Aug / Sept 2015 by Stylus Magazine

Stylus

Aug/Sept Issue4 2015 Volume26

Production Team Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gil Carroll Art Director . . . . . . . . . . . . Andrew Mazurak Assistant Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . Victoria King Cover Art . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Roberta Hansen

On the Cover ROBERTA HANSEN has been nominated for a WCMA both in 2013 and 2015 and in 2015 took home a JUNO for Recording Package of the Year. Her artwork and design has graced the album covers, posters, and t-shirts of some of Canada’s finest musical talent as well as being featured in campaigns for everything ranging from eclectic grass roots start-ups to some of the country’s largest corporate entities. She completed her Bachelor of Arts at The University of Winnipeg and is a graduate of Red River’s Graphic Design Program check out her work here: designbyroberta.com

Advertising Contact . . . . . . . . . Rob Schmidt manager@ckuw.ca Print by JRS Print Services . . . 204-232-3558

Contributors Levi Kwade Mischa Decter Selci Mister Jan Janel Chau Cole Torfason Omri Golden-Plotnik Martyna Turczynowicz Topher Duguay Ed Durocher Victoria King Mike Skwark Phil Enns Tiff Bartel

Stylus is published bi–monthly by the 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 editor@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. Thank you Ted! Love you Stylus. -a.m.

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TableofContents Blah, Blah, Blah Events Around Town . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Live Bait Sled Island Fesival + Winnipeg Folk Festival . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 CKUWho Exile Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 CKUW Program Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Local Spotlight Surprise Party // Savant Flaneur // Teleharmonium . . . . . 14 Root Cellar Girlpool // Twerps // Hot Sugar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Mental Notes Young Thug . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 All That Jazz Joe Driscoll and Sekou Kouyate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Under the Needle Barrence Whitfield and the Savages // Sam Fermin . . . . . 16

Features Animal Teeth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Haze XXL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Rainbow Trout Music Festival . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Astre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Jonas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Aug/Sept 2015 Stylus Magazine

Blah, Blah, Blah Summer is in full swing and Winnipeg is bursting with amazing live music. ***Whoop & Hollar Folk Festival (previously Summer Folk Fest) returns to Portage la Prairie! Happening Friday, August 7, featuring Sheena Grobb, Guerrillas of Soul, Twin, Helen White, and more! *** No cover and sangria on special for the launch of Motown on Mondays, August 10 at the Good Will Social Club (625 Portage Avenue). Every Monday, all motown, get down on it. *** Tuesday, August 11 Northlane brings metalcare to the West End Cultural Centre *** Old Man Luedecke with Sibyl at the Park Theatre on August 12. Doors at 7, show at 8 *** Heartbeat City play the Good Will Social Club on Thursday, August 13 *** No List Records and UMFM 101.5 present Summer of Ugh! La Luna + Pleasure Leftists + STRAPless + Slurs at the Handsome Daughter on Thursday, August 13; over at the Pyramid, the Pistol-

whips cook up some rock ‘n roll *** MEME 2015 brings Timo Maas, Noah Pred, James Teej, and more to Winnipeg between August 13 – 16 *** TROUT. TROUT. TROUT. Rainbow Trout Music Festival runs August 14–16. Just south of St. Malo, Rayannah, Ghost Twin, Smoky Tiger, + all the local youngins will be in attendance. Check out our feature on page 07 *** The inaugural Interstellar Rodeo runs August 14–16 at the Forks. Hawksley Workman, Tanya Tagaq, and locals Greg Macpherson, Scott Nolan, JD and the Sunshine Band take you for a ride *** Aboriginal Music Week runs August 18 – 22 at various locations across the city. Visit aboriginalmusicweek.ca for full details! *** 24th St. Wailers play the Times Change(d) High and Lonesome Club on Friday, August 21 and Saturday, August 22 *** On August 22, you’ll see Tall Paul, Mariame, HellnbacK, T-Rhyme*, Boogey & The Beat performing at the Good

Will for the Closing Night Party of AMW. *** Get all hot and sweaty at the Windsor Hotel on Wednesday, August 26 with Napalmpop (Calgary) and Public Animal (Toronto) *** The Handsome Daughter hosts Nato Coles & the Blue Diamond Band with locals Blackhound, City Jerks and RJ Binge on August 27 *** All hail the Queen. Janet Jackson reigns over Winnipeg on Monday, August 31 *** September 1 Close Talker play their indie folk tunes at the Good Will Social Club *** September 2 Twin Shadow brings his synthpop stylings to the Garrick Centre *** Portuguese Canadian multiinstrumentalist Awna Teixeira takes the stage at the West End Cultural Centre on September 4 *** September 5 at the Good Will Social Club is the Living Hour tour kickoff show with Basic Nature, Snake River, and Mahogany Frog *** On September 8, catch the legendary Eagles of Death Metal at the Pyramid Cabaret

*** September 9–12 is Roll Call at U of W featuring live music on the front lawn, beer gardens, and first day of school blues *** September 12 is the 11th Annual Sherbrooke Street Festival featuring live local acts, family fun, beer tents, and more; or catch Winnipeg roots/folk–darlings Red Moon Road at the West End Cultural Centre *** Bone Thugs–N–Harmony are all togeher again and playing the Burt on September 15 *** September 19, get your new wave shoes on with Smithfits at the Good Will Social Club *** September 25 will see Chad VanGaalen to the WECC *** Might as well spend your entire weekend at the WECC as Hayden plays on Saturday, September 26 *** September 27, art–rockers Braids are at the Good Will Social Club *** September 30, the Winnipeg Folk Festival presents Patrick Watson at the Garrick Centre *** Stay safe, have fun, and protect your ears.

Hey Don’t forget TO USE THAT 2015-16 CKUW Friend’s CarD!

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Aug/Sept 2015 Stylus Magazine

BY LEVI KWADE

ver the past three years, Animal Teeth have cemented themselves as stalwarts of the Winnipeg indie community. With their unique musicianship and musical style, Stefan Hodges (guitar and vocals), Ian Ellis (drums), and Adam Nikkel (bass and vocals), are one of the city’s most sought after acts. I had the chance to hang out with Ian and Stefan to drink gin and chat about their upcoming album, and band life. Stylus: Where have you been recording your new album? Ian Ellis: We went to Adam’s friend’s house near La Salle, Manitoba.

04 Stylus Magazine Aug/Sept 2015

ILLUSTRATION BY MISTER JAN

Stefan Hodges: Right on the La Salle River, actually. It’s really pretty. Stylus: How long did the recording process take? SH: The La Salle recording was five days. I think we got almost 12 songs done in that time, but we packed a lot into the last day. IE: And we’re still doing some recording at our houses. SH: Yeah, we did a couple overdubs. We weren’t really happy with the initial guitar sounds, but it looks like Riley will probably fix those up.

Stylus: So you guys did the recording by yourselves, and Riley Hill from Mortfell Recording is going to be mixing it? SH: Yeah, we just dropped off the album yesterday and we went through it to decide what needs reworking. He didn’t seem to think that we needed to rework as much as I thought that we did, so that’s comforting. But I think we will probably try to rerecord a couple things. IE: It’s good to get an outside ear, cause we’ve all heard these songs so many times. SH: It’s probably good that I broke my wrist [dur-

ing the recording]. I stepped away at that moment, because I had been running through it for a month trying to fix things, and I was really fixating on totally stupid stuff. IE: I was also getting pretty obsessive with the drum takes while we were recording. Stylus: Since the release of your last EP, Me & You, there was a lineup change in the band. Did you guys talk a lot about what changes were going to happen, or did you just feel it out? SH: I just asked Ian and Adam if they still wanted to do [the band], and it seemed like they were still intent on doing it. It’s obviously different, going from a four-piece to a three-piece. Stylus: Because of that, do you think that you’ve gone in a more improvised/jam-style direction? Hearing you guys live since then, the songs feel ‘jammier.’ IE: I thought we went to less of a jammy thing, but I don’t really have much perspective. SH: I think maybe what it is, is that our former guitarist, Hudson, was really good at cutting up our songs and figuring out solid structures. That was a big thing he brought to the songs, whereas I don’t really know how to do that. I feel like Ian and Adam are pretty passive about that kind of stuff, so the songs might drag on a little more, or we are less concrete in how we go about making changes. Stylus: I’ve thought that your music feels natural; it doesn’t seem like things go on forever because you guys don’t know what’s going on, just that maybe it’s easier to communicate with just the three of you. IE: Yeah, well I certainly don’t know what’s going on. SH: I think maybe we have less people to look at, so maybe it’s easier to understand how people are feeling. IE: Stefan is better at putting Adam and I in our place, and keeping us in line. Stylus: What are your plans for releasing the new album? When do you think that will be? SH: Hopefully by the fall, or as soon as possible really. We really want to go on tour again, which is most of the reason why we’re doing a cassette. It wouldn’t make sense to go on tour at this

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point because our EP is so dated. Stylus: When you go into practice, do you have an idea of what you want to do as a band, or is it mostly just whatever happens? IE: Stefan usually gives direction for the overall feeling, and a pretty specific idea, like, ‘this part is supposed to be paranoid.’ So we usually have guidelines and suggestions for each other for how to improve a song, or make it flow better. But it is really trial and error, just seeing how it goes. Stylus: You mentioned the term paranoid; what sort of language do you use with each other? Do you talk in strictly musical terms, or do you use language that describes feelings (like ‘paranoid’)? SH: Sometimes we can use technical language. I feel like my music theory is pretty limited, but Adam and Ian have a pretty good grasp on most of it. I was also in band class, so I feel like between us we still can communicate like that. But it’s usually more effective to communicate in terms of feelings. Even if

it’s not the actual feeling, but it’s just the intention of it that helps to move [a song] in a certain direction. Instead of being like, ‘this has to have a tinny sound,’ or a very articulate sound, we’ll say, ‘just make it sound like you’re really uncomfortable and you don’t want to be here.’ I feel like it has the same effect. Stylus: There is clarity in using that technical language. SH: Yeah, people didn’t invent that shit just to show off. It’s actually useful stuff. Stylus: What sort of audience interaction do you strive for? What do you guys do to help calm yourselves before playing? SH: I usually just get really drunk and eat bananas, but I think that’s typical of most people. Stylus: Yeah, bananas especially. What is it about bananas? I’m curious. SH: Apparently the potassium makes you less nervous. I honestly don’t really expect anything of audiences, because I usually don’t really look at the audience. I like the idea of being a lounge band, where you just hang out in the corner and people do their own thing, and you’re just happening. Stylus: Yeah, totally. It’s almost that it’s less obtrusive. SH: I think that if people want to have a conversation, they should be able to have a conversation. [The band] shouldn’t always have to be the centre of focus. I mean, I get that people go to shows to listen to music, but it’s also a pretty social event. I don’t understand why the only thing that you can really do is get your ears blown out. IE: And we play loud enough so that if someone wants to hear us play, they can definitely move forward. If someone wants to have a conversation, I really don’t mind. At this point, Ian and Stefan’s roommate, Kipp Kocay (who’s been sitting through the interview), interjects. Kipp Kocay: It’s like, do you want people on dates to go to your shows? People on dates need to talk. SH: Well, maybe they could just start making out, out of nowhere. IE: We should give a free shirt to a couple that makes out. Keep your ears to the ground for the upcoming release of Animal Teeth’s new album. Find the band on Facebook at facebook.com/animalteeth, and Bandcamp at animalteeth.bandcamp.com.

Aug/Sept 2015 Stylus Magazine

haze xxl by Mischa Decter

er, known to his fans as Haze XXL, TisomtheHazelmy founder of legendary noise rock/bizarro

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ILLUSTRATIO

Stylus: You were a US Marine. By choice? What was that like? Haze XXL: Yes, by choice. The draft was over for years by the time I signed up. It was everything you’d imagine it to be, bullshit pain in the ass and all. The boredom made me focus on the arts I’d been pursuing before (music/painting), and getting stationed nearby Seattle in 1983 1987 was an incredible stroke of luck and a life changer because of the friends I made there. I still think some of the skill sets I picked up there trump college any day. Stylus: Why did you start AmRep? Were there any other small labels putting out noise rock bands in the late 80s? Haze XXL: The label started as a vanity project simply to release records by my own band, Halo Of Flies. Then friends like Steve Turner (Mudhoney) and John Bigley (U-Men) asked me to do releases for them. I enjoyed it so much that it was the obvious next step. Labels that did releases from proto-noise bands were there, and I admired them immensely; Gerard Cosloy’s tenure at Dutch East India Trading was legendary. Touch and Go out of Detroit/Chicago was also tearing it up. I would have killed to be on either of those labels at the time. Stylus: How would you describe the early AmRep bands? Haze XXL: In some ways what a lot of the bands were doing was exploring past the confines of early 80s hardcore, by mixing in various outside strains and influences. For a lot of us weaned on early punk and hardcore, we were simply trying to continue to push into further extremes and find new sounds to express the same raw power. My tastes ran to the extremes of wanting and loving music that could level you, regardless of what background it was coming from. Stylus: Explain the importance of music and visual arts’ symbiotic relationship. Haze XXL: The event flier/poster certainly had a heyday in the psychedelic era, and had continued on as a means to promote the underground that never really went away. It was reinvented with the first wave of punk (NYC & UK versions), and morphed into prominence with hardcore and the advent of cheap xeroxing, all the while helping visually define these genres. A lot of the main folks involved with late 80s/early 90s ‘re-

punk label Amphetamine Reptile Records (AmRep). While putting out records by revered sub popular bands like Helmet, The Melvins, Lubricated Goat, and Thee Headcoats, Haze XXL’s art and gig posters helped define the cultural footprint laid down by an underground of mid-Western weirdos. A documentary about Haze XXL titled The Color of Noise had its Canadian premiere at the Park Theatre on July 18 as part of No List Records’ ‘Summer of UGH’ concert series.

surgence’ (myself included) cut our teeth on low rent show fliers. The addition of ballistic design and silk screening reared back up after dying off in the 60s. It added a stunning visual clue to the weirdness that was occurring in small bars/ clubs across the country at the time. Stylus: How did the popularization of grunge music affect AmRep? Haze XXL: Initially we weren’t considered part of it, as we were thought to be something else by the same British press that put grunge on the map. Due to geographic placement alone, as all the bands were friends and allies with Mudhoney, The Melvins, etc, we occupied the same space, time and influences. In hindsight, that was for the best as it gave all the bands more time to explore and create outside of confining definitions artificially created by the press. In the end it did catch up to us though, in that the post Nirvana feeding frenzy brought them to our doorstep, and they pursued our bands like Helmet, Boss Hog, Surgery, etc. I still love the stories of a certain Cows member that would maniacally giggle and tear up the business cards of major label scouts right in front of them the moment they were handed off. Stylus: Who would be on the AmRep roster if the label had been founded in 2015? Haze XXL: Too many to mention I think, and I would hate to leave anyone off. Whores, Die Nerven, Miami Dolphins, Mrs., The Blind

Shake, Gay Witch Abortion, Les Seashores, Total Butcherettes, Control and half a dozen other great Aussie bands at the moment, and so many more. Stylus: What is BASH? Haze XXL: BASH is just the identifier we’ve come to use for our mini-festival, albeit glorified backyard BBQ, we throw here on occasion in Minneapolis. It’s not structured enough to go annually, and far too much work to do it frequently. But it’s a convergence of my bar (Grumpy’s), music, art, and the label (as we always do special releases just for the event). It’s become a thing people travel to from across the globe, as word has gotten out how fun and unique it is. I talked to folks from France, Ireland, Canada, the UK, as well as from across the country last Saturday! Keeping it small and manageable has kept it being more like a backyard party. No $10 waters, $15 beers or $20 burgers, and no varied levels of VIP areas . . . well, there’s still the same disgusting porta-potties baking in the sun. If you’re into AmRep, you might like Metal Mondays (Monday nights from midnight - 3 a.m.), 99 Balloons (Tuesdays from 2 p.m. - 3 p.m.), or Raunch Radio (airing Tuesday nights from midnight - 1 a.m.) on CKUW.

BY SELCI

TROUT. TROUT. TROUT. Rainbow Trout Music Festival returns for another year from August 14-16. Based on the banks of the Roseau River, just south of St. Malo MB, the fest celebrates all genres of music. I caught up with several artists and organizers from this year’s festival. Ben Jones (Rainbow Trout Co-Founder) Stylus: On a scale of 1 to super-crazy-monsterstoked, how excited are you for this year’s festival? Ben Jones: For the past six years, the RTMF has been this massive annual punctuation mark in my life. There is nothing I look forward to more than sitting next to the Roseau River surrounded by friends while listening to all our favourite bands! Best weekend of the year, every year. Stylus: How did the festival come into fruition? BJ: One afternoon at Reynolds Ponds a really motiBY MARTYNA TURCZYNOWICZ vated and talented group of friends who love music and camping decided to build a little festival. It was so much fun that they kept doing it. For a longer version of that story, check out our website (rainbowtroutmusicfestival.com) Stylus: I heard you guys sold out in 40 minutes. How do you feel about selling out so quick this year? BJ: It was mind-blowing. I used to spend days sitting at Old Market Square with a hand-painted sign selling tickets. I would deliver tickets to friends houses just to make sure that they would show up. I’m happy that people have really embraced the fest. It’s encouraging to know that all the grinding finally paid off. Stylus: Are there acts you are particularly excited for? BJ: Holy Void is really bringing it together for me right now. I think having lunch while listening to their dark drone will be real weird and wonderful. Stylus: Do you have plans to expand the festival in the future? BJ: We are small and intend to stay that way. We aren’t trying to build a mega festival, there are enough of those. Part of the magic of the RTMF is

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PHOTO BY TYEDYETWINS

that it isn’t overrun with people. Stylus: Can you share a highlight from festivals past? A fond memory, something funny, or something unexpected? BJ: When Smoky Tiger rolled up in his van (named “Elfmyst”) just minutes before his set on Saturday night, after spending a hellish three-week odyssey trying to get across the country. It’s just as ridiculous as it sounds, and it was magic, as was his set. Claire Morrison (2015 RTMF Performer) Stylus: On a scale of 1 to super-crazy-monsterstoked, how stoked are you for this year’s fest? Claire Morrison: My excitement is as big as Saturn’s rings! Stylus: Have you played or attended Rainbow Trout in the past? CM: I haven’t. I was invited to play last year and sadly, it didn’t work out. I’m very happy to have the chance to perform this year and finally check out the fest. Stylus: What are you most excited about for this year’s festival? CM: Sharing the stage with some great musical pals of mine for my set (you’ll have to come see us to find out who)! Like with any festival, I’m stoked to unplug from technology and spend a weekend outside. Working in the music industry requires way too much time spent staring at screens. I’m also excited to make some new hometown discoveries. There are all sorts of new names popping up on the Manitoba scene, and lots of bands I’m unfamiliar with. Stylus: Are there any bands you’re really looking forward to? CM: I’m looking forward to checking out Slow Leaves for the first time. I’ve heard great things about his stuff. I’ll definitely be catching The Empty Standards as well, if only to hear them play “Let You Go.” That tune brings up some really powerful lateteens nostalgia for me. Stylus: We’re so happy to catch you at RTMF because now you’re in Montreal all the time. Any other shows we can see you at while you’re in town?

CM: I’m pretty sure that my show at RTMF will be my only performance in Manitoba this time around. If I decide to do another surprise show in August, I’ll announce it online at clairemorrison.com and on Twitter at @clairemwpg. Catch Claire Morrison at RTMF on Saturday, August 15 at 1:00 p.m. M&M Meats (2015 RTMF Performer) Stylus: On a scale of 1 to super-crazy-monsterstoked, how stoked are you for this year’s fest? M&M Meats: Pretty excited, which in Meats-speak is approximately a ten. Stylus: Have you played or attended Rainbow Trout in the past? M&MM: 2/3 of us have been out. 0/3 have played. Stylus: What is a highlight from your memories of festivals past? M&MM: Last year, Rob drove that damn luggage THE INEFFABLE’S NIVEL UNO AVAILABLE AT van back and forthBRAINWAVETAPES.STORENVY.COM in the middle of the day when it was hotter than Pluto’s alleged molten core. Also, seeing Vikings play a few years ago blew Rob away. Stylus: What are you most excited about this years festival? M&MM: Floating in the stream, and Parlour bringing their coffee tamper. Stylus: Are there any bands you’re really looking forward to? M&MM: The Will To Power, Blonde Goth, Ghost Twin. Stylus: You guys just released your EP Runner’s Love on July 18, can you tell us a bit about the album? M&MM: It’s a rock album with a couple of twists and turns. We recorded with Joel Mierau at Private Ear Recording last fall. Joel is a genius and a genuinely nice guy who apparently doesn’t need sleep. Without him, there would be no record. M&M Meats will kick-off the festival at 6 p.m. on Friday, August 14. Find all festival information at rainbowtroutmusicfestival.com.

Aug/Sept 2015 Stylus Magazine

THE WEATHER STATION WINNIPEG FOLK FESTIVAL

COMPASS: MEXICAN INSTITUTE OF SOUND + TOY SELECTAH WINNIPEG FOLK FESTIVAL

PHOTO BY COLE TORFASON

EDWARD SHARPE & THE MAGNETIC ZEROS WINNIPEG FOLK FESTIVAL

PHOTO BY COLE TORFASON

live bait JOSÉ GONZÁLEZ

WINNIPEG FOLK FESTIVAL

PHOTO BY COLE TORFASON

BARMER BOYS + DJ SPINCYCLE WINNIPEG FOLK FESTIVAL

PHOTO BY COLE TORFASON

KING TUFF

SLED ISLAND FESTIVAL

PHOTO BY ANDREW MAZURAK

QUAKER PARENTS

SLED ISLAND FESTIVAL

PHOTO BY ANDREW MAZURAK

TELEVISION

SLED ISLAND FESTIVAL

PHOTO BY ANDREW MAZURAK

GODSPEED YOU! BLACK EMPEROR SLED ISLAND FESTIVAL

PHOTO BY ANDREW MAZURAK

VIET CONG

SLED ISLAND FESTIVAL

PHOTO BY ANDREW MAZURAK

DRIVE LIKE JEHU SLED ISLAND FESTIVAL

PHOTO BY ANDREW MAZURAK

YO LA TENGO

SLED ISLAND FESTIVAL

PHOTO BY ANDREW MAZURAK

Exile Files

Wednesdays 10:30 p.m. to Midnight on CKUW 95.9 FM or ckuw.ca BY OMRI GOLDEN - PLOTNIK

The sun slow roasts Winnipeg patio-goers, and a damp heavy air blankets the city. I am sitting with a beer in one hand and a pen in the other, scratching notes onto my legal DAVE QUANBURY pad. Across from me, my companion Dave Quanbury explains the logic behind his song selections for his 90-minute radio program on CKUW, Exile Files. His tendency is to focus on jazz and blues, and particularly songs with an emphasis on brass instrumentation and big vocals. Whether this is deliberate or subliminal, Dave’s intention is to find music made by people who have been famously forgotten; artists who blew the doors off music decades ago, or had a profound influence but failed to achieve everlasting fame. I share with him a note I took while listening his July 8 episode, when he described the massive influence of revolutionary trombonist, Jack Teagarden. In that episode, Dave illuminated the listener to how Teagarden’s style brought trombone from the background ‘tailgate’ style, common in the 20s and 30s, to the forefront of brassy, jazzy, big blues music. He was a man whose influence is still heard today, but whose name is missing from the collective mental Rolodex of nearly all today’s performers, casual fans, and even music insiders. His goal of shedding light on music history’s forgotten souls meshes well with CKUW’s

COMIC BY TIFF BARTEL (@TIFFBARTEL)

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mandate to maintain ‘hit-free’ radio programming. The irony of Exile Files, as Dave points out, is that at one time some of the songs he plays would have been considered hits. This is precisely why listeners ought to be tuning in to Exile Files (which airs Wednesday evenings at 10:30 p.m.). The program combines well-selected soulful jazz music with Dave’s smooth inquisitive narration in a way that can be only conjured from a man on-the-go; a musical road warrior. The program’s name comes from Dave’s personal story. Originally from Winnipeg, he was deported from the United States last spring. He’d lived in Austin, TX, where he’d worked nearly every conceivable occupation in the city: home care, carpentry, building treehouses, and even as a technical aid at the SXSW Festival. He’d spent 5 years living and working in Texas, but remained in the state 60 days beyond his visa’s allowance. He has since been refused entry to the US. His wife still resides there. Dave tells me that living in exile has triggered a midlife crisis. He is separated from his two loves his wife, and his music. At the time of his deportation, Dave was performing in eight different bands. Winnipeg, unfortunately, does not have the same scene for brass, blues, and jazz that can be found in the southern United States. In Austin, one could hear Dave’s 30-person band (now, sadly, 29), the Minor Mishap Marching Band, playing on any given night. But the adventurous story that was Dave’s life playing and touring with his band has been temporarily halted due his deportation. He recounts to

me a happy tale, one which took place in New Orleans during the world famous Mardi Gras parade. One particular year, the group was summoned to New Orleans, the home of jazz and blues, for the official Mardi Gras parade. Between throngs of people, the band bellowed on their instruments, soaking up the whole experience. Deep within the crowds, there were groups of children holding their hands out for any gifts or trinkets that might pass their way. In one particular group, Dave’s eye caught a young girl, too small to reach above the other children. While the boys around her had their hands full, she held nothing. Seeing this, Dave broke formation and moved into the crowd, bustling through the bodies, until he was face-to-face with this small girl. He handed her a small medallion he had been given hours earlier by the parade organizers. “I bet she remembers that to this day,” I tell him. “I hope so,” he responds. Personal anecdotes, glimpses into the biographies of the most influential and overlooked musicians, and a smattering of forgotten jazz hits, Exile Files is a link to the past. It’s a bridge to connect today’s listener with the true foundations of music, and the sounds underpinning tracks for decades to come. Exile Files airs Wednesday evenings on CKUW 95.9 fm from 10:30 p.m. - midnight. You can listen to archived episodes at ckuw.ca.

PHOTO BY ANDREW MAZURAK

getting to know ASTRE BY VICTORIA KING

a rainy summer evening in Winnipeg. Outside Ioft’sFools & Horses Coffee on Broadway, there are

only wet streets and construction trucks left for tomorrow. Downtown is quiet after the daily evacuation of the 9 to 5 working crowd, leaving Winnipeg’s business district an assortment of dwindling bus services and dawdling people. Kathryn Kerr sits across from me, friendly and glowing in a gold-sequined blouse, enjoying a glass of amber ale. Astre is the moniker for Kathryn’s solo lo-fi project. She is its sole creator – lyrics, musical arrangements, recording, album art, even her own website – and she functions with an enthusiastically ‘do it yourself ’ mentality. After a short but difficult career travelling across Canada with VIA Rail, she’s stationed back in Winnipeg to focus on Astre. Kerr explains that she was always interested in music. Growing up in North Kildonan, she played piano and guitar. After high school, she attended Brandon University to study jazz saxophone for five years, and graduated with her Bachelor of Music in Jazz Performance. While there’s no saxophone in Astre, nor is the music particularly jazzy, the experience set her up well as a solo musician. “It taught me how to rehearse, run a band . . . I can sight-read like crazy and learn charts really fast,” Kerr explains humbly. “I know all the options for songwriting, and I understand really well how chords work. I can choose whether I want to write really heavy, crazy, complicated stuff, or write really simply, but I know how it all fits together.” After graduating, Kerr returned home to Winnipeg. She joined a group of university friends in a cover band as their keyboardist. Not too long later, Kerr got a job with VIA Rail. The job required her to be on the train for at least six months out of the

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year, which made playing in a band challenging. However, her experience with VIA became much of the inspiration for her first EP, Wood Songs. The release is dark and shadowy, and simmers with nostalgia. Working on the train often meant 18-hour days with limited downtime, and much seclusion in wild and scenic Canadian landscape. Along with earning a growing appreciation for the natural beauty of the land, the experience was an exhausting one. Describing herself as a naturally bubbly and positive person, Wood Songs came as a surprise for Kerr’s close acquaintances. “I think I’m outwardly pretty happy but there’s a lot of thinking going on in the background, which can be said for a lot of people too,” she explains as she sips her ale. But Kerr says she’s able to process her feelings best through music. “It’s because I have an outlet all the time [with music]. I’m so lucky that I can pour all my emotions in this other box and say, ‘Go over there, I’m going to deal with you later.’” Katherine cites Grouper and Cat Power as major inspirations for her music, in that they both perform as solo female musicians, and they share a resonating moodiness paired with lo-fi fuzz. “I think I was always drawn to females who were playing solo because I just didn’t know how to go about doing it,” she says, citing Grouper’s intricate use of sound as an inspiration. She says that in her early days, she started learning guitar by playing along to Cat Power albums to work on getting better tones. During her downtime from VIA in the winter of 2013/2014, she recorded the EP at her parent’s cabin, which sits just north of Gimli, MB. In the solitude of the snow and surrounding woods, with no running water, a few shitty mics, and her laptop, she recorded Wood Songs. Written, performed, and

recorded solely by Katherine, she says the album’s DIY aesthetic was born from necessity. “I was on the train and I didn’t have time to make the connections that I needed to make . . . I had to do [the production] by myself because I didn’t know where else I was going to get it done.” In the summer of 2014, she unexpectedly released Wood Songs via Bandcamp in a hotel room in Vancouver. “I thought about having an album release show back home but I wasn’t really sure what I wanted to do, so I just thought, ‘Fuck it. I’m doing this right now,’” she laughs. She uploaded the album that night. Since then, she has since been playing in coffee shops and bars around Winnipeg. Putting Astre on a bill has been challenging, since the music is soft but not acoustic, and lo-fi without being noisy. As such it has seen her paired with a wide array of acts; she played with Tunic and Conduct at the end of July, and has played with a few touring bands passing through the Handsome Daughter. In between this year and last, Katherine has left VIA Rail to live in Winnipeg and pursue music. She laughs, “I split my income in half when I left. I had a career.” She’s been booking more shows, with the help of local musician friends who are excited to put a more experimental act onstage. She smiles and explains that she’s working on another full-length album that you can hopefully expect for the fall of 2016. This time she says she’s planning on applying for grants to hire a producer to record the album with her. With the new album, Astre will likely go on tour shortly thereafter. You can listen to Astre’s music online at astremusic. bandcamp.com.

jonas jonas BY MARTYNA TURCZYNOWICZ

I’m sitting with Scott Petrowski, aka Jonas, and his girlfriend on a summer afternoon to discuss the release of his debut solo EP, Archaea. The response, Petrowski says, has been overwhelmingly positive. “I’m getting reviews all the time. I wake up every morning and see something new. My first review was out of Latvia. Kick Kick Snare reviewed my album. Grey Owl Point, based out of Toronto, gave it three out of four hoots, which is pretty sweet. It’s only been positive responses,” he glows. One track in particular has been getting especially strong responses. “‘Water,’ the first track, has been getting a lot of good press. It’s been mentioned in every review,” he says. The release, despite its positive reception, was released spontaneously at a friend’s cabin as a free online release. According to Petrowski, it comes late in the game. “I’ve been doing music for almost 20 years, and I’ve been playing in a band for almost 18 years. I didn’t’ realize I was getting old. It just sort of hit me like, ‘Shit I’m getting old,’” he explains. So why the wait? While he’s always played music in bands, releasing solo work brought on a new, and perhaps heightened, sense of vulnerability. He also says now, it has a lot to do with the position he’s in in his life. “I’ve never had the support I have now. I’ve been in relationships in the past where my music was oppressed because it wasn’t a source of income, or it wasn’t really something that former partners, or my parents, thought was something that could define me.” To have a relationship now, he says, with a partner who supports him wholeheartedly and only wants him to pursue something that makes him happy is what’s made a huge difference. “It made me feel like I can do this without feeling persecuted when I get home, or that

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people in my life that I really care about really support what I’m doing.” The newly found support, Petrowski says, has not only helped him as a musician, but as a writer. “I just started writing again and it was like a revival. Writer’s block can literally last years. I was on a year kick.” Not only did he feel ready to release Archaea; the revival spurred him to start creating music again. “I had all these songs I was sitting on, which made me think, ‘If I release this now it defines me now,

and this isn’t me now. The music I’m about to release is me a year and a half ago.’” To release Archaea, and have people in his life now interpret it - what were they going to think? “Are they going to look at this as me then, or me now? It spurred me to want to write about how I am today. It made it much easier to keep the idea that I’m going to keep going.” The kind of support he has now, Petrowski says, is something he rarely encountered in the past. “I’ve always heard the opposite, like ‘Maybe you should reconsider, give up the boyhood dream of being a rockstar.’” That boyhood dream, as Petrowski calls it, is something most musicians grow out of really quickly. But being on the brink of giving up music, Petrowski says, is a frustrating phase that many musicians will go through in their lives. “It’s not being a rockstar, it’s people taking you seriously,” Petrowski explains. “Just hearing ‘Hey, I’m just at work listening to your album again’ is the best compliment I’ve ever gotten.” For a musician going through that tough phase in their life, he advises them to ask themself some tough questions. “Why are you considering a change in your life? Is it because of what everybody else is doing that you feel the need to change? Talk to other people and find out why they are making these changes and don’t judge them so quickly,” he explains. Take some time to think through such a big decision, he advises. “If you do stick with music you’ll know why you’re doing it. Give yourself a reason. It does affect your life, when you give up on things like [music].” As for Petrowski, he says the fear of quitting music is gone now. Archaea is available via jonasmusic. bandcamp.com

Aug/Sept 2015 Stylus Magazine

Local Spotlight

BLACK AND WHITE REWRITE Keepsakes Hey, it’s an early 2000s pop emo band, but from 2015 and in Winnipeg! This isn’t actually meant to sound sarcastic. Black And White Rewrite are basically nostalgia in a can for skinny jeans and Emily the Strange merchandise. Black And White Rewrite are a band of wild contradictions! Despite being Canadian, they manage to sound exactly like Californian pop punk singers from 2003. Despite having a ‘tough guy’ hardcore logo (think Hatebreed), they play incredibly cheerful pop emo with a pronounced musical theater influence (think My Chemical Romance, but not flamboyantly miserable). Despite having a frankly terrible name, they’re actually pretty good. I’ve always suspected that much like the current emo revival, consisting of bands who really liked Sunny Day Real Estate, there’ll be a second emo revival in a few years consisting of bands who really liked Taking Back Sunday. Unfortunately for BAWR, they’re a little too early for this trend but maybe if they continue releasing music they’ll be hailed as the punk rock visionaries they truly are! Please realize I’m not actually being sarcastic this time. They’re pretty okay! (selfreleased, blackandwhiterewrite.com) Topher Duguay

RAINE HAMILTON Past Your Past Raine Hamilton is the epitome of the saying “good things come in small packages.” In this case, one would add that amazing, dynamic, and beautiful things also come in sizes of the sort. Her album Past Your Past is a carefully crafted folk album that is grace-

14 Stylus Magazine Aug/Sept 2015

fully familiar, and like Joni Mitchell’s Blue, you’ll want to listen to it over and over. As you will immediately notice, Raine is reminiscent of the Saskatchewan-born icon. However her music has a more traditional folk flavour with a modern twist. Many have said that the album is perfect bath music, but it also seems to go well with breakfast, sunny parks, and rainy days. Raine’s voice is angelic, light, and powerful, easily braiding together her sailing passages. Her pure tone creates characteristic melodies telling honest stories of love, and times that have passed on. The string sections are beautifully composed, adding warmth that will make your heart melt. The title track, “Past Your Past,” is a perfect example of her excellent storytelling skills, with string arrangements kindly placed throughout. Please, sit on your porch with your eyes closed and take a listen to this gem. Feel the wind blowing in your hair, untangling your deepest memories. (Self-released, rainehamilton.com) Selci Recommended if you like : Sunnyroad (Friday mornings 10 a.m. - 11 a.m.)

SURPRISE PARTY Circle of Death The newest EP from Winnipeg’s best post-punk band Surprise Party, Circle of Death, is a fusion of unlikely genres and effects. Each track boasts a distinct musical signature. The opening song “Come Down” features a very groovy and upbeat sound, with shimmering guitar riffs lodging themselves in your eardrums. Punctuating the end of the song is a phaser-filled keyboard solo from Jesse Warkentin. The second track, “If You Melt” has a different vibe; the heavy crashing of cymbals creates a deep beat, subconsciously beckoning the listener to nod their head. Combined with pulsing guitar and heavy keyboard riffs, the song plays a shoegaze heartbeat you can set your clock to. The third track, “If You Fall,” ties a phasing keyboard riff with shoegaze tones on the guitar, and possibly the best breakdown of the EP to close the song. The final track, “Cut Me Again,” displays a vocal

effect which is almost transcendent, as though one could see singer Mischa Decter’s voice washing out from their speakers. Not enough can be said of Mischa’s voice and the vocals in general on this album. The harmonies are spot on, and sometimes provide an almost barbershop-quartet feel to the choruses of many of the songs. Mischa’s style of singing is reminiscent of an Isaac Brock or Doug Martsch. He can pull off a semi-monotonous chanting style but also a more traditional style, where he utilizes a variety of pitches. It is this ability to switch between styles that truly demonstrates his talent on the microphone. Lastly, the jokes included in the CD’s inside cover add a nice laugh and really shows the band’s unique persona to be soothing and silly. (Transistor 66 Records, surpriseparty420.bandcamp.com) Omri Golden-Plotnik Recommended if you like : The Tonic on CKUW 95.9, Mondays from 7:30 -9:00 p.m.

SAVANT FLANEUR Musket Savant Flaneur’s EP Musket is a wide array of sounds, never running short of the unexpected. The group’s selfproclaimed genres are “devotional, baroque, and punk” but they cover an even wider variety in their four song EP. The term ‘underground classical synth music’ comes to mind. Musket kicks off like a vintage electronic record with meandering cello that wanders and blends. Sustained organ harmonies creep in and out in small swells, falling into a string section where cellist Nathan Krahn uses extended techniques, like tremolo and pizzicato. In the second tune, Scott Leroux takes us to distorted synthland, introduced by running organ lines and epic cello double stops. Zorya Arrow tops off our 90s space trip with her nebulous voice adding a flavour reminiscent of composer Philip Glass. This flavour persists - but first, an indie punk a cappella anthem rings out in proud voices. A synth/cello break gives way to devotional running organ lines, rippling cello, and a catchy melody to sing-along to. Then drops a

mysterious beat and deep drone bass for the final tune, “Cuddles.” Layers are formed with dreamy ambient synth and organ. This final track could lead anyone to a slumber in the Andromeda Galaxy. Musket is unlike any nineminute record I’ve heard. Despite the variety in this album, there is a cryptic thread connecting the sounds from beginning to end. Perhaps it is just the essence of Savant Flaneur? Or perhaps it is that forever returning cello/organ combination for the win. (Brain Wave Tapes, brainwavetapes. storenvy.com) Selci Recommended if you like : GroundSwell Radio (Mondays 2 p.m. - 3 p.m.)

TELEHARMONIUM The Mother Generator Grand, lush, atmospheric, ethereal, and powerful. These are all words that were immediately brought into my mind when I had the good luck of being turned onto this band for the first time. Teleharmonium captures many vibes and moods in this album. The Mother Generator is the debut album from the band, and they have the courage to make a concept album - a very good one at that, my friends. My favourite tunes were the powerful “The Influencing Machine Parts I, II, III,” the hauntingly wonderful “Love: The Invisible Clock,” and the trippy “The Past is Particles.” I also really enjoyed the lyrical content, as it is very insightful and not over the top. They mix together seamlessly, and without fear, elements of prog, psychedelia, folk, rock, and jazz. Please do not let this frighten you, for the songs have a nice pop sensibility about them, especially the vocals. Every song is easily hummable and catchy after the very first listen. So take a chance and check out this band on their bandcamp, and get your tickets to Rainbow Trout Music Festival where Teleharmonium will be bringing their vision and beauty to the stage. Ed Durocher Recommended if you like The Trip on CKUW 95.9, Saturdays from 4:006:00 pm.

Root Cellar

GIRLPOOL Before The World Was Big Girlpool does what every John Hughes movie tried to do, which is to encapsulate teenage angst and disillusionment in simple, uncomplicated terms. I like Girlpool more because they’re actually teenage girls (and Sixteen Candles is overrated anyways). Girlpool is the combined efforts of Cleo Tucker (18) on guitar and vocals, and Harmony Tividad (19) on bass and vocals. The gals released their self-titled EP on Bandcamp in 2014.That EP kicked ass - it was pissed off garage pop with equally pissed off vocals. It felt personal, with amusingly explicit lyrics like, “Eat me out to American Beauty,” and “Do you wanna makeout/With my slutmouth?” Now they’ve unleashed their debut LP, Before The World Was Big. The record examines the same coming-of-age themes we heard in the EP, but does so with more PC language, and slightly less noise. Using simple meter in uncluttered string arrangements, Girlpool explores angst, recalcitrance, nostalgia, as well as gender

tropes (‘Jane’, wearing dresses). The result is an album that voices the honest thoughts of a demographic that is rarely respected in music conversation, and is often made to feel ‘lesser than’ based on age and gender: teenage girls. “Before the World Was Big” is a great song, and other favourites include “Cherry Picking,” “Crowded Stranger,” and “I Like That You Can See It.” If 16-year-old me had heard this record, I would have immediately grabbed a guitar and felt inspired to rock out. 23-year-old me feels 16 again. (Witchita/ girlpoolmusic. com/) Victoria King Reccomended if you like: Now Sounds, Fridays from 3:30 p.m. - 5 p.m. on CKUW TWERPS Range Anxiety With the release of Range Anxiety, Twerps has gifted the world with 13 tracks of jangle pop excellence. The album is innovative in production value, guitar interplay, and vocal hooks. Standout tracks feature founding member and guitarist Julia Mcfarlane on lead vocals, lamenting for a more developed sense of strength and presence. On “Stranger” she sings in her lovable twee and impassive style “Cause I don’t wanna be a stranger” and on “Shoulders,” “My loneliness tears me apart as I get colder, I get older, have no fear on my shoulder.” There is a lot of subtle genius in the songwriting on Range Anxiety which makes the band easily comparable to indie legends like Yo La Tengo and The Clean .The songs play out effort-

lessly and maintain the relaxed, fresh air sound that Twerps have grown into since their first release in 2011. Twerps are unique and innovative, their songs create a summery cloud that lifts you up and makes you smile. The album is consistently strong throughout its entirety. Tracks like, “Adrenaline” and “I Don’t Mind” carry immense emotion, power and everything that makes pop, pop. For a band that seems to be contently unphased by and possibly unaware of anyone or anything around them, their tunes are very poppy and accessible. Their recent signing to indie powerhouse label Merge (Arcade Fire, Neutral Milk Hotel, Superchunk, The Magnetic Fields) is a clear indication that they will have the support to continue doing their own thing for years to come. Here’s Hopin’. (Merge Records, mergerecords.com/twerps) Gil Carroll Reccomended if you like: How To Survive a Tornado, Fridays from Noon - 1 p.m. on CKUW

by, the Atlanta rapper. Some deemed him the next big thing in rap, while others wrote him off, deriding his melodic (and at times nearly unintelligible) delivery. Controversy continues to follow Young Thug, as even the title of his official debut, Barter 6, has a less-than-savory backstory. The album was originally dubbed Carter 6, a direct attack on Thug’s once-idol Lil Wayne, whose album Carter 5—the next in a long-running series—has yet to see the light of day. After Weezy filed a lawsuit against Young Thug, he changed the title to Barter, as members of the Blood Gang will change a ‘C’ to a ‘B’ at any given opportunity. However, Thug’s lyrics show that the drama does not faze him. Start-

ing right from the album’s first track “Constantly Hating,” which features booming floating production from producer Wheezy, we find Thugger asking the question,“But really what is there to do?/When the whole world’s constantly hating on you?” His response is to continue doing his thing, which he does very well over the album’s 13 tracks. Thug’s subject matter does not veer very far from traditional rap tropes—guns, drugs, and money are all present—but it is his delivery that sets him apart from his competitors. Using auto-tune to accentuate his already wavering warble of a voice, Thug exists in another grey area between singing and rapping, crooning just as much as he is spitting. Songs

Mental Notes

YOUNG THUG Barter 6 Young Thug is a divisive character. First coming into the general public’s consciousness with last year’s smash hit “Lifestyle,” audiences were immediately enamored with, or enraged

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HOT SUGAR God’s Hand God’s hand is something that, theoretically, touches us all, which is what New York-based producer Nick Koenig—better known as Hot Sugar— intends to do with his first album, a wholly unique instrumental journey through everyday life. Koenig makes associative music, using a production technique that involves recording the seemingly mundane sounds and noises encountered every day and

using them to create instruments (a baby crying becomes a synth, bones hitting together become a drum), turning these banal sounds into music. This technique, according to Koenig’s AssociativeMusic.Com webpage, aims to elicit a Pavlovian reaction from the listener, positing that the emotional connection we have to sounds exists even after they have been extensively manipulated. Upon listening to the LP, this seems to ring true. Koenig’s compositions are truly mesmerizing. The second last song, the heart wrenching “No One Will Know Where I Went,” sounds at once like the moment where a film’s protagonist realizes that everything will be alright, and the moment where they realize nothing will. This is followed by the shoegaze twang of album closer “You’ll See Them In Your Sleep,” a song that invokes images of the countryside on a warm summer’s night. Album highlight “Dead Inside” is a dance floor ready song that could very well bring you to tears. “Athena” is the soundtrack to the most beautiful nightmare you’ve ever had. The album flows beautifully from track to track, a body of work that is best enjoyed in its entirety. Each track is so dense, filled with dizzying synths and excited drums, it is easy to forget that all of the sounds you are hearing started as field recordings. (Break World Records, breakworldrecs.com) Mike Skwark Reccomended if you like : Phase One Radio, Thursdays from 10 p.m.- Midnight on CKUW

like “Check” and “Halftime” have infectious sing-a-long hooks, somehow without ever going full pop. Despite menacing bars like “Keep your mouth closed boy, cause we’re aim and fire” on “Knocked Off,” Thug has comedic lyrics, like “we can wrestle just like Randy Savage” on Never Had It. Overall, Barter 6 is a great album that pairs just as well with driving around in motor vehicles as it does sitting on the beach with your sunglasses on to block out the haters. (300/Atlantic Records, 300ent.com) Mike Skwark Reccomended if you like : ‘We Build Hits’ Saturdays from 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. on CKUW

Aug/Sept 2015 Stylus Magazine

Under the Needle for playing music. One might say I would “Still wake up” to see them, if they came here (ha, ha, punny). (Acadian Embassy, acadianembassy.bandcamp.com) Topher Duguay Reccomended if you like: R U Awake, Thursdays from 6 a.m. - 8 a.m. on CKUW

RAIN OVER ST. AMBROSE Still Waking Up Rain Over St. Ambrose is one of those bands defined by one thing, which would be their singer’s voice. It can only really be described as ‘burly.’ Rain Over St. Ambrose try very hard to be an anthemic band and adopt various styles of being anthemic; they switch between being a blatant Japandroids ripoff on “29 Takes” to the classic rock guitar solo on “Wasted Days.” While I can be suspicious of rockism and attempting to channel musical styles of the past in a quest for authenticity obtained by aping the musical style of someone else, Rain Over St Ambrose sidestep this suspicion with the sheer enthusiasm they show

BARRENCE WHITFIELD AND THE SAVAGES Under the Savage Sky Back in the 80s, the Savages mixed raucous 60s soul with 70s punk fervour on such albums as Dig Yourself and Ow! Ow! Ow! Listening to Savage Sky, released this past year, you may feel as if you’ve stepped into an amped-up Rhythm and Blues Revue – made all the more delicious by the addition of Tom Quartulli’s raunchy saxophone. That said, while the album seeks to recapture and update the sound of a certain era, the band is seemingly unafraid to borrow from outside influences while including a heavy dose of humour. Singer Barrence Whitfield whips out his finest David Lee Roth shriek on “I’m A Full Grown Man,” while “Incarceration Casserole” finds Whitfield hilariously

All That Jazz

JOE DRISCOLL AND SEKOU KOUYATE Faya Joe Driscoll belongs to that genre of music that can be described as ‘People Who Play A Whole Bunch Of Instruments And Have A Loop Pedal So They Can Function As A One Person Band,’ and Sekou Kouyate plays the kora, which is a 21-stringed instrument that’s essentially a cross between a guitar and a harp. Together they play, ‘People Who Play A Whole Bunch Of Instruments And Have A Loop Pedal Plus People Who Only

16 Stylus Magazine Aug/Sept 2015

Play One Instrument, Functioning As A Two-Person Band.’ The two musicians take roughly equal inspiration from each other. The first track, “Tanama,” is a peppy West African highlife-esque number without vocals, and “Faya” is a gloomy R&B number with a fiery kora solo. Joe Driscoll is known for playing folk-influenced hip hop, and this can produce occasionally dangerously corny results (see the rapping on “Lady” for an example). However, this is counterbalanced by Sekou Kouyate’s singing (in French and Susu) and musicianship. His solos are virtuosic and inventive; his instrument is a joy to listen to. In conclusion, to be needlessly pithy, Faya is essentially Folk Festival-core, but the two musicians playing here are incredibly skilled and passionate. It’s worth more notoriety than being the soundtrack to eating kettle corn and playing the didgeridoo while on shrooms. (Cumbancha, joeandsekou. com) Topher Duguay

pining for his jailbird lover, “While she’s doing her time/what am I supposed to eat?” This is a fun album that only gets better with repeated listenings; an album made by a group of fully grown men looking to recapture their youth. (Bloodshot Records, barrencewhitfieldsavages.com) Phil Enns Reccomended if you like: Destination Moon, Mondays from 9 p.m.- 10:30 p.m. on CKUW SAN FERMIN Jackrabbit San Fermin got promoted by NPR and they appear to be quite proud of this fact, which implies certain things about their music. They’re indie, yes, but not indie in the way that Trails and Ways are, no. Rather, they’re erudite music for the intellectual set, and they don’t rock too hard and they don’t really have much appeal to the music festival set. Despite being pretty easily pigeonholed, they aren’t a bad band by any means. San Fermin’s frontman, Ellis Ludwig-Leone, used to assist Nico Muhly, the clas-

sical composer known for arranging songs for indie bands that sound like San Fermin, back in university. This is to say that San Fermin have quite the pedigree in creating inventive sounding baroque pop music. Their frontman learned his craft working with a guy whose name is synonymous with making baroque pop in the 21st century (and me confusing him with the bassist from the Strokes). Fortunately, San Fermin live up to their pedigree! Their songs universally have inventive arrangements and they manage to make the dreaded between-song interludes that plague albums actually sound pretty neat. This is mostly because they seem to specifically be an excuse for Ellis Ludwig-Leone to try to compose something that sounds like a Danny Elfman soundtrack. He also has a lovely voice, by the way. (Downtown, sanferminband.com) Topher Duguay Reccomended if you like: The World, Mondays from 6 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. on CKUW

WINNIPEG FOLK FESTIVAL

UPCOMING EVENTS OCT

SEPT

OCT

CHAD VANGAALEN WEST END CULTURAL CENTRE

HAYDEN

Co-presented with the WECC

WEST END CULTURAL CENTRE

PATRICK WATSON GARRICK CENTRE

LINDI ORTEGA

WITH CHIC GAMINE Co-presented with the WECC

WEST END CULTURAL CENTRE

DELHI 2 DUBLIN Co-presented with the Park Theatre

PARK THEATRE

OCT

NOV

THE BROS. LANDRETH BURTON CUMMINGS THEATRE

XAVIER RUDD

& THE UNITED NATIONS

BURTON CUMMINGS THEATRE

STEVE POLTZ

Co-presented with the Park Theatre

PARK THEATRE

LEE HARVEY OSMOND

Co-presented with the Park Theatre

PARK THEATRE

MARTIN SEXTON Co-presented with the WECC

BURTON CUMMINGS THEATRE

BAHAMAS

BURTON CUMMINGS THEATRE

TICKETS: WINNIPEGFOLKFESTIVAL.CA • WINNIPEG FOLK FESTIVAL MUSIC STORE 211 Bannatyne Ave. • (204)231-1377