Every so often one takes a dip into the songs of Paul McCartney, maybe just flicking through a crate of vinyls or browsing on YouTube. You pick and listen and you’re on a journey. McCartney is so in the present sometimes its take the distance of time to dig what he is all about. The upcoming retrospective of his post-Beatles Wings and solo adventures titled “Pure McCartney” and released by Universal, June 10, 2016 is welcome indeed. The tracking available on 2 CDs, 4 CDs and 4 LPs was handpicked by the Fab one himself. His approach was to make playlists from his own work so think of it as a mixtape of Silly Love Songs but more.
Repartee ready to party at Moustache Club May 14
Get ready to get All Lit Up May 14 when Repartee drop into the Moustache Club in Oshawa. The St. John's four piece formed around vocalist Meg Warren's operatic tones and their bright indie-pop got them onto Sleepless Records, home of July Talk. Their debut album All Lit Up is out Apr 29, the first single "Dukes" is available for streaming.
Congrats, Holy Fuck new album due May 27
Holy Fuck, its been a long time. Six years since the electronica whizz kids released Latin. Their new album Congrats drops May 27 and a tour follows with a date at Field Trip June 4 kicking off a cross-USA jaunt with two other stops in Canada, Ottawa Blues Fest and Stanley Park's Levitation Festival. They have released "XED Eyes" for your pleasure. Congrats will be available on Last Gang.
Into the wilderness with Laura Sauvage's Extraordinormal
Laura Sauvage shouts out Julie Doiron, Wilco and Neil Young, Feist and Beck as influences. Sauvage aka Vivianne Roy of Les Hay Babies has released her debut album, Extraordinormal on Simone Records. Off that list I would say she has has the same gentle fearlessness as her co-New Brunswicker, Julie Doiron. There's an intimacy to the songs no matter if they are small and twangy or great slabs of back field garage rock, Sauvage can swell in the same way Doiron can swell from mousey to monstrous in minutes (hear "Nothing to Something & Vice Versa"). That includes Doiron's Eric's Trip years and its those years that echo most around Savauge's record. Its the shoulders first brashness of the sonically youthful Kim Gordon, on "Rubberskin", and the lyrical slashers of Patti Smith on "Fuckers (Stole My Phone)" and the Sunday Morning Go Down of Nico on "Jesus Wants To Be My Buddy but it is also the basement looseness of White Thrash Theatre School", with the furnace clicking on and off in the background possibility. Extraordinormal sounds like Eric's Trip if they had stayed around for the past twenty years but instead it sounds like a twenty year who has been singing along with Love Tara, Love Laura.
Sauvage is touring with Aidan Knight cross-Canada. Its a measure of her attention to song atmospherics that she has also played with Patrick Watson on a couple of dates in Quebec City. She lets loose the wild at the Horseshoe Tavern Apr 14.
Photo Credit Katrin Braga
DRALMS releases Domino House, plays The Drake in Toronto Apr 15
DRALMS aka Christopher Smith is a fave of SlowCity, we placed his album Shook on our Five for 16. He's a west coast resident but is making his Toronto live show debut Apr 15 at the Drake Hotel. We described it as "marrying the cinematic scope of Timber Timbre and the boundless euphoria of Arcade Fire with some late night deep funk grooves and early morning synth stretches." Its that good. DRALMS will also be on CBC's q Apr 15 and he has kindly released a track from the album to share and enjoy. Apr 15, make it a date.
Folkie Jenny Berkel shares Wealth in the Country, Pale Moon Kid appears Apr 15
Montreal folk singer Jenny Berkel will release her sophomore album, Pale Moon Kid, on Pheromone Recordings Apr 15. The album was recorded with Daniel Romano at his studio in Welland, Ont., (Berkel is a member of his Trilliums band) and is reflective of her time around the birthgrounds of The Band. There is a breezy summer eve feel to the track "Wealth in the Country", languid but not yet mosey. Berkell plays The Garnet in Peterborough the same day the album comes out.
Jean-Michel Blais' debut Il on A&E, performs at AGO Apr 8, 15 and 22
Montreal pianist Jean-Michel Blais will perform Apr. 8, 15 and 22 2016 at Toronto's AGO. Blais is classically trained but has the pop-chops of Chilly Gonzales. They share a label, Arts & Crafts. A&E will release Blais' debut Il Apr 8. Now 31 Blais was invited to join the Trois-Rivieres Music Conservatory at the age of 17. He moved to Berlin in his 20s and then spent some time in South America. before returning to Quebec to compose and perform. A video for the single "Nostos ft. BUFFLO" was directed by Jason Rodi and pairs Ansel Adams like footage from Antoine Leger with Blais' piece which references the return of Ulysses to his home by sea.
Autolux release video for Change My Head from new album, Pussy's Dead
LA three-piece Autolux will release Pussy's Dead April 1 on 30th Century Records, Danger Mouse's label. The single, "Change My Head", is a psych-slice of mellow-tronica with an unsettling undercurrent of motels, money, murder and madness. The accompanying video was created by animator Thomas McMahan and features a take on Alice down the Rabbit Hole by way of fractal geometry. They're are scheduled to play Lee's Palace in Toronto Apr 7.
Americana Review's Jason Gartshore remembers the class of Patsy Cline
By Jason Gartshore - Americana Review
One of the more significant and well known dates in music history is February 3, 1959. For long-time music fans, this date is remembered as “The Day the Music Died”, the day the world lost the immeasurable talents of Buddy Holly, “The Big Bopper” J.P. Richardson, and hot newcomer Ritchie Valens in a plane crash just outside of Clear Lake, Iowa. Equally significant, at least to this writer, was the passing of another group of musicians to yet another plane crash, this accident taking place on March 5, 1963. On that day, one of the most influential women in music lost her life, the one and only Patsy Cline.
With a voice that has influenced superstar female singers as diverse as Miranda Lambert, Norah Jones, Martina McBride and Sheryl Crow, Patsy Cline began her singing career like so many artists in so many genres in the 1940’s, singing in the church choir. It was a bout of rheumatic fever and a throat infection at the age of 13, believe it or not, that gave Patsy her distinctive, booming voice. Her early professional music career from 1955 to 1957 saw her signed to Four Star Records where experimented with rockabilly and other sounds of the day. While signed to Four Star, she came to the attention of one of the most important figures in the history of country music: record producer Owen Bradley.
Recognizing Cline’s potential, Bradley signed Cline to Decca Records and began producing her material. This is where the magic happened. Songs like “Walking After Midnight”, “Back In Baby’s Arms”, “Blue Moon of Kentucky”, “I Fall To Pieces” and the Willie Nelson penned “Crazy” all became standards in music, not exclusive to country. These performances by Patsy Cline, as well as many others, became the foundation for country music to take a big step forward in the consciousness of pop culture in North America at the time.
The influence was immediate, as other talented female artists flocked to Nashville where many of them were befriended by Patsy Cline. Having been through the politics that existed in Nashville music executive circles, Cline was an invaluable friend and mentor to such artists as Dottie West, Jan Howard, 16 year old Brenda Lee, a 13 year old Barbara Mandrell, and Loretta Lynn. It is no coincidence, that all of these talented women, Cline included, have been inducted in to the Country Music Hall of Fame. It should be noted that in addition to the Country Music Hall of Fame, Brenda Lee is one of only a small handful of artists to be inducted in to the Rock and Roll Hall of fame as well.
I should note that also killed in the same plane crash were two big male country stars of the day, Cowboy Copas and Hawkshaw Hawkins. Hawkins’ widow, Jean Shepard, is a legendary performer in her own right and continues performing as a member of the Grand Ole Opry, and herself is a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame. Hawkins and Copas have also been enshrined in the hallowed Hall. It’s important to acknowledge their contribution to the genre and their loss as well, but neither had achieved the fame that Patsy Cline did at the sudden and tragic end of their lives and careers. Consequently, their loss is often overlooked when telling the story of March 5, 1963.
Rather than continue telling the story of the life and passing of one of the greatest artists in North American music, I think watching and listening to two of Patsy’s finest performances is appropriate. For a great adaptation on the life of Patsy Cline, check out “Sweet Dreams”, a film released in 1985 starring Jessica Lange as Patsy.
Johnny Cash would introduce Patsy this way, and I think it appropriate: “Ladies and Gentlemen, the one and only … Patsy Cline.”
Garage rockers U.I.C unite for Mike Star Tribute night Apr 2 in Oshawa
Canadian garage punk pioneers U.I.C. are reuniting for a one-off performance to pay tribute to the late Mike Shulga of Star Records. The tribute event takes place Saturday Apr. 2 at the Royal Legion Hall in Oshawa, the city Star Records operated in for 42 years. The Royal Crowns, Chalk Circle, Crummy Stuff, Peter Zaremba's Rock Delegation and Bradley Boy MacArthur are also on the bill.
U.I.C. guitarist Fred ‘Slack’ Robinson says Mike Star supported the band right from the beginning. Star played an important role in getting the band American distribution for their debut album, “Our Garage”, released on Fringe Records and hooked them up with people and places across Ontario.
“You have to remember the 80's were pre-internet,” Robinson says in an email interview with SlowCity.ca, “All promotion was word of mouth, sharing vinyl/cassettes, hanging posters, snail mail, long distance phone calls and fanzines. The Mike Star’s, Dave and Rena O'Halloran's (What Wave), Sue Weigand and others (Ear to The Ground), John Westhaver (Birdman Sound) and so many others were spreading the word that there was more than hair metal happening. Og Records played a very large role in getting exposure for many D.I.Y bands at the time. We were fortunate to have connected with these people. We were fans of them as much as they were fans of us.”
You can count The Purple Toads in the mutual admiration column. Both bands shared stages including at the Star Club. It was ex-Purple Toad, Rob Sweeney, who asked U.I.C to play the tribute event, says Robinson.
“I contacted the boys and it was unanimous,” he says. “I think we were all itching to get together again. We are like brothers and have a special connect that goes back to our childhood. It's also the 30th anniversary of the Our Garage release.”
Robinson says they will play several tracks from Our Garage, some of which they haven’t played live in many years. The blisters on his fingers from rehearsal attest to it he says.
U.I.C. formed in Exeter, ON in 1982. Along with Robinson on guitar the other members were his brother Dave ‘Smokin’ Robinson on vocals, Ted T. also guitar, Hack Presczator on bass and Houndog Heywood on drums. They released three albums before disbanding in 1995. Ted and Houndog started Positively Stompin’ and the other guys formed The Chickens. The latter recorded two albums before flying the coop after six years. Three decades later Robinson says it was always just for the passion of playing music.
“I know few artists that traveled in the same scene as us that had dreams of big record deals and mansions on the hill. It was more about writing a cool song, maybe recording it and performing the shit out of it in front of a room full of rock and roll lovers,” he says.
Their passion found an ally in Mike Star. Thirty years later they get to kick out the jams in a room full of rock ‘n roll lovers once again.
Sam Cash takes the Romantic Dogs for a run across Canada
Country Rockers Sam Cash and the Romantic Dogs have unleashed "Act Like We're in Love", from their album "Tongue-In-Cheek Vows" due Mar. 25 on Cameron House Records. The song itself is a mellow swingalong, with a Tom Petty-like hook. Cash, the son of singer/songwriter Andrew Cash, brought on his father's contemporary Sir Ian Blurton to produce. The album is Sam's third but second with his band. Sam will let The Dogs out for a run across Canada from Vancity to Toronto where they have a date Apr. 2 at the Rivoli. Raven Shields & Stefanie McCarrol will open.
SAM CASH & THE ROMANTIC DOGS TOUR DATES
Mar 22 – Whistler, BC – Garibaldi Lift Company*
Mar 23 – Vancouver, BC - The Imperial*
Mar 24 – Kelowna, BC - Flashbacks*
Mar 25 – Edmonton, AB - The Starlite Room*
Mar 26 – Calgary, AB – The Gateway*
Mar 27 – Saskatoon, SK – Amigos*
Mar 28 - Winnipeg, MB - Windsor Hotel*
Apr 2 - Toronto, ON - The Rivoli^
^ W/ Raven Shields & Stefanie McCarrol
* W/ Electric Six
Black Mountain release new Chad VanGaalen video
Vancouver’s Black Mountain played the 2015 River & Sky Festival and their psycho-punk-adelia was perfect amid the pines and Northern night, like the soundtrack to an X-Files about Windigos. Their new single "Florid Saucer Attack" follows the same vibe; sinister keys, Siouxie Sioux vocals and propulsive beat. Great stuff and it comes with a video by fave Chad VanGaalen, so creative he makes Daniel Johnson look lazy. The single is from IV due April 1 on Dine Alone. Black Mountain head out on tour across Europe, the States and Canada ending with a festival date at WayHome.
The essential Kyp Harness under a Stoplight Moon, album launches at the Dakota Tavern Mar 24
The new album “Stoplight Moon” from Toronto folk rocker Kyp Harness, opens with “All I Need”. It’s a mellow country twanger that brings to mind Art Bergman fronting Blue Rodeo. On the track Harness sings “never been in with the in-crowd/ never knew what the special code was for/ I never got the secret handshake/ never got in on the ground floor.”
Harness has been creating music for several decades, won the respect of his peers but is not likely to be described as in with the in-crowd. Not many have heard of Harness and the way radio works in Canada not many will hear him. He has been called the songwriter’s songwriter. John Critchley, who produced "Stoplight Moon", covered "The Man in the Green Shirt" with his band, 13 Engines. Harness can count Daniel Lanois, Ron Sexsmith, Mary Margaret O’Hara and Townes Van Zant among his fans. Perhaps the tracks on "Stoplight Moon" will stop everyone in their tracks, will turn everyone on, perhaps Harness will take off, perhaps it doesn’t matter to him.
On “Still Learning” written about the birth of a child he sings “No I haven’t made much money and although it might seem funny but I wouldn’t know what to do with it if I did.”
“It seems that music is my life, whether I want it to be or not,” Harness says in an email interview with SlowCity, “since even if at times in the outside world there's no music that's turning me on, I hear music in my head that I want to get out, or I think about things in musical ways, or I write a new song whether I want to or not. I guess it's such an integral part of my life, and sometimes the only part of my life that does seem alive, that it keeps me going. If I could stop it, sometimes I think I would. But then that'd be like giving up some essential part of who I am, or becoming a different person altogether.”
On Stoplight Moon, his 13th release, Harness puts the focus on the essential parts of himself: on love with “Anniversary” and the aforementioned, “All I Need”; on spirituality, “Where The Spirit Resides” and loss on “Miss You When You Go”. Harness delivers it all in a drawl stretching between Dylan and Lou Reed and a musical style seeped in the sounds of his adopted city (he’s from Sarnia, ON. originally)
Photo Credit: Ava Harness
Over the course of the album a particular Toronto-centric sound emerges; the melodic alt-country of Jason Collett, Jim Cuddy and Greg Keelor, Ron Sexsmith, Jerry Leger is present but also the Queen St. cowbilly of Handsome Ned on “Restaurant of Love" and The Sadies or Daniel Romano on the album’s best track, “I Hurt”.
Carried by sliding steel and incisor sharp biting lyrics, “I Hurt” tracks unhealed familial issues, pain passed from father to son but the song can also be used as a warning against unhealed social issues, not just personal one. A leader’s anger can be misdirected as much as a parent, a nation can elect a hyperbolic bully to be their strong man because they feel so weak inside themselves. Pain is passed victim to victim like a flag.
“As I look around and see a world that’s shattered and it’s shaken, on the verge/ with one thought on everybody’s mind 'I hurt because I hurt'.”
Harness could feel hurt by an industry interested in pushing fakery over artistry enough to give up and walk away. He says he has considered quitting recording and performing but music is what he does and in a way what he is.
“The business side of the music business is not too fun and can often dampen your enthusiasm,” Harness says, “and often it seems like the 'professional' side of the business is filled with people who are only doing it for money. So you get music that sounds like it was only done for money; where the real, true stuff that means something to people, I believe, was created by people for whom it meant the world to create it and is an essential part of themselves.”
On this album Harness has created something essential. But an artist can only make, ultimately it’s up to you to decide if "Stoplight Moon" will get Harness his day in the sun. To quote Harness quoting Faye Dunaway quoting an acting teacher she once had, “If something can stop you ..........let it!.” Stop in your tracks for "Stoplight Moon".
