Sound, Phrase & Fury 6.6

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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Janet Adamana

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Ally Sigurdson PROMOTIONS DIRECTOR Steff Shields STAFF WRITERS Graeme Houssin Candace Houle

There's a Change in The Wild Note From The Editor

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Everything's Coming up Enrights Enrights on their debut self-titled album

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Winter Woes Acoustic Show Get to know the artists playing our holiday show

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Artists to Watch

Our Artist Picks for Nov/Dec

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Home Is Where Your Band Is House Handshake on fostering their creativity

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SPF X ALICE RL Lookbook Learn all about the SPF X Project

SOUND, PHRASE & FURY is a Canadian music magazine out to promote musicians not usually covered in mainstream media.

All music, photos and articles used are for the purpose of spreading the knowledge of these artists and their music. We always encourage readers to support every act by purchasing releases, merchandise and attending live shows.

info@soundphrasefury.com @soundphrasefury facebook.com/soundphrasefury soundphrasefury.com

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+ EDITOR’S NOTE

THERE'S A CHANGE IN THE WILD opportunities we’ve received that we never even dreamed would come our way, it all still blows my mind. The team and I know none of these amazing things would have graced our lives without our readers. It’s because of them and all the artists who continue to give us the chance to share their work, and tell their stories, that we’re still going strong six It’s a well-known fact that chasing your years in. dreams and pouring your existence into any form of art can be a downright disheartening As we close out the year and kick off lucky challenge. The ups come far and few, and the year number seven, it’s hit me that all the downs always seem to be waiting around the uneasiness I used to feel, the uncertainty of corner. It’s been a ‘character building’ ride, to whether SPF was needed, wanted or anything say the least, running SPF over the past six even slightly enjoyed in this world, has slowly years, but one I wouldn’t trade for the world. dissipated. Instead, it’s been replaced by much more excitement and the undeniable We’re fortunate enough to be able to continue feeling that we’ll probably be doing this until growing our team, our audience, and even we’re 80. the scope and caliber of artists we get to work with. When I look back at everything We’ve been ending these past few years on we’ve been able to do, the people we’ve been such high notes, and with such high hopes lucky enough to meet, and the countless and for that, we’re forever grateful.

It’s always a bit sad when we get to the last issue of the year. During the first few years of SOUND, PHRASE & FURY, that sadness was also mixed with excitement for the time off, relief that we could finally relax, but mostly a whole lot of uneasiness, as we weren’t always sure we were coming back in the new year.

I see sky where once was ceiling

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Janet Adamana Editor-In-Chief

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+ Q&A

EVERYTHING'S COMING UP ENRIGHTS Light, upbeat, and insanely catchy, indie-rock band, Enrights serve a sound that’s perfectly geared up for a night full of good times.

The Kingston, Ontario quartet may still be in their infancy, but they’ve already begun paving their yellow brick road to indie-rock glory. Their whirlwind year saw them opening for big-name acts like Theory of a Deadman, The Trews, and Sam Roberts Band and releasing a stellar debut full-length that’s bound to be on heavy rotation on every Canadian rock lover’s playlist.

We caught up with guitarist Andrew Wright to talk about writing their debut album, the perks of self-recording and the Ontario tradition of calling everyone dads.

STORY BY JANET ADAMANA PHOTO BY CELESTE BARSONY

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Q&A +

JA: Out of all the bands you guys play in, would you say Enrights would be the one you take the most seriously?

AW: Yeah, we definitely take it just a bit more seriously, but not too serious where we're full of ourselves. We figured if we take it two percent more seriously than we have before then people will take it a bit more seriously and we'll get cooler shows.

That's kind of how we changed how we approach Enrights versus other stuff we've done in the past.

growth, watched ourselves get better at recording and get better playing. We've seen some growth beyond just setting up our own shows. Now we're getting slightly bigger shows which is really sweet.

JA: Tell me about developing your sound?

AW: At first, it's kind of weird writing with other dudes. Dudes have this ‘big dude mentality,’ where it's hard to talk about your feelings in front of other guys because we don't do it that much. I think that's why we had a case of beer in there to help us JA: Going off of that, how has the past year been at first. We've obviously gotten over that. Now, our songwriting has changed a bit. We're honing in more for you guys?

AW: Pretty good actually, like surprisingly. I've played and more on the sound. We were building up to that guitar for ten years and played in bands the whole over the past year, so we just tried to make our ten time and usually you kind of do the same stuff but best songs. Honestly, we were looking at it like, ‘let's it's nice because, for once, I can see some growth make it so you can shuffle through this album and in our band. We released two EPs last year, and we hear almost any song in any order and it be great.’ recently put out our full-length. We record all of our For most of our songs, we tried to make them pretty own music too. It's nice that we've watched our high-energy and just make them really catchy.

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‘Let's make it so you can shuffle through this album and hear almost any song in any order and it be great.'

JA: Can you go through a little bit of the album?

AW: We're 23, so we write about life. A lot of stuff is just about different places in Canada that we spent time in. I lived in Ottawa for a summer so part of the first track, "Memories of Elgin" is about that. A lot of it is about relationships and working with people and just about growing.

I read in an article with Billy Talent when they were writing Billy Talent II that they just wanted to make a relatable album, so they thought, 'this album is just about relationships; whether it's romantic, with friends or family or just dealing with people and working with people because that's what we do every day.'

JA: I guess then too, you don’t have to go with a producer who has their own vision of what it should sound like and stuff like that.

AW: Yeah, exactly and I know when you first start writing a song you hear it in your head how you want it to sound. I think sometimes it's nice to be able to take the reins and do your best to make it sound that way.

JA: I have to ask – what is this whole thing about being ‘dads’ of everything?

AW: Oh, maybe that's an Ontario thing! That's so funny! I think it originally started because when Jack [McAvoy, guitar/vocals] and I started getting together to write the first EP, we went to the LCBO and he's like ‘what kind of beer are we getting? Are we getting good beer like indie craft beer or crappy JA: Tell me about the recording process?

AW: There wasn't a big studio thing to it. I learned Dad beer like Coors Light – super junky beer?’ We got a lot about recording in Pro Tools from one of my some and it just kind of stuck. Everyone calls each friends. He showed me how to do self-recording and other ‘dad’ in Ontario for some reason. It's like a we've gotten better at it over the years. Next time I'm weird sarcastic joke, and I don't even know if I get it. not too sure what we’re going to do. Likely, we’ll do it the same way. We're picking up new techniques and new gear and getting better every time. It kind of sounds different, like someone else recorded it because we're learning stuff as we go.

Stay up to date with Enrights through Facebook and Instagram. Stream or buy their music on Spotify, Apple Music, and Bandcamp.

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LISTEN NOV/DEC 2018

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SPF 6.6 ARTISTS PLAYLIST Snag a listen to the artists featured in Sound, Phrase & Fury 6.6 on Spotify.

SoundPhraseFury • SPF 6.6 Artists

SOUNDPHRASEFURY.COM

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WINTER WO ACOUSTIC SHOW

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OES

WINTER WOES + ACOUSTIC SHOW

This November Sound, Phrase & Fury will be hosting the Winter Woes Acoustic Show - a night of sweet acoustic sets from Jacob Brodovsky (Kakagi), Dylan James (Slow//Steady) & a never-before-seen stripped-down set from alt-rock trio, Ex Ømerta.

Here at SPF, we love a good wallowing session and are suckers for anything that pulls at our heartstrings - a feeling that comes out two-fold when the temperature dips below zero. To celebrate, and put a much more enjoyable spin on being downcast and dejected we’ve teamed up with some of our local favourites to bring you a fantastic show.

Get to know the three acts gracing the stage on November 13th at the Handsome Daughter.

STORY BY JANET ADAMANA

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+ WINTER WOES ACOUSTIC SHOW

Jacob Brodovsky

OF KAKAGI

OFFICIAL SITE • LISTEN

From moody rock tunes to woeful acoustic offerings, Brodovsky’s material and songwriting process have Jacob Brodovsky is the king of weaving weepy gotten a welcome shake-up as he has recently begun collaborating with other musicians in the emotions into a song. local folk scene. One of the more notable and As one-fourth of folk-rock outfit Kakagi, Brodovsky’s frequent collaborations is with Winnipeg folk singer/ poignant storytelling is subtly veiled by the energy fiddler, Sierra Noble. The two met earlier in the year of their indie-rock vibes. However, when performing at a songwriter’s retreat hosted by Manitoba Music. solo, his set takes on a softer, more melancholic turn. It was at this retreat that Brodovsky gained access The reasoning for all the gloom in his tunes is the to other minds to help with his songwriting and disheartening experiences that fuel his creativity. “I instantly caught the collaboration bug. think people produce their best stuff when they're feeling really strongly about something,” explains Noble and Brodovsky have since been co-writing Brodovsky. “Nine times out of ten, if you're feeling new material and reworking older tracks from their respective repertoires, melding both their styles and strongly about something it's for a sad reason.” instruments and adding a male-female perspective From the struggles of poverty to endless existential to their songs. “I've always really enjoyed male and questioning and the age-old tale of lost love, when female voices together and writing for that,” says writing for both Kakagi and his solo material, there’s Brodovsky. “It can sort of throw those songs on their no limit to the emotional spectrum he explores. “I head a little." just enjoy writing songs like that, “ says Brodovsky.

“Some of them are self-reflective, but a lot of them Sierra Noble will be joining Jacob Brodovsky for his are writing from other people's perspectives, like opening set at the Winter Woes Acoustic Show. The duo will be playing a mix of acoustic Kakagi songs, let's write a break-up song and see how it goes.” new songs the two have written together as well as ones from their collections.

Stay up-to-date with Kakagi through their official website, Facebook and Instagram. Stream or buy their music on Spotify and Bandcamp. Follow Sierra Noble through Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Listen to her music at SierraNoble.ca.

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WINTER WOES + ACOUSTIC SHOW

It’s an age-old rumour that pop-punk kids never grow up, but for Slow//Steady vocalist/guitarist Dylan James staying creative and keeping that youthful fun alive is all in challenging yourself and dabbling in different styles.

“The first couple of songs ended up being a little more on the pop-punk side,” says James. “A lot of the new stuff we're writing is a little more sophisticated, a little more melodic. It's a totally different feel for us; a totally different vibe.”

As pop-punk/hardcore scene veterans, James and his bandmates - Braden Wilks (vocals/guitar), Martin LaFrenière (vocals/bass) and Matt Hallick (drums) could have easily melded their collective years of experience to form a pop-punk supergroup. Instead, they cleverly deliver the better parts of the genre the emotion, the energy; the upbeat disposition - with a clean, indie-rock sound, that offers a fresh change of pace for the musicians. “I think we just wanted to try to expand our horizon and try writing some different stuff, which has made it a lot more fun,” says James.

From opening for alt-garage rockers, Silence Kit to playing larger audiences at the Winnipeg Tattoo Convention, this new-found sound has boded well for the band and has allowed them the opportunities to perform in various capacities and open for a wide array of acts.

James will be performing a mix of acoustic versions of Slow//Steady songs as well as a few tunes he’s written for himself. When asked about writing solo material along with songs for the band, James’ goto strategy is just to let it happen. “It's just kind of whatever comes out of my body and playing the Although, the band has developed a sound that is guitar and seeing what comes out,” says James. much less angsty and aggressive than what they’ve “If it maybe doesn't fit the niche of Slow//Steady it produced in previous bands, the quartet does give might be my own personal song, but I never go into a nod to that edge and attitude in the early Slow// a writing session knowing what I'm going to write.”

Steady singles, “Look Ma, First Try!” and “Night Burn” with both oozing a bit of a folk-punk vibe.

Keep up with Slow//Steady through Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Stream their singles on Spotify. The band has spent the past year writing and plans on recording and releasing new music in the coming year.

Dylan James OF SLOW//STEADY

FACEBOOK • LISTEN

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+ WINTER WOES ACOUSTIC SHOW

Ex Ømerta OFFICIAL SITE • LISTEN

There is no rest for the wicked, especially when it comes to Ex Ømerta and their grand plans to continually push the boundaries of being a performer.

Since their start in 2014, the alt-rock trio has been invested in every aspect of their showmanship since day one. From mapping out the clothes they wear on stage to the colours and style of their online content, Ex Ømerta knows being a successful musician takes more than just engaging one - and the most obvious - of the senses.

Kicking things off with a chilling stripped-down rendition of their latest single, “Sink In,” the liveoff-the-floor video series has the band playing completely-reimagined versions of Ex Ømerta songs integrating different styles and instruments; still with that well-known flair. “We still have a lot of the theatrical side to things - not only in the presentation of the show but even in the arrangements of the songs,” says McIntyre. “There's a little of that in the Second Take version of ‘Sink In.’ Just on the fly, we end up finding parts of songs where we need to make it crazier.”

Although the process involves taking their original songs and rewriting their new album in its entirety, it’s a project McIntyre says helps meld that same aesthetic and allow the trio to push their creative muscles further. “This is just a way to extend the idea of visual content being just as valid as the music we put out and gives us something to work on because Their signature red and black aesthetic matches we love working ourselves to death [laughs].” their famously high-energy live show, one they’ve spent the summer making even wilder than ever Audiences can catch a never-before-seen strippedbefore, with the addition of lead singer/drummer down set from Ex Ømerta at the Winter Woes show, Scott Beattie amping the crowd from out behind where they’ll be premiering a lot of the re-imagined his kit. As a way to continue to reinvent their wheel, singles from the Second Take Sessions. the trio has also launched Second Take Sessions: a new way of presenting singles that goes beyond the typical online stream.

“We've always been really interested in the visual side of things,” says Ex Ømerta guitarist, Dale McIntyre. “We used to wear suspenders on stage and color coordinate them. It was a way to integrate visuals into the things we already needed to have there.”

Keep up with Ex Ømerta through their official website, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Listen to their music on Spotify and Apple Music. Get a taste of their Second Take Sessions on YouTube.

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+ ARTISTS TO WATCH

ARTISTS TO WATC As a ukulele-folk-punk band oozing angry feminist vibes, The Sonder Bombs offer us everything we didn’t even know we needed. Lead singer, Willow Hawks channels every pissed off teen girl and spits out years worth of bottled emotional turmoil into unapologetic and often sassy poetry; all gracefully laden upon a musical backdrop of upbeat, beachy pop moods. The Cleveland, Ohio rock band peppers their pop-infused emo with raw and truthful tropes about the growing pains of the music scene, and it has got us hooked.

OUR FAVE TRACK: POT & KETTLE

ACOUSTIC/EMO

SAFE BET NORTHWEST INDIANA

FACEBOOK • LISTEN

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UKULELE-FOLK-PUNK

THE SONDER BOMBS CLEVELAND, OHIO

FACEBOOK • LISTEN

Fuelled by a heavy heart and completely anguished is acoustic/emo outfit, Safe Bet. Listen to anything by Safe Bet, and you can almost literally hear his heart break with every word he wails over his tender guitars.

As he siphons the spectrum of emotions felt from unrequited love, this musical stock is full of gems for anyone who’s ever been hurt before (which is basically everyone). OUR FAVE TRACK: GHOST

ARTISTS TO WATCH +

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We're always on the look-out for artists to add to our playlists!

We've compiled our top four picks on our radar for Nov/Dec!

INDIE-ROCK

YOUNGER THEN BUFFALO, NEW YORK

FACEBOOK • LISTEN

Serving up some big arena rock vibes is indie-rock quartet, Younger Then. The soulful, jazzy vocals of singer Zack Dupuis is notably paired with the rest of the band’s overall grandiose sound. Think Neon Trees in a melting pot with early Incubus and a touch of The Killers. Together the four musicians have created a slew of dance-inducing tracks that can undoubtedly get even the largest of crowds up on their feet.

OUR FAVE TRACK: BAD LIFE

Of all the terrible things there is to grieve in this world, music from Cleveland’s The Grievance Club is not one of them. They serve up a sensational time capsule of early 2000s emo with an angry-millennial flair.

Channeling the melodic sways of the likes of old Taking Back Sunday and Hawthorne Heights, they throw in a mix of new school pop-punk to wrap it up nicely in a sad and somber bow. OUR FAVE TRACK: SCULPTURE

OLD EMO/POP-PUNK

THE GRIEVANCE CLUB CLEVELAND, OHIO

OFFICIAL SITE • LISTEN

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+ Q&A

HOME IS WHERE YOUR BAND IS STORY BY CANDACE HOULE PHOTO BY JOEY SENFT

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Q&A +

Winnipeg indie-folk group, House Handshake have a very tight-knit relationship with one another. They chalk this up to all living under the same roof. For them, living like a family helps cultivate their collective creativity.

We caught up members Quinton Poitras [guitar/vocals], Sarah Greco [ukulele/vocals], Darrell Anderson [bass/ukulele] and Tanner Link [keys/percussion] to talk about the bustling music scene in Winnipeg, their hopes for the future and the pros and cons of living with your bandmates.

CH: How did House Handshake meet?

QP: It started with Sarah and me. I met her at a Moon Tan show, and we started seeing each other, but I decided to join my friend who was looking for a roommate in Vancouver. I went in hopes of finding my band there, and after a month or so of calling Sarah, I asked her to move in with me. After getting settled, we had a big house and a room that needed to be occupied, which is when Darrell came into the picture. After a few months of [all] jamming together, something clicked and we knew we wanted to come back to Winnipeg and start House Handshake here.

We knew we would find the missing pieces. Tanner and Darrell had been close friends, and he was there to welcome us back the first night home.

At the start of this we all decided it was important and beneficial for us to live together and focus on keeping our connections true and strong.

CH: What did being in Vancouver teach you?

SG: That you don’t need to look very far to find yourself. Music and people to connect with are all around us! Our whole band was (almost) under the same roof. The experience isn’t one I’d trade. It was beautiful, but we realized how much we loved Winnipeg, its local music scene and how ready we were to head back.

CH: What drew you back to Winnipeg?

QP: A lot of things. For starters, it’s our home.

Another was that the music scene was more like a community. With the sheer amount of people in Vancouver, it was hard to find those missing pieces with the mentality of such a large scene. But really, it was a gut feeling. One day I had the idea, and everyone was so on board.

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CH: As far as I know, you're the only band that all live together. What are the pros and cons to this?

DA: I've always dreamt of living with a band, long before I ever knew I’d be a part of one! Of course, there are cons, whether it be someone not pulling their weight or doing chores. Those little hardships come up in all living situations. The pros completely outweigh the cons. We have so much time to practice and get to know each other. I feel that if you can live with someone, you can work together.

We focus on our core values like acceptance and compassion. We strive to better ourselves and be good people. We do our best to push one another in the right direction. We try to keep each other focused and motivated. It’s a test of friendship, but when you consider yourselves to be family and do your absolute best to live with unconditional love I believe you can achieve anything!

CH: When it comes to writing, how do you deal with having so many opinions from fellow bandmates?

QP: We’re all songwriters so we just come to one another and say ‘check out this idea. I want it to sound like this’ and we play the shit out of it. I want everyone to have their creative spin on it and have fun and somewhere during the jam we might go ‘there! Use that riff’ or ‘no, more like this.’ We follow the songwriter and support him or her and balance all the sounds. Everything is constantly changing, it’s good to stay open to change and growth.

I enjoy everyone’s different styles of storytelling.

It's nice to be a part of something where there is freedom of creativity and flow. It doesn't feel like a full song until everyone has come with their parts to complete it.

CH: Can you explain what Keys to The House is and how people can get involved?

QP: Keys to The House is a lifetime membership we are offering with tons of goodies. Key members will get signed physical copies of all future releases, their name will be featured on the album for special thanks, $50 worth of merchandise plus special offers for merch, invites to the studio (we need help recording some things), invitations to all listening parties, tickets to all release shows and access to exclusive content. It's something we're using to help fund our albums and merch, and it’s a way we can give back thanks. A key is $200 right now, and it won’t be available forever so grab it while you can!

CH: What does the future hold for House Handshake?

DA: Our first goal was to make an impact in Winnipeg by playing loads of shows, getting some music recorded, and bringing on new members. These goals came into fruition in our first year together.

We have our sights set high. We plan to first, finish the full-length album and start touring. As for what comes next you’ll have to keep an ear and an eye out for us. We plan to make big waves and have an CH: Family is really important to you. Can you talk impact across the country and the entire world! about how that's impacted the music you make?

SG: Like most families, our family works best through communication. With that, we all write, and each Stay up-to-date with House Handshake through their has input on how we arrange the songs. We invite official website, Facebook and Instagram. everyone's opinion and come to a consensus.

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DIGITAL LOOKBOOK

SPF ALICE RL

2018/2019

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SPF X BRINGS SOUND, PHR MAGAZINE TOGETHER WITH ILLUSTRATORS.

THE AIM IS TO BRING READERS LIMITED EDITION MERCHANDISE THAT CELEBRATES OUR MANTRA, “GET LOST IN SOUND” THROUGH T EYES AND STYLES OF NEW ARTISTS

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RASE & FURY H LOCAL

THE S.

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For the project’s inaugural year, SPF X has partnered with Alice RL, a non-binary, Ojibwe artist whose work draws inspiration from their experiences and cultural teachings and melds it with a signature palette of bright, playful hues. Their artwork creates stunning juxtapositions of human brutality and emotion with hope and whimsy.

Alice’s projects include game and comic book art, digital and traditional illustration, and graphic design aimed at presenting beautiful and emotional stories that are LGBT2SQ+ inclusive.

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SPF X continues our aim to create platforms for artists - from the musicians we cover to the writers we work with.

THUS, A PO SHIRT SAL 30

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ORTION OF EVERY SPF X ALICE RL LE GOES TO THE ILLUSTRATOR.

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Our hope is to give SPF supporters a glorious piece of wearable art while connecting local artists with new audiences.

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Photography by Kerri Martens

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SOUNDPHRASEFURY.COM/ALICERL

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