www.ckuw.ca/stylus
February / March 2021 Stylus Magazine
1
2 Stylus Magazine February / March 2021
FEB/MAR 2021 VOLNO.321
Production Team Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gil Carroll editor@stylusmagazine.ca Assistant Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . Jen Doerksen assistanteditor@stylusmagazine.ca Art Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kelly Campbell design@stylusmagazine.ca Cover Art . . . . . . . . . . . Sadie-Phoenix Lavoie
On the Cover SADIE-PHOENIX LAVOIE is a 27 year old Anishinaabe Two-Spirit from Sagkeeng First Nation located on Treaty 1 territory and goes by They/Them pronouns. They graduated in 2017 at the University of Winnipeg with a Bachelor of Arts in Indigenous Studies and Political Science. They are currently the Community Coordinator at Wa Ni Ska Tan: An Alliance of HydroImpacted Communities, and Co-Founder of Red Rising Magazine, and former Youth Green Action Mentor with Youth Agencies Alliance. They are a well known community activist in Winnipeg that has travelled the world educating and raising awareness about Indigenous rights, social environmental justice, and two spirit identity. Sadie-Phoenix Lavoie also commissions for artwork, graphic design and photography. They have done graphic design commissions for logos with Frontier School division, paintings for youth awards, program booklets for Ka Ni Kanichihk to name a few. See more of their work on their Instagram @sadiephoenix.
Advertising Contact . . . . . . . . Rob Schmidt manager@ckuw.ca Print by JRS Print Services . . . 204-232-3558
Contributors Nigel Webber
Margaret Banka
Keeley Braunstein-Black
Isabella Soares
Olivier LaRoche Daniel Kussy Olivia Michalczuk Ryan Haughey
Mark Teague Max Hamilton Joel Klaverkamp Ryan Jennings
Table of Contents CKUW, A Radio Station During a Pandemic: An Interview with Program Director Sam Doucet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 04
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:
CKUW Program Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 05 Local Spotlight Reviews: Julien’s Daughter, Virgo Rising, closetjudas, Yawn Care, and Ryan Hockey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 06
Ulteriors Reviews: Ben Varian, Matthew Cardinal, Cheekface, Kiwi Jr, Nicolas Jarr . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 07
Features
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
Rock Talk with Moonfield . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Winnipeg State of Mind: Caid Jones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
02 03
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.
www.ckuw.ca/stylus
February / March 2021 Stylus Magazine
01
Rock Talk with Moonfield RYAN HAUGHEY
PHOTO: MANITOBAMUSIC.COM/MOONFIELD Dan: The sound has evolved into something that I kind of could have predicted but also couldn’t have predicted. I really like the fact that it’s turned into something a little bit different, that everybody contributed to in their own way. If you see us perform, I don’t think you’d start looking at your watch or be wondering when the next band will come on. There’s a coherent energy and sound but it’s not predictable. I think that’s what will keep it fresh.
Moonfield is Andrew (bass and guitar), Hayden (guitar and vocals), Santi (drums), Dan (bass and guitar). Dan and Andrew met through Andrew’s Kijiji ad, and Santi and Hayden joined in to create the band as it is today. “Singularity” is Moonfield’s debut single, a reverb and delay laden psychedelic rock track with ethereal guitar and synth riffs and crisp, punching vocals. RH: Tell me “Singularity”!
RH: What else can you speak to about being a rock band bringing some fresh rock to the table? Hayden: I grew up surrounded by people who love rock and roll. It’s been ingrained in me, watching documentaries and even watching School of Rock as a kid. That was my thing! Another reason people are moving away from rock is that a lot of bands are moving away from rock. Sure, there are some great new rock acts, but not nearly as many as there used to be. We’re really happy to bring a little more rock to the scene.
about
Hayden: The song was here before I joined the band, but when I joined, these three (he points to his bandmates) sent me three tracks to work with and “Singularity” was one of them. So I kind of just sat with it for a few days and mulled over some vocal ideas, and when I brought it back to the band I said, “I don’t know if you guys’ll like this, it’s pretty poppy,” but they seemed to like it! RH: Is the single promoting an album? Hayden: Not yet, at this point. We’re just working on releasing singles and building a fan base and moving from there. RH: But there’s more in the production machine?
Dan: People are moving away from the sort of traditional rock, where they’ve heard similar styles and phrases. I think that’s where the electronic influence benefits us a little – we’ve got our synth arpeggios going on in the background, for example, without getting too far out of structure. We get this really good mix of pushing boundaries while remaining true to the rock roots. RH: What’s on the horizon for Moonfield? Hayden: All of us kind of write songs on our own and we bring them to the band, and we all listen and all work on our own parts and reconvene, molding that rough clay over weeks and months into something polished. RH: Why should people pay attention to Moonfield?
Hayden: Oh loads!
Hayden: I might be biased, but I think there are a lot of reasons people should pay attention to us!
RH: Tell me about your song-writing process.
RH: That’s exactly the right answer!
Dan: Traditionally, it starts with Andrew and I passing back and forth demos. Between both of us we must have about 80 song ideas and we’ll probably never get to all of them. Usually on the base level for Moonfield it’s a mixture of post-rock with dream pop, prog-rock and alternative styles. Hayden came in with what I think is pure Rockstar energy. That energetic influence brings an interesting and new balance.
Hayden: First off, we’re a rock band! We’re a new rock band doing our own thing, which is a dying breed in this modern world. People say ‘rock is dead’ – I don’t believe that. I think there are a lot of people out there thirsting for it, who love the older rock style and would love to hear something new. We also have a sound that is uniquely our own, something people have never heard before. It comes from all those different elements we all bring, coming together to make something new.
02 Stylus Magazine February / March 2021
Santi: We’ve written a list of our accomplishments because it’s been a year since we started playing together. We tried to do this exercise to recognize how far we’ve come in such a short amount of time. We’ve been kind of going on energy steroids, constantly making music and practicing, so it was good to sit back and recognize that. We really wanted to have that single release, something that could be found on any platform and shared just by a link, and we’re glad we’ve done that! Now it’s just a matter of keeping that energy coming. Our next goal is to continue making singles and growing our fan base. Hayden: With the release of “Singularity” we heard a really great response from our audience. Now the game is to keep that momentum going, we want to put music out there to show people who we are. Moonfield’s single “Singularity” is available on streaming platforms. They hope to be able to continue performing when it is safe to do so.
WINNIPEG STATE OF MIND: Caid Jones
NIGEL WEBBER
PHOTO: RYAN JENNINGS
Author’s Prelude In the October/November 2020 issue of Stylus, “Winnipeg State of Mind” brought you the Top 100 Winnipeg Rap Songs, part of my attempts to document Winnipeg rap history in my forthcoming book “Gritty City.” In 2021, the focus of “Winnipeg State of Mind” will be to examine the current slate of young, up and coming rappers and artists that populate the landscape of Winnipeg hip-hop. Some of the artists that will be featured are already reaching huge numbers of people, some are just finding their feet artistically. But all of them are talented, driven, and dedicated to making Winnipeg hip-hop the best it can be in 2021 and beyond. “Be just and justify your actions” - Big KRIT Caid Jones is a product of Winnipeg and he’s proud of it. The talented young hip-hop artist is passionate about representing the city that raised him. Part of the new generation of local hip-hop artists who are not striving to be lost in the cold shuffle of music industry capitals such as Toronto or New York, Caid Jones is all about building up community within Winnipeg. His community is community in the widest sense of the word, not strictly within hip-hop. From a young age, Caid Jones understood that music can be used as a tool to reach a wide segment of humanity, a back door invitation to changing the world one listener at a time. Caid’s journey into hip-hop began young. When visiting his father in The Pas, Manitoba, Caid first heard Eminem’s record The Eminem Show. In an instant, a hip-hop fan was born. His father graciously gifted him the Eminem CD and a young Caid Jones was off and running into the vast history of hip-hop music, making stops at Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar and many others. By the time Caid had reached Grade 10 English class, with the push of his teacher, he was making the connection between his interest in Eminem and the poetry he was writing in school. Experimentation and practice quickly led Caid to believe that writing lyrics and rapping was not only possible but so exciting that he found himself doing it every night. Caid Jones had set himself along the proper rap trajectory on his own. But there is one place responsible for catapulting him into the position he is today, on the verge of becoming Winnipeg’s next household name. Studio 393 has become a touchstone in Winnipeg’s hip-hop community. The youth drop-in centre located in the skywalk of Portage Place mall and run through Graffiti Art Programming has employed some of the biggest names in Winnipeg hip-hop history and has hosted as guest programmers prominent names in Canadian rap, from Skratch Bastid to Shad to Odario. But their bread and butter programming is just being a place where youth can go to write and record hip-hop music with professional equipment and expert guidance, all for free. When Caid Jones found Studio 393 between Grades 10 and 11, it was an immediate fit. Initially lured in by the promise of a show at the West End Cultural Centre, 393 has provided countless opportunities to Caid and so many other youth. He cites the leadership of former 393 staff like Pip Skid and Charlie Fettah and current manager Nestor Wynrush, whose mere presence in such a humble spot as the Portage Place skywalk impressed a young Caid, only familiar with his rap idols appearing on a screen. It has been through Studio 393 that Caid Jones has had some of the biggest opportunities of his young career, including opening for Madchild in 2018. However, the most exciting collaboration for Caid has been 393’s continued partnership with Synonym Art Consultation. Through Synonym, Caid and his fellow 393 brethren have performed at many shows and events but none as important as opening up Skratch Bastid’s BBQ in Winnipeg in 2019. All these connections work to not only establish a relationship with the larger name acts but also with the other artists in the city, working together to build up the local community. Caid Jones new EP No Distractions Please is a testament to the young artist’s
www.ckuw.ca/stylus
drive and hard work. The EP is the initial release on Pay Attention Records, the imprint that Caid and long-time friend and collaborator Josue Davi are getting off the ground. “Higher,” the opening cut and lead video single off No Distractions Please, touches on many subjects, but partly is a powerful ode to the authority of artists as community leaders. In the song’s second verse, delivered in an almost impossibly fast flow, Caid questions the morality of his favourite artists, including Eminem, through their relative silence on the important moral and ethical issues of our time. While showcasing his musical diversity through the sung chorus, “your power is higher, let go your desire,” Caid is also urging the powerful artists of our time to take a stand. While speaking on this subject, Caid’s passion is palpable, asking for the same from his idols: “where’s all that passion and energy that I had seen when they were standing up for people?” This circles back to Caid Jones’ goal when making music, using it as a tool to reach the masses with influential messaging. Caid describes an epiphany he had while in his early teens about how he knew that music was the way to bring about change and betterment in the struggling communities he had witnessed growing up. While a lot of people talk a big stick about community, Caid is all action. Twice in 2020, he organized and executed donation drives of warm clothes, food, and other supplies that were distributed to frontline organizations and directly to unhoused people. This type of dedication is not often found in someone who is also an incredibly talented artist, someone who can reach you with their lyrics and music but also with their actions. Caid Jones, whose ancestry is Irish from his mother and Swampy Cree from his father, proves that, forget tomorrow, the leaders of today’s communities are Indigenous youth. Caid Jones is a young, visionary leader in Winnipeg’s hiphop community with the world in front of him. The revolution will be rapped.
February / March 2021 Stylus Magazine
03
ckuw: w:
A Radio Station During a Pandemic
An Interview with Program Director Sam Doucet
WORDS & PHOTO: KEELEY BRAUNSTEIN-BLACK During COVID-19 many organizations have faced a variety of different challenges and have had to adapt to an ever changing situation. Radio stations are not exempt from these difficulties. So what goes into running a radio station during a pandemic? How do you stay on the air when the people aren’t allowed into the station itself? What special challenges do community based radio stations such as CKUW face that for profit stations don’t? CKUW is different from for-profit stations. CKUW is the campus and community radio station at the University of Winnipeg, and has been playing music since 1963, and on the FM dial since 1999. According to Program Director Sam Doucet, “To listeners, the obvious and oft-cited way in which we differ from commercial stations is our focus on local, underground, and unusual music. You don’t need money, a savvy promoter, or a major label to get airplay on CKUW – we proudly feature demos and EP’s if they’re worth hearing! From a more insider standpoint, we have a genuine commitment to keeping our membership open and inclusive. We offer free training sessions to anybody wanting to join CKUW and learn about any and all aspects of radio broadcasting. Some, if not most, of our programs are the result of curious people with no experience walking through our doors and giving it a shot”. As Program Director Sam Doucet is responsible for overseeing “everything that gets broadcast from
04 Stylus Magazine February / March 2021
our studio. My responsibilities include training, evaluating new programs, importing content, coordinating special projects and programming, promoting events, and whatever else needs doing”. A pretty hefty job since due to COVID-19 none of the members have been allowed into the station for their shows. The University of Winnipeg shut down its campus “– and by extension, CKUW – has been closed to the public, including our volunteers. Very quickly, I and our Station Manager Rob shifted into tech support mode to provide assistance to all programmers who now had to record from home. I have since done my best to stay in touch with volunteers and offer guidance and feedback, but the lack of face-to-face interaction has made it tough”. Sam’s role at the station revolves around preparing content for the station constantly, “The bulk of my work at the station now revolves around preparing content for airplay around the clock. That includes a lot of audio editing. A LOT of audio editing”. As a community radio station CKUW has felt the shift in its community members volunteers, musicians, and listeners perhaps more than the average station. Sam elaborates, “The content we air on CKUW reflects the world around us – and the world around us right now is as topsy-turvy as it gets. The link between us and the artists and bands out there is tougher to maintain when we can’t see them and welcome them into the studio. There’s less music being released, there are no shows happening, so there’s less to talk about and less new stuff to play.”
It has become harder to maintain this connection due to lack of face time and not everyone has access to the technology or a screen. “During non-pandemic times, we have well over a hundred volunteers coming in every week to host live, pre-record material, and do other behind the scenes work. Almost overnight, we were forced to take away those opportunities. As I said, many volunteers found ways to adapt to home recording. However, some just didn’t have the equipment, expertise, or time to make it work. It’s a real shame, since our model usually allows people with limited resources to come here and make use of ours. Since having to close our doors, we can’t offer that.” One silver lining is that the learning continues with many of the volunteers having “gained a lot of technical skills through recording by themselves. Also, with peoples’ lives being thrown off by the pandemic, it allows them to make their shows at their own pace rather than at a rigid time of the week.” While Sam and the staff at CKUW energy has been limited to “keeping things rolling dayto-day . . . and keeping our regular programming afloat”. However, Sam hints that there are plans for some big things post COVID, “If reports are to be believed, the pandemic isn’t going to last forever. We’re already planning for some big things once we can have the station operating at full capacity again, and we can’t wait to share it with the community.” “Also, I can’t wait for the new Mahogany Frog record,” Sam adds.
8AM
7AM
6AM
9PM
8PM
7PM
6PM
5PM
4PM
3PM
2PM
1PM
NOON
11AM
10AM
9AM
www.ckuw.ca/stylus
6AM
5AM
4AM
3AM
2AM
1AM
MIDNIGHT
11PM
10PM
February / March 2021 Stylus Magazine
05
DEPARTMENT 13
THE GREEN BLUES SHOW
AMPLIFIED RADIO
MODERN JAZZ TODAY
Jazz
DEEP THREES CELT IN A TWIST
BACKBEAT
THE SENTINEL'S MARVELOUS KALEIDOSCOPE
HURLEMENTS SUR LA TOUNDRA
Two Princes Princes
! E A R S H O T D A I LY
FABLES FOR YOUR MICROSCOPE
S.A.N.E. * RADIO
Local Experimental Music
Country/ Roots/ Big, Dumb Rock ‘n’ Roll
TWANG TRUST
So Bad, It’s Good
AMATEUR HOUR
SPACE CADET
MUSIC, OUT OF THIS WORLD
Classical Kaleidoscope
ALTERNATIVE RADIO
The Motherland Influence
NIGHT DANGER RADIO
LISTENING PLEASURES
BREAK NORTH RADIO
! E A R S H O T D A I LY
PLAYING THE BLUES
BLUESDAY
Lost Chunes
Youth in Care
SYSTEM KIDz
Winnipeg Arena is on Fire
Your Show Here
THE GREEN MAJORITY
COUNTRY
BOOTS & SADDLE
THE WONDERFUL & FRIGHTENING WORLD OF PATRICK MICHALISHYN
Electronic
PHASE ONE
Dub City Steppers
Adult Kindergarten
Pop/Rock
TAWNY, THE BRAVE
EAT YOUR ARTS & VEGETABLES
PAGES
WHAT ON EARTH IS GOING ON?
Past 'n Present Folk 'n Roots
B�R�I�G D�G
RADIO ECOSHOCK
BINKY PINDER'S FUNHOUSE
!EARSHOT DAILY
ACCESSIBILITY MATTERS
BRIDGING THE GAP
WINGS
VOYAGE
World - Island music
FANTASTIC FRIDAY
MANITOBA MOON
Brain Drainer Radio
Electric Dance Party
QUADRAFUNK
Funky
CHECK CA
THE HOW DO YOU DO REVUE
PEG CITY PLAYLIST
CKUW's Top 30
Chart Noises
Let's Play DJ!
What's Up Winnipeg?
GLOBAL RESEARCH NEWS HOUR
HOW TO SURVIVE A TORNADO
NO FIXED ADDRESS
LIVED EXPERIENCES OF HOMELESSNESS
Roots Music
SUNNY ROAD
DEMOCRACY NOW! PLANETARY RADIO
MONKEY SPARROW
METAL MONDAY
CANQUEER
Fly Travel Radio
This Way Out
! E A R S H O T D A I LY
Sock-Hop-A-Go-Go
DESTINATION MOON
Garage, Punk, Surf,and R&R
THE TONIC
THE World WORLD
INNER CITY VOICES
PSYCLE RADI0
New Classical
GROUNDSWELL
Truth Before Reconciliation
outSPOKEn
T�e S�a� S�o�
POP/ROCK
Cafecito Latinoamericano
CKUW MORNING NEWS / FRONT BURNER (CBC)
!EARSHOT 20
DEMOCRACY NOW!
MORNING BREATH
CRYSTAL PALACE
Dancehall and Reggae
DANCE HALL FEVER
Hip-Hop
RED BOX
Hip-Hop
WE BUILD HITS
PSYCHADELIC ROCK
THE TRIP
Eclectic Residents
Eclectic Mix
TEMPLE OF JAZZ
THE IVORY TOWER
THE ELECTRIC CHAIR
For Kids (Adults too)
MUD PUDDLE RADIO
WOODEN SPOONS
THE MAN IN THE GREY FLANNEL SUIT SHOW
Your Show Here
R�V�L�T�O� R�C�
Rainbow Country
Caribbean
ISLAND VIBES
THE GASHLYCRUMB TINIES
Rank and File Radio: Prairie Edition
The Completely Asinine Radio Program
THE C.A.R.P.
Local Comedy
Jokes On You
Bikini Drive-In
Classical Delights
Gospel
YOU CAN'T HIDE FROM GOD
NEON BEIGE SOUND EXCHANGE
Indigenous In Music
Classical and New Age
SHADES OF CLASSICS
CKU-Speaks
MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY F R I D A Y SATURDAY S U N DAY
LOCAL SPOKEN WORD
MUSIC
WEEK
12
9
Some programs are on hiatus and/or airing different content due to university closure for COVID-19.
EMAIL:
CKUW@UWINNIPEG.CA
FAX: 204-783-7080
ON AIR: 204-774-6877
NEWS DESK : 204786-9998 6
OFFICE: 204-786-9782
WWW.CKUW.CA
Temporary Programming
ALTERNATING
12 SPOKEN WORD
8
Local Spotlight where everyone is just in the pocket so hard. I want a voice crack, I want a slip up, I want the charm of a band formed on Kijiji and thrown together in chaotic perfection. Guitarist Ian Tata captures this well through different elements, mostly through the guitar screeching, messing around with harmonics, diving into a solo or focal point riff. My hope for the band is to keep honing their skills, reaching back to their inspiring roots, JULIEN’S DAUGHTER and to keep their personalities the THE STATIC THAT CARRIES OVER driving force of their music. House of Wonders has been a guiding light for Julien’s Daughter burst onto the local local projects and Julien’s Daughter music scene with unfortunate timing. is currently in the right hands as this In the absence of playing local stages, album really captures what the band and surely a slew of festival gigs, they is about, rather than molding or took the time to release their debut modifying it. Olivia Michalczuk album The Static That Carries Over. The album captures the effortlessness of their collaboration and the dynamism of their live performances. Signed to local label House of Wonders barely a year into the bands inception, their first releases have quickly garnered accolades by filling a genre gap in the Winnipeg music landscape that was once occupied by earlier music of bands of yesteryear. Their playful alternative rock tracks have the benefits of fearless and uninhibited experimentation, coupled VIRGO RISING with the skill to actually pull it off. SIXTEENTH SAPPHIRE Most evidently brave in things like guitar solos, and vocal percussion, For their debut EP, Sixteenth Sapphire, backed by a quick and tight driving Emily Sinclair, Lauren Wittmann, rhythm section. and Jenna Wittmann of Virgo Rising Though all the performances on the grace our 2020-thirsted ears with a album have their own flare, Singer sweet collection of graduated bedroom Emma Murphy really performs in pop. Introspective themes dominate a unique way. She often plays with this enchanting combination of vowels, breath, and the irregular hit or gossamery vocals, clean lyrics, and soft glide of her consonants, occasionally instrumentals, which immediately using her voice as additional reminded me of Frankie Cosmos, percussion, most evidently peppered old-style Ian Sweet, and Angel Olsen, throughout their single “Barb 217.” minus some of the drama. Murphy’s charismatic performance Fans of these artists will welcome is similar to Julien’s Daughter’s live Virgo Rising’s familiar use of breaks, performances, vocals often playing back deceleration, and acceleration, which and forth with the bass (also great in keep each of the EP’s six tracks “Foxy Roxy.”) This is the only track on fresh and exciting; each song has its the album that was produced by Adam unique place on the EP. The subtle Fuhr and it really showcases a je ne sais play with tempo is especially effective quoi. There is care and attention in in the tender song, “Juice,” fluttering unidentifiable areas that encapsulates accelerations are reminiscent of a who the band is when watched live, racing heart in the early stages of love, which is most likely why it was chosen albeit, a love for oneself. Conversely, as a single. That being said, the album the track “Goat-Footed” slows down is produced with a little grit, which is in the chorus as if to link subject and exactly what it needs. tempo, culminating in an emphasis on The Static That Carries Over really the rush of thoughts that have been does beckon the desire to see them concealed during the rest of the song. on stage again. The bravery in “Kitty The lyrics are honest and vulnerable, Oxford” to just let instrumentals take with seasons of solitude cycling over into nostalgic classic rock vibes throughout the EP. Sometimes this
06 Stylus Magazine February / March 2021
solitude is internal-- like self-reflection or anxiety-- as in “Goat-Footed”, and “Headlights”. The swaying tune “Molly Ringwald Dances in the Front Row” captures detachment as the physical embodiment of solitude, as Molly, singled out in a crowd, appears alone in a prevailing sort of way. Standing out conveys a measure of power for a young woman finding her stride: “And her sneakered feet/ always come back down/ with every beat/ in perfect harmony”. The reference to iconic comingof-age wallflower Molly Ringwald gloriously consolidates Sixteen Candles with Sixteenth Sapphire and its many references of birthdays and growing up. This point in the EP also represents a climactic shift in theme from one of uncertainty and anxiety found in the earlier tracks, to a new outlook of acceptance, poise, and growth. “Molly Ringwald Dances in the Front Row’’ undoubtedly paves the way for the message of self-love in the next track, “Juice”, and captures the theme of selfcare within the EP itself. Sixteenth Sapphire is a pleasure to listen to, while showcasing the artistic talents and generational sensibilities of Virgo Rising. Lovingly crafted at House of Wonders, look out for its release in March 2021. Margaret Banka
track, a break in the distortion appears alongside a reversed message about the illusion of power among oppressors and the complacency of the masses that allow this continued oppression. The song breaks back into the hook, drum groove at the forefront, launching into the lyrics “no one wants to own up to the sham of their entitlement.” Each of the first four songs on non sequitur is simply an expression, both lyrically and instrumentally. On “valkyries” distorted guitars support acoustic strumming along to a lowend heavy drum groove while a slow melody rings out. The latter four tracks on the album are spoken essays that each dive into the ideas expressed in their former four counterparts. In addition to further exploring the themes of each track, the essays encourage listeners to go back and listen again to non sequitur, this time more consciously connecting with the lyrics and music Ryan Haughey
YAWN CARE YAWN CARE
CLOSETJUDAS NON SEQUITUR Mike Powell, known to Bandcamp as closetjudas, tackles abstract concepts of presence, truth, and a lack of both. In the lo-fi non sequitur, closetjudas blasts fuzzed out guitars through what sounds like the tiniest speakers. The sharp, shrill lead guitar parts peek out from behind the extremeness of the rest of the instrumentation, balancing like a wavering tower, surrounded by clouds of spoken word excerpts. The second track, “borders” is a raw and frustrated commentary on colonization and oppression. About halfway through the sub-two-minute
Yawn Care is the second project released by the Winnipeg-based artist of the same name. The influence of this city is more than apparent throughout the album. It offers all the entrancing wonder that an ambient record should bring, but does so in a surprisingly concise manner. There is a fine line separating background noise from genuinely intriguing music in the genre, and Yawn Care manages to walk that line perfectly. The title track “Cassette, Attempt” starts us off with these hazy, gentle chords that summon a dreamlike atmosphere. The drums that join in not long after help drive the song along, and the hesitancy of the chords over the steady beat creates a pattern impossible to ignore. This contrast creates the stunning balance between the entrancing quality of the song and its driving energy as if the dream is advancing towards its next chapter rather than staying put. On “Velocity Boi” we are greeted
with dialogue samples and the sound of distant sirens, suggesting we are perhaps in the city. The swelling pads come in with the same sort of haze as on the previous track, but this time the beat is more industrial and frantic, allowing the song to drift away. The third track begins with the white noise of the city, the sound of engines, and the familiar repetitive tune of a Winnipeg crosswalk light. The dismal, distorted synths that appear following pitched down vocal samples that speak of evil spirits suggest we may be on the cold streets of Winnipeg at night. With every song, the project brings our journey and destination into greater focus and detail. On “F’wippian” the same sirens welcome us back, but the song offers a much more relaxed tone, similar to the energy of the first track and vastly different from the previous two songs. The lush saxophone passages signal a certain level of peace has been attained in our journey. The night is coming to its satisfying end, beyond the chaos and darkness suggested previously. Finally, on the closer “Challenger Deep”, the warm
familiarity returns with the sounds of passing vehicles and the pleasant chirps of sparrows. The eleven-minute track feels reflective, as if we are recalling the events of last night. Yawn Care is a gem of an ambient record and offers a familiar and accurate sonic portrait of our city of Winnipeg. Olivier LaRoche
escapism and a dream-like universe. It starts with the melancholic yet increasingly powerful “Again at 4 a.m.,” featuring a galactic backing track that makes the song an absolute ride right from the beginning. It is almost as if Hockey is making us sit and dive into the atmosphere at first listen. Then the ambiance shifts completely with the guitar chords and the heart-wrenching lyrics present in “You Love Me I Know” that capture the uncertainty of feelings towards a significant other, but still choosing to cling to them for dear life. The highlight here is “Drive,” which combines the feeling of driving during the chill summer nights with handclaps, raw electric guitars, keyboards and harmonies that could have easily been inspired by The Beatles’ later albums. As the psychedelic vibe comes at RYAN HOCKEY ease, “Room In Your Heart” is bubbly AGAIN and high-spirited as it expresses the romantic optimism of reciprocated Ryan Hockey’s debut EP Again love. The groove kicks in full force with channels everything from an indie “I Don’t Wanna Be Here,” a song that piano ballad to space driven sound defies any of our expectations based distortions that evoke a sense of on the title. I guess people are right
when they say don’t judge a book by its cover. A couple head bangs turn into swaying from side to side when “For Her” begins to play. The simple chords, keyboard, and drum structure could easily be a favourite to sing along to by a group at a campfire fire site under a starry night. “Dance Alone” ends the EP in a terrific tone with a Mumford and Sons-like harmonica arrangement that is just sensational and short-lived. Why couldn’t this section last a bit more? Overall, Again succeeds in capturing the essence of nighttime in its different facets. Whether it’s sitting down in the corner reflecting about inward feelings in the dark, driving down the road in a carefree manner, and just chilling with friends in a bonfire. While Hockey’s vocals and lyrics lead a simple structure, the instrumentation here captures organic and experimental sounds that make you feel in awe at times and just relaxed at others. One thing is for certain, this will definitely please The Beatles ``Abbey Road” listeners as well as the indie-folk obsessed ones. Isabella Soares
Ulteriors
BEN VARIAN BREAKFAST WITH THE BOOK I wasn’t prepared for Ben Varian’s upcoming album Breakfast with the Book. A preliminary listen reveals a downtempo pop album with a range of instrumentals, some pronounced dreamy elements, a nod to early 60’s jazz-pop, and soothing vocals to round out the sound. Upon subsequent listens, and with some cursory investigation, the album becomes much more than that. This album exemplifies the mix of discomfort, anger, and longing that typifies late isolation. It is exactly the soundtrack that we need as covidennui reaches it’s the most pronounced state. The slow rock and lightness of the vocals almost obscure the satire and cynicism in the lyrics, but this juxtaposition ends up highlighting the very paradox that the album grapples
with: the expectations of higherliving, while being confronted with overwhelming evidence of the contrary. Lyrics asserting the reality of memories by the inclusion of unpolished details, describing the infuriating minutia of the quotidian, and poking fun at any attempt to pacify or beautify, are all set to the soothing sounds of Ben’s voice and an unending list of instruments and styles. While maintaining a number of complex motifs, both musical and narrative, Varian manages to create an album composed of sonically distinct songs, coupled with open lyrics that spark further investigation. The tracklist alone reads like post-modern poetry: “Period Chart,” “Jonie,” “The Floor is a Lady Too,” “Teardrop,” “In the Garbage of My Life...” “Teardrop,” song nine of thirteen, and one that shows Varian’s range of style and skill, begins with lyrics that could be nonsense verse but, as with the rest of the album, after multiple listens I find myself hearing the prose underlying the poetry. The lyrics ``A stranger washing in on ocean foam, a ghostly apparition in your home. I come through on tour, and sleep on your floor, and rename your dog” lead from a flute intro into an upbeat disco chorus combining orchestral strings and synth. If this description leaves the
www.ckuw.ca/stylus
reader with confusion or difficulty in imagining the sounds described, it is because the album defies most common classifications. It is an indie pop album, while being so far beyond a pop album that the term seems misplaced. Breakfast with the Books is messy in the strictest, cleanest, and most satisfying way possible, and while I am tempted to continue on this string of contradictions in order to sum up the album in its totality, it is best experienced first-hand. This is not one to miss. Mark Teague
band whose debut album, nipiy, was shortlisted for the 2020 Polaris music prize. Each track title on Asterisms is simply a month and a date, which plays a large part in contributing to the nature and feeling of the project. An ambient, meditative album, it quickly establishes a pattern in its form. The melodies, rising up from the textural wash that surrounds them, often feel fragmentary, like a moment in a halfremembered conversation or stretch of time, without birth or death but only repetition, longing for change and resolution. This unresolved tension is often the propellant force behind the music. When change occurs within a song, it does so in the wash of tone that the rhythmic snatches of melody are bathed in—the musical object is still and time passes over it the way the sun will pass over a physical object and paint it in an infinite number of variations of light and shade in its passing from morning till night in the course of a MATTHEW CARDINAL single day. Each track can feel like a ASTERISMS riddle, suspended in anticipation of a resolution that does not come. But Matthew Cardinal’s debut solo as the tracks (the “days”) roll on, every album, Asterisms, was released in track becomes the answer to another. October 2020 on Arts and Crafts. The aching, screaming stillness of the His work will already be familiar to previous track informing that of the listeners of nêhiyawak, the amiskwaciy present. Gradually the melodies of (Edmonton) based moccasingaze each connect in memory, and slowly
February / March 2021 Stylus Magazine
07
the composition unfolds itself. The album title, Asterisms, refers to the lines that mentally connect stars in a constellation to each other in the night sky. In this sense, to listen to the tracks of Asterisms as separate things would be like focusing on only one star at a time. Each one is beautiful and fascinating, sure, but you’d be left unaware of the larger form that it is a part of. Cardinal’s Asterisms, given the time of its release, may forever be doomed to be seen through Covid-19’s lens of isolation and anxiety, but his work does provide an interesting perspective on such times—when all the events and sounds and distractions of life are removed and only time remains—time passing through your fingers while the unresolved melody in your head aches for a change that is deeper than the colour of light. But as each day bleeds slowly into the next you might draw a mental line between them and find that something, after all, has been revealed. With just a few concepts (those of the track titles, the album title, and the pattern that is consistent between the tracks), Matthew Cardinal has put forth a profound statement about time and our relationship to it. One that is just beyond words and so will likely be unique for each listener. This is a stunning achievement and a fabulous listen. Max Hamilton
of the news. “Let’s see what chaos visited humanity today while I was on vacation” sings Greg Katz on “Original Composition,” an acceptance, along with a shrug, that the world is seemingly ending that will only resonate a bit too strongly. This track is only a chapter of an unofficial 2020 handbook called Emphatically No, the second full length from Los Angeles garage-rock trio Cheekface. Never ending one-liners are a staple of Cheekface. Themes of exhausting political discourse, managing mental health and half-smiled optimism are wrapped neatly within the band’s clean boppy indie-rock sound. Katz’s talkie vocals are consistently tongue-in-cheek, yet also reassuring while rambling about the issues that surround him that are more relatable than most would like to admit. “I’m getting a Gucci logo stick-n-poke, it’s cheaper than therapy!” Shouts Katz with content before launching into one of the catchiest choruses on “Best Life.” The more listens given to this album, the more I imagine an eventful time seeing this group perform. With the current climate of the music industry, waiting for the rest of the world to get the ball rolling in order to chase it, Emphatically No is more than enough fodder for live-music imagination. For fans of: Vampire Weekend, Pavement, Jeff Rosenstock. Daniel Kussy
track is quick and easy on the ears, and together with the highs and lows of each song, Kiwi Jr. offers a familiar pop-rock experience. These songs were made to play alongside a good ole time. Lyrically aloof with singable melodies, each track is unique but easy to hop in and jump around to. On tracks like “Highlights Of 100” you can hear shiny guitar strings quickly picked before you’re bounced into, vintage-sounding organ filler, and then into the rumbling toms of the drum kit. Memorable highlights are shouted over the music, mixing nostalgia and excitement for the present – a rare feeling that you only have when you know the present moment will be a fond memory. The album’s title track got me moving easily. Cooler Returns reimagines Sherwood Forest, and the radical romps that go down there. Dueling guitar solos close out the song, their drone calling forth a ‘whoop’ from an imaginary crowd. ‘Slow down’ is not in Kiwi Jr.’s vocabulary. With the shaking of a fist with an extended pinky and thumb, Cooler Returns is for partying, enjoying the moment, and perfect hi-fives. After a long spell of restrictive lockdown measures, this album reminded me of the fun I had dancing at live shows to jumpy, hop-rock bands like Kiwi-Jr. Ryan Haughey
CHEEKFACE EMPHATICALLY NO
COOLER RETURNS KIWI JR.
Cenizas Nicolas Jaar
“I’m bringing crying back” might be a phrase most of us have contemplated tweeting late at night this past year. A forgivable sentiment given the slow burn of defeat from every corner
Kiwi Jr. leaves no questions unanswered on Cooler Returns. The 13 track LP leaves little space between sounds – the music rolls and tumbles forward without looking back. Each
Peaceful, serene, wild, and pure. Another Nicolas Jaar album full of heavenly compositions to lull you into a profound dream. Holding your hand and speaking in visceral textures and
08 Stylus Magazine December February / March / January 2021 2020 / 21
rhythms as you smoothly float down a path into a meadow towards the sunrise at dawn. Are you a modern dancer? Bet this is in your morning routine already. It’s distinctive and calm, soothing and strong. It nurtures deep breaths, closed eyes and slow movements on an intuitive level. Nicolas Jaar has been breaking this ground and making these waves since 2011. By 2016 he was pulling in #1 Electronic Album of the year from Rolling Stone and 9.0 ratings from Pitchfork. It seems he has never lost his sense of truest self in his music. His musical vision has only kept getting clearer over the years. Cenizas is a legitimate triumph: front to back perfection. Holly Herndon recently did an interview on her interdependence podcast where she talked about how often “important” music is difficult to listen to and gets less play as a result, and these more visionary type artists suffer financially as a result. The majority of people might not want to listen to John Coltrane every day, for example, but you can’t deny the importance of the work. One aspect of what makes this record unique is that it straddles that line for the passive and active listener. It’s not generic or formulaic at all and it has plenty of information for the active listener, but it doesn’t demand active listening. It is also entirely comfortable left on in the background and talked over. This is music for a deeper connection with self and it is important music that is exceptionally lovely. Joel Klaverkamp
Get involved with
There are lots of ways to volunteer, and we’re always looking for contributors!
Meet local and touring musicians!
Meet other music lovers! Interview new and notable bands!
Discove r an d re view new mu sic!
! e shows v i l h p a r Photog
Connect with your local music scene!
Contributors who identify as POC, Indigenous, women, transgender, non-binary, gender queer, LGBTQ*, and/ or two-spirit are especially encouraged to volunteer! To contribute writing: Email editor@stylusmagazine.ca or assistanteditor@stylusmagazine.ca To contribute graphics and comics: Email design@stylusmagazine.ca Visit us in our office, 0RM12 Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram www.ckuw.ca/stylus www.ckuw.ca/stylus August February / September / March 2020 2021 Stylus Magazine
09
Now offering HOME DELIVERY within the City of Winnipeg
For more information visit halfpintsbrewing.com/ home-delivery 10 Stylus Magazine February / March 2021
