Lemon mellow cover of Beyonce's Halo by Peter Katz came across my wire, seems like a thing to share, you're welcome
Interview: Lowlands, Guelph 5-pc. open for the Wooden Sky at the Moustache Club, Oct 29
Lowlands from Guelph, Ont., are playing the Moustache Club Saturday Oct. 29 2016 as support for the Wooden Sky. The Royal City five-piece are touring with the Sky and are also signed to their label Chelsea Records.
Lowlands’ are on a musical journey of their own however. They are working on a five album project about the Great Lakes. They have released Huron back in Sept 2014 and the latest record, Erie, will be available Oct 28. It was produced by The Wooden Sky’s Gavin Gardiner.
Gordon JL Auld of Lowlands, (one half of the songwriting team with Abe Del Bel Belluz), says they don’t want the project to drive out the music, more like the music will drive the project but they hope to have less of a gap between records.
“I think our plan is spend some time writing music about the lakes and near them or about experiences having to do with the lakes,” he says via an email interview with SlowCity. “We're not totally sure how the project will unfold as yet. We're just going to keep plugging away. I would love to take the band up to Lake Superior and do some recording for the next record. I don't know if that will be the way we address it but it would be a great way to make a record.”
Lowlands meld deep roots and bluegrass on the ten track Erie album. It is stark but still rich sounding, and has an enveloping warmth, reflective perhaps of the southernmost of the Lakes. Huron has a more spacious feel. The songs wrap in on themselves, run high and low, voices cry out loud and soft, as if sounding from shore to shore.
“I think nature and a lake can have a voice. Your surroundings shape your perception of a situation. The same way a rainy day can make you sad or a walk in the woods can relax you. That context can be a powerful thing. I can personally connect some experiences to the Huron record while being on the lake or growing up there. That lake was my therapy and my teacher,” says Auld.
Learning about lakes and the value of freshwater has been high on Auld’s agenda given the controversy around American based company Nestlé’s efforts to purchase of Guelph’s well water supply.
“I've been keeping somewhat informed about resistance of Nestle taking groundwater from Guelph. They pay next to nothing for it and turn huge profits,” he says.“We are at a point in time right now where this needs to be address not only this situation but water as a resource in general. It's so hard in Canada to look at fresh water as a resource that needs conservation because we are surrounded by it in vast quantities but I think it's time to wake up and see that this freshwater is a finite resource, something precious. Think about all the people who don't even have access to fresh water. It's scary. I think Nestle has cashed in on the fact that they can basically bottle tap water and sell it for huge profits. Likely they won’t let they go without a fight or until it is no longer profitable to them. Personally, I say go back to making gross candy bars.”
There’s a lot that is gross about the Great Lakes given the industrialization along much of the shores but Lowlands treat the waters with respect and the resulting two albums so far are worth dipping into.
Shad is Your Boy Tony Braxton, Good (enough) for you
Your Boy Tony Braxton has dropped the video for the single "Good (Enough)" from the album Adult Contempt out on Arts & Crafts. The video features Brendan Canning and the track is a smooth meld of Stevie Wonder and K-Os.
Photo by Eva Michon
New Tasseomancy track 'Missoula' sounds like Kate Bush squared
Its simple really - simple buy Do Easy from Tasseomancy. Its available Nov 18 2016 on Outside/Hand Drawn Dracula. Oh, also they're playing Baby G's in Toronto Nov 23 so there's that too or two I guess.
The Last Shadows Puppets cover Leonard Cohen 'Is This What You Wanted'
The Dream Synopsis due Dec 2 2016 on Domino, is the title of the new EP from the Last Shadow Puppets. It was recored live in one day and features a mix of originals and covers including a track from the bard of the boudoir Mr Cohen.
The Barber siblings cover Buffy Sainte Marie and Leonard Cohen on the Family Album
Sibling singer-songwriters Matthew Barber and Jill Barber have come together for The Family Album, a collection of originals and covers and the first recorded collaboration between the two. The six covers include Neil Young's "Comes A Time", Ian Tyson's "Summer Wages" and “Song To A Young Seagull” by Gene MacClellan as well as "The Partisan", a French folk classic Leonard Cohen popularized. The rest of the album, available on Outside Music and produced by the Barbers, is comprised of trad-folk originals, going deep into their family history and musical roots.
They are playing the Regent Theatre in Picton Nov 10, the Flato Markham Theatre Nov 11 and the River Run Centre in Guelph Nov 12 2016.
Failing systems leave us lost, new video for Moby's take on the present
Animator Steve Cutts quotes the great Max Fleischer in his video for Moby & The Void Pacific Choir's track "Are You Lost in the World Like Me". It is an homage to the animator from the 1930s and its picture perfect. The 30s were a time of assessment of the effects of industrialization on the world. In the second decade of the 21st century we are seeing the effects of digitalization on the world at large and just as in the 30s our systems are breaking down and failing. The track appears on Moby & TVPC's album These Systems Are Failing out on Arts & Crafts.
Elaquent elegance on new track Nollieflip
Contemplative mellow groove carries "Nolliflip", the new track from producer Elaquent. The groove is from his album Worst Case Scenario available Dec 2 digitally and on vinyl in the new year, Jan 2 2017, all on Urbnet.
The Arkells as art exhibit in new video, band plays Massey Hall Nov 4/ 5 2016, with Frank Turner
Native Other gather together for EP release, If I Can Keep It Together
Hit the sweet spot and make it last. On Native Other's debut EP the spot is found between yacht rock and surf rock, the sweet spot is just before you hit the water, make that linger longer, hang on the note just that be more, and you are close to the self-described “autocroon” of the Whitby/Oshawa four piece.
“I say we are indie rock with R&B, elements of deeply psychedelic levels of indie with more contemporary R&B, the new wave of R&B that is prominent in Toronto . . . I prefer the title autocroon,” says bassist Shawn Murphy as we chatted along with guitarist Chris Russo at Oshawa’s new indie hangout Brews Wizard.
photo by: Devon Little
Murphy had played in SETH and Russo in Viva Mars prior to joining singer/guitarist Curtis Skeete in Native Other with drummer SCOTT. The band had evolved through other members but settling firmly on the current line-up. They will release their debut, a four song EP If I Can Keep It Together Oct 7 2016
“We all got together, the four of us and played together for about a year before we stumbled upon what it is now. Chlorine is one of the songs on the EP, that was the first song we had written as this unit and then we were like, so this is what it will be,” says Russo. “So we fell into our roles in the band, and we found our voices as players and writers with each other and everything clicked. Now it has become a very comfortable process of playing together and writing and everyone jumps in when they have their ideas and when they can contribute the most”
When it came to the art Native Other also sought out one who could contribute the most. TO artist Fucci, a friend of Skeete, was asked to provide the cover.
“Curtis and I have an appreciation for checking out art,” says Murphy, “and one of my friend’s opened a gallery Blank Canvas Gallery, we went, saw Fucii on the wall and I thought it was fantastic. He’s been popping off lately, doing great things in the painting world. He listened to the songsfew times and made the piece based on how it made him feel, he called it If I Can Keep It Together, and we named the EP after the art."
Fucci’s work will be the cover of the band’s planned cassette release, no date as yet but the four songs are streaming online, premiering on ChartAttack.ca.
Drive-By Truckers 'American Band' review, play TO Phoenix Feb 4 2017
We live in tumultuous times they say and if you’re wondering as I am where the bands who say whats on their political minds are in all of turmoil, where are those who provoke and protest and advocate and sing truth to power, if you’re wondering as I am then do not drive by the Drive-By Truckers.
The Drive-By Truckers' new album American Band, their eleventh, is an uncompromising look at their America, the America of the here and now, of presidential campaigns and gun violence and division and racism and it ain’t pretty.
They voice concern but in a gentle southern mannerly voice, a voice for the front porch, one expects Atticus to step up, hat in hand, to discuss the days leanings late into the evening. They voice concern with songs that are a blend of Lynyrd, Willie, Johnny, Levon, Leon, Earle, Parsons and Springsteen and even the Southern Man’s anathema’s Neil Young, all stuffed under a bridge in Olympia, Washington and dragged out the other side.
If we flipped decades Kurt Cobain would have covered Drive-By Truckers “Ever South” in the Unplugged special, “bust our heads against the future, ever South, bust our heads against the future, ever South.”
American Band is blue collar nudie suits thin at the elbows play like you mean it but don’t be mean when you play it alt-county roots rock. Its political cajoling, its a belief in our better selfs, its white middle-aged Southern men humming Black Lives Matter and this album matters this year if for no other reason than it looks this year right in the eyes in disgust.
Kim The Lion, The Unfaithful Dog play among the art at RMG Friday Oct 7
What does The Unfaithful Dog and Kim the Lion have in common?
Stephen Pepler knows, its him. He is the rock ’n roll animal behind both bands who are performing at the RMG Friday Oct 7 2016.
Kim The Lion began as an alt-folk outfit says Whitby musician Pepler, but has evolved into more of an alt-rock sound. He says his influences range from Iron and Wine, Staple Singers, the Beatles, to Devendra Banhart, quite the spectrum of sound, hence the need for more than one outfit.
“Unfaithful dog is a solo project to continue my folk roots writing,” says Pepler. “I wanted to continue recording folk music because Kim the Lion had changed. We recorded in my friend’s studio apartment on 1/4 inch tape with some great Toronto musicians.”
Those great TO musicians include Arif Mirbaghi on bass, Galen Pelley on drums and David Baxter on electric guitar. Pepler plays cello.
Pepler has also shared the stage with great musicians, The Strumbellas for one or many. Each occasion is an opportunity to broaden the knowledge base he says.
“Everytime we play, whether with a higher profile band or an indie band we always learn. Some of the biggest eye openers have been recording with the likes of David Baxter, Blake Manning the drummer for Matthew Good and occasionally David Wilcox. These guys are machines. It gives you a kick in the ass and makes you want to be better. Seeing their musicianship really is inspiring to any young musician,” he says.
With two bands on the go Pepler is part animal part machine himself.
Steve Poltz plays up at the Greenbank Folk Club opener Oct 15
The wonderfully talented Steve Poltz is the Greenbank Folk Club season opener. Mark your calendar for this very fine and versatile entertainer, mark it for Saturday Oct 15.
I saw Poltz at the 2016 Hillside and when he wasn’t onstage he was hanging out and checking out other acts, obviously enjoying himself.
Poltz was born in Halifax but lived in California, he has been a member of the Rugburns as well as a solo artist, and a collaborated with Jewel. As a live performer, well watch the video and you’ll get a sense of his Arlo Guthrie Alice’s Restaurant style of delivery. Not to be missed.
The Greenbank Folk Club shows are in the restored church on Hwy 12 in wait for it . . . Greenbank, Ont.!! Show starts at 8:00 p.m. Singer/songwriter Ken Yates is support.