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June / July 2022 Stylus Magazine
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2 Stylus Magazine June / July 2022
JUN/JUL 33 2022VOL NO. 3
Production Team Editor . . . . . . . . . . . Keeley Braunstein-Black
editor@stylusmagazine.ca
Assistant Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . Myles Tiessen
On the Cover BRAMWELL ENAN makes art where soft intimacy meets playful investigation. They are curious about the nature of learning and knowing, how knowledge is formed and how it is communicated. They sometimes post on Instagram @wispwist and have a site at bramwellenan.com
assistanteditor@stylusmagazine.ca
Art Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kelly Campbell
design@stylusmagazine.ca
Cover Art . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bramwell Enan Advertising Contact . . . . . . . . Rob Schmidt
manager@ckuw.ca
Print by JRS Print Services . . . 204-232-3558
Contributors Olivier La Roche
Jackie Weseen
Michael Duboff
Matt Harrison
Daniel Kussy
Katie Kolesar
Isabella Soares Noah Cain
Sam Doucet Myles Tiessen
Alexandra Thole
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
Table of Contents The Business of Music: Music Interpolations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Blah Blah Blah: Live Music Happenings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Space Jam: STELLAR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CKUWho: Active Voice with Debby Lake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CKUW Program Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Local Releases: Album Reviews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ulteriors: Album Reviews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Features Artist Spotlight: Boy Golden and the Church of Better Daze . . . . . . Concert Review: Sweet Alibi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Concert Review: Jamboree EP Release Show . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Review: Manitoba Metal Fest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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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.
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June / July 2022 Stylus Magazine
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The Business of Music:
ABCDEF GEE, What’s The Deal with Music Interpolations? MICHAEL DUBOFF, entertainment lawyer at Edwards Creative Law – Canada’s Entertainment Law Boutique™ Recently, one of the biggest songs in the world that you were sure to hear on frequent rotation on the radio was Gayle’s abcdefu – a very catchy song about an ex-boyfriend. The song inspired talented Canadian artist, Tyler Shaw, to offer his own take on the pop hit: the romantic, Love You Still (abcdefu romantic version). Gayle’s version of the chorus begins: A-B-C-D-E, F-U And your mom and your sister and your job Tyler’s version goes like this: A-B-C-D-E-F-G-H-I love you still And you know I always will Tyler has gone as far as to say that his version is
based on Gayle’s version – he doesn’t deny it – but Tyler’s version is not considered to be a “cover” of Gayle’s song. Why is this? Tyler’s version is something more than a cover – it changes important elements of the song, most notably, the lyrics, and creates a derivative of the original song. Despite not being a cover, Tyler’s version is based on Gayle’s composition. As such, in order to produce his version, Tyler’s team needed permission from the people and/or companies that represent Gayle’s composition. Like with most songs, they are not just written by one person, and therefore you need to find out who the writers and publishers are of the composition. One place to find this out is the ASCAP Repertory (https://www.ascap.com/repertory). From a search of this particular composition, you can see the list of
writers, and Universal Music representing each of three writers, either directly or indirectly. A search on SOCAN’s Public Repertoire yields different search results in this case… but that’s for another article. Whether it is an interpolation or a derivative work – one composition is based on the other – and permission is needed. In the case of Tyler Shaw’s, Love You Still (abcdefu romantic version), he needed permission from Universal Music. Check out the credits on Tyler’s song – they list the same writers as Gayle’s version, plus Tyler. To be clear, simply giving people credit does not mean you have permission to use their music; however, in order to get permission you may need to promise to give credit where it is due: to the writers and publishers of the original work. Unfortunately, finding the proper rightsholder is only the first challenge. The next one is getting them to respond to you, at all, let alone getting them to give you permission to use their composition. Another popular type of derivative works are “response songs” – especially on TikTok. Response songs are written from the perspective of a different character in the same song. The artist recording the response song is generally not the writer or owner of the original song. Response songs usually require permission from the rightsholder as well, being the publisher(s) of the original song, as there tend to be elements of the response song taken from the original. Also to note is that every song writer is their own music publisher until they provide their publishing rights to someone else. So far, this article has focused on the rights in the composition – the underlying written music of the song – and have not addressed the rights in Gayle’s recording. The copyright in Gayle’s recording is distinct from the copyright in the underlying composition. Tyler does not need permission to use the recording if none of it is used in his song. In fact, Tyler did not use any of the original recording in his version, and no permission was required. However, if someone wanted to sample Gayle’s abcdefu, they would need permission from both the owner of the recording and the owner of the composition. If you have questions about who you need to get rights from, or about the process, or if you need help navigating the agreement that a publishing company provides to you, Edwards Creative Law can help. Michael can be reached at: michael.duboff@edwardslaw.ca Disclaimer: Edwards Creative Law (unfortunately) does not represent Gayle or Tyler Shaw.
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KASH KIYO AT FUTURE FEST AT THE EXCHANGE EVENT CENTRE MAY 20 PHOTO: KATIE KOLESAR
Blah Blah Bla h *** Annabella Proper June 2 Blue Note Park *** Gold Mountain with the Haileys June 3 at the Handsome Daughter *** BA Johnston with Blond Goth and Man Candy June 4 at Blue Note Park *** Don Amero June 4 at West End Cultural Centre *** Raincity with Sun Runners June 10 at the Handsome Daughter *** Leaf Rapids June 11 West End Patio *** Scott Nolan Album Release June 12 West End Cultural Centre *** Andrina Turenne June 17 on the West End Patio *** Lowlife, The Haileys, and Lilac Jam Sat June 18 Bulldog Event Centre *** Juliens Daughter, Carlo Capobianco and Rainy Day Ritual June 18 at the Handsome Daughter *** Supercrush, System Block & MoyaMoya June 20 at Kilter *** Stellar EP Release June 22 at the Good Will Social Club *** Sophie Stevens Album Release June 24 at Times Changed High and Lonesome Club *** The Highway Company with Brandon Post June 25 at Blue Note
Park *** R.A.P. Ferreira, Super Duty Tough Work, Pradoe Monroe & DJ Louie Loverbird June 25 at the Good Will *** SWMM Showcase June 25 at the West End Cultural Center *** Veneer, Raine Hamilton String Trio, Velveteen June 26 at Live on the Porch St Andrews, MB *** Trampoline Release Party June 30 at Times Changed *** Festivals:*** Prairie Wind Festival June 3 & 4 Cypress River, MB ***June 5 Back 40 Folk Festival at the Morden Park Bowl *** Winnipeg International Jazz Festival June 14 - 19 the Cube & various locations *** MEMETIC June 22-25 at the Good Will, the Pyramid Cabaret and the Albert *** sākihiwē festival June 25 - 26 various locations *** Ellice Street Festival June 25 - 26 *** Winnipeg Folk Festival July 7 - 10 at Birds Hill Park *** Fringe Festival July 13 - 24 the Cube and various locations *** Real Love Festival July 22 - 24 Teulon, MB **
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June / July 2022 Stylus Magazine
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Artist Spotlight:
Boy Golden and the
Church of Better Daze WORDS & PHOTO: NOAH CAIN Stylus: First, I want to ask you about “The Year that Clayton Delaney Died” by Tom T. Hall. It’s the only cover on Church of Better Daze. Why was that important for you to include? Boy Golden: I thought there had to be a cover on the album. It’s important to remember where the music that you’re making came from. The history of it. I recorded a bunch of covers and that was the one I ended up liking the best. Some of the other songs that I tried to cover were some of my favourite recordings of all time and the Tom T. Hall recording of “Clayton Delaney” is pretty hokey. For a song about a ripping guitar player, it has like trumpet in it and stuff, so I thought I could do a better version of it. Stylus: You also covered George Jones at the 4/20 show. What’s your relationship to those country crooners? Boy Golden: It’s some of my favourite music. I grew up hearing it all the time and I didn’t like it because I thought it was cheesy. I didn’t get it. When that music was recorded, they were often doing four or five songs in a day and needed to rely on the same production tricks to get them all done. You can eventually hear past that stuff and just hear the song and vocal performance. I mean, George Jones is one of the best singers of all time. Stylus: There’s a real sense of sincerity in those songs that is also in the music you make. Do you think about sincerity? Boy Golden: Absolutely, I mean, I think that should be the base of everything we do. Everything that I make, I try to start from a place of just wanting to make art that I love and then extend it up from there. Like, this album was just for fun. And it’s been surprising, the legs it has and how people have resonated with it. I wasn’t expecting that. But I suspect it’s because I was just purely having fun with it and doing it for me. I was making what I wanted to hear. I thought a lot of the songs were really stupid to be honest. Some of them I really like. “Smoke on the Breeze” is a great song and I’m proud of that. But I thought “KD and Lunch Meat” was just a silly song and then it ended up doing more for my career than anything has ever done. It goes to show, when you’re making stuff, you have no idea what’s going to be good or bad so you just have to create consistently, to always keep working. Stylus: It seemed like you were having fun with your friends on stage at the show, like you have a rich community of art in your life. What’s that mean to you?
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Boy Golden: Yeah, it’s everything. A few of us moved to Toronto a couple years ago trying to look for more opportunities or whatever and I really enjoyed it. But then, when the pandemic happened, we moved back and started hanging out a lot more, making music together. You can’t fake that kind of community. It’s real. We all love each other and care about each other. Everyone in my little group of friends is insanely talented. It’s a blessing. It’s a special group. Stylus: One of my favourite moments at the show is when you found that Koi Golden sticker. I’m sure it’s been exciting seeing the listen counts go up, but what’s it been like seeing people enjoy your work in a more concrete and tangible way? Boy Golden: Yeah, it’s totally mind blowing to me that people are coming out to the shows. I’ve been doing this for a long time. You play a good show and then you play six shit shows. That was how my life was going. And now, all of a sudden...Like, I was playing Calgary, Edmonton, Saskatoon and people came out and knew the songs. It’s blowing my mind. It feels great. It’s nice to share. Stylus: You have a big summer coming up. You’re playing Big Blue at Folk Fest. You’re going on tour with The Sheepdogs. How are you feeling about the next few months? Boy Golden: I’m so excited to just have work. I started this project in the middle of the pandemic. Things were happening, but my life was just the same. Chilling at home, making music, and occasionally posting stuff on the Internet or whatever. It’s exciting to pick up pace. I love being on the road. I always have. It doesn’t work for everybody, but I’ve been touring since I was 18 and love it. Stylus: How does it feel to be the one in the centre, now? Boy Golden: It comes with its stresses, but I love organising and I love being able to give my friends work. I’ve been a side musician for so long that I know how I want the tours to go and how to organise things so that people are having a good time and getting paid. At least as much as I can, which is not very much. Like even on a show like this one, I used it for a lot of stuff. I recorded the audio. I had five cameras going for video. So, after all that, there’s not a lot of money. I’m at the stage now
where I’m investing in the art and in the project. Stylus: It’s an investment in you. In what you want it to be. You have big ideas for the project and it’s something you can share with people, right? Boy Golden: Totally. I have two goals. I want to create a body of work that I’m proud of—be it working on my own music or working on other people’s music, which I do a fair bit. And I want to lift up the community around me and make it so that everyone is a little more comfortable. It frustrates me that we have this amazing community of musicians—top, world-class people—and there’s just not enough work, there’s not enough money. It’s hard to get projects off the ground coming from Winnipeg, so I want to try and figure out how to help wherever I can. And right now, the main way that I can help is by working on my own thing which is great because I have tons of ideas. Stylus: Your songs talk about money a lot, the relationship between the material and the communal, those things sometimes feeling like they’re at odds. Boy Golden: I write about money because it’s a major stressor and it’s something you end up having to think about. Like, I would love not to have to think about it, but it’s a thing. You have to figure out how to make your way in the world and enjoy your life and also be solvent. It’s hard. Stylus: In my write-up of the show I compare “KD and Lunch Meat” to a two-weeks’ notice. Boy Golden: You know what’s so cool? I’ve got lots of comments on that YouTube video saying, “I quit my job and this song had something to do with it.” Like, “I heard this song a bunch of times and said fuck it and I quit my job.” I can’t believe it. It’s really cool. Stylus: I loved hearing some new songs at the show. Where are things at with your next album? Boy Golden: We’re starting to get some timelines. I have a lot of material that I’ve finished which is great. I was working pretty hard over the past year or so. Even while Church of Better Daze days was coming out, I was recording. I have a lot of stuff to release. That’s as much as I can say about it. This interview has been edited for clarity and conciseness.
Space Jam: STELLAR WORDS: ALEXANDRA THOLE PHOTOS: KEELEY BRAUNSTEIN-BLACK A chilled spring evening welcomes me, standing next to a church and under crows; burrowed deep in Osborne Village, old timey bricks and a single fishing rod - lies STELLAR’s jam space. Made up of Sophie George (vocals, acoustic guitar), Hailey Hunter (vocals, electric guitar), Sage Stoyanowski, (bass) and Ellie Ratel (drums). The sequestered song chamber is made up of college friends, loud washers, and the “baby gate” electric drum kit. The magic of their jam space is an indescribable pure love for music, creating and lyricism. The four members are stationed atop washers, boxes, sinks chairs; you name it. What struck me was their aggressively different personal aesthetics as well as instrument aesthetics. Concrete on concrete on concrete wouldn’t feel comfortable in any other context or situation but the specific warmth of the ramshackle rehearsal room surrounded by pie-providing neighbors make up for the un-vibey brutalism of the laundry room. I ask them about their instruments and Sage explains how she doesn’t actually own a bass - she is borrowing Haileys bass. Sage says between laughs “I play whatever bass is put in front of me because I don’t own a bass. So I’ve been borrowing Hailey’s “They (Hailey’s boyfriend and Sophie’s dad) fell in love with each other and the amp,” Sophie says.
basses.” “So right now Sage is using a Fender PJ,” Hailey adds on. Co-founder Hailey painted the exquisitely psychedelic classic bass herself for Sage, as her bandmates insist. Up next Sophie says, “I started with a really cheap Denver from Long & McQuade that did the job, but then I started getting more into guitar and I was like meh, probably going to need something a bit more fancy.” She continues to say how she got her current guitar in February, in Florida. “It was like a movie moment when I walked into the store, I was like, that one. I loved the colour, it was a reasonable price and I started playing it and it was just like - it felt so nice to play.” As it turns out, transporting the guitar back to Winnipeg was a whole ordeal, as she details it. “They told us it came with a free case and we were buying it and they were like ‘no it doesn’t’ Sophie’s miracle case!
of course.” Ellie is next in the speaking roster, explaining that she and Sage bought her electric drum kit off a friend for 200$. “Just because, like, we didn’t have an acoustic drum kit to use in our apartment, and it’s just insanely loud,” Ellie says. For the sake of their neighbours, they decided to just rent an acoustic kit for shows and music videos. Last but not least, Hailey talks about how she’s a big fan of Dave Grohl (felt), her guitar was gifted to her by her boyfriend. Her sleek black Ibanez Hollowbody with humbucker pickups has a “big” tone, as she describes it. Sophie’s amp is a gifted Kijiji Yamaha vintage, and her dad secretly asked Hailey about amps, who then referred him to her aforementioned boyfriend who works in sound. Sophie says, “Hailey and my dad have a real connection. Best friends.” Hailey goes on, “so then they got in touch… and then… collabed, and then they found this.” Sophie says, “So I opened it Christmas morning, whatever, and then my dad tells me this story and how much he loves Brett (Hailey’s partner,) and like how great of a guy he is and how he got him a gift card, and it was just - it was really cute.” Hailey makes a final comment on Sage’s bass. “Oil, paint, sharpies. It took forever and lots of redoing, it would all blend together sometimes I had to be patient.” As Keeley takes pictures, she is faced with the “baby gate”. Ellie laughs and awkwardly slides part of the drum set open to let her through. Concluding niceties and laughs about the pipework in the corner being a perfect cup stand, we exchange thanks and leave. Reflecting on my very first Space Jam, I leave STELLAR’s unconventional jam space with “STELLAR in the cellar” stuck in my little brain. Their EP release show will be June 22nd at the Good Will Social Club!
Hailey’s favourite gift. Sage’s (not so) very own bass. Hailey says,“that was my pandemic art project.” 200$ well spent.
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June / July 2022 Stylus Magazine
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Concert Review: Winnipeg folk pop trio Sweet Alibi graced the stage of The Park Theatre on April 24th. Performing songs from their fourth studio album, Make A Scene, which was released on January 28th, 2022. With a gentle atmosphere and a cheerfully seated crowd, Sweet Alibi opened the show with their album’s title track, “Make A Scene,” accompanied by Dirty Catfish Brass Band. Swaying back and forth to the soft wave-like melodies of “Make A Scene” and sharing their harmoniously warm vocals, Sweet Alibi invited a calm and soothing mood which allowed for flow-like dancing and yoga postures from some fans. Although the talented trio admitted their stage banter was a little rusty since the lack of live performances during the pandemic, they endearingly warmed up to the crowd throughout their set. Sharing intimate moments and a delightful sense of humour. Following the songs “Slow Down” and “Really Great,” one of my personal favourites from the new album, the crowd erupted in a beautiful array of laughter regarding a joke about the flooding of basements and the hope they aren’t all flooding while we’re here enjoying the show.
Sweet Alibi “Same Roads” and “What Were You Dreaming” were to follow next with a touching story about the inspiration behind the song “What Were You Dreaming,” otherwise lovingly referred to as “Matt’s Song” among the bandmates. Matt’s Song, “What Were You Dreaming” was written and dedicated to a dear friend who had passed away. Among the many intimate moments of sharing during the show, “9 - 5” and “Next Somewhere” inspired the ladies to invite the crowd into a glimpse of what it is like to be a working and performing musician. Touring their music around the world (Sweet Alibi will be performing two shows in Germany this June) bears the bittersweet sentiment of missing the road when you’re at home and missing home when you’re on the road. Mentioning they have many families across Canada who they experience special bonds with while they’re in town. A hauntingly beautiful cover of Leonard Cohen’s “Almost Like the Blues” was an incredibly moving highlight of the evening. The cover was accompanied by the Dirty Catfish Brass Band, who managed to perfectly accentuate the emotion of the song by delicately infusing their brass instruments into the quiet atmosphere of the Leonard Cohen
WORDS & PHOTO: JACKIE WESEEN composition. The energy of the room during the performance shifted into an awe inspiring focused silence followed by a loud applause and cheer. It truly was a masterful cover of a very powerful song. “Confetti” was the last song of the evening. Inspired by the story of a wealthy woman who, upon finalizing her Will before passing, saw the greediness displayed by her remaining family members and decided to leave them a total of nothing. The crowd cheered triumphantly when the story behind the song “Confetti” was mentioned, unifying the audience and accentuating the message behind the song. Sweet Alibi’s performance at the Park Theatre was a sweet treat to their hometown fans before they venture abroad to tour and promote their new album Make A Scene. A decade ago, they would have performed their debut album at the Park Theatre, which made for a magical moment of realization regarding the sometimes cyclic nature of life. Spending time with these talented and graceful musicians was a true delight and an overall uplifting experience.
Concert Review:
Jamboree EP Release Show The 90’s rock-inspired group, Jamboree, had to postpone their album release show in April only to return to the stage and play their latest work on May 5th at The Good Will Social Club. They were commemorating their sophomore project entitled Life in the Dome, a blend of heavy guitar riffs and lyrics that wrestle with alienation.
bedroom pop group Virgo Rising, who soothed everyone’s ears with their melodic stripped-down tracks and shy personalities. Following their laidback feel came Warming with their electrifying synths and occasional screams. It was the necessary build-up to shake off all the daily stresses and fully commit to the experience.
Before the time came for the band to perform, local acts within the House of Wonders signed artists to prepare people for the bangers. Starting with
Now, if Oasis and Radiohead are your cups of tea, then you know that it isn’t all about the stage presence. It is more about the appeal of singing out
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ISABELLA SOARES revolted choruses and just jam as if you were in a garage rehearsal. Similar to the bands that inspire them, Jamboree also encapsulates their effortless energy. Hopping on stage short of introductions, they began to play their lead single, “The Snow.” Images of “the dome” reality starring the Simpsons were projected on the left-hand side of the drums, immediately reflecting on the immersion from each of their charged-up tracks. Not only are they chanting words like “you clown” or “just get away from me,” but the images in the back help to reinforce
their despair in this metaphorical scenario. Throughout their handful set, they alternated between their newer music and a few songs off of their debut album, A Beautiful Place. A quick shoutout to “Quebec” and “There,” which were the two best deliveries of the night. While the band followed through with their anthems, the audience was all in. After a month of longing to hear them live, everyone was banging their heads and pushing one another from side to side. Some girls were wearing nostalgic black sunglasses while they followed along with a dance. Then out of a sudden, there was a mosh pit in the middle of the crowd reaching insanity. There was even a guy that got wave surfed. All that is to say that not even the agonizing heat would drag fans down. PHOTO: KEELEY BRAUNSTEIN-BLACK
However, the heat did take a toll on the band. When they were only two songs from the end, the concertgoers were requesting just a little bit more of the alternative-rock bangers, but their request was left unheard when Nic Lavich said, “it’s too hot.” Although they did soak up as much disposition to carry through to the grand finale when the last chord hit, the band members simply vanished off the stage, leaving Skye Parenteau behind to represent them in the closing remarks. Aside from the abrupt departure, Jamboree demonstrated that they are a promising Winnipeg-based act with lots of room to bring back the ’90s angst for good.
Review:
Manitoba Metal Fest Imagine there was a fancy restaurant in town that served twelve-course meals, and a plucky food critic announced his intention of only reviewing the experience up until the second salad course. It’d be kinda weird, but unfortunately, I am that half-assed food critic, only in this case I am here to tell you about the first half of the 2022 edition of Manitoba Metalfest. I was delighted to be in attendance on the Friday night at the Park Theatre to witness the talents of three local bands and three out-oftowners, so with apologies to the slew of killer acts that I’m sure laid waste to South Osborne on Saturday (including Cryptopsy for crying out loud), here’s what I saw and heard on the opening night of Ninjacat Productions’ annual crown jewel headbanging event. I arrived nice and early, as any serious member of the media class would (I couldn’t find a porkpie hat with the “PRESS” tag on it, so I had to silently hype myself up as a reporter). Many festgoers were similarly eager, perusing the merch tables, reserving spots near the stage, and enthusiastically chatting with other black-T-shirted folks. The crowd was noticeably multigenerational, owing to a few factors: young, curious metal fans often flock to bigger shows to soak up the experience of seeing multiple big-name bands, and all-ages shows are sorely lacking in general. On the other end, many metal fans with a few more grey hairs are drawn to the headliners at Metalfest, who frequently boast
SAM DOUCET
decades of longevity. And despite one such band, the highly influential and much-beloved Razor, dropping off last minute due to health issues, the excitement was unabated around the room.
inspired by the Finnish masters, crunchy d-beats, and breakdowns that had the whole room banging their heads harder than we were expecting at such an early stage of the evening.
Though metal famously boasts an endless selection of subgenres and festival curator Cory Thomas does go to great lengths to provide a variety of heaviness over the course of the weekend, the early going of Friday night pulled no punches and peppered the already sizable crowd with a steady diet of death metal.
Rounding out the local portion of night one were the undead stylings of Zombie Assault!!, providing a groovier brand of death than their previous stage mates. Anchored by the fraternal rhythm section of Cory and Shaun Thomas, they delivered song after song with healthy doses of punk and crust. The energy brought by the different bands on stage at this point was different in subtle but noticeable ways: Zombie Assault!!’s more rollicking approach to songwriting had the floor opening up into mosh pits rather than the more individualistic headbanging.
Locals Entity were first up, showcasing a new (to me, anyway) power trio lineup and several new songs to match. They have always played an engaging brand of complex but approachable death metal, exhibiting technical flair and unconventional twists and turns without resorting to self-indulgence, and their new songs seem to push these tendencies in the right direction. Tremolo picking and stop-start passages lend their music an air of volatility, but they possess a real chemistry that makes their output really click. Next on the stage was Regurgitated Guts, a fearsome foursome featuring some of the most tireless grinders in town penning gory love letters to the most primal and filthy elements of the genre. With a wall of death metal sound caked in more reverb than you can shake a stick at, these guys stomped their way through a set replete with riffs
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With three bands down and three to go, the spotlight was transferred to the visiting contingent of performers, but one heaping helping of death metal was still on the menu. Outre-Tombe, hailing from my hometown of Quebec City, were back after previously appearing at Seance Festival a few years ago. Much like Regurgitated Guts, they wear the influence of the pioneering years of death metal prominently on their sleeves, but with a level of speed and aggression that owes a debt to thrash and grindcore as well. Having listened to their three records many times, I was delighted to experience their non-stop aggression up close and personal and
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can happily confirm that the chugging, no-nonsense riffs, frenetic double-kicking, and breakneck soloing translated into a monstrous live performance. As drummer Vitesse told me after the set, “On est pas là pour niaiser!” [we’re not here to fuck around!]. Indeed. With the night nearing its climax, the atmosphere on stage took a wide turn as the next act came on, none other than the Juno-winning Striker from my other hometown of Edmonton. I suspect some bands might struggle to impose themselves on a crowd when having to change the musical tone of the evening so dramatically, but Striker’s musical and theatrical energy is just so strong that their goofy-but-grandiose brand of power metal did not feel out of place for a second. The crowd did not miss a beat either, immediately and enthusiastically joining the choreography of fist-pumping, hornthrowing, and call-and-response chanting that the band diligently led from start to finish. The quintet’s dynamism onstage was a sight to behold, with evidence of genuine cohesion between all members: guitarists Tim Brown and John Simon Fallon harmonizing and trading solos, bassist Pete Klassen tormenting his drummer Jonathan
Webster with constant comic forays onto his drum riser, and vocalist and sole original member Dan Cleary marauding the stage, delivering falsetto trills and urgent, plaintive wails. The band made use of their entire discography for the set, with a highlight being a raucous crowd-assisted rendition of “Fight For Your Life” from their 2012 record Armed to the Teeth. As previously mentioned, the truly unfortunate omission of Razor from the bill meant that the headlining responsibilities fell on the grizzled but ever-capable Exciter from Ottawa, who turned back the clock and blew the roof of the Park Theatre with a powerful demonstration of classic heavy/speed metal, the likes of which they were one of the first Canadian bands to truly master in the early eighties. And despite having been around for the better part of forty years, drummer and vocalist Dan Beehler sheepishly admitted to the still-bumping crowd that this was Exciter’s first time in Winnipeg. His bloodthirsty “Fuck yeah”s after nearly every song told us everything we needed to know about how he felt about finally making it to our fair city. The trio treated the appreciative throng of late-stayers to a medley of beloved hits primarily
from their early years, including many from their trailblazing debut Heavy Metal Maniac, with riff after riff of no-frills punk/metal hybrid heaviness. Beehler pounded the kit with the precision of a surgeon and the aggression of a prizefighter, all while barking classic refrains of pulp violence, supernatural tales, and the virtues of playing loud music. Founding bassist Alan Johnson kept the pace immaculately, providing a booming, frenetic pulse throughout the set. Newly appointed guitarist Daniel Dekay rounded out the lineup, unleashing upon the room a guitar sound that just about stripped the paint off the walls with its full-fleshed, gnarly tone. Songs like “Rising of the Dead” and “Black Witch,” the latter dedicated to “heavy metal sisters in the audience,” got tremendous responses, as did the later-era bangers “Long Live the Loud” and “Die in the Night.” Much as it pained me to have to miss the second part of the festival, I had to hop on a flight mere hours after Exciter’s encore to go see my nephews in Montreal, and with respect to all the great bands that I missed, it’s a decision I would make again! But even if family takes priority over music, nights like this one remind me that sometimes, it’s a pretty close call.
ckuWho?
Active Voice with Debby Lake - Sundays 2-3 PM KEELEY BRAUNSTEIN-BLACK S: How do you go about finding music for your show?
S: What is your favourite part of having a radio show?
Debby Lake: During the pandemic I was inspired by my friend Patricia who has lots of fun hosting programs on CFCR 90.5FM, a community radio station in Saskatoon SK (she’s done that for 26 years!). When I contacted CKUW last fall, the staff were encouraging and offered good training and they have been very supportive while I learn the ropes, er, knobs, buttons and faders.
Debby: Each show is organized around a theme: I started with themes of water, fire, earth and air. Music comes from my own collection, the CKUW collection, the public library and of course the Internet is a great research tool. I always include at least one local choir, ensemble or singer/songwriter in an eclectic mix of choral music, indigenous music, protest songs, world/roots music, early music (medieval/renaissance) and pretty much any other genre.
Debby: Discovering songs and singers I haven’t heard before is so exciting. Following the lead of many great programmers at CKUW, I hope soon to interview guests from time to time to give voice to active local artists and choral leaders (see what I did there?).
S: How is the show going so far? Debby: It’s super fun! Learning new skills keeps me young, and paying attention to what’s happening musically in Winnipeg keeps me plugged in. S: Why did you choose to showcase vocal music? Debby: Singing is ancient—it preceded the development of human language—and singing is universal. Like many people, I find singing in a group uplifting. Listening to vocal music magically connects us to other people across time, space and culture. Most importantly, Manitoba has a superb choral community that deserves representation on community radio.
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S: Why do you like radio as a medium for sharing music? Debby: Nothing beats radio for accessibility, especially now that shows are archived online. Radio is such a hot medium: listening to radio lets your imagination work overtime. I like imagining people I’ve never met listening to the show, enjoying an old favorite or connecting with something new.
DEBBY LAKE PHOTO PROVIDED BY DEBBY LAKE
Stylus: How did you (Debby Lake) get started at CKUW?
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Local Releases waves of peaceful instrumentals. These lyrics were written by an honest heart on the rocky path from heartbreak to growth and reformation of self. Matt Harrison
CASSIDY MANN IF IT’S NOT FOREVER Released in early 2022, If It’s Not Forever is a six-track EP written and sung by Cassidy Mann. Her newest release is a combination of lightelectronic and acoustic vibes, the type of soft tones you might hear playing gently in a coffee shop or bookstore. As a whole, the EP tells the story of love lost and the journey of carrying on as a stronger self. The first track, “Tropical Sour Candy,” tells of how she longs for the love that was but is no more. The early mornings, the shared music, and sunrises tainted by the feeling of the partner who is gone. While every track has its charm, a few songs stood out from the rest. “Stop a Heart” includes painfully true lines like “you can’t stop a heart from breaking and if you can I don’t know how” and “Since I met You” are each warm and authentic. Track three, “Fine,” comes with a higher tempo, a lighter energy on what is a deep and honest set of songs. “Fine” sounds like the thoughts of someone moving on but still appreciating ever having been able to share their time with that particular someone. “I can’t go back to how it was before” the song begins. The lyrics of the chorus change each time it comes around, professing “I’m fine” with every elevation of rhythm. A beautiful balance between creative, poetic writing and instrumentation that reminds listeners of summer days. The title track and final song on the EP, If It’s Not Forever, is about all the memories that will never fade. “When we’re old and grey, we’ll both have these memories,” Mann sings. One half of what was once a united whole might be on the other side of the world, but those memories will stay no matter how much time has come and gone. As Cassidy Mann sings in her own words, “memories never age.” The energy of this EP is of cathartic healing sewn onto calming, relaxing
10 Stylus Magazine June / July 2022
SAM SINGER FROM THE HILLS, BEATEN ROADS, DOWN TO THE TREES The EP From the Hills, Beaten Roads, Down to the Trees by Sam Singer was released May 27, 2022. This short and sweet folk-rock EP with five songs, running approximately 16 minutes, was recorded at the Secret Beach, mixed by Micah Erenberg and mastered by J Riley Hill at No Fun Club. The artwork by Giuliana GuzziGold, who also appears on the EP as a backup singer, depicts the hills, beaten roads and the trees as a sublime yet rugged flowing dreamscape of earthy pastel colours. The first song on the EP “Freedom” was written back in 2019 and wasn’t released until May 2022. “Freedom” sparked a passionate debate between my friend Jackie and I. She thought he sounded like Kurt Vile and I thought “Freedom” was reminiscent of the Velvet Underground and Lou Reed (“Walk on the Wild Side” plays in my head). Eventually, we came to the conclusion we may both be correct. “I Want You Blue” was released as a single ahead of the EP, along with a music video directed by Kevin Tabachnick. Where he has a smoke and a drink while he watches someone from a window as they dock a boat, go for a swim, chop some wood and work on their motorcycle. At long last, their eyes meet, he gets waved over, and they ride off on the motorcycle into the sunset together. Up next, the song “Suzana” is a dreamy tune about love where the guitar is accompanied by an ensemble consisting of a flute, trumpet, and clarinet. Followed by “Hang Loose,” a faster-paced grooving tune where Singer drawls, “Hang loose. I think
I saw you today.” He proceeds to describe missing someone, “Did you even know that we missed you off the paper? Hanging in the circles in my mind.” Finishing up From the Hills, Beaten Roads, Down to the Trees is “The Pool,” accompanied by prominent horns, a light flute, a breezy clarinet and keys. The keys become clearer towards the end as the song finishes slowly, drawing out the last moments on the EP as if Singer knows you don’t want it to end. For fans of: Kurt Vile, Velvet Underground. Keeley BraunsteinBlack
moment filled with emotional tension. “With Love” snaps a perfect picture of the empathetic love that Stevens never compromises. It carries important lessons with each lesson and radiates the colour pink. For these reasons, “With Love” is for everyone. For fans of: Wilco, Joni Mitchell, Sufjan Stevens. Daniel Kussy
SOPHIE STEVENS WITH LOVE Sophie Claire Stevens hit the ground running as an artist in the summer of 2018. Those who were fortunate to witness her perform in any sort of capacity felt immediately connected, if not through her warm music, but her even warmer personality. In virtually no time, she was performing alongside Micah Erenberg at the Winnipeg Folk Festival over numerous sets. After a scheduling conflict for Micah, Stevens found herself performing alone on a bill opening for local indie pillar Kakagi, composing a set of her own material with a backing band to boot. With Love, Stevens’ debut LP, sees these songs finally given life beyond the stage. Stevens succeeds in translating her wholesome energy to tape; her comforting folk instrumentation is inviting, her lyricism gives form to selfdeprivation, hopeless romanticism, and processing new beginnings, expressed with the utmost sincerity. “No One’s Happy” summarizes the anxious feelings in these themes into a boppy overflow of emotions that culminates in a deprecating yet relieving sentiment for a chorus that will stay in your head. Stevens’ lyrics are so expressively detailed, so much so that they bare so much emotional weight and significance with each interaction shared within the stories of her songs. Her soft voice carries love and hope for the future as much as it carries pain of the past. Every track has consistently great instrumentals that, juxtapose to a Sufjan Stevens song, fulfill a melodic and upbeat craving. “Wish Season” eases along a hazy atmosphere with its discrete slide guitar and brushed percussion. The raw piano ballad “Take the Bus” makes a small and brief
MAHOGANY FROG FAUST Life and death. Right and wrong. Gods and mortals. The story of Faust, now centuries old, is a tale many times retold but always rife with moral quandaries and philosophical implications. F.W. Murnau’s film version, unleashed upon the public in 1926, was a victim of its ambition – audiences and critics alike were turned off by its interpretation of the source material and technical execution, both ahead of their time. Generations later, leave it to Mahogany Frog to add their fingerprints to its complicated and enduring legacy. The enigmatic Winnipeg quartet set out to write and perform an accompanying score to the flick back in 2017, and have now recorded it in studio and released it for all to enjoy. Quiet and loud. Peaceful and chaotic. Smooth and jagged. They’ve always been masters at engineering musical roller coasters, and this time they do so with the added cachet of expressionist German cinema guiding their writing. Though the film sets the pace for the album, which clocks in at 75 minutes across two parts, the band is by no means tracing with stencils. All the hallmarks of Mahogany Frog’s past projects are there: brooding ambience, synthesizer-driven crescendos, wobbly and emotional climaxes. “Flying Carpet I” sees them bridge the gap from the interwar period to an 80’s-style sound, with twinkling keyboards and a lush background giving way to a Morricone-inspired sci-fi romp. Later on, “We Encircle Within This Ring” put the low end first, with a delicate
trip-hoppy beat allowing the fuzzy but perky bass to shine. As the film pulls into the home stretch, “Stoned II: Funeral Pyre” kicks into overdrive, with distorted guitars blaring like air raid sirens before being joined by the rest of the cacophonous ensemble.
The members of Mahogany Frog are no strangers to musical experimentation, and some locals will recall their entrancing take on David Lynch’s Dune, performed at the Good Will a number of years ago. We can only hope that their reinvention of the Ocean’s
Eleven soundtrack is imminent, but but I found the audio journey to be for now, it’s simply exciting to have cinematic enough on its own. Sam two studio releases from them in such Doucet a short time. Many listeners might be wondering if it’s necessary to watch the film to fully appreciate the music on offer here – I suppose that is debatable,
Ulteriors
NIGHT COURT NERVOUS BIRDS! TOO It’s grimy, it’s catchy, and it’s distorted. Vancouver power trio Night Court’s newest record is everything you’d want from a punk release. Throughout its short runtime, Nervous Birds! Too presents sensational melodies that cut right through the lo-fi, greasy guitar riffs, creating an electrifying listening experience. Each song is a short breath of fresh air, just enough to make you pound your fist and bang your head. As a whole, the album is perfectly paced, from the birds chirping early on the opener “Afraid of the Dark” to the laissez-faire attitude of the closer “Where’s Waldo.” Every song will leave you captivated in a different pocket of the band’s carefree punk sound and attitude, and their versatility is a huge reason for this. A new sonic palette of raw, dirty, and melodic punk is presented on every tune, making the album a sampler of sorts, showcasing the various directions the band can take. Since the same disillusioned vocal delivery and blissfully messy guitar work permeates the whole record, it manages to remain cohesive in its exploration of so many different melodic avenues. Having a dozen short songs spanning just over 17 minutes can be a risky recipe, but Night Court’s songwriting actually turns this into a strength. Instead of sounding underdeveloped, each song sounds like a short glimpse into the singer’s mind, nothing more than a few thoughts. The distorted and sometimes tinny sound coupled with the sharp feedback of certain tracks works in perfect harmony with this facet, making each song sound
purposefully rushed and blurry, in a very tasteful manner. Songs like “Shitty Confidential” and “Sorry Syndrome” are other great examples of what makes this album flow so well. One song is about having nothing to say, while the other is about being “sorry for being sorry.” They are both written in the same cynical voice and recorded in the same lo-fi manner, so they fit together quite well with the rest of the record, even though they could not be any more different topically. On Nervous Birds! Too, the band strikes a fine balance between identifying a cohesive punk sound and varying it enough to make the album a roller coaster ride of disenchantment and melancholy. Olivier La Roche
BLUNT CHUNKS BLUNT CHUNKS EP How can we work through regret and self-deprecation in the wake of trauma and emotional upheaval? This question is what Caitlin Woelfle-O’Brien, explores on her debut EP Blunt Chunks. Also performing under the name Blunt Chunks (a peculiar idiom), WoelfleO’Brien stares vulnerability dead in the eye and accesses nothing less than genuine candor. That dedication to vulnerability gives Woelfle-O’Brien the freedom to explore delusory feelings of inadequacy and remorse on the carefully crafted EP. “I don’t know how to love you without going red,” sings Woelfle-O’Brien on the opening track “Body Rush.” “I’m sick of writing eulogy’s in my head/I’m dreaming of death” marks a somewhat confounding moment in
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“Body Rush.” Up until that point, the track is an ode to young love, sexual exploration, and all things that give your stomach butterflies. The ethereal song floats lovingly until the second half hits an emotional brick wall— painting the song’s canvas lyrically with a bloody red. Sonically, the cosmic music touches on Americana and feels partially reminiscent of Fiver’s approach to country music. As a whole, Blunt Chunks is an indie record that wades into the waters of other genres. Whether it be light country, singer-songwriter, or garage rock, Woelfle-O’Brien explores the recesses of her mind and uses a diversity of musical styles to represent the emotional upheaval. While some forays work better than others, the variety keeps the all too short EP compelling and consumes your attention. Possibly the most divergent track the best. “BWFW” shifts gears and turns Blunt Chunks into a masterclass in garage rock. The best and most surprising aspect of “BWFW” is that even though it sounds sonically disparate from the rest of the EP, it retains the same emotional laments as the rest of the record. The grunge bop comes out of left field and gives Blunt Chunks the vitality it deserves. “BWFW” shows that Woelfle-O’Brien can only wallow in lethargic ennui for so long before the anger breaks through the surface and unyielding rage takes over. “Am I going backward or forward with you?” Woelfle-O’Brien repeats through the song. The song’s emotional whiplash is represented by searing guitar solos, saturated vocals, and one hell of a climax. Blunt Chunks ends with the antiresolution song “Part Of Me.” “I want to know what’s right for me, and I want to see things clearly,” sings WoelfleO’Brien. Rather than indulging in anemic platitudes, Woelfle-O’Brien settles into the unknown. She clarifies her desire to be a better person despite the emotional trauma and is okay with not being perfectly okay. There are no easy answers on Blunt Chunks. Myles Tiessen
GEORGIA HARMER STAY IN TOUCH The niece of well-known Canadian singer-songwriter Sarah Harmer, Georgia Harmer brings a similar brand of mellow indie-folk to her aunt’s style on Stay In Touch. Mixed in with this influence is a strong indie-rock sound that brings a quite entrancing facet to the album, showcasing Georgia’s talents as a vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter all at once. Backed by a band of jazz student friends, Harmer paints each song into a fleeting, emotionally charged picture with the lyrical richness and instrumental depth you’d expect from such a combination of musicians. Sweetly intricate instrumental passages, soaring pop-rock melodies, and heartfelt, vulnerable vocal performances are scattered across the record to create a sublime package of indie musicianship and songwriting. It is quite a debut full-length project for Harmer. The Toronto-based singer of only twenty-two kicks off the record with the intimate “Talamanca,” a delicate showcase of her vocal sensibilities paired with a graceful guitar, creating a warm and welcoming opening to the album. Immediately after comes “Headrush,” pulling you out of the dream world introduced by the opener with its determined drums and fuller sound. Rather than being jarring, this transition simply outlines the versatility of Harmer’s sound, raising the stakes for the rest of the record. This alternating pattern of softer and more energetic songs continues for the next few tracks, giving the album a captivating atmosphere that just keeps
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dragging you in with every slight shift. Harmer’s vocals and guitar continue to shine on the track “All In My Mind,” a power-pop anthem that injects a jolt of life right near the middle of the album. Later in the tracklist, the folkier sounds start to mingle with the driving indie-rock of other tunes, like on the songs “Homes” and “Top Down.” It’s here that Harmer shines brightest, laying gorgeous vocal melodies and sunny riffs over the entrancing drums of her backing band on “Homes” and building an ethereal swell during the length of “Top Down,” culminating in a grandiose ending in pristine indierock fashion. The closing track “Just The Feeling” sees the album come to a close much in the same way it began, with a dreamy guitar-laden ballad. This time though, the sound is much hazier, as if we are left watching the artist ride off into the golden sunset after singing us her songs, giving the album a perfect sense of closure. Olivier La Roche
SLEEPY ZAY AND T.J. SUAVE AT FUTURE FEST AT THE EXCHANGE EVENT CENTRE MAY 20 PHOTO: KATIE KOLESAR
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