OPUS OPUS
OPUS
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF WRITERS
Chris Swyer
MANAGING EDITOR
Darby MacArthur
ASSISTANT EDITOR
Isabelle Bullock
CREATIVE DIRECTOR AND LAYOUT
Darby MacArthur
opusfomsc@gmail.com
Emrys Bourdeau
Isabelle Bullock
Finnian Gilbride
Darby MacArthur
Jacob McKenzie
Hunter Stull
Chris Swyer
Tammy Tran
Connor Tustian
FRONT/BACK COVER PHOTOS
Oliver Adolph
PHOTO CREDITS
Claus Andersen
Justice Bekke
Natalie Nguyen
Chris Swyer
Saul torres
CONTENTS
SAVERIA on Artist Identity
GEAR GUIDE: Guitar Edition
To Music Floor or Not to Music Floor?
Music Clubs at Western: Find Your Rhythm
A Crash Course on Music Courses
A Guide to London’s Music Venues
Jazz Up Your Night Out With Juice Jams
The takeover of sam hansell
A Call to Action for the Pop Program
Opera Review: The Life Behind Die Fledermaus
Creativity and Rebellion: Dissecting Alternative Music
Our Top Albums of 2024
“Explore your art and what you love about it.”
SAVERIA is an influential and indispensable musician in the London scene who has witnessed and experienced the ups and downs of the music industry. She’s a London local and expresses her love for the advancements this city has made for her music career through grassroots initiatives, career opportunities, and communal support. With her learned knowledge of the industry, she suggests ways to transcend your own music career and how to get involved with the local music community.
Photo: Natalie Nguyen, @innatsnature, StompFest 2024 at Poacher’s Arms, Pictured: Saveria
Saveria’s career began with a love for music. She viewed music as an outlet during her childhood, stating that it was her “way of communicating her feelings” with the people around her: “I locked myself in my room and sang through it all,” she recalls. After many years of vocal lessons, she appeared on the Canadian music reality show, The Launch, in 2019, winning and releasing her charted song, “Down to the Roots.” She was also featured on American Idol in 2020.
Unfortunately, Saveria’s journey wasn’t always uphill; she was dropped by the major label, Big
Machine Records, in 2018, but found her way through experiences like these and made her own place in the industry. “I’ve won so many battles, and lost so many, but I’ve been reassured by my community about what I’m meant to do,” she states. Setbacks allowed her to find connection and independence in the music scene, finding her identityalongtheway–hernewlyreleasedalbum, Mosaic,sharesareflectionofhertrueartistry.
Saveria claims that London is one of the best communities for artists; it’s always looking for new creatives to support them. In 2021, London was titled as Canada’s first United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) City of Music, and is home to the London Music Office, London Arts Council, and London Arts Live, which offer a huge variety of opportunities for local artists (gigs, grants, hubs, etc.). Saveria states that these connections allowed her to travel, network, showcase her music, and even live in other UNESCO citieslikeQuerétaro,Mexico.
In a city with so many other musicians, Saveria shares that you must “know what you want to sing about and why” – passion and intent make you who you are as an artist, your own uniqueness. She says to “look deeper into your music vocabulary by sitting down and exploring the things that you love, the things that come to you naturally” – by finding your interests, strengths, and dreams, you can “explore your art and what you love about it.”
She also advocates to “let people know who you are.” You should integrate yourself into the community by showing up, sharing progress, and making connections to build your own career and identity. She states that getting involved doesn’t just help your own artist identity, but also those within your community, and by showing other artists that you appreciate them, they will appreciate you – get connected, introduce yourself, and most
Photo: Natalie Nguyen, @innatsnature, StompFest 2024 at Poacher’s Arms
for a new guitarist, one that even many
Taking care of a guitar is a daunting task experienced guitarists wrestle with often.
There’s so much to know, and it can be overwhelming. Check out this gear guide:
STRINGS STRINGS
The first thing to know about strings is the type you need to buy. Electric and acoustic guitars typically use steel strings, while classical guitars typically use nylon ones. The string gauge is also very important, acoustic guitars have much thicker strings than electrics. How to change your strings is based on what kind of
guitar you have, try to find a tutorial on YouTube for your specific model of guitar. Wire cutters can be helpful, both to cut the old pair of strings and to trim down the new pair. When cutting the new strings, make sure to give 1-2 inches of extra room to wind on the tuning peg. Cleaning your fretboard and adjusting your pickup heights are significantly easier with no strings on, and are sometimes worth doing before restringing.
PEDALS PEDALS
Pedals can be a great way to level up your tone as a guitar player.
Distortion pedals are a classic, especially for hard rock or metal music. They can quickly and easily increase your volume, which is useful when you need to take a solo. Good distortion pedals include the Rat and the Boss DS-1.
Reverb, Chorus and Delay are often grouped, but they have important unique effects. Reverb should be avoided in large spaces with natural reverb, a good starter is the Boss reverb pedal. Chorus has a similar effect, replicating the same signal milliseconds later. Delay, especially snapback delay with a short decay time, can help to easily fill out space in the mix.
Wah and Tremolo effects are an amazing way to spice up your tone. Auto-Wah pedals like the MXR can achieve a similar effect without the manual effort of a true Wah pedal. Solid Wah pedal options include the Crybaby or Vox.
Looper pedals can also be a great tool for practicing, and are affordable.
Digital pedalboards are a worthwhile investment in avoiding a cable management nightmare. Its important to do sufficient research before buying pedals, don’t forget consider your type of guitar, amp, budget, and style of music you want to play.
To Music Floor or Not to Music Floor?
Isabelle Bullock & Finnian Gilbride
The Music Floor™ is located on the second floor of Delaware Hall Residence at Western. It’s one of multiple Living Learning Communities (LLCs) across campus, populated by students from the Music Faculty. Sounds like a great idea: give people the opportunity to spend quality time with their peers, and they will have a more fulfilling residence experience. The Music Floor always has a unique atmosphere, but is it all it's cracked up to be? This article is here to set the record straight.
The Pros
A major benefit to living on The Music Floor is that everyone loves the idea of living with other musicians, of course. Taking two steps from your room and being able to annoy your classmates by asking for help on troubling theory assignments becomes a daily occurrence. Everyone is stuck together for the year, bringing everyone closer and making simple tasks like walking to class an adventure. The small community that is built becomes a safe place to collaborate and share ideas. It has become the ultimate hangout spot for first-year music students from Delaware, other residences, and even students not in the music program. Jamming becomes a part of the student's daily lives. It helps form connections while being a fun way to spend your time. There is always something for everyone and it just takes time to find other people with common interests. The combination of everyone’s unique personalities creates great memories that will last a lifetime. This year, the band Pilk was created by students of The Music Floor who performed at a few open mics that were hosted during O-Week. This was a bonding experience for the floor that they’ll remember fondly.
The Cons
It’s not all sunshine and rainbows. There is always music on The Music Floor, and always means always. Most of the time its fine, a quiet acoustic guitar from down the hall never hurt anyone, but it’s not always a quiet acoustic guitar, and it’s not always at the most convenient times. Ever so often your sleep has to be put on pause for a few minutes or more from midnight hijinks. It can also be tough at times to spend day in and day out with the same people. Having all of your classes with the same crowd on top of living with them can pose some challenges. Considering that music is the smallest program, there’s a finite number of people you can meet.
To Music Floor or Not to Music Floor?
The overwhelming response from the students of The Music Floor is to Music Floor. It’s a great environment to become a well-rounded musician and build a sense of community. “Happening, a very happening place.” are the words many used to describe The Music Floor. Regardless of what instrument you play or what your major is, there’s something to be gained by spending time with others who share your passion and enthusiasm for music.
Photo: Chris Swyer, Delaware Hall Residence, Western University
GLOBAL GROOVES @globalgroovesuwo
Created last winter, Global Grooves is a music collective that seeks to highlight POC performers on campus. Their main goals are to diversify the music scene at Western and to form a core band that will perform at events for other clubs and venues. In the past, the group has hosted performances with the purpose of providing more opportunities geared towards minority students, and to raise money for charities such as the UN Refugee Agency (or UNHCR). Global Grooves aims to elevate Black musicians, with a focus on popular music genres such as soul, R&B, rap, and hip hop.
Their current president and one of its founders, Christian Grant, decided to start Global Grooves because, “Most people who played band in high school don’t play anything anymore…and if you’re not one of the in-groups or one of the dominant White groups, you don’t have any events that interest you.” As a result of the lack of events centred around Black or ethnic music on campus, Christian and Ashley Kimani (their current vice-president) decided to form Global Grooves. Christian concludes, “The club is to help platform people who want to perform and listen to non-White music.”
CHARITY CHORDS @charitychordsuwo
Charity Chords is a club that hosts coffeehouses, jam nights, talent shows, and speaker events throughout the year. Along with hosting music events, the club also aims to support local and wider communities through volunteer work and raising money for charity. Open to students of any level of musical training, Charity Chords has something for everyone.
One of Charity Chords’ current co-presidents, Therese De Guzman, has been a part of the club for over two years. When asked about the impact of Charity Chords, she states, “For me personally, I found my best friends through this club. It has changed my entire university experience for the better, and I know 100% that I’m not the only person who feels that way. I’ve had so many memories that I’ll definitely hang on to for a long time.”
Inclusivity, networking, and innovation are all characteristics that form the music production collective, Spider. The community consists of local producers trying to make music production tangible for others who carry the same passion. The idea came to life with Ahmed Al-Samak, the head of Spider, finding music production to be an outlet for himself during the lockdown. Creating art and sharing it with others became addictive and gratifying during such an isolating time.
Spider hosts “Web-working” events, classes meant for a range of skill levels hosted by professionals in the music industry to talk about the technical side of production and creativity. These events range from collaborative sessions, to bar meetups, and even working in studios. The purpose is to not only expand people's knowledge of the art but also to get people out into the world with other like-minded creatives. Ahmed voices the impact made on the members' success,“We've had members who joined with no experience at all in our first year, and now they're publishing complete tracks on their own. It's all thanks to the workshops, resources, and support they receive from the community.”
VINYL CLUB @westernvinylclub
The Vinyl Club is a new club, and a uniquely nostalgic way for Western students to share their love for music and vinyl, building appreciation for new artists, genres, and musical interpretations. Carrying on the tradition of listening to vinyl, Zach Read, the president of the club, was inspired by how widely loved vinyl records are versus its lack of community.
In a world where digital music has become embraced, Vinyl Club has been an outlet for students to slow down, listen, and connect to music. They’ve created a safe community through respect, appreciation, and attentiveness to others’ music tastes, and are always open to feedback and conversations. They’ve come together for events such as vinyl shopping, concerts, and karaoke. This shared community helps newcomers learn about the vinyl scene in London and be exposed to new shops. The club brings together a range of experiences, all tied to vinyl.
POP VOCALS - Music 3771B
The Pop Vocals course is instructed by Dr. Bethany Horst, and aims to teach students about the unique techniques and pedagogy of contemporary vocal idioms, such as styles used in modern pop and musical theatre. At the end of the course, students get the opportunity to perform in a concert to apply the skills they learned throughout the term. When asked what her favourite part about teaching the course is, Dr. Horst says “The integration of the BMus and Pop Music streams. Students learned to give constructive feedback, listen with a critical ear, adjudicate, and review both performances and articles.”
Hunter Stull, a student who had previously taken the class, states, “Immediately, I was excited. I found I was able to learn a different set of skills with an instrument that I’ve been learning my entire university career…you’re given so much freedom in that class as well. Beth is so great at trusting her students and their artistic choices.” Hunter feels that Pop students receive fewer opportunities compared to other music students, and that this course was a great space for performing and to hear other talented singers.
INTRO TO HIP HOP - Music 2703A
IThe Intro to Hip Hop course is an online course taught by Dr. Ryan Bruce, open to music and non-music majors. With a background in jazz studies, Dr. Bruce specializes in ethnomusicology and focuses on highlighting issues of race and its relation to different musical styles, specifically around Black music. The class explores hip-hop from different places in the world and how they come together to define hip-hop as a culture. Along the way, the course touches on important topics of music history, race, gender, technologies, and music production.
“A lot of my research, especially, is based on critical race theory as I come to academia through jazz studies and popular music studies. So, this is a really great way that we can put a lens on the important contributions of African American and Latin American people, especially to our current culture as we experience it today,” says Dr. Bruce.
MUSIC AND GENDER - Music
Instructed by Dr. Emily Abrams Ansari, the Music and Gender course offers students a chance to explore how music engages with gender and reflects changing attitudes toward gender over time. Although the course was only offered for the first time this school year, it has proven to be incredibly engaging for all its students. “I didn’t know how it was going to go, but it has been amazing. I had a really wonderful group, and they’re really open-minded and curious and keen to discuss, sometimes quite challenging, issues,” states Dr. Ansari.
Almost any subject or topic can be paired with music, as music is a lens for understanding our changing cultures and values. This includes music with politics, race, and of course, gender. “[Music] reflects so much of our society and what we understand about ourselves. It can be really interesting to think about music and to study it that way,” says Dr. Ansari.
MUSIC AND GAMING - Music 2704B
The Music and Gaming course is instructed by Dr. Aaron Lee, who completed his Doctorate in Music Composition two years ago. Open to music and non-music majors, the online course ranges from covering the very basics of composition, to reviewing the specific compositional features that are unique to video game music. Since any student can enroll in the class, only a minimal amount of knowledge of music theory is necessary.
As many composers today are interested in doing soundtrack work, video game music is a burgeoning field that, while it has been around for about 40 years, has recently started growing into its own. “I think it’s important that people at least get an overview of what they’re getting themselves into… and to give them the basic tools to start approaching that if that’s something they’re interested in,” says Dr. Lee.
“It’s definitely rewarding to see students grow into their own musical style over the course… It’s remarkable how much you can notice that the little ideas that start out in January really do blossom into something unique and interesting come April,” says Dr. Lee.
London’s creative venues are a lifeline for local artists, check out SPOTS for some new places to explore and FEATURED SPOTS to learn more about them:
Spots
Xuux Studio (all ages)
Poacher's Arms (19+ / all ages)
Palasad Social Bowl (all ages)
Covent Garden Market (all ages)
TAP Centre for Creativity (all ages)
Market Lane (all ages)
Holy Diver (19+)
Featured Spots
Xuux [shoosh] Studio is an artistic atmosphere for creatives and inspiring artists in London, playing a vital role in a safe and expressive community within the local music scene. The owner of Xuux Studio, Mai Tilson, is a compassionate individual, who is dependable and committed to assisting local artists in the community. Located just below the heart of London, Xuux Studio provides an amazing open space for any creative looking to explore their talents and interests; the studio is rentable for productions, photoshoots, and music videos, and holds monthly open mic nights for musicians to showcase their talent. Xuux Studio www.maitilson.com/xuuxstudio @xuux_artists on instagram
Photo: Justice Bekke, Mai Tilson at Xuux Studio 2024, @justicebekke
Photo: Justice Bekke, Xuux Studio 2024, @justicebekke
www.poachersarms.ca @poachers_arms on instagram
Poacher’s Arms
Poacher’s Arms, a pub on Richmond Row, serves an unexpected role in the local music scene: an underground hub for misfits, the creative, expressive, experimental, and individualistic minds. At Poacher’s, there’s something for everyone—hardcore, indie, disco, jazz, drag, karaoke—anything you can think of. With the freedom of representation, especially by offering frequent events for the queer community and all-ages events, the space encourages any and all creatives to foster a sense of community within its walls.
www.socialbowl.ca @socialbowlldn on instagram
Palasad Social Bowl
Palasad Social Bowl, located on the outer core of London, is an amazing spot for a budget friendly night out or to perform as a new artist. The Social Bowl has high grade sound and production, a good stage for performers, and regularly hosts featured bands; their live music is often free, which gives great opportunities for new exposure and support. The Social Bowl’s live band performances are also mostly all-ages, and as stated, free, making this spot perfect to check out local bands and to share with friends. They also serve food and alcohol, host bowling, and offer different games like their arcade and escape rooms, making the venue a versatile and engaging experience for everyone.
Jazz Up Your Night Out With Juice Jams Emrys Bourdeau
If you happen to find yourself downtown on a Wednesday night, you might come across singers, instrumentalists, and rappers gathered to jam at a local bar, Poacher’s Arms. They are well known for hosting dance parties, the local music festival StompFest, and even the ICONOCLAST Collective’s annual launch party. Many of these events happen on Thursday nights and the weekends, but what about if you need a little pick-me-up in the middle of the week?
Bring in Juice Jams. Hosted by Juice Joint, who formed in April 2023, this London-based jazz-fusion collective is at Poacher’s Arms every Wednesday night, hosting an open jam for the community. Juice Joint started growing its roots from a student recording project at Fanshawe College a few years back, and has since established itself as a collaborative powerhouse that draws inspiration from jazz, funk, hip-hop, and lo-fi music, recently playing London’s SunFest and Toronto’s Lee’s Palace.
Juice Joint started hosting open jams in 2023. The immense success of the jams, named Juice Jams after the band, along with the support of Poacher’s Arms owner, Nino Ambrogio, turned them into an officialweeklyevent.Musiciansofall backgrounds began flowing through the doors every Wednesday at 9 pm, absolutely packing the place. At the start of each jam, you can expect to enjoyasetoftheiroriginalmusicfor around30-45minutes.Afterthis,the jam opens up to everyone, which is whenpeoplestartgettinguponstage with their own instruments, taking the microphone, or swapping Juice Joint members out to use their instruments.
Photo: Chris Swyer, Juice Jam at Poacher’s Arms
Juice Joint’s bandleader, Nathan Nykor, started playing jazz during his undergraduate studies at Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ontario. Nykor moved to London during the pandemic, so he wasn’t exposed to the music scene until 2022, when the local collective, StompBox, was born. StompBox “was kind of like a rebirth of the London music scene,” according to Nykor, and his indie-pop band, Suzi Jacuzzi, was a part of this rebirth as they played a lot of the first StompBox shows. “There wasn’t a whole lot of going out to have fun and to listen to live music. There’s so much of it now, it’s hard to think
back to a couple of years ago when there really wasn’t that much of it happening.” Nykor has been a wellknown collaborator in the local music scene ever since.
At the beginning of the jams, Nykor wasn’t sure what they were going to look like but knew that he needed to bring jamming into the London music scene. “Juice Jams aren’t a new thing, but they’re inspired by stuff I saw in other cities and I just wanted it to exist here.” Nykor even used to put together groups of different musicians to play for free-style rappers at Poacher’s Arms, and the night would be entirely spontaneous and improvised. Nykor considers these “the first iteration of what eventually became Juice Jams,” and he is drawn to this collaboration of jazz and hip-hop because of how “jazz at its core is part of the social fabric of its time, and has to stay current and aware of what's going on socially and politically.”
Juice Joint plans to keep building a community in London with Juice Jams for the foreseeable future. Nykor continues to encourage people to “be aware of the space that you’re taking up when you’re there on the stage,” and his mission with these jams is to foster an accessible and inclusive environment where there’s “spontaneous, collaborative creation with other people.” Nykor hopes to see more freestyle rapping at the
jams, and there will be lots of new guest hosts, video game jams, as well as a new femme/queer focused jam night called Grrrls Jam. Juice Jams have already inspired a new weekly jam at Brothers Brewing Company in Guelph, and Nykor hopes that Juice Jams can continue to inspire more artists to collaborate and create encouraging spaces in their communities.
Photo: Chris Swyer, Juice Jam at Poacher’s Arms, Pictured: Ricky Chee & Alexa Brown (Juice Joint)
Photo: Chris Swyer, Juice Jam at Poacher’s Arms, Pictured: Emrys Bourdeau
If you’ve been a music student at Western in the last three years, you’ve heard of Sam Hansell. He’s performed at venues all across London, released an album, and toured the province, all while attending class. As a student in the pop program, he is a shining example of the best it has to offer.
Born and raised in Hamilton, Sam began his music journey with piano lessons but pivoted to guitar at 13 after he started “actively listening” to music. “I started listening to full albums. I didn't even register that was the way that music was released until then,” he said. Through this realization and gateway bands like Led Zeppelin and Green Day, he started a band called Sticky Rice with his friend, Trüaxe Fox. When faced with writing music for the band, he was “freaked out” by the idea of songwriting. “There was a sense of vulnerability I wasn’t ready for. You might as well ask me to stick a knife in myself.” The pair later went on to form a power-pop group, Superstar Crush, with Chloe Butler-Stubbs and Marzieh Darling Donnelly.
In comparing the London music scene to the one he grew up with, he says, “London's a little bit angrier, a little bit darker, grungier. Hamilton is harder to pin down.” The dominant sound coming out of London is punk, which Sam has been able to adapt his sound to, making the transitionfromonescenetoanother,seamlessly.
Heshedslightonhiscreativeprocessandinspirations:“Allmusicandartisinspiredbytheartthat came before it and you’re lying to yourself if you think otherwise. If I'm making a punk record and I'm only listening to punk music, I run the risk of writing a good punk album that is very meat and potatoes, it's not a step forward in any way. Whereas if I'm making a punk record and I'm listening to Polka and Latin music, maybe I'll incorporate the tiniest little bit from those genres, even if it's justasmidge.Ifeellikeitprogressesitforwardastep.”
Photo: Oliver Adolph, @mydadskamera, Pictured: Sam Hansell at Grog’s
SamHansell SamHansell
His debut solo album, Inopia, was released by Mistapes Records, Western’s record label, in 2023, with an electrified launch party at Poacher’s Arms (Sam’s favourite London venue). During the recording process, he was able to collaboratewithhisclassmates,“AnyoneIaskedwassoeager to record and I feel really fortunate for that.” The album features a collection of music students in its production with Aiden Wiebe mixing/producing and Emanuella Stratas managingtheproject.
As of late, Sam’s energy has gone into Superstar Crush. Last summer, they released their “tringle,” Crushed To Meet You. While Sam’s solo music leans into rock and punk styles, he enjoys the challenge of writing pop songs. He can put out a slightly “self- indulgent” nine minute song like “Clerambault” on his own record, while at the same time, writing a tight two and a half minute pop song for Superstar Crush. “It’s the greatest feeling in the world.” He calls it an “exerciseinsubtraction.”
What’s next for Sam Hansell? What’s next for Sam Hansell?
A Superstar Crush album. This 10 track record will (hopefully) be released this year. It was recorded in Toronto with Tyler Kyte of Dwayne Gretzky, one of Canada’s biggest cover bands. Combining Kyte’s deep knowledge of pop classics, along with the “general weirdness” brought by Superstar Crush, the album is sure to bring fire. Also look out for Sam showcasing his solo music with the emerging, unapologetic and hypnotic punk band, Whine Problem, on their EP release tour. If you ever get the chance to see Sam live, don’t hesitate, his music is unforgettable. Taking all this in, there’s some major things coming in Sam’s career that you won’t want to miss, stay tuned for his takeover.
INOPIA
Photo: Oliver Adolph, @mydadskamera, Pictured: Sam Hansell at Grog’s
Jacob McKenzie
Popular Music Studies
The Popular Music Studies program at Western was started in 2005 by Dr Robert Toft, realizing that there was a major gap in post-secondary music involving popular music and its industry. Toft was an electric guitarist, and at the end of high school, he knew that he wanted to go to school for music, but there was no place to study popular music, so he pivoted to classical. Upon the completion of his degree, and time spent teaching at other institutions, he ended up at Western, where he believed his desired program would succeed.
The faculty started by adding the Music Administrative Studies (MAS) program, focused on music business. When MAS began, it included courses relating to popular music that had a high enough enrollment to get the program greenlit. When asked why Toft thought Western would be a good space to start a pop program compared to other reputable Canadian music schools, he stated that “people seem to be more open minded here.” He witnessed that “not everyone liked the idea, but it seemed to thrive, and people seem more receptive than ever.” Structurally, the program has not changed much over time, but it has been steadily growing in numbers, and in recent years, tripled in size.
Photo: Chris Swyer, Mistapes Records’ Battle of the Bands 2024, Pictured: Hunter Stull
Our Call For Action
Although Popular Music Studies is one of the more innovative university music programs in Canada, it has its faults. As stated before, it has been steadily growing, however, it lacks the infrastructure to support the increasing number of students. For instance, there are approximately 40 first year pop students to 21 computers in their lab, resulting in students being unable to get into certain classes due to lack of space. Another issue is that Pop falls under the Music Research and Composition department, and with Pop making up over a third of the first year class, it is becoming large enough to be its own department. Lastly, a major issue is that the faculty does not properly support its Pop students, praising the program for potential students, but disregarding our concerns after admission. For example, at the start of this academic year, we finally got our own practice space, but it is only available to us in the late evening. They also fail to fund our initiatives to support students; Mistapes Records, our student run record label, was denied funding for “not having enough relation to music.” Struggles like these limit our ability to strengthen our careers, engage in our education, and support our peers.
As we approach the 20 year anniversary of Popular Music Studies, it is necessary for our educators and representatives to take action in constructing the support and resources to properly develop our education. Credit is due to the three main Pop professors, Norma Coates, Jay Hodgson, and Robert Toft, for leading the program and advocating for our needs, but it’s time for a call to action.
I walk into the dim concert hall, the overture lulls me into focus as I settle into my seat; I am expecting a party. From what I know about Strauss’ Die Fledermaus, I’m about to witness a night of disguises, romance and hilarious commentary. I was met with just that.
Photo: Claus Andersen of Don Wright Faculty of Music, Die Fledermaus
Die Fledermaus
An “opera” is sometimes as an umbrella term, commonly associated with drama, death, and love, which were core themes in most early compositions. That being said, Die Fledermaus is an “operetta,” which Mann explains, “tends to be more comedic.” She was able to really connect with the story, the characters, and the plot because, “in so many shows, half the cast dies and everyone is miserable” so this is what “made it funny, none of it would happen in real life,” she says.
An Experience of a Lifetime
The storyline of Die Fledermaus can be hard to follow with its deceits and facades, but luckily for the audience, the phenomenal acting brought clarity between the characters and their alter egos. The character, Rosalinda, played by Evelynn Schaffer/Angela Myshkowsky, sent me into a desire for her character’s revenge on their lying spouse, whereas the stunning performance by Cailyn Mann/Yi-Fan Lai of Adele’s “Audition Aria” filled me with hope for her adorable budding character development, with the whole play taking place against a backdrop of constant comedy. They were dressed to the nines, every feminine garment glittering, every suit dashing. Even the musicality from each performer, whether from the orchestra pit or the singers on stage, was impeccable. It was truly the party I was expecting.
Cailyn Mann shared how the opera was built and how she began to craft Adele, her character. Mann states that after her smaller role in last year’s opera, her central character was “a challenge” and “a
step outside of [her] comfort zone.” Despite this challenge, she enjoyed the “fun of trying to get laughs out of people and experimenting different ways to look at scenes.” She also expressed her admiration for the Opera Music Director and vocal coach Simone Luti, who was the facilitator of all things musical within the show. Overall, Die Fledermaus was a hit! The cast, pit musicians, and production team put together a show full of laughter, talent and, most of all, passion. I loved this project. Bravo, Western Music!
Photo: Claus Andersen of Don Wright Faculty of Music, Die Fledermaus, Pictured: Cailyn Mann
Photo: Claus Andersen of Don Wright Faculty of Music, Die Fledermaus, Pictured: Cailyn Mann
Creativity and Rebellion: Dissecting Alternative Music
Connor Tustian
What does alternative music even mean? It’s such a vague label that feels plastered onto so many different styles and genres. What meaning does it still have? Did it ever have meaning in the first place? Scrolling through the “alternative” genre on Apple Music, things get messy. Joyce Manor, Our Lady Peace, Big Thief, Phoebe Bridgers, the list goes on. So many different sounds, ideas, executions, all lumped into the ambiguous title of “alternative.” I’m sure this isn’t a big deal for many, but it matters to me, because I think there’s something larger to the concept of “alternative,” and why it appears so diverse. What is the thread that ties all of these artists together? Simply put, what makes something “alternative” as opposed to “mainstream,” and does thatevenmatter?
I think it's best to start by defining that first question and comparing what alternative and mainstream really are. The easiest conclusion you could come to is how many people it appeals to, how popular it is. Commercial sales are a significant factor. The title “mainstream” doesn’t leave much to the imagination; artists like Drake, Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, and Sabrina Carpenter are all chart topping musicians. They are commercially viable and incredibly valuable assets to record companies because they can make mass appealing hits. In essence, I think it’s fair to say that is what makes something explicitly mainstream. Trouble comes in separatingwhatismainstreamandalternative.
Picture: Saul Torres, Pictured: Joyce Manor
Picture: Saul Torres, Pictured: Joyce Manor
Originally, I figured I might claim alternative music is where the boundaries of music are being pushed, where innovation and creativity allow musical expression toevolveandgrow.ButamIreallygoingtoclaimBeyoncéorLadyGagahaven’t been boundary pushing? No. Nor am I claiming that alternative music isn’t commercially viable. What I’m trying to say is that alternative music has the inherent potential to be commercially viable, but isn’t the dominant culture. It is something unorthodox at its initial debut, something frowned upon by labels, but with a genuine artistry attached to it. To a certain degree, every artist has the potential to be alternative, to go against what is popular. Furthermore, they have equalpotentialfromthisinitialrebelliontobecomethemains
Many different genres have been considered alternative at one point in time, as well as mainstream at another. Country, hip-hop, and punk are all examplesofthis.Theyallhavehadonethingincommon:rebellion.
Alternativeisrebellion,itisartisticdefiance.Itisthecommonthreadthroughoutallgenres with notable evolutionary development, growth, and staying power. The issue is with how long they can remain rebellious and alternative once finding popularity. It's a tricky sort of tightrope, either it sparks a massive musical renaissance and becomes the standard, or
As for today, the “alternative” is everywhere. Streaming music and the massive billion dollar corporations associated with it have massive problems, but one thing I think they’ve done right is the democratization of music. Everyone can make music, andassuch,rebellionisinthemusicofeveryone.
Top Albums of 2024 Chris
BRAT - Charli xcx
Swyer
Charli xcx’s sixth studio album, BRAT, is undeniably the most iconic album of 2024. From the first teasers at her Boiler Room set to a puzzling political endorsement, it dominated the summer. Dance tracks like “360” and “Club classics” evoked a party girl persona that Charli embodied for this cycle. An almost scrapped song, “Apple” took on new life through a viral TikTok dance created by Kelley Heyer. The crowning achievement of this album is actually not on the tracklist. Upon release, album track “Girl, so confusing” was rumoured to be about Lorde and Charli’s complicated
relationship as similar artists in the same industry. Two weeks after the album dropped, a remix of the song was released. This version features both sides of the story with Lorde adapting Charli’s writing style with one of the most vulnerable verses in pop music. Aside from the club songs and pop culture moments, this album demonstrates an artist who put the work in, went their own way and made it, and finally got their flowers.
Challengers (Original Score) - Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross
Out of all the movie scores released this year, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross’ work for Luca Guadanino’s Challengers, stands head and shoulders above the rest. The film follows a trio of tennis players who collide as teens with their lives entangling as they grow up to become pros on the court. The techno soundtrack makes Challengers what it is. It would not be the same movie without it. When Tashi is introduced as the hottest tennis prodigy Art and Patrick have laid their eyes on, “Yeah x10” provides a pop sound that sells us her character. The boys’ jaws drop and we believe it because of the song.
The climax of the movie and the score comes with the final match between the boys that we’ve been teased of since the opening. It’s set to “Challengers: Match Point,” an electronic synth track that is the culmination of the themes heard throughout the album. The music and cinematography work to create this engrossing spectacle of filmmaking. All in all, Reznor and Ross brought the club to the tennis court.
Imaginal Disk - Magdalena Bay
Meet the new you. Your brand new image as Mica of Magdalena Bay sings on the synthpop “Image.” Imaginal Disk is a concept album that chronicles the character True and her struggles with identity, love as our saviour, and the intricacies of being human. While this story might be lost on a first listen, the music more than makes up for it. The duo have fine-tuned their sound on this project, releasing one of the best pop albums of 2024. The songs vary from electronic pop to disco to prog rock. This maximalist approach (along with the production) showcases the range of the duo as well as making this journey
all the more stimulating. Mica’s voice is a siren call, luring you into the songs soft beginnings until the building energy releases to a cacophonic climax. The closing track, “The Ballad of Matt & Mica,” connects the themes of True to those of the duo in finding love together as “two kids in a new town.” Love is the sanctuary from the complications of life. Imaginal Disk does more than provide catchy and weird pop songs; it reinforces the importance of the album as a form of storytelling, something often missed within the current pop music sphere.
Top Albums of 2024
Finnian Gilbride
Funeral For Justice - Mdou Moctar
Funeral For Justice is a psychedelic blues rock album from Nigerian band Mdou Moctar. The technical ability on display is incredible, and the band moves like a single cohesive unit. The sheer level of musicianship present in this album cannot be understated. Mdou Moctar remain true to their pure blues and afro-cuban roots, while still bringing a much needed spark of life to the modern rock scene. The title track “Funeral For Justice,” as well as “Tchinta” and “Sousoume Tamacheq,” are highlights of the album. As if that weren’t enough, the album sounds incredible. The band's cohesion is of course
important to the sound, but the production gets the absolute best out of their playing. A fairly reasonable listen coming in at just under 40 minutes, this album is worth the effort for any fans of classic blues and rock.
my anti-aircraft friend - julie
my anti-aircraft friend is the debut album from American shoegaze band julie. Stylized in all lowercase, julie is an exciting new force to be reckoned with in the shoegaze/alt-rock scene. A band who experiments with tempo far more than most bands are comfortable with, there are synchronized tempo changes all over this album. Only a trio, julie’s sound is punchy and dark, and they manage to fill a lot of space with very little instrumentation. Their live performances are incredible as well, and they take full advantage of their heightened freedom to experiment with tempo and rhythm on stage. Overall, there’s a lot
to love off of this new julie album, standout tracks include “clairbourne practice,” “feminine adornments,” and “catalogue.” julie’s sound is on point, the guitar especially sounds amazing, and expectations are running high for their next full length release.
Two Star & the Dream Police - mk.gee
Two Star & the Dream Police is the second full length LP from mk.gee, an artist who walks the line between lo-fi indie rock and experimental noise rock. His singing and especially songwriting are at their very best on this album. The range of slower, almost ballad-like cuts like “Alesis” or “I Want,” to some of the more bubblegum pop tracks like “Candy” is impressive, not to mention the amazing pacing and sequencing. That being said, the real star of the show on this album is the guitar. mk.gee runs his guitar through a monstrous pedalboard and a 4-track cassette recorder as a preamp, which gives him
an incredibly rich tone throughout the album. At the same time, the guitar breaks up very easily, giving it that harsher edge which is so important to the album’s sound. This album is one that I find myself coming back to time and time again, and each time appreciating more. mk.gee has delivered in style, and I am excited to hear what he’s coming out with next.
Top Albums of 2024 Jacob McKenzie
Kansas Anymore - ROLE MODEL
Anyone who knows me well, knows how obsessed I am with ROLE MODEL’s Kansas Anymore. This record marks a shift, not only musically, but emotionally for the artist. Almost all of this record is written in response to his break up with influencer Emma Chamberlain, and it was meant to be a more mature way of writing about a breakup than how we would write in the past. Musically, he has done away with the bedroom pop sound he was known for and adopted more of a folk/country-ish pop sound, showing musical maturity as well, as there are definitely more intricate arrangements in this record
than in the past. Other themes explored are homesickness and imposter syndrome in “The Dinner” (the track in which this album’s title is drawn from). Overall, this record deals with the various emotions that come with feeling lost after a breakup. “Frances” takes the cake for me in this album, it feels the most raw and honest, whilst having soothing melodic lines. The title of this song comes from Chamberlain’s middle name, further cementing this album being dedicated to their relationship.
Brent iii - Jeremy Zucker & Chelsea Cutler
The third, and maybe last, joint project from Jeremy Zucker and Chelsea Cutler, brent iii, is nothing short of a masterpiece. When the pair set out to write music for this project, they were not intending to make a full length album, but the songs kept pouring out of them, and there are no skips. This album, more than anything else released this year, absolutely emotionally destroyed me. The album opens with “ashes & rust,” a song that sets the tone for it being an emotional journey from top to bottom, and it hits you right in the heart. Like any brent project, the album includes solo songs from each artist to
provide some contrast from the duets, which is refreshing even though they might not be as strong as the other songs on the record. My personal favourite track from this record has to be “just breathe,” a song that reminds us that in hard times, it’s best to just take a deep breath, as in the long run, we will most likely be fine, a piece of advice we all need from time to time.
Don’t Forget Me - Maggie Rogers
On April 12th, 2024, Maggie Rogers released her third studio album Don’t Forget Me. In this project, Rogers has adopted more of an acoustic sound than the electric indie sound that she was known for, lending it quite nicely to live performance, more than her previous two albums. Contrary to most of the music being released these days, Rogers wrote and recorded the entirety of this project over the span of only five days with producer Ian Fitchuk. You can definitely hear some of Fitchuk’s other work in this record, but it is Rogers' songwriting, lived experiences, and influences that add nuance to
the sound. This album is filled with energetic songs like “The Kill” and “Drunk,” and perfectly juxtaposed by the slower, simple arrangements of “I Still Do” and “All the Same.” The title track “Don’t Forget Me” perfectly sums up this record and its theme of dealing with relationships, leading it to be my favourite song off the album.
Top Albums of 2024 Hunter Stull
I Got Heaven - Mannequin Pussy
I Got Heaven has become one of my favourite genre fusion albums after listening to its release this year. It mixes your classic indie rock song with the angst and edge of grrrlpunk and hardcore. The band has shown their wonderful ear for cohesion, blending genres with opposing fan bases. A large problem for me when listening to new music is a lack of edge, and though the punk sound of I Got Heaven is layered in the back while indie is at the forefront, you can still hear it creeping in the background of every track. It's so fun awaiting an eruption of angst and being taken aback when faced with a track
like “OK? OK! OK? OK!” right after something dancey and beautiful like “Sometimes.” I Got Heaven is an innovative fusion album that I have become completely obsessed with this year. Listen if you like: to drink the blood of your enemies, sunset lamps, revenge, glitter, or spitting in the face of disrespect.
Wall Of Eyes - The Smile
This album is a great trip. In comparison to their previous album, A Light For Attracting Attention, Wall Of Eyes is more melodic and complex. When grasping for a way to describe this album, I needed to listen to it in the dark, that’s when I found the solar system around me and stars all up close and personal. This album sounds like space, colours, hypnotic lights, and floating around weightlessly. It’s calming and sinister at the same time, its endlessness is intimidating, it’s very hard to know the next move switching from track to track, or even within each track. I think the part of the album that really
sealed the metaphor of outer space to me was the song “Bending Hectic.” Not only is there a floaty feeling to it but there is a terrifying unlikely moment of climax that locks you into a feeling you didn’t know you would be given. Give Wall Of Eyes a listen if you like: thinking about what’s beyond, the thought of skydiving, watching drippy-melty candle wax, drawing a bunch of eyeballs in your notebook, or freaky chord progressions that’ll give you a headache if you think too hard about them.
Demo - Mauling
Well, I don't think that my top three albums of the year would feel right if I didn't include some local London Ontario Power Violence. Mauling released a PV album called Demo that left a boot print on my forehead after the first listen. If you’re curious, Power Violence music is a nice big pot of hardcore, punk, and the best parts of metal; these genres get stirred together to create a monster of sound. Its theme is don’t fuck with me. I’m moved by the lyrics and the sound that runs behind it. Mauling is angry and wants you to know it. They write, “Can’t count all the hopeful visions, cut short by
incrementalist incisions, at least I voiced my thoughts.” I am a SUCKER for emotion I can hear, I am a FOOL for authenticity, Demo has both. Demo voiced their thoughts and I'm eating this Power Violence for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, in hopes that it will cure the world and the sickness that’s dripping from its nose. Listen to Demo by Mauling if you like: telling the blood curdling truth, boiling water and testing the heat with your finger, giving your two cents, or music that doesn’t tip toe around societies sins and their own.
