6 minute read
Waves - Kelly McMichael
Fresh Tracks: New Music Talk with Wendy Rose
Kelly McMichael
– this line from my interview with Kelly McMichael stands out, and not just because the cover of Waves features the musician rockin’ her best cowboy outfit on a horse.
The year 2020 was hellish for musicians worldwide, but McMichael persevered and cameout of interprovincial lockdown with a beautiful album that bridges decades of pop, rock, electronic and alternative music. Think maybe Annie Lennox of the Eurythmics, if she had been writing with riot grrrls Kathleen Hannah and PJ Harvey, while more current bands like Snail Mail and Waxahatchee took notes.
Waves opens with “I Missed Out on Everything,” which feels like an extremely apt opener, given this past year. “Memories hit me, they’re flooding in, taking over, I’ve lost my mind,” McMichael sings in the opening lines. Written prepandemic, this song is a eulogy for time spent and time lost.
With its catchy keyboard melodies, “Out the Window” feels like a lost ’80s pop song. This track lifts its listener up, inspiring them to “leave that weight behind” and get out there and have some fun, maybe get a little wild.
We slow down a little on “Stepping Stone,” exploring some of the darker sides of working in the music industry, such as the effects of a working relationship on personal relationships. “Friends, they come and go, and I hear your song on the radio. Was I just a stepping stone for you?” McMichael asks. This line illustrates the delicate balance of artistic collaboration and exploiting someone’s talent for personal gain, and how to navigate personal/ business partnerships.
Jill Willcott photo
“She Makes Men” became a quick favourite for many, a memorable pop song with its witty lyrics detailing a humorous circumstance where an attractive man, who could have any woman, crushes on a lesbian – the one woman who doesn’t want him. By the second chorus, you’ll be singing along with it.
The fifth track, “It Will Pass” is another incredible slow jam, with gorgeous violin. This track leans into the mayhem of a manic depressive episode, before enveloping the listener in a calming hug as the song fades out.
“Good Friends” is a classic feel-good song about the power of friendship, with simplistic guitar strumming carrying us through this short, yet sweet, two-minute song. The speed picks back up on “I Won’t Stop,” a fun electronic/ pop/rock piece that examines the emotional turmoil associated with overcoming feelings of inadequacy or mistreatment. “Someone has to leave, but it’s not me. I won’t stop until I win,” McMichael sings, offering a middle finger on one hand and a high five on the other.
The hit single “Montreal” is a personal favourite. A trip to Montreal is almost like a rite of passage for many young folks, especially musicians and arts enthusiasts, seeking something new or simply avoiding their current reality. In a time when travel is limited, the feeling of nostalgia this song evokes for lovers of the French city makes it an instant classic.
“Love is on Now” is a dreamy pop song, with a melancholic yet confident mood that just makes you want to sing along with McMichael’s gorgeous vocal stylings. The album’s final track, “Can’t at All,” explores the important balance of work and play. Though it seems like Kelly McMichael, with her many musical projects, talents and skills, could teach a masterclass on riding out the waves.
Q&A with the Artist
Jill Willcott photo
Wendy Rose: Waves was officially released on May 20, 2021, after three singles got folks excited in advance for the full-length album… What was your favourite bit of feedback from that time, as your new baby made its way out into the world?
Kelly McMichael: It is my baby! Describing what your own music is like is kinda brutal, so it’s been amazing to read some of the thoughtful takes from others. I was incredibly stoked to get compared to Elton John and Liz Phair, and as an overview, I loved Matt Williams from National Music Canada’s take: “a wild spectrum of popcentric sounds like lush psychedelia, laid-back alternative, soft soul and driving ’80s synth glam, yet still cohesive.” I’m recycling that one so I don’t have to describe it myself anymore with a lazy “alt/pop/rock.”
WR: So much has changed for you and the world since you started recording material for Waves: you were in St. John’s, got drafted to tour with Sarah Harmer, dealt with the pandemic crushing that reality and ended up on lockdown in Ontario living with your parents… How do you feel when you reflect on that tumultuous time?
KM: It’s heavy. It’s been a lot, hence the title Waves and the cover of me on a horse. And as magical as recording was, 2019 was the hardest year of my life, so I was ready for a great 2020… [sighs] I feel proud and relieved to have finally made it to this point, but I could have gone for a few less bumps along the way. Getting the Harmer gig [keyboard/vocals in Harmer’s band] was a dream, getting some grants to record my songs with my favourite musicians was a dream – the other circumstances were very challenging and the wait has been painful. But things are looking up!
WR: Thankfully here in Newfoundland, we’re able to see live music here in St. John’s. What are your plans for Waves throughout the rest of 2021? Perhaps an island tour?
KM: I can’t wait to play rock shows with a band again, to serve the album’s purpose of spreading rock and joy… I would love to play some island shows this summer and fall, and spend some time in some of those beautiful places around the bay. I’m planning some other East Coast shows and there are also whispers of a tour in Europe... I’d like to get as many of my own shows in before I hit the road with Sarah Harmer again in 2022.
WR: Releasing an album while in isolation must be a, well, isolating experience. Thank God for the internet! You mentioned there being “extremely wacky” circumstances surrounding your album release... Can you elaborate?
KM: Wacky… Well, yes... I was in isolation at a hotel in Charlottetown, PEI, with a crew of theatre people for the production Between Breaths. Though I am fortunate to have a gig, and get to tour, I never imagined this would be my world for the release of my first full-length album. The internet was patchy, which was stressful, and doing the computer work without the playing music part, without my band, without crowds... it’s a bit heartbreaking. But I’m also so happy to finally get it out. It was a mixed bag of feelings, and something about being in isolation just really drilled the strangeness of the last year and the challenges I’ve had in my life... but I feel hopeful and, like, that’s what I do –prevail through tough sh*t – so gimme the reins and let’s ride out the storm!
