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Feb / Mar 2018 Stylus Magazine
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FEB/MAR 29 NO. 1 2018 VOL
Production Team
On the Cover
Assistant Editor . . . . . . Kaitlyn Emslie Farrell
PAT LAZO is a Winnipeg based visual artist, muralist and tattoo artist. He was involved in the early Canadian graffiti movement. In 1998 Lazo co-founded Winnipeg’s Graffiti Gallery aka (Graffiti Art Programming). He is Artistic Director for Graffiti Art Programming and a Tattoo Artist at Osborne Village Ink.
Art Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kelly Campbell
You can follow his work on instagram @patlazoart.
Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gil Carroll
Cover Art . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pat Lazo Advertising Contact . . . . . . . . . Rob Schmidt manager@ckuw.ca Print by JRS Print Services . . . 204-232-3558
Contributors Zoe Lebrun Joanne Woods Sebastian Jarmula Talula Schlegel Colton Siemens Nigel Webber Umair Diwan Alex Roberecki Chris Bryson Renee Batson Calvin Lee Joseph Mackenzie Bigler Kalyn Hanuschuk Hazel Flowers Allegra Chiarella Jen Doerksen
Stylus is published bi–monthly by CKUW 95.9 FM, with a circulation of 2,500. Stylus serves as the program guide to 95.9FM CKUW and will reflect the many musical communities it supports within Winnipeg and beyond. Stylus strives to provide coverage of music that is not normally written about in the mainstream media. Stylus acts as a vehicle for the work of new writers, photographers and artists, including members of the University of Winnipeg, of CKUW and of the Winnipeg community at large. Stylus reserves the right to refuse to print material, specifically, that of a racist, homophobic or sexist nature. All submissions may be edited and become the property of Stylus. All opinions expressed in Stylus are those of the contributors and do not necessarily reflect those of the editors. Contributions in the form of articles, reviews, letters, photos and graphics are welcome and should be sent with contact information to:
Stylus Magazine Bulman Student Centre, University of Winnipeg 515 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, MB, R3B 2E9 Phone: 204-786-9785, Fax: 204-783-7080 Writing submissions: editor@stylusmagazine.ca Graphics submissions: design@stylusmagazine.ca www.stylusmagazine.ca Contributions will be accepted in the body of an email. No attachments please. All submissions may be edited and become the property of Stylus. Unauthorized reproduction of any portion of Stylus is strongly discouraged without the express written consent of the editors.
Table of Contents Blah, Blah, Blah Events Around Town . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 03 CKUW Program Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Prarie Punk Perspective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Winnipeg State of Mind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 CKUWho The Gatefold Wreckage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Reviews Beverly Tender // Prolyfic Muziq // + more . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-16 CKUW Charts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Features Selci . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ice Cream . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Warming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Girls with Guitars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Forthwith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . housepanther . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Space Jam: Human Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Feb / Mar 2018 Stylus Magazine
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BLAHBLAHBLAH What a wonderful city we live in; music and art are full of life and continuing to grow.***Come show your support on February 8 at the Handsome Daughter for CKUW’s Fundrive kickoff party with Urban Vacation, Dutch Elm and The Young Pixels and then head to the Burton Cummings Theatre for Portugal. The Man and Hollerado***Also on February 8 you can catch Apollo Suns, Silence Kit, and Micah Erenberg over at The Good Will***Feb 9 at Times Change(d), Dirty Catfish Brass Band: New Orleans Night***Support Timfest on Feb 9 with all proceeds going to help Tim fight cancer with TUSK, Spacebutt, Silence Kit, Deshiko, June Killing Stones, and Screaming at Traffic at The Handsome Daughter***February
10 at the Handsome Daughter check out Holy Void and The Vangoras or at Times Change(d), Curtis Newton Birthday Party***Catch the 15th Anniversary Tribute to Joe Strummer & The Clash with The Farrell Bros., Guns of Wolseley, The Crackdown, and The Murder Birds at the West End Cultural Centre on Feb 10***February 11 at the Park Theatre dance to Robojom, The Wild Homes and Romes***Valentines day special at the Handsome Daughter on February 14***February 16 at Times Change(d) catch Hay Fever and Blue Valentine’s***February 17 at the Handsome Daughter, Real Love Winnipeg presents Warming and Dana Lee, or over at The Marlborough is Marshall & Some Buddies,
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Red Moon Road and Dirty Catfish Brass Band***CKUW Fundrive wrap up party on February 16 at the Good Will with Black Cloud, The People’s Republic of Amsterdam and Rust Owl***HMS Arlington is doing shows again, on February 24 Viewing Party, Holy Void, and Dead Friends (Edmonton)***February 27 at Times Change(d) celebrate Johnny Cash’s Birthday***March 1, Kakagi is at Times Change(D)***March 7 at the Park Theatre get swept away with Bahamas***March 17 at the Park Theatre is Manitoba Metalfest with Demolition Hammer, Skeletal Remains, Endless Chaos, Untimely Demise, Skunk, and Wreck-Defy also happening that night at Times Change(d) is Sean Burns and Mason Melle Cd Releases***March 20
at Times Change(d) check out Union Duke with Black River Drifters***March 20 also sees Pennywise with Strung Out at The Garrick Centre***March 23 at the Pyramid Cabaret is Reverend Horton Heat, Igor & The Red Elvises, and Unknown Hinson***Let all of your worry wash away on March 26 at the Garrick with Toronto indie poppers Alvvays with Frankie Rose opening***March 29 at the Good Will Montreal’s Ought and Flasher (Washington DC) will make you mosh, but not too hard or check out JD Edwards band at Times Change(d)***April 1 at the Good Will Social Club is Toronto’s FRIGS with Beth, and Agapito***
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SELCI BY ZOE LEBRUN
Selci (pronounced sell-see) is a Winnipeg-born musician who creates indie pop/electronica music with unique beats and R&B influences. With a tour and single release on the near horizon, we chatted with Selci about their influences, music, and upcoming shows. Zoe Lebrun: Your music has an incredibly unique sound; what was it that originally inspired you to write your own music? Selci: I was musical from a very young age, I started by writing poems and putting melodies to them.
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PHOTO BY SEBASTIAN JARMULA
When I got my first guitar I started writing right away. It’s something that I’ve been doing right from the start; it came naturally to me and was something that I’ve always felt I needed to do. ZL: You’re a classically trained musician, at what age did you know that you wanted to dedicate your life music and why? S: I was very young; as long as I could remember I knew it was the main thing. I didn’t know if it would be possible because I wasn’t raised in a musical fam-
ily, I didn’t know what it meant to be musical and to want to do that with your life, but I remember it being the only thing I wanted to do. Because I grew up in a sheltered, suburban home, I was put in classical lessons because that was what made sense at the time. The knowledge that can be gained from classical music is so intense and deep, it’s such a beautiful art form, and I still love it even though I don’t sing it anymore. ZL: You’ll be coming to Winnipeg on your upcoming tour to play Snow Dance and Big Fun, What can audience members expect to experience during your shows? S: It’ll be the same music for both, but Snow Dance will be kind of like a girl power night, because Atlaas and Sheena will be playing that night as well, and they’re a bunch of badass, incredible voices and awesome writers; it’ll also be a party cause it’s Saturday night! For Big Fun Fest, I am working with two dancers, Victoria Exconde and Benjamin Mujuni, for my set, and I am going to have a video projection going with an experimental film by Calgary artist Sebastian Jarmula. The video explores desexualizing the naked body and was filmed with lo-fi cameras with colourful abstract editing in an almost popart aesthetic. I’ve taken a multi-media approach to my live shows for a long time but I am most excited about this new project. ZL: What artists would you say have influenced your work the most over the years? S: Bjork is a total genius, I’ve been very inspired by her musically, but also visually and conceptually. I’ve listened a lot of FKA twigs over the past few years as well, and I like how she approaches pop in such an experimental way. Grimes has inspired me to be a self-contained artist and teach myself to produce. I like Frank Ocean’s sound a lot. I also used to listen to experimental folk artists like Joanna Newsom and Regina Spektor, as well as classic artists like Pink Floyd and Madonna. I grew up on 90’s pop so that’s just in my blood. Recently I’ve been super into modern and contemporary R&B, artists like Tei Shi, Nao, and SZA. I’ve also been listening to some house, techno, electronica, 80’s music, and 90’s electronic music; I’ve been going back to a lot of older music to see what I’ve missed and how I can apply things I like about it to my music. My training in classical music has also influenced me a lot. Maya Deren is an experimental film artist who interests and inspires me visually. ZL: Your most recent music video, “Gone W Thuh Wind”, is full of glitter, pastels, and candy; however, there are also some edgier vibes that underlie the overall “girly” aesthetic. What were you hoping to convey through the video as you directed, and what was the best part about shooting? S: Directing it was good, and I had help from my go to girl Boseya Petra. A lot of my music is serious, emotional, and contemplative, but for this song I just wanted to write something that was catchy and upbeat with lovey, fun lyrics, but have something that still had power and a bit of a feminist edge with attitude and strength. I wanted to overdo the girly thing almost to the point where it was so much that it was funny, almost to make fun of it bit but also show that there is also nothing wrong with being girly (even if you’re not a girl). The candy thing was fun, but we wanted to take it a little further than ‘sexy’, past people’s comfort levels almost to the grotesque, just to give it a little edge. I wanted it to be really ‘girly’ but so far past it that it’s ridiculous, sexy
but also gross and gritty. ZL: What sorts of activities and hobbies do you enjoy when you’re not performing and writing music? S: Right now, all my energy is focused on music, but I like to hang out with my friends and read. I enjoy learning and reading about history, different religions, and philosophy. I’ve been trying to learn about sound engineering and mixing in order to become a better and more self-contained musician. I want to eventually be able to teach my friends and other women about production; how to use electronics and other tools. I want to up my skills in order to up share my knowledge. I also love fashion and styling, I used to make lots of jewelry; I’m a very tactile artist. I feel like I end up tying a lot of those hobbies into music by default. I also drink a lot of coffee. ZL: What are you most excited about for going on your upcoming tour? S: I’m am most excited to be on the road, I love being on the road. I’ve spent a lot of time travelling over Canada in my life. Some friends and I used to hitchhike across Canada, and I lived in a van for
four months in summer 2016. I feel good when I’m not attached to a place for large amounts of time. Being on the road, playing shows every night, and meeting so many people is always really amazing. When you’re on the road you just see the goodness in everyone, people are so lovely and happy to share stories. ZL: You have a single, “Apple$”, that will be dropping in the spring; what is your creative process like while writing new music? S: It varies from song to song. There’s always some idea, and I think now when I get those ideas I try to get it down and expand on it really quickly. I can internally hear what sounds I want and what to do with it right away then I’ll play around with it in the box. It’s different for everyone, but I’ve found it good to start with a song and work your way out for the most part, even though that isn’t necessarily what happens for every song. I’ve been working on “Apple$” for almost two years; it has existed in so many forms since I learned how to produce a year ago, it’s one of the only songs that has survived from my earlier set-up. I eventually brought it to the producer Beatchild and he let me watch him mix it step
by step, and he took the same song and brought all the sounds out and made it sound the way I actually wanted it to sound. I think it’s finally done now. ZL: What is one of the most exciting things that has happened to you throughout the course of your music career? S: 2017 was cool because although it had its ups and downs, I felt like I had finally begun to achieve goals I’ve had for a really long time. I finished my degree, I learned about producing and mixing, and started to play shows I had wanted to play for years but I didn’t know how to get, it’s just been a year of snowballing. It’s just been hustling and working my ass off on music and then actually seeing results.
ICE CREAM cold & sweet
BY COLTON SIEMENS
PHOTO BY UMAIR DIWAN
Not unlike their frozen namesake, Ice Cream’s music is often a mixture of cold and sweet. Combining incredibly danceable pop melodies with icy synths and haunting vocals that could make Ian Curtis shiver. The two friends behind this project, Carlyn Bezic and Amanda Crist, are anything but cold. Sitting down with the two we speak about love for Celine Dion, Kylie Minogue and Carol King’s Tapestry, it’s easy to see how well the two work together. Communicating through short glances and gestures, they are quite obviously on the same wavelength. It’s because of their effortless connection that they are able to share duties in the band. Both contributing vocals, lyrics and instrumentation, Ice Cream’s debut record Love, Ice Cream combines the two talents seamlessly into what sounds like as post-punk, science fiction dreamscape. While the record is undeniably great, one can’t help but be left with the feeling of wanting more. The
eight track album is short and sweet. But even with a small taste, it’s apparent there is something special about the duo. When asked about their self-coined genre label, “Molecular Pop”, they say it’s just a made up term to describe their sound. It doesn’t really sound made up though, at least not in the sense that it’s devoid of meaning or doesn’t accurately describe their work. The term sounds like the next micro genre wave that we haven’t heard yet. Pushing sonic boundaries, and creating something that sounds like Kraftwerk meets post-punk gloom, the two have an original sound that is refreshing and classic at the same time. Watching the video for their track “Material”, we see the two packing bags with fresh vegetables, pineapple shaped sunglasses, a disco ball and all the other essentials for an interstellar vacation. This playful strangeness is deeply ingrained in their work. A love song to a mannequin, a highlight on the record, is a
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perfect example of the dark, but playful themes that permeate the band’s sound and image. It’s easy to get lost in the seriousness of music sometimes, but Ice Cream seems to have found a perfect balance between dark and light. This balance extends to shared vocals that make Ice Cream so interesting to listen to. Both Carlyn and Amanda use their own unique vocal deliveries to concoct the perfect mixture. Their new single, “Dial Tone,” represents the next step for Ice Cream. A second LP is on the horizon. While the two say there is no set release date or concrete plans for the record, we can expect a different sound. Something a little warmer, a little more human. What this sounds like, is something we’ll have to wait to find out. But it is certain that everyone who has been listening to their album and singles, are eager to find out what lays ahead for the band.
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BY CHRIS BRYSON PHOTO BY CALVIN LEE JOSEPH
After years playing in bands like Slow Spirit, Odana, Somebody Language and under his own name, Brady Allard’s newest project, Warming, lives up to its own name. Allard will be playing his first show as Warming at the Handsome Daughter on February 17th. The first single from Warming’s eponymous debut album, “White Lies”, was released on January 23rd in anticipation of the show. “White Lies” feels warm and emotional, fluid and funky, full of undeniable earworms, jangly hooks, chiming chords, a hypnotically stirring melody and a swaying synth refrain that shimmers and enchants. The new album’s tracks are vibrant and potent, with influences seemingly derived from the best of indie’s barnburners. Descriptions and comparisons to songs like a gothy MGMT, a funkier Deerhunter, or bubbling synths and soaring laser guitar lines alongside a Kurt Vile-ish/War on Drugs-like Americana groove wouldn’t be out of place, and Warming isn’t limited to these things either. Allard has a knack for drawing from multiple styles to create songs that are immediate and catchy, fresh and revealing, distinct in sound and tone. Allard was writing songs for fun that didn’t seem to fit with any of the other projects he’s in. He wrote the parts himself and after posting them one day on Bandcamp, he says things spiraled a bit, “and the next thing I know I’m spending all my money on recording an album.” In March of this year it’ll be two years that most of the collection of 12 songs were written and recorded. “I didn’t really expect it to take this long. I got a grant for one of the singles two years ago,” says Allard. “And that’s supposed to be you get the grant in the beginning of the year and by eight months or
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whatever you’re supposed to have it done. But it’s been two years and I’m just like, UUUHHUGHH, I just need it done already.” Allard says with his method of making music he’ll sit at the keyboard and bang around some chords and sing over top. “Or I’ll think of a guitar line, or bass line, usually just throw that into Logic. Start recording a little bit. Looping it. The way I recorded or wrote most of the songs on the album, it started with just loops of guitar chords or keyboard. And then I just kept throwing more and more layers on top of that to the point where I had twenty or thirty tracks for each song.” This created a problem of excess, but Allard had some help in dealing with that. “I brought it to my sound engineer and he was just like ‘we’ve got to cut so much’, it’s unlistenable, there’s way too much going on, it’s so dense. So he helped a lot with picking and choosing what stays and goes.” Allard went to school for music and has a degree in jazz. But after spending so much time in that world, he grew tired of it, and sought some structure back into his music. With jazz, “you just completely open whatever you want indefinitely, and it was five or six years that I was doing that,” says Allard. “It was great. And then at some point it just kind of gets boring, you just want to… want to play a chorus. I want the audience to listen to a chorus and think ‘Yeah!’ I want to connect a little bit more than just noodling endlessly for twenty minutes per song.” The album was inspired by events two years ago that led to the ending of an almost decade long relationship with his partner. “I was totally fully ignoring everything else in my life. And I didn’t want it to be, but it turned into a breakup album. Because I mean, I had ten or twelve songs or whatever that
the lyrics hadn’t been developed yet,” says Allard. “And when you go through a breakup it’s very hard to write about anything else. I tried. I was just like, okay, I’m thinking of concepts. Like maybe I could write about ancient Mesopotamia, and then I would sit down and be like, “Well, I’m sad! I miss my partner”. So it turned into that. And sort of dealing with the existential questions that come up after a massive life change like that. Like what am I even doing? Why am I playing music?” The February show will have Dana Lee, who Allard describes as a great folk, kind of country-ish singer as an opener. He says she’ll be playing with her band, which is some of the members of Heinrichs Maneuver. “It’s different from what we do,” Allard says, “but it’s just good music.” As for plans for the future, Allard says he’s always writing, and has a lot of music left that was cut from the album that he recorded with Winnipeg mixer, recording engineer and producer Riley Hill. “I honestly don’t think I would have been able to do it with anyone else. We spent fourteen hours each day, mornings to the middle of the night, just hammering it out, and then we’d stop, get a coffee, you know, eat a bunch of hummus or something, it kept going and going. It was to the point where I’m so physically exhausted I could not get off the couch,” says Allard. “I’m not going to do it. I can’t do another track. And he just kept the energy going. It was always like ‘yup, let’s just do it, come on, I set it up’. And I’m like, ‘we’ve been working for like, sixteen hours, and you’re still setting up mics, setting up the drums’. And I’m like, ‘I’m done. I’ll come back tomorrow.’ But yeah he was awesome to work with. We got so much done, but too much music for one album.
h wit
A s l T r I i
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BY KAITLYN EMSLIE FARRELL At least six years ago Kalyn had an idea to create a TV series about the inspiring and ambitious local girls of Winnipeg, who continuously impress the city with their stringed skills. Fast forward a bit and add Cindy and Jenny, change TV series to documentary, and throw an application in to MTS’ Stories From Home, and we have the beginning of Girls With Guitars. They weren’t expecting to, but they won the grant. Not that they didn’t believe in their idea, but validated by the inspiration of this project, Winnipeg is full of talented individuals who were also in the running to receive said grant. But it was Girls With Guitars time to shine and that they did. Veterans of the music community, Jenny Norris Wuckert, Cindy Fouillard and Kalyn Hanuschuk, are the right people to put this story together. These women have no lack of musical background, having each played in multiple bands over the years and still do. Despite life’s potential obligations, these girls are consistent contributors to Winnipeg’s music scene. They sat down with me to hash out the details of this journey and what became of it. Fast forward again another few years and we have a final product. But there was a pretty big “okay, now what” upon acceptance of the grant. Trial and error, gear troubleshooting, all those logistics equal stress. But the content of this documentary and the excitement to tell these stories, or to learn these stories, far outweighed those concerns. There was so much
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PHOTO BY KALYN HANUSCHUK content to cover, so many personal stories to hear, so many perspectives to learn from. And now they’re ready to share what they’ve discovered with you. “You’re pretty good for a girl… Oh please, just because you’re carrying your boyfriend’s gear doesn’t mean you aren’t paying cover… I didn’t expect you to sound like that!” It’s true, theåre’s a lot of women raging in the punk/grunge/rock scenes in Winnipeg and they are widely appreciated by many musicians and show goers. But good luck finding one who hasn’t heard one of the above lines. It’s unfortunately cliché and these clichés hinder the growth of women musicians. Because the positivity and the supportive members of the community aren’t always apparent when you haven’t had the chance to experience them first hand. And so a lot of wasted opportunities pass by, because people don’t always want to start a hobby trying to prove themselves. All the women hear the same bullshit, but they don’t all react the same way. Some get mad, some fight it, some pass it off as non-existent. However they handle it is fine, so long as they keep rocking. Girls With Guitars will give you some of that insight so you can find out just how your favourite local ladies aren’t letting it get to them. They’ll validate your concerns all the while telling you why you don’t need to succumb to them. You can expect bits from local musicians Alana Mercer, Joanne Rodriguez, Julia Ryckman, Amanda
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Sousa, Jenna Priestner, Jennifer Alexander, Pam Mackenzie, and of course Jenny Norris Wuckert, Kalyn Hanuschuk, and Cindy Fouillard. That’s a minimum of ten perspectives to inspire you. That’s a minimum of ten lifetimes of experience to tell you. This isn’t just a story of girls who rock, it’s a demonstration of perseverance, a display of independence, and a reminder that sound has no gender. So women who want to play, if you’re thinking it, chances are others thought it too. But they did it anyway, and you can too. It’s worth it, give it a shot. Go watch this movie, find some inspiration, and make some new friends. Girls With Guitars isn’t supposed to be one big fuck you! The filmmakers behind this project set out to deliver a positive message. Go say hi after you’ve seen it, open a discussion, and most of all have a good time. It’s going to be badass and it’s going to make you hometown proud. Check out the screening at The Park Theatre on March 31st, followed by a live show featuring Silence Kit, Guilt-Trip, Katie & the Wolves, and Slattern. Then continue to watch it on TV on MTS. The whole event is all ages so let everyone benefit from this party of inspiration.
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KRISTINA BANERA
LESLIE SUPNET
Forthwith BY CHRIS BRYSON In the depths of Winnipeg’s winter cold, the Forthwith Festival returns for its second year of experimental arts. Stylus sat down for a Google Hangout chat with Wouter Jaspers and Colby Richardson, two of the Forthwith Festival organizers, to talk about what’s in store for the 2018 edition. Jaspers is a musician himself and makes music electronics for a living. His opportunity to be part of the Forthwith Festival arose from his friendship with the people who run Forth. “They invited me last year to come over and to book a few acts for an experimental festival. They like that type of music there too and they’re very open to weird stuff. So we decided to work together and to make something in the middle of winter and hopefully at its coldest,” Jaspers says with a laugh. From that, “the idea was to do something real interesting and fun in winter and it’s just different,” explains Jaspers. “Give people also a reason to come there and to get them to know the local artists and get something going where also the people making stuff in Winnipeg get to mingle and hang out for a few days together which I think for an artist is also a lot of fun too.” Jaspers says the festival announcement to the public last year was on rather short notice, despite this, he was quite happy with the results, selling 350 tickets over the three days it runs for. The festival is host to a wide array of experimental visual and audio artists from all over the world. In addition to audio performances, there will be visual installations, audio-visual collaborative performances, a variety of workshops, and some other surprises along the way. Richardson is in charge of the visual aspects of the festival. He books the visual artists, will be performing, and is also in charge of the installations that will be there. “The idea behind the visual side of the festival is that every visual artist will have a visual performance in tandem with an audio artist who is visiting for the festival,” explains Richardson. “They’ll provide visuals and collaborate in that manner. That happened last year as well and it went really well. There was
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BACKGROUND IMAGE SCOTT FITZPATRICK some really beautiful combinations that happened. But in addition to the performance they have an installation somewhere within the space and sometimes multiple installations. So each artist will be able to represent themselves through a visual performance collaboration with an audio artist but also a static installation that’s usually based in light and immersive in some way. Whether it takes place in the basement, on the rooftop, or throughout the café upstairs, really transforming the whole space.” The two say that on the Saturday of the festival last year they were able to have a pretty fun party on the rooftop of Forth, with drinks for the occasion, weather dependent of course, and they hope to do the same this year. Richardson finds curating the audio-visual collaborations to be one of the fun parts of organizing the fest. Jaspers and the organizers from the audio side will give him a list of audio artists that are open to collaborating. “And then from that I basically ask each of the artists what their vibe is, for lack of a better word. I prefer to perform visuals for stuff that’s kind of challenging and noisy and abrasive,” says Richardson. “Or on the flip side something that’s really funky, really dancey. So those are two things that I feel like I can perform visuals for relatively easily and I enjoy doing that the best. But everyone has their preferences so basically I give the artists an option of gentle to aggressive, calm to dancey, and ambient to maximalist. And basically tuning in what the visual artists preferences are and then from that see which artists who are open to collaborating might be able to match up.” For the visual side Richardson says he likes to focus on artists that work with light in some way, “video artists or filmmakers or sculpture artists that have a big focus on projections and light.” Richardson lists off some examples of this: Doreen Girard messes with slide machines and overhead projectors, creating warped visuals using glass objects to fragment light. Alyssa Bornn “has a similar approach but has this beautiful composition of Plexiglas that warps light and creates strange shapes.” Scott Fitzpatrick is a local experimental
filmmaker who creates “really dazzling installations with 16mm projectors.” “So it’s really the thing that ties it all together is video and light,” says Richardson. “The reason why is largely because audio and video I feel have something tangible connecting them, even though they’re kind of opposites.” Jaspers says for the musical side of the festival he tries to “find people that have a very tactile approach to music making. So a lot of the acts are electroacoustic, focusing on using objects at one end and very pure synthesis on the other. So you get a very nice natural combination.” Jaspers gives some examples of these: Hainbach uses tapes loops that he records and then “works with the tapes, with the mechanisms that run the tapes, slowing it down or speeding it up. And really playing with that type of effect in a lot of his work, combined with synthesis.” Uchi makes dreamy ambient techno. The Present Elders, who will be performing, are also community workers from Chicago, who make music by “going on the street in the summer and kids will come and they make music with them,” says Jaspers, they’ll be “showing them beat production and performance techniques.” Lisa Busby and Leslie Deere use rotating devices like turntables to make music, but without using the needle. “So there again the tactile approach comes around the corner,” says Jaspers. The Friday night will host what Jaspers calls the New York Invasion. Artists from there will have the whole night to give a freaky New York style dance party. There will also be building workshops and artist talks over the course of the festival. Hainbach will show techniques with tape loops, there will be a percussion-building workshop, and Jaspers says he’ll be hosting a workshop about found sound, all this and more. In addition to all this, Nowhere Kitchen, a cooking collective from Brazil will be cooking food for the festival. “They really focus on reusing whatever’s left,” says Jaspers. “They make delicious meals out of it. So they have also a strong message of reusing what’s local.”
housepanther
power pop for anxious peeps BY ALLEGRA CHIARELLA
PHOTO BY JOANNE WOODS
Before sitting down for a conversation with Winnipeg’s Bailee Woods, aka housepanther, the only time I’d seen her perform was on an episode of Mom’s House, an online concert video series featuring local musicians. She performed a stripped down set with just a guitar, in sharp contrast to the synth-heavy tracks on her Bandcamp. Her infectiously honest, engaging personality was mirrored in her charming and achingly accurate songwriting, complete with all-too-relatable lines about deleting online dating profiles if the conversation goes too late and impulsively bleaching your hair over a friend’s bathroom sink. Woods is a musician with years of experience in bands such as local indie outfit Spacebutt, and the former Electric Sweater Pouches. housepanther marks the beginning of her solo career, as the first project where she has been the main creative force. T-minus two weeks from her Big Fun show on January 25th, I met Woods over Skype, both of us housebound with a bad case of the flu. Being sick clearly did nothing to affect her cheerful demeanor, however, and we dove right into a conversation about her project and upcoming album. Allegra Chiarella: How did housepanther come about? Bailee Woods: Well, I’d always kind of written songs growing up. After graduating high school, I was in Creative Communications for a year before deciding it’s not for me, and our second year project was supposed to be to make something and promote it, so I was like, “Okay, maybe I’ll finally make a project to get these songs I’ve written out.” So that’s
how I started recording some of my own stuff. Then I dropped out and was like, okay, well I wrote this 30-page proposal for an album, may as well still do something with it. AC: From my understanding, this is your first solo project. How have you found the transition from performing with bands to playing alone? BW: With most of the bands I’ve been in, we’ll sort of just get together and jam as a collective and write the songs together, so it’s definitely been different just being in my bedroom writing a song on an acoustic guitar. It’s been weird, but kind of a fun challenge too - when I bring a song to somebody it’s like, “this is my diary.” AC: Are there any significant influences that you draw from in your music? BW: I listened to a lot of blink-182 growing up, and a lot of Nirvana - those were the first songs I learned growing up. A lot of power chords. I grew up listening to Elliott Smith too, I love all of his music. I guess I like simple music that is hooky, and can be both sad and happy in a way. I really like that kind of effortless sound that is still really emotionally captivating - it’s catchy, but it isn’t written just to be catchy. AC: On your Bandcamp, you’ve described your music as “power pop for the anxious peeps of the world.” Can you speak to the emotional motivation behind your songwriting? BW: A lot of why I started music and started writing songs is I struggle with my mental health a lot, so it’s definitely - as cheesy as it sounds - a really good outlet for that. It’s a great way to sort of turn
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my brain off and just write about things that are maybe hard to explain to other people, or find melodies that match what I’m feeling when I don’t know how to describe it in words. I went through a weird on-again-off-again relationship that ended a while ago, which was tough, and with dropping out of college and everything, it was kind of just a weird time. I think the album focuses in a lot around changes, and just being uncomfortable in your own skin, and trying to move on from a bunch of things just not working out. AC: When can we expect the album? BW: It’ll be sometime in the next few months. I’ve just started planning the show, actually, which will be alongside another local band, but we’re waiting to release details on it. I’m currently three songs into recording of the 12 that’ll be on it, and my friend Nick Mann is mastering and just generally helping me get the project off the ground. AC: Finally, I have to ask - where did the name ‘housepanther’ come from? BW: I was thinking, I don’t really want to go by ‘Bailee Woods’ because if I have a backing band I feel wrong calling it my name, ‘cause it’s not just me, and in the end I wanted it to be pretty collaborative. At the time I’d just adopted this little black cat and was like, what’s another name for cat? And I decided on ‘housepanther.’ If you missed housepanther at Big Fun this year, you can hear her music online at baileewoods.bandcamp. com.
Feb / Mar 2018 Stylus Magazine
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: m a J e c a p S
Human Music
BY TALULA SCHLEGEL PHOTOS BY TALULA SCHLEGEL AND JORY HASSELMANN
On a dead-cold January evening, Stylus cozied up with Cole Woods, Jory Hasselmann, and Mef Hollier of the Human Music in a Wolseley Avenue house in their basement-turned jam space/ recording studio. Sitting on a flannel-patterned loveseat on the recording side of the space, the two rooms divided by a half wall and bead curtained doorway, the trio chatted about where they jam and record music. “When we moved into this house together, the room that we’re in now used to be my bedroom. The other side used to be the jam space and the other two lived upstairs,” Hasselman says. Before this, Hollier says, the band’s jam space was above the Good Will Social Club. They had jammed in that space since 2007 until they moved to their current space in 2014. Two years later, in 2016, when Hollier and Woods moved out of the house, Hasselmann stayed and the bedroom side of the basement was converted into the recording studio. “Definitely jamming in your home is better,” Hasselmann says. “When we all lived here, whoever was here could come down and record their part and mix stuff. That’s how the last album was recorded.” These jack-of-all-trades musicians interchange instruments during performances and recording; all of them play guitar, bass and drums. Their newest self-titled album, released this past December, was written, recorded, and produced by the three band members. The first photo is a Tascam 338, Tape Machine. “You either record to digital or a tape. Every al-
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it was the grateful dead logo for months, then one day I realized it, “ Hasselmann says. “Its pretty cool though,” Woods says. The fourth photo is a “Jam It” Tshirt “This is just from value village, I don’t know, it’s just generically a shirt to get you pumped up,”
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bum we make is getting a little bit more hi-fi to the point that we’re using technology from 1978. We really like it,” Hasselman says. Sup was recorded on cassette with a (different) tape width, but the tape width for the album was recorded on ¼” so it’s a bit higher fidelity,’ Woods says. The second Photo is the Synthesized Wonderland (or Synth Corner) “When we play live, we are a three piece with guitar bass and drums but when recording we like to use synths more and more,” Hasselmann says. The third photo is the Grateful Dead Door Beads. “So this used to be my bedroom, and I couldn’t put up a door, it’s the Grateful Dead bear logo. That’s his head, his eyes and his mouth.I actually didn’t know
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Hasselmann says. The fifth photo is a medley of their old cassette machine, digital Casio guitar, and holographic dolphin photo, and the sixth photo is an album tracking chart for recording / misc. whiteboard. The cassette machine was what their first record was recorded on. “If you take a picture of holographs, what happens?” Hasselmann says. Human Music’s next show will be February 18th at the Goodwill Social Club.
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12 Stylus Magazine Feb / Mar 2018
BY NIGEL WEBBER “It ain’t where you’re from, it’s where you’re at.” Thirty years ago Rakim rapped those lyrics in the song “I Know You Got Soul” and he created a central question that rappers and hip-hop artists have been exploring in their own lyrics ever since. Many local Winnipeg rappers also answer the important question of how does where you were born and grew up influence your music, throughout their lyrics. Across the spectrum of the arts a sense of place is often conjured to ground the work and Winnipeg is no exception. Many Winnipeg artists and musicians use the city and small references to its uncovered gems in their work. From Guy Maddin to The Weakerthans, many major artists to break out of the perimeter highway have had some element of local lore in their repertoire. In local hip-hop, one of the most popular rap groups to come out of Winnipeg in the last ten years is Winnipeg’s Most. While the group has disbanded, founding member Charlie Fettah continues to make Winnipeg inspired music. In 2016, Fettah released an ode to our city, “Where I’m From.” Fettah is from the North End and when he was on tour with Winnipeg’s Most he was constantly ready to “rep my squad, to rep the North End of Winnipeg.” Fettah cites Winnipeg’s isolation from other major urban centres as a cause for the strong sense of pride in Winnipeg hip-hop saying “we don’t get a lot of help from outside influences so that goes into why people are so proud.” He is quick to point out that Winnipeg is a blue collar city, unafraid to work hard. In Winnipeg, “there will always be that little grit,” but Winnipeggers know “it doesn’t
matter if you started at the very bottom, if you don’t want to be there anymore, you can change that.” In “Where I’m From” Fettah addresses some of the problems he sees as systemic to Winnipeg as a whole, especially the division of classes. While he argues that class mobility is possible, Fettah acknowledges the wealth gap is widening. Fettah himself was a product of a lower class family who has now become successful but in “Where I’m From” he points out the unlikelihood of his success in lines like “given no chance or tools and told to go prosper.” A harsh reality from an inner city kid who isn’t afraid of going back and shining a light on that “dark underbelly of Winnipeg.” Fettah praises his youth, growing up in a single parent household, for keeping him humble in success and that he is “always rooted in Winnipeg, in the North End and my upbringing with my mom.” For Fettah, a glimpse of the struggle was enough to push him to succeed. Now, as a hip-hop veteran and mentor to young rappers in Winnipeg, Charlie Fettah is excited to see the talented next generation coming up. He’s happy to have seen a change in the hip-hop community towards collaboration and supporting each other’s music. If Charlie Fettah has already built a name for himself inside and outside the perimeter then 3Peat defines Winnipeg’s current hip-hop revival. The group has released an EP and performs regularly but the individual members; Steve, Dill the Giant and E.GG, have all released solo material. E.GG in particular has focused on releasing solo material. His
debut Alverstone dropped in November 2016 and a year later he released a 7 track EP in collaboration with Rayny called Est. 1873. Winnipeg is near and dear to E.GG’s heart. Alverstone is named after the West End street he grew up on and Est. 1873 refers to the founding year of the city of Winnipeg. E.GG represents his neighbourhood hard but says, “the reason why I put it on such a high pedestal is because I learned a lot about myself here.” E.GG notes that by referencing specific landmarks in the West End it helps tie the story together and give a fuller picture of his background. Bigger centres known for their hip-hop talent like Toronto or New York often overlook Winnipeg. However, E.GG sees a benefit in having a distinct regional sound and that “Winnipeg has always just been a genuinely different, creative and original type of city.” New levels of energy and excitement are being brought to Winnipeg hiphop and in the tight-knit community everyone has your back. E.GG explains that local rappers have become attracted to the idea of Winnipeg artists succeeding, “you want to see the city win, you want to see where you’re from win.” He believes that hard work and dedication will pay off and put Winnipeg on the map, “if we push hard enough and work hard enough we can get it, who says we can’t.” The Winnipeg hip-hop scene is in a period of plenty and with hard work and dedication, the hip-hop community will, in Charlie Fettah’s words, “keep this scene growing in a positive way.
PRAIRIE PUNK PERSPECTIVE
KAITLYN EMSLIE FARRELL
Hey there, it’s time for me to say goodbye. This will be my final Prairie Punk Perspective as I will be skipping town with no intent to return, far from the prairies on which I’ve been giving perspective. As I embark on my west coast adventure, I will dive head first into new to me, but old to others, music scenes in another city. That being said, nothing will replace this one right here in Winnipeg. It’s hard to comprehend the possibility of another city having such a small town vibe that really solidifies our community. Here, it’s easy to get to know people, to see familiar faces at gigs, and to jam with all of your favourite musicians. Winnipeg’s punk scene has dated back beyond days in which I was old enough to frequent bars, but I’m lucky enough to have parents of the same scene. We see changes, but most of all we see diversity while bands and people stay true to their roots. Keeping with the slightly classic styles of street punk, and navigating the array of sub-genres, this cluster of
string banging, drum pounding, yelling folks, do everything but disappoint. And no other city will be able to brag about braving the arctic temperatures to play or attend a show. You guys are fucking loyal. I don’t mean to shit on the other towns, I’ll find gold there I’m sure. But it won’t be a substitute so much as an addition to my experience. New sounds, new faces, and hopefully somewhat familiar vibes. I will attempt to arrive with no expectations, as these are big shoes to fill and I’m leaving them behind. Blah, blah, blah, me. I just wanted to say thanks Winnipeg, for all you’ve given me in the realm of music. But let’s talk about you. What’s happening in your future? The truth is, I haven’t been keeping up as much because it’s irrelevant to me from this month on. What a jerk I am. But that doesn’t change what you’ve got. You’ve made it through the bulk of winter. February can be harsh, but it’s March after that. And then warmer months. I don’t know how you feel but I
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think this last season disappeared pretty quickly. February holds a good chunk of shows. Bands are starting to trust venturing through this land again so touring acts start to increase. And there’s a tattoo convention toward the end of the month. Get out and do lots, that’ll make the days pass quicker until you can look out the window, see sun, and trust that you’ll actually be able to feel the sun as opposed to a fake heat that acts as nothing but blindness. Winnipeg is dangerous, and from that danger emerges a group of resilient folks, who I will miss. Give em hell. Keep pushing through the venue closures and starting up new DIY spots. I hope the next time I’m back I can still go to The Doghouse. Don’t be stupid, don’t let stupid people shut shit down. And if your band fails, start a new one. Just keep going like you always have. That’s the Winnipeg attitude. Why not?
Feb / Mar 2018 Stylus Magazine
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ckuwho?
Listen to: The Gatefold Wreckage 2-4 PM on Wednesdays
The Gatefold Wreckage broadcasts every Thursday from 2:00pm – 4:00pm on CKUW 95.9 FM. Stylus: How did you get involved with CKUW? Did you have other Campus/Community Radio experience? Adam Araujo: CKUW was my first, the one, the only. I became involved in 2008 thanks to Brietta
O’Leary, a Movie Village co-worker and host of Horse of A Different Colour on CKUW at the time. I actually went on to take over that Friday afternoon slot within the year, changing the name to simply The Horse. Stylus: How long has your show been running? How did you come up with the format? AA: Well, I’m one of those folks who jumped around a lot, mostly due to changing work schedules. While hosting The Horse (Indie & Classic Psych, Post-Punk, Prog), I involved myself with (Heavy) Metal Mondays as well. After The Horse, I proposed a Pre-1967 Nostalgia show called Rockin’ Chair A.M. which ran from 6-8 a.m. Wednesday mornings. I went on hiatus from radio in 2013. Thankfully, I realized the void that created in my life and returned in 2016 to begin hosting a Thursday afternoon fill-in which became The Gatefold Wreckage. The format of The Gatefold Wreckage is based around the constant barrage of new electronic/experimental/progressive music on the internet. With platforms like Bandcamp and Soundcloud, the traditional dissemination of music is all but erased, creating a direct link between listener and artist. I wanted The Gatefold Wreckage to celebrate this fact. This is what is meant by
“invoking the inevitable.” Stylus: What is the most bizarre thing to ever happen to you on air? AA: Probably the ghosts. Stylus: What have been some other memorable CKUW moments for you? AA: Some things come to mind that I am reticent to put down in print, so let’s just say...meeting Kent Davies. Stylus: Anything exciting planned for the future of the show? AA: In addition to all of the strange music and my socialist rants, chances are that listeners are going to hear a lot more about tabletop gaming. Stylus: Are you excited for Fundrive? AA: Being a phone captain during Fundrive is always a blast. It’s a chance to interact with a bunch of other volunteers I don’t normally cross paths with. Everyone is hustling to make their goals and do their part for the station, it’s a time when you really see everyone come together and make our diverse programming shine. And also, the schwag!
Local Spotlight
NOTME Mask If your new year’s resolution was to listen to more local shoegaze music then your year is already off to a good start. Winnipeg’s notme released a cassette, titled Mask that includes five new tracks as well as the single “Moth” which was released on Bandcamp last July. Their sound is a mix of dreamy indie and hard grungy alt rock. With
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all songs played at a very slow pace this tape will soothe you through this unreasonably cold and dark winter we are experiencing in Winnipeg. Each track creates an ominous atmosphere which allows you to feel both anxious and chill. The final track “Moth” contains cool melodic riffs intertwined with dreamy harmony and solid rhythm. This track has a grunge like intensity in the bass and drums but a very laid-back guitar style. The intensity is kept down and creates a nice contrasting sound between the instruments. A high point in the album is the extra distorted effects added in with the guitar. The mixture of effects on the guitars make it sound very trippy and give it a definite shoegaze feel. You can stream Mask for free and purchase the cassette on notme’s Bandcamp page. Alex Roberecki
MARSHALL AND SOME BUDDIES Dog Daddy Yeah Local musician Marshall Birch got together with some buddies and created an album full of fun. Dog Daddy Yeah is full of inside jokes, outside jokes, and many references to man’s best friend. Their upbeat indie folk sound is conveyed through twelve tracks that will have the listener dancing and longing for the summer. Tracks
like “Cloudland” and “Nice Houses” convey the upbeat positivity only the summer can bring. Lyrically this album can make you appreciate the simple things in life along with making you question the strange things. Like on the tracks “Where do birds go when they die?” and “Little Alex” which is about an introspective dog. The songs are short, sweet and influenced by surf, punk, and the 1950’s. This album will put a smile on your face and is a breath of fresh air. Hopefully this group will perform some Dog Daddy Yeah at a local outdoor festival this summer as this very energetic album feels like it was made to be played live. It can make the listener want to go outside and enjoy the beautiful day. But until the weather allows that, you can download their album off Bandcamp and listen to it in the comfort of the indoors. Alex Roberecki
Mental Notes
PROLYFIC MUZIQ Law Abiding Citizen New Orleans based artist Prolyfic Muziq is one of the most profound artists of this generation. Their sound and artistry are unique, fresh, and speak to what is going on in the world today. Born and raised in the Ninth ward of New Orleans, Prolyfic is no stranger to the music scene as he has performed alongside some of the biggest artists in the business, T-pain, Rick Ross, and Lil Wayne just to name a few. In 2010 Prolyfic dropped “I-45” which features Lil Keke, Killa Kyleon, and Slim Thug. After its release it remained on the hot 100 billboard charts for a long time. Prolyfic also took the number 1 spot on the
billboard charts with the single “Get Low” selling over 1.5 million copies in addition to “This is the life” which also made the hot 100 list. Last year, following the deaths of Philando Castile and Alton Sterling, Prolyfic Muziq made the decision to drop his highly anticipated single “Law Abiding Citizen”. As a black man living in one of the most racist counties in California, Prolyfic has been no stranger to the misuse of power displayed by law enforcement and the criminal justice system. Prolyfic has also had to endure the very same treatment that he delivers in his message that is both on this record and portrayed in the video. In a time where black men are being murdered maliciously by police and are falsely arrested on a consistent basis, Prolyfic felt that now was the time to release this song for the world to hear and view as this is his and every man of color’s reality. By far it is one of the most honest and truthful records that was dropped in 2017. Trust and believe that you have not heard the last of what this man has to offer, as his stories are a reflection of his truth. This is Prolyfic Muziq. Renee Batson
JOYNER LUCAS Mixtapes & Singles In 2014 I came across a video on Freeway Rick Ross’s facebook page. Little did I know, at that time, that I would soon be interviewing someone who was on the verge of creating a nuclear explosion in the hip hop world. Following the shooting of Michael Brown, Joyner Lucas dropped a single “Dear America (Don’t Shoot)”. It was from that point on that I felt the need to reach out and get in touch with him. I knew from that moment that this was only the beginning. Following this single, Joyner continued to bang out hit after hit. Then along came “Ross Capicchioni”, the real life story of Ross who was shot by some-
one he thought was his friend and left for dead. Joyner took this story and told it from both sides. Busta Rhymes coined it as one the best records since Nas’ I gave you power. The hits kept coming and Joyner soon found himself on a bigger stage under a bigger spotlight creating more thought provoking songs like “I’m Sorry” which touches on suicide, “Forever” which talks about abortion, and his recent viral sensation “I’m not Racist”. This man is on fire and is creating a mass buzz that is spreading. I have interviewed Joyner three times on We Build Hits CKUW 95.9 FM and I am always amazed by his humility and insight about how he wants his artistry of hip hop to be portrayed. It’s refreshing to see a younger artist adopt the skills and mindset of those that have came before them as opposed to following trends that most hip hop artists seem to follow. He is setting the standard for what hip hop has always been about, having a voice and expressing viewpoints that others have experienced. Joyner is a stand out artist. Renee Batson
Under the Needle
BEVERLY TENDER What Have You Done to My Water? Just in time to begin hibernating for the winter, Beverly Tender deliver another album full of brilliant, and well informed angular indie rock. Beverly Tender are a young band from Providence, Rhode Island who have been releasing delightfully low stakes music for the past few years. On their latest
album, What Have You Done to My Water? The band cements themselves as an exciting feature of the always impressive, North East scene. With twinkling guitar melodies, pleasantly odd vocal structures, and a knack for pop hooks, this album challenges current indie pop/rock troupes and manages to exist as something wholly unique. The sounds and songs on this album will stay with you for hours after you finish listening to the brief seven songs in 25 minutes. Guitar and vocal hooks blast through the speakers at random and pleasing moments of songs with anxiety filled chanting and questioning like “Will I be like this my whole life? Will I regret this my whole life?” and while their music can be abrasive and confusing at times, it is most certainly full of tender moments. For fans of the local Winnipeg scene, check out this album if you are into bands like iansucks, Mulligrub,
www.ckuw.ca/stylus
Cannon Bros., Veneer, and housepanther. Mackenzie Bigler
FRIENDSHIP Shock out of Season Orindal Records Yet another beautiful release from Chicago based Orindal Records. Like several other Orindal releases, Friendship’s Shock out of Season is full of nostalgia, warm tones, and effortlessly
poetic lyrics. Dan Wriggins delivers a clever and deadpan vocal performance throughout the album complemented with galloping glittery guitar, pretty pedal-steel and synths that create a spacious and dark backdrop for Wriggins’ vocal excellence. With lyrics like “God, it’s so hard to know if anything we do makes any little difference” and later using unique storytelling to illustrate blossoming and failed relationships “I was weaving on my loom, a blanket for my room, but it got complicated….whether you are old or young, you gotta tell someone, they are appreciated.” Wriggins is witty and earnest throughout and although illustrates the frustrations of relationships, makes the listener feel hopeful. The album has so much authentic atmosphere and this reviewer can’t wait to hear more. Hazel Flowers
Feb / Mar 2018 Stylus Magazine
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Iconoclast INVERTED SERENITY As Spectres Wither Inverted Serenity’s third album, As Spectres Wither, shows the band forward thinking, pushing their sound to larger and finer, more sinister and dynamic forms. Although the new album isn’t a huge departure from the band’s previous releases, it showcases their skill in composing songs that mesh technical flair and ferocity with finesse and melody, knowing the importance of contrasts and nuances when it comes to more extreme forms of music. Like their previous albums, Inverted Serenity has retained and expanded upon their deranged grooves and technical prowess. The band plays tight, their sound waxing harder, faster, screams more wicked, stops, starts and slowdowns more seamless and serene. The fluidity of Inverted Serenity’s music is guided and reinforced by the capabilities of progressive metal. With As Spectres Wither, they continue to meld their already diverse sound-thrash, prog, death-bleedinginto-vicious black, and because of the talent and dexterity of the band’s members, the fusion is masterful. The mechanical chainsaw riffs and galloping double kick drums that explode out of the intro to “We Who Wander” sounds like it could have been taken from the burly groovebook of Gojira. “Paragon” is devastating precision, like channelling explosives and gunfire through musical instruments, with rampant beats and howling vocals that are as physically grabbing as they are cerebrally bent. The song swirls and squeals into shimmering guitar chords, slowdowns and build-ups; it’s turbulence and mayhem alongside ragged and raging beauty. Inverted Serenity’s new album is awesome in all the ways that their styles of music stand out in their genres. The album finds beauty through intricate layers of technical brutality, caustic elegance, melodies and grooves that flow amongst the chaos, and a momentous, propelling force. From deadly riffs to searing solos to hurling grooves and back again. Each song is a vehement voyage through bold, roaring terrain. Chris Bryson
16 Stylus Magazine Feb / Mar 2018
MALCOM JAY AND ACCOMPANIMENT PERFORM AT THE GOOD WILL ON DEC. 6 FOR MANITOBA MUSIC’S NEW MUSIC NIGHT
PHOTO BY JEN DOERKSEN
95.9 FM CKUW CAMPUS/COMMUNITY RADIO TOP 30 ALBUMS ( November 22, 2017 - January 25, 2018) !=LOCAL CONTENT * =CANADIAN CONTENT re=RE-ENTRY TO CHART #
ARTIST
1 * The O-Voids 2 ! Propagandhi 3 * The Pack A.D. 4 ! Heavy Bell 5 * Counterfeit Jeans 6 ! Marshall Birch And Some Buddies 7 * Boogat 8 * Buffy Sainte-Marie 9 * Little Miss Higgins 10 Various Artists 11 ! Animal Teeth 12 * Eliana Cuevas 13 ! Slow Dancers 14 ! Johnny Sizzle 15 Shilpa Ray 16 * Alex Cuba 17 ! Mmmeats 18 * Valiska 19 OCS 20 * Bitter Fictions 21 * Hilario Duran 22 Amadou & Mariam 23 * DJ Brace 24 Raoul Bjorkenheim 25 * Gordon Grdina 26 ! Mise En Scene 27 * Form 28 * Metz 29 ! Slow Leaves 30 Liima
RECORDING
Data Victory Lap Dollhouse By Grand Central Station Counterfeit Jeans Dog Daddy Yeah San Cristobal Baile Medicine Songs My Home, My Heart
LABEL
Sounds Escaping Epitaph Cadence Self-Released Sometimes Music Transistor 66 Maisonette True North Self-Released The Hilarious House Of Frightenstein Groove Vinyl A List Of Things To Say Slow Shine Golpes Y Flores Self-Released Philadelphus Freeer Awkward Reasons Inc. College Campus Door Girl Northern Spy Lo Unico Constante Caracol Mac N Me Transistor 66 On Pause Trouble In Utopia Memory Of A Cut Off Head Castleface Jettison Shaking Box Contumbao Alma Amadou & Mariam Because Apatheia Nostomania Doors Of Perception Cuneiform Inroads Songlines Still Life On Fire Light Organ Form Self-Released Strange Peace Royal Mountain Enough About Me Self-Released Nineteen Eighty Two – 1982 City Slang
www.ckuw.ca/stylus
Feb / Mar 2018 Stylus Magazine
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WINNIPEG FOLK FESTIVAL
UPCOMING EVENTS TICKETS AVAILABLE AT TICKETMASTER.CA | WINNIPEG FOLK FESTIVAL OFFICE FEB
FEB
22
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JUSTIN TOWNES EARLE
TERRA LIGHTFOOT WITH WILLIAM CRIGHTON
CENTRE CULTUREL FRANCO-MANITOBAIN
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THE GOOD WILL – SOCIAL CLUB
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THE EAST POINTERS
KIM CHURCHILL WITH CHRISTIA N HUDSON
WEST END CULTURAL CENTRE
WEST END CULTURAL CENTRE
APR
MAR
14
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ROBYN HITCHCOCK THE GOOD WILL – SOCIAL CLUB
18 Stylus Magazine Feb / Mar 2018
Lindi Ortega WEST END CULTURAL CENTRE