frontman Jesse Matthewson sounds restless and pissed off, tearing through rants against religion, middle-aged authority, staying wih the ideals and time’s erosion of the teen spirit. They’ve covered similar ground before but this time around the playing is on fire; sharp, searing guitar solos and a bruising rhythm section demand that hold your attention.

The Pope Knows – Carole Pope Live

Submitted by cashbox on Fri, 04/19/2013 - 03:43

Submitted to Cashbox Canada

The Canadian icon, best known for her work with long time musical partner, Kevan Staples, in the band, Rough Trade during the late 70’s and into the mid 80’s, performed April 13 at The Brass Monkey in Ottawa, Ontario.

Carole was noted to be one of the first openly lesbian entertainers in the world to achieve mainstream fame.

Thirty some years later, Carole Pope who has maintained a lower profile career, still has the voice and charisma as she had back then. Opening up her set with the “All Touch/No Contact”, the type of song that brings you right back to her rockin’ concerts in the 80’s.

“High School Confidential” with its long lived popularity quickly brought people on to the dance floor. At the time of its release, “High School Confidential” was one of the most sexually explicit songs ever to reach the Canadian pop charts, and despite the sexual ambiguity, the first with such strong lesbian overtones. Other notable songs that were performed from the Rough Trade era were “Crimes of Passion” and “Weapons”.