Category: Features

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M. digs SST?!: Winnipeg Folk Festival Day 2

M. Ward photo by Taylor Burgess

A handful of songs into M. Ward’s surprisingly electric set, indie folk singer-songwriter Matt Ward said, “We want to thank everybody for their hospitality. It’s a very beautiful part of the world that you live in. This is our first Winnipeg Folk Fest—and it’s quite the thing.” And then they quietly let the first notes of “Post-War,” the title track from his 2006 record, drop.

As humbling as that experience was, interviewing the guy earlier tonight was even more so. When I asked him about the impressive roster he’s worked with (including Conor Oberst, Jenny Lewis, Zooey Deschanel, Jim James, and more) he says that he mainly thinks about making records and making music, and tries to put distractions out of his head. When I asked him what his average day in Portland is like, he says (after taking time to marvel at a large dragonfly) that it includes spending time with friends and family, emailing, calling, playing guitar, going on walks, eating food, and… sleeping. When I asked him to define what today’s boundaries of folk music are, he says, “You know, I don’t really know what that means. I definitely don’t what indie folk means. So I think it’s better for you guys to define it, because you guys are listening to everything that’s out there, and I’m not doing that really.”

What music Ward was into, or at least what has shaped his songs, was playing Beatles songs, and then discovering their influences like the Everly Brothers, Chuck Berry (M. Ward concluded their encore tonight with “Roll Over Beethoven”), Little Richard, and the like. What really surprised me was that he cited L.A.’s SST Records as an influence. “When I was growing up, they [released] Sonic Youth and Dinosaur Jr. and the Minutemen, and so discovering them was another huge part of the equation.” His “high school band” Rodriguez were really inspired by Mike Watt, fIREHOSE, and the Minutemen. “We really tried to learn from them, and that was a great experience.”

And what about that other world’s-most-influential band—the Velvet Underground? “I love the Velvet Underground. ‘White Light/White Heat’ comes to mind as one of my favourite songs. My band and I used to cover ‘Pale Blue Eyes’ and ‘I’ll Be Your Mirror.’ The way that the records sound, you know, the way they were produced, just is engaging and very interesting. I’m a fan.”

Ward kept singing “Post-War”‘s refrain of “Some lucky night” over and over, noticeably putting a number of the kids at the festival to sleep, and then they switched into “Chinese Translation,” one of his best-known solo tunes—a bafflingly poetic and contently simple tune. So I could go into abstract detail of how Ward’s internalization of non-traditional music make him “indie”… but I’d much rather hit the hay and save myself for day three.

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Narwhals are Gnarly! An interview with the Blowholes

Photo by Alicia Jobse

By Kent Davies

Attention buoys and gills! Once in a whale an act comes along that is destined to have bad oceanic puns follow them wherever they go. The all-female garage rock foursome known as The Blowholes have been making waves since forming in early 2009. Their ferocious wailing and catchy guitar work are a tidal wave of fun-filled exuberance that few bands can match. Their debut album features a series of wonderfully strange, rockin’, porpoise-ful numbers about all things under the sea.  Recently Stylus managed to reel in guitarists/vocalists Melody Titus and Alana Mercer to explore the depths of their chart-topping debut album.

Stylus: How did The Blowholes come into being?
Alana Mercer: Julia Ryckman and I had originally had been in The Gorgon and The Blowholes formed in an emergency situation where The Gorgon was unable to play a show. It was basically Leanne Grieves, Julia and I playing covers. We played another show when we were asked to play The Ex-Girlfriends CD release party. We asked Erica Jacobson to fill in and the show was so much fun. After No Fun broke up Leanne brought up, why not make The Blowholes a real band? Erica was in because she wasn’t doing anything and Leanne asked Melody if she wanted to join because we knew her from Space Amazon and the Warrior Queens. When Melody showed up right away we all knew it was going to be awesome.
Melody Titus: I told them I think I have a song or five…
AM: Or 18! I think our album was written three years ago.
Stylus: Local label Transistor 66 put it out. How did you join the family? Continue reading “Narwhals are Gnarly! An interview with the Blowholes”

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Ample Hula-Hooping, But Not Enough Fist Pumping: MEME 2011

MEME (Manitoba Electronic Music Exhibition)
Saturday, June 25, 2011
@ The Cube in Old Market Square
By Shanell Dupras

Free, good music that you can hear bumpin’ all through The Exchange? Check. An entertaining audience to watch while you tap your feet? Absolutely. Sounds like a great night? Yes, and no. Unfortunately I could not make it for the entire concert, but I did get the chance to see three local acts: JNL, Sisk, and Phaze-M. Keep in mind that these kinds of concerts are hard to review due to how they make their music. It seems difficult for them to mess up their sets unless they accidentally press the power button on their MacBooks.

The first DJ that I saw was JNL. His music had insane bass lines that I couldn’t help tapping my feet and bobbing my head to. With a great beat, always come interesting dancers of course. It was the typical rave dancers: neon everywhere, the constant smell of weed and… free hula-hoops for everyone! Thankfully the dancers were entertaining, because JNL failed to do anything interesting at all. I understand it may be difficult to move around during a set, but even a fist pump would have been exciting. JNL wasn’t the only victim to this though, all three DJs I saw that night were not entertaining to watch at all. Maybe I’m just nitpicking, but concerts should be entertaining to watch, not just to listen to.

Following JNL was DJ Sisk. One great things about these kinds of concerts is set up time in between artists is under five minutes. Sisk was the DJ of the night that could hook me in with extremely catchy melodies that I found myself humming afterwards. Apparently others thought the same since the crowd grew during his set. My only complaint with DJ Sisk is that at times his loud and obnoxious bass lines began giving me a headache from the vibrations.

As it began to get dark, the Cube began to light up in neon colours that complimented the dancers’ outfits. This made it more of a spectacle since the DJs still weren’t moving around at all on stage. By 8:20 Phaze-M had started his set, the neon lights changing to the beat of his songs. His first song had vocal appearances, which was a nice change of pace from the bass oriented songs from JNL and Sisk. Sadly, as his set went on it began to sound more like those two: bumping bass lines with simple, yet catchy, melodies. Which isn’t always bad, just repetitive. At least there was a slight change, right?

I ended up leaving after only three sets because after three hours of bass that could be heard all through the Exchange and beyond, I was beginning to get a headache. Overall, MEME was entertaining, although this music might have been better suited to their club shows, where alcohol may make more people motivated to dance. (Beer gardens just aren’t the same.) The music was worth it, although it is strange to say that I stood out like a sore thumb amongst all the neon coloured dancers.

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“So… I was at a party last night” by Andrea Cuius and Roland Ellis

Andrea Cuius and Roland Ellis‘ installation (commissioned by poet Sabrina Mahfouz for her solo show Dry Ice) at London’s Wimbledon Theatre is one that dazzles in terms of both artistic concept and technological precision.
The two programmed a set of 30 bare tungsten lightbulbs to coordinate with live sound information from an onstage microphone. A word, sentence, song, or conversation causes the different-sized bulbs to flicker on and off in sync with the sound – I’m reminded of neurons firing in the brain, or metropolis’ million windows glowing on and off at night. Whatever comes to mind, the result is hypnotic and absolutely enchanting.

Found via designboom. Music by Rehab Music.

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This Hisses – Super Sibilant


By Scott Wolfe

One of Winnipeg’s most thrilling live acts is releasing their first full-length in July on local family label Transistor 66. I sat down at the Legion in the Exchange District with band members Julia Ryckman, J.P. Perron, and, later on, Patrick Short for some cheap beverages and to exchange a few words with this local trio regarding their highly-anticipated debut.

Stylus: To begin, out of curiosity I have got to know, why This Hisses and not The Hisses?
J.P. Perron: It’s kind of a weird iteration I guess, but not really. There is actually a funny quote addressing that on the new album. [Reads] When attempting to enunciate the group’s moniker, most tend to slur over the words carelessly, gurgling some incoherent mumble. However, such a cavalier introduction to This Hisses is calamitous at best.
Stylus: Brilliant and accurate, as I clearly demonstrated when this interview began.
JPP: Yeah I do that as well just the other day I called us The Hisses. People tend to like it though, however I can imagine that radio announcer would not.
Julia Ryckman: Also, ‘this’ is a word that hisses, which adds to our name.
Stylus: Each of you have been submerged in the Winnipeg music scene before with other acts such as The Gorgon [Julia], Mahogany Frog [J.P.] and Under Pressure and Electric Candles [Patrick Short]. But how did This Hisses come to be?
JR: When The Gorgon broke up, I had some songs I wanted to try and I thought of Pat because we had talked and jammed before. I also wanted to work with J.P. because he had always been my favourite drummer in Winnipeg and I knew he was available because he had just moved back from Montreal. I asked him at a party if he wanted to jam, but he was very guarded. Continue reading “This Hisses – Super Sibilant”

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Miracle Fortress – A Little Less Green

Photo by Andre Guerette

By Victoria King

Miracle Fortress is the solo project of Montreal’s own Graham Van Pelt. In 2007, Van Pelt released Five Roses, which garnered him honorable mentions from the Polaris prize and wide-sweeping acclaim. Now 2011 sees the release of Was I the Wave? which  was long-listed for this year’s Polaris since this interview. Miracle Fortress corresponded via e-mail to talk about the new album.

Stylus: There’s a definite shift in both overall vibe and sound from Five Roses to Was I the Wave? What do you attribute this to?
Graham Van Pelt: I spent quite a bit of time between the two, putting a new palette of sounds together with which to write a record. I had little desire to make a similar record to Five Roses, which I enjoyed, and hoped instead to move on to ideas that would be new to me. Lots of time had passed before I really got into the new record, and my tastes have had a chance to evolve quite a lot.
Stylus: Since the release of Five Roses, what has changed for you as an artist and as a person?
GVP: I think any young person accumulates quite a bit of experience over a term like that. There wasn’t much chance of my staying in the same state of mind and wanting to work on a similar project over again. I do feel a little less green and a bit more comfortable making mistakes and taking risks.
Stylus: What are the creative advantages and/or disadvantages to working solo?
GVP: Avoiding compromise is the main benefit. Compromise can unlock new avenues between artists, but I also value the chance to follow my own ideas as far as they’ll go. I enjoy puzzling out a song over an extended period when necessary, which can be trying if collaborators are waiting to contribute. This is something I’ve had to learn about my process through experience, and it’s valuable to know.
Stylus: In recognizing the electronic influence that is strong on this album, does it change the way you approach writing?
GVP: Though this record is more traditionally “electronic” sounding than Five Roses, they were composed pretty much the same way. I used most of the same techniques, such as self-sampling, looping, my personal sound treatments, and drum programming. My approach in this project has tended towards feeling pretty unlimited in the studio.
Stylus: As we’ve seen with multiple artists with 2010/2011 releases (Sufjan Stevens’ Age of Adz and Iron & Wine’s Kiss Each Other Clean), there’s been a shift to experimenting with synthetic sounds. Does this reflect modern culture or is it merely a musical coincidence?
GVP: I’m unfamiliar with those records, but I would assume that the accessibility of digital instruments encourages artists interested in using new sounds. This has been true for at least a decade or two, though.
Stylus: When considering projects between Miracle Fortress and Think About Life, how does each outlet satisfy a musical/creative need?
GVP: I enjoyed Think About Life because I’m more of a supporting player. I felt less personal pressure and let go of expectations a little more easily. It’s fun to play on stage when your band has more energy than anyone else’s. I like the personal pressure of Miracle Fortress though, it satisfies like a solitary accomplishment does.
Stylus: What’s the best environment for listening to Was I the Wave?
GVP: I like it on walks at night, but that’s true of most music for me. There isn’t an answer to this.
Stylus: What is one thing you hope people can take from this album? What did you take from this experience?
GVP: I hope they feel free to take whatever they like from any music they hear. Pop music is best enjoyed independently. As for my own experience, I enjoyed finishing the thing, improving my talents, learning what there was to learn, feeling proud, listening occasionally, and moving on.

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Colin Stetson – Breathing History


By Riel Lynch

Colin Stetson is a saxophone player from Montreal who plays like no other. He released his Polaris-nominated sophomore album New History Warfare Vol. 2: Judges in Feburary 2011 and it’s still making waves—because of his unusual techniques, which allow him to play notes continuously for several minutes. Besides playing solo shows, he plays in Belle Orchestre, has opened for Arcade Fire, collaborated with Bon Iver, and has played in festivals around the world. He took enough time to breathlessly answer the phone and talk to Stylus.

Stylus: How do you breathe in an entirely different fashion for extended periods of time and not pass out?
Colin Stetson: Well, you aren’t getting any less air then you are breathing regularly. It’s just a different way, like you said. Sometimes you actually get a little more oxygen than normal. You breathe through your nose while air is coming through your mouth, so there is no lack of air. After awhile, your muscles in your face start to break down, not so much in your lungs.
Stylus: Where was this technique learned?
CS: From my high school teacher, I was around 15. This was something he had just learned, and he found it difficult to do, because it was better to learn early on. The hardest part is tricking your body to allow air to come in down through your nose. I don’t think it took me anymore than a week to figure out how to do it. I don’t even remember not being able to do it. It definitely takes awhile to adjust and to find your equilibrium and not give so much air that you pass out.
Stylus: Contrasting between your first album New History Warfare Vol. 1 and Vol. 2, I found that in your first, you are telling this story… you can hear it. But in your second, you’re still telling a story, but it’s much more advanced in its details. How was this transition made? Continue reading “Colin Stetson – Breathing History”

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In the Distance They’re Like: EEHHHRRRREHHH! Phone Calls with Sean Nicholas Savage

photo by Jasper Mandus

By Kyra Leib

I don’t like to toot my own horn but I worked my butt off to get this interview, traveling across the great city of Winnipeg with t-minus two hours until interview time to acquire equipment. And even once we did connect, Sean and I were disconnected on the phone three times during the course of this interview. Nothing could faze Mr. Savage’s winning charm, however. Here is what came of our conversation…

Stylus: Motown, disco and funk influences show up very clearly on Trippple Midnight Karma. How have your musical influences changed or progressed since you first started recording music?
Sean Nicholas Savage: I’ve been really into a few different albums for a period of a couple months and I’m really influenced by them while I’m making whatever I’m working on. I was listening to Marvin Gaye and ’80s rarities and singles. Things like less successful ’80s R & B.
Stylus: Was Marvin Gaye a main inspiration?
SNS: Yeah, hugely. Midnight Love, that album.
Stylus: What is it about his music that has inspired you so much?
Continue reading “In the Distance They’re Like: EEHHHRRRREHHH! Phone Calls with Sean Nicholas Savage”

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Who polices the WITCHPOLICE?

By Kent Davies

Witchpolice is a local music blog staring renaissance rapper Rob Crooks (Magnum K.I., Fucking Retards) and father of the year Sam Thompson (Mouthboat). As the dynamic duo known as Dynamo they created Witchpolice as a way to unleash their spaced-out hip hop to the world. “It was the only thing to do,” explained Thompson in a recent interview on CKUW 95.9 FM. “We weren’t playing shows at that point and we weren’t going to make any hard copies so we figured hey let’s just make a free blog and just put our music up there.”
Now the site has become a one-stop shop full of free local music rarities, unreleased demos, basement bootlegs, psychedelic videos and more.
Originally the blog only featured a few acts the two knew personally. Thompson explains, “Rob and I were in bands since we were kids and we knew a lot of people that played music of some kind or another.” Those musical friends being the Brat Attack, the punk band with the record for the most revolving door members, and teen ska sensation Grandpa’s Army.
Over time the response to the site has gotten larger as has the site’s content. “More people know about it now – their friends started checking it out and so it goes,” says Crooks. “It just seemed if we’re doing this for our own music we might as well do it for others.”
Although Witchpolice still features a majority of the staple acts Rob and Sam are involved in, many other acts are starting to submit their unreleased demos, bootleg shows and other content to the site. “We’ve been getting people submitting stuff to us that we don’t know personally which is cool,” says Thompson. The two are hoping the trend continues. “It’s not really about the recording quality. We want it if it’s something we think is cool or it sounds good or if we like what they’re doing.”
Along with the promise of local acts submitting their buried treasured tunes to the site, the duo are working on posting new material from Dynamo. “Expect a cross between Kraftwerk and the Butthole Surfers,” says Crooks.
The two also have plans to post past CKUW 95.9 FM live performances. Recently, Witchpolice posted a live recording of Canadian reggae band Friendlyness and the Human Rights. The act played the Albert as part of the last Winnipeg ska and reggae festival, which was originally broadcast on CKUW and UMFM and now posted to the blog. “I got it from the radio and have been listening to it straight since – I posted it because it’s one of my favorite acts in Canada,” explains Thompson. The site also features new videos from Shoshaku Jushaku, the new project from members of the legendary basement showmen the Mouthboat.
The great thing about Witchpolice is not just that it features local music but how it features local music. Instead of posting polished samples of a local artists’ latest album it’s often ten year old unreleased demos of a local artists’ first punk band. In that regard, hopefully musicians everywhere will start looking for something that may not sound so sweet but is worth sharing anyway. Check it out http://witchpolice.blogspot.com and submit it out at [email protected].

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In the Lair of the Tiger and the Bandit


By Kyra Leib
Andrew Courtnage a.k.a. Smoky Tiger is Winnipeg’s own psychedelic funk wizard. Smoky Tiger recently focused on writing music about Manitoban history. I was able to lasso him along with his partner in crime Josey Krahn for an enlightening interview. I walked up the metal stairs to the top floor studio loft of Winnipeg’s own mystical tiger man. Once inside, I was generously greeted by the offer of a berry smoothie and Smoky Tiger’s beautiful cat.  Josey, a member of Smoky Tiger and the Manitobandits sat on a couch as I entered the living room with Andrew. As I struggled to withhold my berry smoothie from Smoky Tiger’s cat, I began asking questions.

Stylus: What are some of Smoky Tiger and The Manitobandits musical influences?
Josey Krahn: Disco, Pink Floyd, the Beatles, anything with a beat and some weird lyrics.
Andrew Courtnage: The circa 1991 Korean Mac laptop upon which I record all the Smoky Tiger music mysteriously resets itself to December 1969 every time I unplug it. This is a perfect metaphor for the vibration which influences the Smoky Tiger sound. I feel a kinship for the great visitation of energy which shaped the culture and society of the golden-classic era, yet I cannot deny the appeal of our space age bells and digital whistles. The Smoky Tiger is mostly about spiritually transformational, shamanically positive, Manitoban vibrations.
Stylus: Do you guys feel like there is a deficit of music coming out of Winnipeg which discusses Manitoba’s history and historical figures? Continue reading “In the Lair of the Tiger and the Bandit”