Production Team
Editor
. Keeley Braunstein-Black editor@stylusmagazine ca
Editing assistance by Maggie A Clark
Art Director
. Kelly Campbell design@stylusmagazine ca
Cover Art Abrielle Fox
Advertising Contact . . . . . . . Rob Schmidt manager@ckuw ca
Print by JRS Print Services 204-232-3558
Contributors
Paul Newsom
Mykhailo
Vil’yamson
Bradi Breckman
Maggie A . Clark
Daniel Kussy Nischal Karki
Paige Drobot Katie Kolesar
On the Cover
ABRIELLE FOX (She/ They) is a multidisciplinary artist living on Treaty One Territory making tattoos by day and sewing, drawing, beading, singing and hot gluing by night. Abrielle uses found and reclaimed materials including textiles, magazine clippings, bones, shiny things and more in their crafts to create dynamic mixed media pieces. One man’s trash is this man’s treasure.
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
Blah Blah Blah
*** Halloween Forever | Justice
Chester memorial show & Fundraiser Oct 23 at the Park Theatre *** ANNAXIS - The Whelming: EP Release Show Oct 24 at Sidestage *** Deadbeats 10 Oct 25 at Sidestage *** EVIL LAUGH Oct 25 Secret Location *** Squareheads, Lizzards, Blond Goth, Poison Suckers Oct 26 at Times Change(d) *** 3 Moon Jask (Saskatoon), French Class, Slipperbasket Oct 26 at the Handsome Daughter *** Leon’s Getting Larger & Great Weath & Dayloft & Borrowed Standards Oct 26 at Sidestage *** Nico Paulo w/ Well Sister Oct 27 Barn Hammer Brewing Company *** DHID, Cantor Dust & Grotoko Nov 1 at the Handsome Daughter *** Beth, Viva Non Oct 31 at Times Change(d) *** HEAVENLY WKND Nov 1-3 633 Portage Ave *** NOLA Night Nov 1at Times Change(d) *** Leaf Rapids with 2 Crows for Comfort Nov 1 at the WECC *** Withdrawal Nov 2 at Sidestage *** Zrada, The Remedies Nov 2 at Times Change(d) *** Virgo Rising w/ Taylor Jackson & O .D . Beresford Nov 2 at the Handsome Daughter *** Jane Sibbery Nov 5 at the WECC *** Cadence Weapon & Super Duty Tough Work Nov 6 at Sidestage *** Brent Parkin Nov 7 at Times Change(d) *** Aleksi Campagne Nov 8 at the WECC
*** We Rock Winnipeg Nov 8 at Sidestage *** Mark Reeves Nov 8 at Times Change(d) *** Jamboree & Nickybaby & Meanspath Nov 8 at the Handsome Daughter *** David Francey Nov 9 at the WECC *** Tinge Nov 9 at Sidestage *** Vina Dimayuga Nov 10 at the WECC *** Diamond Cafe Nov 10 at Sidestage*** Syd Bomek Nov 14 at Times Change(d) *** Bukowski’s Broken Family Band Book Launch w/ Charlie Redstar, Quinton Bart & Bicycle Face Nov 14 at the Handsome Daughter *** Heavy Visions Nov 15 at the Handsome Daughter *** SNOTTY NOSE REZ KIDS Nov 16 at Exchange Event Centre *** Billie Zizi Album Release Tour w/ Diaphanie Nov 16 at the Handsome Daughter *** Dinner Club & North Graffiti (Double Release Party) Nov 16 at Sidestage *** NEILFEST Nov 1516 at Times Change(d) *** Jonah Yano & The Heavy Loop Nov 19 at Sidestage *** The Good Lovelies Nov 20 at the WECC *** Sweet Alibi, Heartsleeve, Shay Wolf Nov 22 at Times Change(d) *** Sam Singer Album Release Nov 22 at the Handsome Daughter *** Madeleine Roger Nov 23 at the WECC *** Andrew Neville and The Poor Choices Nov 23 at Times Change(d) *** Michael Kaeshammer Nov 27 at the WECC *** Andrina Turenne and
THE DORK REPORT :: Robert Burton
PAIGE DROBOT
Jazz artist Robert Burton is the preeminent musician, teacher and fly fisherman from Winnipeg, Manitoba . That sounds like a bold statement, but it’s true .
your daily routine?
Robert: My practice habits have changed many times over the years, but one constant remains. I practice every day.
Live Music Happenings
LOGS Nov 28 at Times Change(d)
*** JD Edwards Band Nov 29 at Times Change(d) *** Texas King Nov 29 at the Handsome Daughter *** Movember Stache Bash feat . Big Heist Brass Band Nov 30 at Times Change(d) *** Tom Waits Birthday Dec 4 at Times Change(d) *** Marymound Fundraiser feat . Romi Mayes and Scott Nolan Dec 5 at Times Change(d) *** NOLA Night Dec 6 at Times Change(d) *** Lucas Roger Band Album Release Dec 7 at Sidestage *** Those Guys – Under the Mistletoe Dec 7 and 8 at the WECC *** Oh Holy Night, a Rock and Roll Christmas Dec 13 at the WECC *** MOONRIIVR Dec 13 at Times Change(d) *** BA Johnson Christmas Party Dec 14 at Times Change(d) *** Whitehorse Dec 17-18 at Times Change(d) *** Lost Country Christmas Dec 19 at Times Change(d) *** Red Moon Road, a Simple Kind of Christmas Dec 20 at the WECC *** Valley Narrow | Five More Miles | Empaths in Retrograde Nov 21 at Sidestage*** Cash Grab Dec 21 at Times Change(d) *** Novillero/ Bloc Parents/Leaf Rapids Dec 27 at Times Change(d) *** D .Rangers 25th Anniversary Dec 28 at Times Change(d) *** Windups Dec 30 at Times Change(d) *** JD Edwards Band NYE at Times Change(d)
Paige: To be world-class in just one of those areas would be tricky enough to manage, but even if we take out the fishing part for today, one can only assume you have had a disciplined practice routine for a number of years . Can you describe
In the time I call B.C. (before child) and basically, before all things related to it, I woke up when I wanted and then spent the next 8-12 hours practicing on and off. I won’t say it was the most focused practice like I do now, but it was a lot.
That gave me a lot of stamina both in the physical aspects of playing, but also the mindset. Then, as now, it was divided across more than one instrument. After the birth of our son, I went for a short while, only picking up an instrument on a gig. It was a terrible feeling, so I had to make a change. I had to wrap my head around not being able to practice for super long stretches. I learned to practice in smaller chunks, broken up throughout the day. Instead of an hour warm-up to identify an area to practice, I had to target an area of practice and go straight to it.
I have windows of opportunity built into each day I schedule (with reminders on my phone) to work on particular things. Mornings tend to be for my drum set practicing, but after that, Mondays will have an hour of solo jazz guitar repertoire maintenance and expansion; Tuesdays are working on Pat Metheny tunes for solo guitar, Wednesdays for improv, etc., you get the point.
If I have a break in my teaching schedule, I’ll work on maintaining fundamentals like scales and arpeggios, which are basically finger calisthenics. Before bed, I usually play whatever I feel, something new or something I was digging into earlier in the day I want to do more of.
P: The reason you are hired for so many events is because you can play hours on end of seven-string solo jazz guitar . To be able to express yourself this way involves even more than a disciplined practice routine; you obviously have a full understanding of music .
R: I don’t think anyone fully understands music, but that is the joy of it. Something new is always around the corner!
P: Absolutely, great answer! When and where did you begin to study music, and how have you continued your studies?
R: Music is funny that way. I went to York University and Humber College for music. You have to have lots of stuff together just to get in. Imagine being asked if you have set any broken bones or performed surgery before getting into medical school.
P: Yes, that is so true about academic music vs other fields of study .
R: My music journey started with a cheap guitar from Consumers Distributing when I was 12. We were very poor and couldn’t afford lessons, and eventually, the guitar got sold for food money. The bug to play music was there, but I had no outlet. At 18, I quit school and, with a bus ticket and $20 in my pocket, I moved to Calgary with the express goal of working long enough to buy a drum set, take lessons and rent a house to practice. I literally did that exact thing, and a year later, I was playing in bands.
understand music better. Fast forward to going to school, first as a drummer, then as a guitar player and then as a doubler.
I felt like, for a long time after, that I was still absorbing all the knowledge I accumulated in school. I still bought method books and studied those, but five years ago, I started studying online with Martin Taylor. He has an incredibly long resume and is one of the best solo fingerstyle jazz guitarists in the world. I just came back from a very inspiring weeklong guitar retreat with him and another great player, Robin Nolan. This has supercharged my passion level another notch. Between the teachers and working and performing with my peers, it was one of the best musical experiences I have had in forever, and I am going to attend again next year.
P: I relate to you in that we didn’t start as young as many, but with twice the drive, we had to do a lot of selfeducation on the way to opportunity and on an empty stomach .
You play a seven-string guitar with the seventh string tuned to B . Something that’s always interested me (especially as a player of a measly six strings) is the variety in tunings and, subsequently, voicings made by prominent players . I even recently heard someone doing all fourths, like an extended Stanley Jordan . Who influenced you to go with low B, and why do you prefer to play that tuning?
R: Yeah, it was daunting and wild: the options. Matt Raines and Jimmy Foster both had their own tunings and their own line of seven-string guitars. Despite there being a lot of seven stringers out there, choosing a tuning felt like uncharted territory.
Off the top, I wasn’t interested in changing the six I had. I didn’t need the hassle of a seventh string and having all the furniture moved on the rest of the guitar. I looked at low C, low A and the low B.
Low C made sense from a piano-istic key of C standpoint, would not stretch the intonation of the guitar or require any modifications.
Mechanisms for Guitar. It would have required drilling the post on the seventh tuner’s post and buying a six-string set and a single low A and hoping they sounded cohesive. Another factor is that while, in the hands of the experts like Pizzarelli, Howard Alden and Van Eps, the low A sounded amazing and seamless, I found lots of middling players with the low A made it sound like a bass player was in the room and would randomly play a low note.
I didn’t want to sound like that. Together with me having a stop along the way between being a drummer and a guitarist, I learned bass, and the low B won.
P: From my understanding, you can perform for hours on end because you have a huge repertoire of tunes and the ability to extensively improvise on all aspects of the composition .
R: Yeah, I can make a jam out of any tune. I find it fun to take pop tunes and play them ‘elevator style’ but I also love to reharmonize them. Sometimes just a surprise chord in there, sometimes a complete reworking.
P: What is your preferred guitar and amp combination for this type of gig?
R: For the sound alone, I love my Ibanez AFJ957 archtop. It’s a bit of a collector’s item now, and I can’t post a video of it without someone offering to buy it. If it’s going to be a longer gig or outside in the shoulder seasons, then I prefer my Agile Texan. It’s basically a seven-string telecaster that I put a mini humbucker in the neck position.
As for amps, I like all the ones I have. I recently picked up a Roland JC-40 that I love, a couple of first-generation BOSS Katanas, a Fishman Loudbox (if I want to go acoustic) and my trusty old Yamaha G-100 112 II. I put an Eminence Redcoat in there a few years ago, and it really sings. It’s only in the studio now because of the weight, but if someone wants to load it for me, my preferred combo is my Archtop and the Yamaha amp.
Fast forward to picking up the guitar. Not to become a guitar player but to
Low A was attractive as it is the standard tuning in jazz guitar. Bucky Pizzarelli got me interested in this, and I am a big devotee of George Van Eps’ Harmonic
P: (Guitarists are so funny about trying to buy things right out of other musicians’ hands . This happens to me, too, for a bunch of pedals on my board . “Dude, I am USING it! You wanting it actually makes me want to let you have it less because I
knew it sounded great, but you just confirmed the fact . ”)
Sometimes your playing is quite traditional but I have also seen you incorporate looping, if my memory is correct even Roland PK-6 . How do you decide what to bring to a gig?
R: I love playing straight into a clean amp with a touch of reverb. I never want to lose that connection, but I am a geek and love technology. The PK-6 was a tonne of fun. Being a huge Rush fan, I always wanted some Taurus pedals. Playing chord tones or bass lines with my feet while playing guitar is amazing brain work, similar to playing a drum set. It really got a workout a decadeand-a-half ago when I shattered my elbow in a bicycle mishap. I had nerve damage, and two of my fingers were useless for a while, so playing bass with my feet kept me gigging on those solo and duo jobs.
Looping is another area that I dig. I never pre-record tracks; I always do them on the fly. When I had a regular gig at the Fort Garry Hotel, I used it once a set (It was a four-set, four-hour gig). For that, a Ditto or RC-1 did the trick. If I have any other long solo gigs, I still bring one for fun and to give my hands a rest.
On duo gigs with my wife Adelle, I use my RC-600 for looping and drum tracks and my SY-300 guitar synth and effects processor. The SY-300 provides a variety of guitar effects and, for some tunes, nice keyboard pads. I also have a few patches when I go full synth for solos or sound like a B-3. On both my pedal boards, as well as part of the effects package in my Katanas, I have an OC-5. I set the range to put 8vb on my lower three strings (B, E, A). Sometimes, I’ll swap out the SY-300 for my GR-55 for some more realistic sounds from the synth engine. For
Fontine
BRADI BRECKMAN
Some music is best listened to while lying in the grass on a warm summer night. Local artist FONTINE’s indie-folk tracks certainly fit into this category, making it obvious why she was picked to perform in Assiniboine Park’s Summer Entertainment Series. This concert series featured local artists at the outdoor Lyric Theatre every Thursday and Sunday in July and August. FONTINE performed on August 25th, closing out the Sunday evening shows.
FONTINE is a queer, Indigenous artist with prairie roots that heavily influence her lyrics and sound. She has performed shows with popular indie artists such as Boy Golden and The Paper Kites, and she played at the Winnipeg Folk Festival in 2023. Her debut album, Yarrow Lover, was also released in 2023, and it features six original songs.
ensemble jobs, I would like to bring my Gamechanger Audio PLUS Pedal. Works and looks like a piano damper pedal. New to the fold and un-gigged as of yet is a Game Changer BIGSBY pedal. I can get the subtle whammy bar effects on any guitar.
P: You have a studio at home . Is there anything that you love to use there but would NEVER bring to a gig?
R: I think I have tried to justify all my weirder purchases by using them on a gig. But my oddest guitar hasn’t been gigged much. On a lark I had a customordered seven-string baritone acoustic made. Tuned E-A-D-G-C-E-A. The lower four strings are the same pitch as a four-string bass. It is beautiful sounding with the right arrangements/ key choices, but I have mostly used it as a bass when I have played with at my church.
Live at the Lyric Theatre
drummer. FONTINE opened with “Home Right Here,” followed by “Shelter,” tracks that leaned into the relaxed, indie aspect of her music. The lyrics were full of natural and celestial imagery, and the words complimented the easy-going instrumentals. Songs like “Cow Poke” and “Nothing” walked the lines of genre, dipping into folk, pop, indie rock and country.
Near the end of the first set, FONTINE’s backup musicians left the stage, and she performed “Nature Song for the Time Being” and “This Mess” (two songs off of her EP) solo. This was an excellent performance decision, as these tracks are both intimate and vulnerable, and performing them alone made the crowd connect more with FONTINE herself. From themes of societal expectations towards love to complicated relationships with past lovers, these two beautiful melodic songs created a perfect ending to the first set.
FONTINE dubbed the first of her two sets an “experimental” one, playing mostly unreleased songs, as well as songs she was new to performing. She was backed by a guitarist and a
After a fifteen-minute break, during which the sun started to go down and the volume of the crowd went up,
FONTINE returned singing “Front Porch.” She then let the audience know that this set would be more familiar. The first half of this set had a definite indie-rock feel. During songs like “Imposter” and “Night Hours,” FONTINE showed off her vocal range and incorporated a raspy style of singing that was much different from the smooth melodies of the first set. After these two stand-out tracks, FONTINE brought us back to her roots, singing “Homemaker,” the first song on her EP, with high, tender vocals. The performance changed tone again when FONTINE and the band played “Good Buddy,” a cheeky song about queer, country relationships and giddy fun love. FONTINE closed out the show with the title track from her album Yarrow Lover. The crowd sang and hummed along to the dreamy, bittersweet song, which made for the perfect end to a lovely evening. FONTINE seemed genuinely happy to have spent the night on the Lyric stage, and I look forward to hearing more from her soon.
Maryland Music Fest:
A Night of Music, Vintage Vibes, and Community Spirit in West Broadway
Every year, Real Love Winnipeg kicks off the fall season with a burst of energy and local flavour at the Maryland Music Fest. Held in the heart of West Broadway, this festival has become a beloved staple for the community. Now in its third year, it continues to bring an exciting lineup of Winnipeg’s most promising emerging artists—all for free.
This year’s event, held under the famous SMILE mural, wasn’t just about music. The festival featured a family-friendly, pet-friendly vibe, with award-winning craft beers from Good Neighbour Brewing and mouthwatering eats courtesy of Doggystyle
Add to that the fabulous Vintage Street Market, co-hosted by Luckygirl Popup and Chip’s Vintage, where dozens of vendors offered everything from knitted goods to retro fashion under the golden glow of the setting sun. The market, stretching along Westminster Avenue was a treasure trove for vintage lovers and casual shoppers alike.
The lineup for the night was just as exciting, with bands like We’re Only Here for the Snacks, Tommyphyll, The Haileys, and Live Band Karaoke. Initially, INFINIT0 was scheduled to perform, but to everyone’s surprise, Veneer took the stage in their place, adding an unexpected twist to the night’s roster.
The festival kicked off at 6 p.m. with We’re Only Here for the Snacks, and I have to admit that people were completely caught off-guard by their youthful energy. These teenage boys brought instrumental synth-rock to life with tracks like “Adventures of Lazer Beam” and “Time and Money.” Their performance was full of raw talent and enthusiasm, leaving the crowd smiling and energized.
Next up was Veneer, who was stepping in to replace INFINIT0. Fresh off the release of their latest album, Drifting, Veneer delivered a mesmerizing performance. Their atmospheric
WORDS & PHOTOS BY NISCHAL KARKI
ABOVE: VENEER RIGHT: TOMMYPHYLL
and dreamy sound was a perfect complement to the warm evening. Their unexpected appearance turned out to be one of the highlights of the night.
Later, Tommyphyll took the stage, bringing a melodic and introspective vibe that perfectly suited the festival’s laid-back atmosphere. Known for his intimate performance, Tommyphyll didn’t disappoint. Tracks like “Fake Humility” and “Potato (JEJE)” were particularly memorable, wrapping the audience in a warm, inviting soundscape. It was the kind of set that made you feel like you were part of something special—a shared experience between the artist and the crowd.
Then came The Haileys, a trio that’s been making waves at several festivals recently. Their energetic rock set had the crowd on their feet, and when they launched into “Christina,”
you could feel the connection with the audience, as many seemed to relate to the lyrics. A special surprise came when local legend Scott Nolan joined them on stage for a collaboration on “Ebb and Flow.” The combination of The Haileys’ tight rhythms and Nolan’s deep touch made for an unforgettable experience.
The night’s official programming wrapped up with the always entertaining Live Band Karaoke. A draw determined who would take the mic, and it was a thrill to watch
festival-goers step up to sing anything from Wheatus’ “Teenage Dirtbag” to Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance.” Thanks to the enthusiasm and drive of each performer, the evening concluded surprisingly, showcasing genres from pop to rock and everything in between.
But the night didn’t end there. The after-party at the Handsome Daughter showcased even more talent, including performances by Cookie Delicious, MOSA, and Matlock. This late-night continuation shifted the festival’s dynamic to a more intimate, high-spirited one, with attendees dancing, laughing, and enjoying the final hours of a wonderful night.
Maryland Music Fest once again proved why it’s a must-attend event in Winnipeg. With its combination of live music, local vendors, great food and drink, and community spirit, it’s a night that brings people together to celebrate the best of the city’s creative scene. Whether you came for the music, the market, or the after-party vibes, one thing’s for sure: this festival is only getting better with each passing year.
Interview with Leith Ross at the Winnipeg Folk Festival
BRADI BRECKMAN
On Sunday, July 14th, I had the pleasure of interviewing local singer/ songwriter Leith Ross at the Winnipeg Folk Festival. Ross had been busy all weekend with performances and workshops at the festival, and I was glad to finally find a moment to pick the indie-folk singer’s brain.
Bradi Breckman (BB): Since we’re at the Winnipeg Folk Festival this weekend, it seems relevant to mention that you are a local artist . However, you were originally from Ontario, correct?
Leith Ross (LR): Yes.
BB: What made you decide to move to Winnipeg?
LR: I was lucky enough to get the help of Birthday Cake, which is a Winnipeg label/company, to release my first EP. They brought me out to play the Harvest Moon Festival, and I fell in love with the city. It is also way more affordable, to be honest.
BB: What do you think is unique about Winnipeg’s music scene, or more specifically, our Folk music scene? What makes us different from other places that you’ve been?
LR: My favourite part about the music scene here is that there isn’t as much of a sense of overwhelming industry. The other place where I worked as a professional musician was Toronto. I do love Toronto, but there was a lot of big industry there. There felt like there was a lot of pressure to be getting the interest of people high up in the industry or getting people from labels to come to the shows. Whereas in Winnipeg, probably because it’s in the middle of nowhere (in a good way), there’s less of that feeling. I know a lot of people in Winnipeg that do music because they love it, and that’s my
favourite way that music is made, for the sake of it.
BB: How has your experience been performing at the Winnipeg Folk Festival this year?
LR: It’s been good! I love Folk Fest; it has such a welcoming atmosphere. I’ve made a lot of new friends and heard a lot of great sets.
BB: Great to hear . Going into more about you as an artist, how does it feel to be a young, queer artist in the industry, and how do you think your identity feeds into your music?
LR: Well, being queer for me is more than just an identity. I think of it as a politic and a way of life. And so, I would like to think that that is a part of everything I do, inherently. I
never try to make anything queer on purpose, my dream is that I will make queer things because I am queer, and that is how I navigate the world. Being a young queer artist in the industry, it is important to find a community and create a space for it to thrive because it won’t always be given.
BB: Talking more about your music and writing, what generally inspires you? Where do your songs come from?
LR: Mostly my own life. I am a very journalistic writer, so I write about things that happen to me, at least for the most part.
BB: Are any of your songs particularly close to your heart?
LR: Yeah, some are more tender than others. Some are written about more difficult or confusing personal experiences, and those ones always feel a bit sore.
BB: One specific song of yours, “We’ll Never Have Sex,” blew up on TikTok in 2021 . What effect do you think social media has had on your career?
LR: It basically gave me my career, for which I’m very grateful. Social media is always an interesting and confusing concept for me. I’m grateful to it, and I think that it has made the music industry more democratic. But it’s hard because I think that social media is bad for my mental health and for everyone’s mental health, so I have a tumultuous relationship with it. But I am very grateful, and I definitely owe my career to the people on social media who resonate with my stuff.
BB: Was “We’ll Never Have Sex” going viral the moment you felt as though you’d really made it as an artist, or was there another specific moment?
LR: I would say that that moment for me was very early on, before anything blew up on social media, when a stranger messaged me on the internet and told me that one of the songs I’d
released resonated with them and helped them get through the loss of their grandfather, about the song “Tommy.” That was the moment because when I was growing up, that’s what music did for me, and I found it miraculous that I could do that for somebody else.
BB: That’s wonderful . I want to ask you about something you said in an interview with Dazed Club . You are quoted saying that “folk is an inherently political genre” and that “you want to make indie music political again .” Do any of your songs have a particularly strong political message or any messages that you feel are important right now?
LR: Good question! I feel like I’m currently learning how to do that through lyrics in recorded songs in a way that feels genuine and good and not unhelpful, which is really hard to do. I’m getting there, even though it is a steep learning curve. But also, more than that, I want it to be in the music, I want it to be part of the culture of folk. I think that is what we have lost a bit of. There is no longer a sense that the general folk and indie community is inherently political. You can kind of participate without believing in things like human rights. I think that it is to our detriment that we lack that sense of solidarity and sense of understanding of the world that we live in and how music interacts with it.
BB: Interesting, thank you . You talk a lot about community and politics within the music world . Do you believe that music can bring people together? Specifically, folk music?
LR: Yes, definitely! Even historically, all you have to look at is the way that folk music has been integral to so many revolutions and so much building of important communities. It has also been so helpful in many communities in getting through oppression and horridness. It is linked in a way that can’t be undone: music, life, community, and politics. They will
always be intertwined.
BB: Well said . You have two albums out now, Motherwell and To Learn, how did your sound change between your albums, and how have you evolved as a musician in the last few years?
LR: I’m not fully sure. The sound mostly changed because the first record was live off the floor, and for the second record, I had my first opportunity with Joey Landreth, a local musician, to shape it more purposefully and add more production and arrangement. It was more of an evolution of the resources I had at hand rather than the writing because a lot of the songs were written in the same couple of years. But also, it’s hard to tell because I can’t see myself from the outside.
BB: Can we be expecting a third album anytime soon?
LR: Absolutely, I’m recording it.
BB: Can we get any hints about it?
LR: Hmmm, I don’t know! It’s a little bit of a different sound, which isn’t that my sound is changing because I’ve always wanted to record music that sounds like my next record; I just didn’t have the resources. It’s a bit different, but I think that its core is the same.
BB: Finally, last question: do you have any words for aspiring artists or people wanting to follow in your footsteps as indie musicians?
LR: Much of the same. Find your people, invest in that community, and it will invest in you in return. And make sure that it is good and doing good in the world, not harm.
It’s clear that we can expect more from Leith Ross soon, and I for one am very excited to see what their future career holds . Hopefully they will return to the Folk Fest stage next summer, and grace us with their sweet sounds again . Until then, their EPs will have to do!
Local Releases
RITCHOT TEXTILES i
Built out of the ashes of Abbotsford post-punk quartet Blessed comes Ritchot Textiles, the latest project from longtime collaborators Drew Riekman, Mitchell Trainor and Reuben Houweling. Their first release as a group, i is born out of love for droning synthesizers and loaded sequencers, all while crafting a minimalist yet rich pairing of industrial electronic and krautrock. It’s not at all surprising to know that it was created entirely using only analogue equipment.
A dark undertone seeps throughout i, comparable to that of a Nine Inch Nails song, as heard through the discrete synth humming in the bridge of “Coward” and on “Hero,” reminiscent of a Metroid track with a haunting synth and a sparse beat lingering throughout the track. Riekman’s lyrical haziness provides textures only the Cocteau Twins could fully understand. The consistent force behind each track is the percussion, specifically the use of a physical drum kit and how the intensity with which it’s played grabs the listener.
What’s most impressive is how it captures the vibes of different tempos while maintaining that intensity that runs through your ears. The relaxed saunter on “Heaven” carries the charisma of a slow-motion entrance in a film. The climax on “Weight” hits a euphoric centre between Silver Apples’ “Seagreen Serenades” and Fatboy Slim’s “Right Here Right Now.”
The droning guitar paired with the screaming cymbals on “Coward” make a strong headbanger.
While the melodic complexities of Blessed demanded the attention of its listener to keep up, all Ritchot Textiles asks is to listen with your body, and move accordingly.
For fans of: Cocteau Twins, Nine Inch Nails, YMO, Silver Apples. Daniel Kussy
NITOTTIR the noise is…
The best experiences in life are the ones that come to you by chance.
I don’t know if I believe that—and, in fact, I probably don’t—but for the sake of argument, let’s say that’s true. Out of boredom and looking for something to
write about, I went rooting around in the Bandcamp tags for “Winnipeg” and “experimental” until a recentish release leapt out at me.
The resulting find was the noise is… by NITOTTIR.
The album’s Bandcamp page credits no musicians, so I cannot tell you if this is the work of an individual or a collective. But one thing is clear: NITOTTIR refuses to take this music claptrap seriously. the noise is…’s description reads, “this album is noise and that is all it will ever be.”
Too true! Not every sound we produce needs to be grandiose or made with posterity in mind. Sometimes, a noise need only be itself. The honesty was refreshing.
Song titles like “heartbreak is like pointing a gun to your chest with a bulletproof vest on” and “that numb feeling you can not quite name or label” reminded me vividly of the sophomoric noise offerings of my own early adulthood. Having titled many songs similarly, I was at once delighted, saddened, and scared to discover an individual (or group?) whose musical and existential sensibilities align so closely with mine.
In terms of genre, you could call it “harsh noise.” In terms of feeling, you could compare it to descending a bobsleigh track at 100 km/h—as I did in 2013.
(To be clear, I wasn’t the one piloting the bobsleigh; that was somebody else. As much as I might wish otherwise, I have always lacked the sustained focus required of a
professional athlete. The life of a freelance music critic is more my speed.)
All of which is to say: there is something undeniably hypnotic in the album’s layered, abrasive patterns of staticky feedback. After several minutes of pummelling by sound, your head will feel heavy and sink toward your chest or sway in any number of directions, as if you had just been hit by a tranquillizer dart. This must be what it feels like to be waist-deep in quicksand or a bug devoured by a Venus flytrap.
And that sounds good to me! I bet I’d enjoy it. Maggie A . Clark
JAMBOREE SUMMERLAND
If there was one place that I could live, it would be California. But for reasons manifold, it’ll never happen. Second best is travelling there, which I had the chance to do earlier this spring –after saving for years – and along my way down the coast I stopped in a little place called Summerland: population 1300-ish. There’s a song by the same name from the mid-’90s by Everclear where frontperson Art Alexakis sings: “Just a name on the map / Sounds like heaven to me.” And stopping at the beach was
just like that: a dream. But it was an illusion; an ephemeral fantasy. Because after my few days on the coast, it was back to landlocked Manitoba with only a one-minute video of the surf as a souvenir.
It reminds me of Jamboree’s latest full-length release – also sharing the title Summerland. However, instead of that song off the certified platinum Sparkle and Fade or that alluded-to small town in the Golden State, apparently the primary inspiration for these ten tracks is a 16-story apartment complex in Winnipeg: the one with a greenhouse atrium in between, allowing for nonnative tropical plants to grow year-round (i.e., providing some sort of artificial escape for residents from the white hell of winter). Did Alex Braun, Nick Lavich or Sky Parenteau themselves frequent the cement-walled courtyard of 77 University Crescent? Unknown. But like this simulated paradise, what the album itself hints at is that one can never really escape the distress of living. One might have a veneer of contentment – as with the first two songs, “Late Summer” and “Systems” – but much of existence is a trying and failing to experience everything in its right place.
Summerland is indie rock par excellence, with a good balance of quiet-loud dynamism, multiple layers of guitars, endearingly wavering vocals, and lots of distorted undertones. Full of introspection, “You Watched Me Play Hockey” and “Punk Mentality” allude to deep-seated feelings of lack or missing something
that would imaginably bring satisfaction. The singing on “Rubber Ducks” and “Summerland, MB” is almost Nic Dyson-esque sonically and thematically. “Wonder Bread” does actually have some Everclear vibes, with the highlight for me being Braun yelling “feed the ducks” near the song’s end. Then there’s the 48-second dreamy interlude “Fruit Flies,” the alt-folk ballad “Dancing in the Fire,” and the album’s conclusion: a reflective instrumental postlude called “Summerland Sound.”
In the band’s own words, “Summerland conjures its own endless summer that’s always about to fall apart,” and they definitely succeed in creating such a soundscape.
Find the latest album by Jamboree on Bandcamp –released June 28th of this year – alongside their three other LPs and six EPs that have been released since 2018. They’ve been busy, and my guess is that it won’t be long before we hear from them again. Mykhailo Vil’yamson
BURTON CUMMINGS A FEW GOOD MOMENTS
Owing to The Guess Who’s transformation from rock band into local institution, it’s easy to forget that Burton Cummings is not only a real person, but a real person
who is still alive and making music.
Case in point: his latest album, A Few Good Moments, dropped on September 27. Upon discovering the forthcoming release of an honest-to-God Burton Cummings studio album in the year 2024, my initial reaction was something along the lines of “Oh, yeah, that’s right! I didn’t know he could do that!”
This new slate of tunes arrives fresh on the coattails of the settlement of a court case in which Cummings and Randy Bachman wrested control over their old band’s trademark from former colleagues Jim Kale and Garry Peterson. Cummings and Bachman sought up to $20 million in damages for false advertising and unfair competition, claiming that the Peterson-led iteration of The Guess Who traded on “the false impression that [Cummings and Bachman were] performing as part of the cover band.”
After all, there’s nothing more rock ’n roll than taking your old friends to court over a complaint that amounts to hey! No fair! You guys are playing without me! But that’s all over now and the good (?) guys won, so all that’s left is to take in the victory lap.
Growing up with a father who listens exclusively to “classic rock,” I know “American Woman” and “No Sugar Tonight / New Mother Nature” like the back of my hand, but I must admit a lack of familiarity with Cummings’ solo material. The lone exception is “Stand Tall,” which I only discovered by way of Yes We Mystic’s
incredible live cover years ago. This fresh opportunity to delve into Burt’s oeuvre piqued my interest.
In A Few Good Moments, the 76-year-old Cummings contends with the passage of time, the loss of friends and lovers, and the process of coming to terms with change. It starts promisingly enough: the title track, which also serves as the album opener, could be reasonably described as “rollicking.” A few songs in, I was nodding along, thinking, OK! This guy’s still got some approximation of “it.” Maybe this won’t be so bad!
Cracks in the façade began to appear soon thereafter. With little variation in tempo or sound, the album really strains under its 17song, 59-minute weight. The production does it no favours either. The bass and drums are buried in the mix, while the piano and guitar riffs aren’t dynamic enough to hold my attention. The whole thing comes out sounding rather flat.
Cummings’ vocals are another matter. They seem to have been touched up slightly with pitch corrector software, à la late-period David Bowie. But whereas Bowie remained inventive throughout his career—his final album, Blackstar, being reportedly influenced by Kendrick Lamar, Death Grips, and Boards of Canada—here Cummings sounds more or less like a county fair cover band version of himself. In the absence of sonic experimentation, the most contemporary feature of A Few Good Moments is in “My Rhythm and My Rhyme”
when Cummings bafflingly name-drops basketball stars Kyrie Irving and Steph Curry, whom he claims to have seen in person. (Big whoop, man. I’ve seen, uh, Tim Stapleton and Pär Lindholm.)
If I were to pick a song that captures the album in microcosm, it would have to be “Sanity.” Early
on, Cummings laments, “I remember when old people were cool / Never hit upon, mocked, maimed, or ridiculed.” It’s pathetic, honestly, to be a worldfamous millionaire musician whinging about how the young’uns don’t respect you nowadays – but a few moments after I got done rolling my eyes about it, he
Sounds From Away
BURS HOLDING PATTERNS
Toronto’s Burs wrote a record as distinct and enduring as an army of their namesakes. Holding Patterns is purposeful, mixing curiosity, confession, and metaphor to startling effect. The album’s production is eminently clear, leaving empty space to haunt as opaque edges demand scrutiny.
In “Hard Love,” Lauren Dillen sings: “All the people that once knew me, they knew somebody else / I am seeping through the fabric from the wound of the troubles that I wear.” Every other phrase on the record is nearly as vivid and affecting. This is music in full colour. On both song- and albumscale, the music builds and builds and builds, only
showing its full courage and endurance by record’s end.
Paired singing and acoustic guitar anchor a host of other sounds - all in their right place as they muse on things gone wrong. Though it only flourishes on the timescale, it is hard to imagine “The Year Now” without its tambourine and woodwind touches.
“Try,” carried by harmonized singing (versus more common unison and octaved backing vocals), feels like a ’70s folk throwback in its warmth and wonder.
“Nearly,” several tracks later, carries this trend further with stripped-down form and lucid lyrics: “There is only space enough for clowns inside this car.”
“Hunger” is anthemic, projecting the scale of a post-rock song from its radio-length span. Every strum haunts, and each piano tone bends to bleed the canvas full. “I Have a Light” is a memorable demo-like epilogue dotted by background static. It’s satisfying to see this ambivalent journey closed off
hits me with this:
“Not too long in the distant past / I had some values I thought might last / But ashes like dust, all that’s left of the coals / The flames were the cries of a billion souls” (!!). I know I’ve been dumping on the guy this whole time, but I must admit. That lyric slaps! Go off, king.
Look, I hate to do this to
ol’ Burt. It feels cheap, but it’s time to wrap up—and it isn’t my fault that he left the layup wide open. With his new record, Cummings offers a few good moments, perhaps, but no great ones and even the good are few and far between.
Maggie A . Clark
with quiet hope.
Holding Patterns sounds like how its album cover looks. Like good abstract art, the individual pieces can be read and reread in myriad combinations without missing the artist’s own signature. Burs’ work
is as fascinating as it is unmistakable.
For fans of: Carissa’s Wierd, Girlpool, ’70s folk in general. Paul Newsom
SOLANUM AT THE PARK THEATRE ON JULY 12 PHOTO BY KAITE KOLESAR
PHOTOS BY KATIE KOLESAR
WINNIPEG FOLK FESTIVAL PRESENTS
with Tia Wood and Slim Krusty
WITH WYATT C. LOUIS
WiTH THE FUNKY MiRACLES