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Photo credit: Simon Loisir

When Montreal musician, DJ, and blogger Mathias Pageau released his first EP under his Dylarama moniker back in 2018, the world was obviously entirely different from the last several months of our lives. So much so that the origin of his second EP Parle-moi de ça (out August 7 on Lisbon Lux Records), were his travels across North America, where new experiences and perspectives unlocked a wellspring of creativity. Even with so much of our lives having changed, the power of a songwriter scratching beneath the surface to turn their personal experience into a universal one remains the same. That said, Dylarama doesn’t take himself too seriously either - look no further than the multitude of cats surrounding the artist on the cover of Parle-moi de ça. CJLO interviewed Dylarama about his new EP, love songs, and missing his cat.

Parle-moi de ça is described as an intimate, straightforward EP, written in a universal language addressing desire, regret and romantic dialogue. When you were writing these songs, were you thinking of writing explicitly with a larger audience in mind, or was that not a factor, and it was more a hope that people could relate their own experiences to your lyrics?

It’s hard for me to write with an audience in mind. In the early stages, thinking of someone listening to my song would be like thinking of someone reading my diary as I’m writing in it. I try to write the songs I’d like to hear, and I relate to straight-forward (read: dumb) songs about naive emotions, mumblecore nonsense, etc. There’s also a nuts-and-bolts aspect to it. When I write, I have a bunch of melodies on one side, notebooks filled with bad ideas for songs on the other, and I’m putting them together hoping I get something done that day. It’s not very romantic, but most professional songwriters I’ve spoken to work that way, even the good ones.

The genesis of Parle-moi de ça is your travels throughout North America in the last couple of years, whether they be cafes in Mexico or hotel rooms in Los Angeles. Do you think you could have only written these songs during your travels? Would you not have had the same lyrical frame of mind if you wrote them in Montreal?

I could’ve had the same frame of mind, but I wouldn’t have found the motivation to write them there. I needed to experience something different. Is it sharks that need to move to stay alive? I guess I’m like a shark that way. I need to see new places, meet new people, have different circumstances. Travel gave me the perspective, but the answer was inside me all along, or whatever.

After having released two EPs in a row, do you see an album on the horizon, or will you stick with the EP format for releasing your next set of music? Is there something about the EP format that you find is advantageous over crafting LPs?

An EP is more immediate. You have less of a chance to overthink everything; you just find a couple songs that fit together and kick them out into the world, see what sticks. The less ambitious and definitive a project is, the more fun and stimulating it is to me.

“Comme des dominos” is the most purely pop song on the EP, with a sugary-sweet 80’s pop arrangement and the lovely sentiment that “tout est possible avec elle." At its core, what is it that makes a perfect pop song to you?    

Ironically, the things that make a good love song are also the things that make a bad relationship. Explosive emotions, passion, insecurity, codependency. We all go to therapy to outgrow those things, yet we like to experience them in the safe, abstract space of a pop song. Why would someone write an even-keeled love song? Where’s the fun in that?

Similarly, what do you think is the key to writing a good love song – one that is romantic without being too over the top or cheesy (or is there indeed a place sometimes for cheesy love songs)?

Oh, the cheesier the better. When did cheesy become a bad thing, by the way? The cheese is the best part! (Cue in the Seinfeld theme.) Why? Do you want your song to be breadier? Who’s the best guy in a group? It’s the Big Cheese! etc.

COVID-19 has obviously wreaked havoc on our lives, but are there any music or non-music related trends popularized during the pandemic that you hope continue once this is all over?

There was this brief period where it felt like we were all in this together. There was this feeling of community, of compassion. We were banging on pots for essential workers and calling each other up to make sure we were holding on. I wish we could’ve stayed like that a little longer.

As someone who also writes about music for a living and is a DJ, I imagine the current pandemic has given you plenty of time to sink into new releases and old classics. Are there any notable discoveries you’ve had that you’d like to share? Alternatively, has the pandemic led you back to your past favourites instead?

There is so much good music coming out right now, I don’t take the time to go back and listen to old stuff as much as I should. Still, there is one album that I totally overlooked, and I’ve been really into lately. It’s Untrue, by Burial. When it came out, the subtleties of this masterpiece whizzed right over my head. It sounded like a bunch of rain ambiance and muffled drums to me. I watched a short YouTube documentary about the album recently and I realized a lot of the artists I’ve been obsessed with in the past decade are probably inspired by Burial. Anyone from Caribou to The Weeknd, to lo-fi house producers like DJ Boring and Computer Data.

To end on a lighter note, that’s a lot of cats on the cover [taken by Simon Loisir] of Parle-moi de ça! What was the inspiration behind the artwork, and are you a cat person at heart?

Long story short, leaving Montreal also meant leaving a cat behind. I think about him around 20-30 times a day, no exaggeration. What is he doing? Does he still think about me? What would we be doing right now if I had never left? Would he sit on my lap and do that thing where he curls up his paws under his chest like a pretzel? I’m starting to think he was the one true love of my life.

Parle-moi de ça is out on August 7 (Lisbon Lux Records).

Alex Viger-Collins is the host of Ashes to Ashes, your weekly dose of modern pop, every Tuesday at 8:00 PM EST.

The summer heatwaves of June and July have come to stay. While we rejoice in the nice warm weather, we know the frozen tundra is around the corner. As most of us seek the sweet relief of the indoors to cool off in a shady spot or breeze, here are some films and television series to catch up on that have been added to your favourite platforms in the month of June.

Trademark Directors (Netflix) 

I have been catching up with some Spike Lee films before his big Netflix release for June. There are some subgenres that work well for Lee, while other ones like the vampire genre in Da Sweet Blood of Jesus do not work well. So when we come to a war epic or even the subgenre of a Vietnam War Epic,  Da 5 Bloods is similar to Lee’s other films, in the sense that it portrays a fiery commentary regarding the film’s topics. The film is about a squad of African American soldiers known as Da 5 Bloods who fought for the Americans in the Vietnam war, and return to Vietnam to reclaim some buried treasures to find closure. However, they soon discover that sometimes things are best left buried. Da 5 Bloods sits well alongside it’s brotherhood of Vietnam War Epic films, but Lee still manages to give a different point of view: a fiery commentary on race and politics that 2020 so desperately needs. For these reasons, it is one of the year’s best films.

Maybe an unfamiliar director to some, Olivier Assayas (Clouds Of Sils Maria, Personal Shopper) sees his Netflix debut with Wasp Network. Based on a true story about Cuban spies that go to Miami and infiltrate exile groups to stop terrorism against the island of Cuba in the 1990s, the film stars Penélope Cruz and Edgar Ramirez, but most importantly puts director Olivier Assayas on a platform so that those unfamiliar with his works will finally discover his films. This showcases another way that Netflix is looking to diversify its repertoire, something started with films from Charlie Chaplin and Studio Ghibli.

Missing a dose of Eurovision this year? Then be sure to check out the comedy Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga starring Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams. From Director David Dobkin (Wedding Crashers), two small-town singers chase their dreams through a global music competition.

A Great Time to Catch Up on 2019 with Amazon Prime

Amazon Prime continues to roll out some of the best overlooked films of 2019. Knives Out from director Rian Johnson (Looper, Star Wars: The Last Jedi) is a murder mystery with one of the best cast ensembles of any in 2019. The film not only provides a dose of humour within a murder mystery, but also provides an underlying social commentary about 2019 which is where the film sees its pure brilliance. Furthermore, if you’re looking for a film with plenty of emotional depth look no further than A Beautiful Day In the Neighbourhood from director Marielle Heller (Can You Ever Forgive Me?), starring Tom Hanks as beloved television personality Fred Rogers. Finally, for the fans of action films, the underrated Gemini Man from director Ang Lee stars Will Smith finding a clone of his younger self that is trying to assassinate him.

Criterion Channel is Where It’s At 

I don’t say this lightly, but if I had to pick one streaming service over others this one would be the one. I can only describe it as a state of euphoria for the cinephile in me. One of the best films that I caught was a deep dive into the world of John Cassavetes with two of his films Faces and Husbands. Also thanks to Criterion, I got to see Daughters of the Dust from director Julie Dash and an interesting film that is a documentary within a documentary with The Watermelon Women from director Cheryl Dunye. As well there were no excuses at all to catch up with West Side Story, which is leaving the Criterion Channel this July - just in time for Steven Spielberg’s remake due out sometime for the 2020 holidays. As for the future of this streaming service, I can’t wait to share some of July’s selection later this month.

Crave Ventures into Space and Detective Films

Crave + HBO sees some new space movies this month - with some real underrated gems thrown in. Lucy In The Sky stars Natalie Portman as Lucy, an astronaut returning from a space mission that then shows her adjusting to her life on Earth upon her return, a new story style for director Noah Hawley. Furthermore, Brad Pitt jets off to the stars in search of his father (Tommy Lee Jones) that has gone rogue in space in Ad Astra from director James Grey. More than just a space movie, this is one about the relationship between a father and his son which provides another great performance from Pitt in 2019 (this includes his critically acclaimed appearance in Once Upon a Time In Hollywood). Finally, a reboot of the classic noir detective series Perry Mason arrives out as an HBO series starring Matthew Rhys as Perry Mason, alongside supporting cast John Lithgow and Tatiana Maslany.

Out of Theatres and Streaming (Disney Plus and VOD)

Theatres are still seeing uncertain reopenings which means studios are opting for other means of distribution. The ongoing saga between theatres and Universal Studios has made some recent films debut on VOD (video on demand), including Trolls World Tour. Moving forward, Judd Appatow’s latest film The King of Staten Island stars Pete Davidson as a character that is based on Appatow’s own life experiences.. The film co-stars Marisa Tomei, comedian Bill Burr, and Steve Buscemi. Furthermore, Hamilton the musical arrives out for an early release on Disney Plus, but sadly without clear release details for theatres. Rejoice in the fact that it is out for early release, and at least you can now have the opportunity to catch up with this highly-regarded musical about one of America’s founders Alexander Hamilton - starring the creative mind of Lin Manuel Miranda. This can all be done as we wait for the theatrical release of In The Heights from director Jon M. Chu due out in 2021.

Stay tuned for Remi's focus on July streaming recommendations.

Remi is the host of At The Movies which features everything new and noteworthy in the world of cinema. The show goes live every Tuesday at 8:00 AM.

Reporter: Shanellie Marie

Stories: Luca Caruso-Moro

Vigil for young victim of police shooting

People gathered to remember Riley Fairholm on Saturday at the SQ detachment in Dunham, a small town 50 kilometres southeast of Montreal. 

Two years ago, Fairholm was shot by police for having a BB gun, he was just 17 years old. 

Police shot him within 60 seconds of arriving at the scene.... Now, his mother wants change. 

She’s calling for new training in the SQ to deal with people in distress, and for officers to wear body cams. 

COVID-19 lasts longer than we thought

Health officials say about a third of COVID-19 patients have symptoms for weeks. 

That’s in conflict with many previous estimates that the disease usually lasts for a maximum 14 days. 

While prolonged effects of the virus are more common in older people, young people with healthy immune systems have also reported being sick for weeks. 

Kahnawake publisher publishes books for kids in Mohawk

A new publisher in Kahnawake has published three books for kids, and they’re all in Mohawk. 

The books provide translation of classic nursery rhymes in Kanien'keha, released by Front Porch Publishing.

The books were made with the intention of getting kids more comfortable with their traditional language. 

Photo Credit: Louder

It will probably surprise no one that I am a fan of bands with gimmicks. I firmly believe that having a gimmick can bring an overlooked aspect to bands, that being "theatrics". For so long, bands like KISS, Slipknot, and even Babymetal have been utilizing the power of their gimmicks to justify adding non-music elements to shows and giving fans an interesting other aspect to explore.

Such is the case with UK based collective Sleep Token, who you may have noticed topped my "Best of" list for 2019.

I have been extremely interested to see that not many people have been talking about this record, and, for the life of me, I cannot understand why. Of the incredibly sparse reviews I've seen, many have given it a "meh", and I have been left to sit here and tell you nothing since it's well outside the "review period" for the record.

So, imagine my surprise and delight when the band releases a deluxe edition of their 2019 record Sundowning with bonus tracks, and thus give me an ample opportunity to discuss them and tell you why everyone else is wrong for not already knowing this band inside and out.

Now what do you need to know about Sleep Token going in? Well, Sundowning is their third release after two eps titled One and Two respectively, so obvious big points on originality there. They are signed to Spinefarm records. Each one of their songs seem to be represented by a symbol that has a meaning... I suppose. They have an unclear backstory about how their "collective" is made up of members who worship a god which can most closely be associated with the human term of "Sleep". They also wear slightly horrifying masks along with hoods and are fronted by a lead singer known only as Vessel, further adding to the culty vibe.

At this point, I hear what you're saying, "Andrew, this is all basic band stuff. If I had a nickel for every band that is fronted by horrifying mask cultists, why I'd be rich. Why even bring it up?" I'm simply painting a picture about the unconventional nature of the band. For instance, I could also mention how they released their album one song at a time starting at the Summer Solstice in 2019 and releasing a track at sundown Greenwich Mean Time every two weeks leading up to the album release date. This makes for a slightly confusing Spotify entry, but an interesting way to do a release. Now why would they do this? I don't know and since they barely do interviews, no one has really been able to ask them.

But now that I've described the look, let's talk about the music. So what does this cult-like band with weird masks sound like? Surely some doom subgroup, especially with all this talk about "Sleep", right?

Well, you'd be real wrong, cowboy.

Overall, the record does have a vaguely sinister, foreboding feel but a sort of genre blending that is missing from most bands and releases. It's an interesting combo of muted metal guitars overtop of some soaring pop R&B-esque vocals, and a nice array of soothing piano parts with all kinds of other genres thrown in between.

For example, the album never fully goes into a super heavy territory. But, does tip its toes into the pool at times, such as interspersed through the "The Offering" or the kick off of "Gods" that almost gets downright djenty. Some songs are lighter, more mellow affairs, such as "Levitate" or "Drag Me Under". It even jumps into some trip hop parts with tracks like "Dark Signs" or "Give".

I did mention some new tracks on the deluxe edition, so what are those about? Well, honestly they're really just some add ons to this. All recorded, as they state "from the room below", they are all piano and vocal tracks, one being "Blood Sport" from the record, one original song, "Shelter", and two covers, one of Billie Ellish's "When the Party's Over" and oddly a Tina Turner classic "I Want to Dance With Somebody."

While these are interesting additions to this version of the record, they're obviously different production and stripped down nature make them feel like an additional EP. These songs feel as though they have been tacked on to the record, rather than a more natural set of songs that compliment what's already there. Still, they do give an interesting idea of how these songs may have originally been written and highlight the piano ability of Vessel, so it's not like they're totally out of place.

So, if you're looking for a good mix of genres coming together to make a wholly interesting mix of tracks, you can't really go wrong with Sundowning. It definitely adds a much needed breath of fresh air to metal, and if nothing else that’s worth your listen.

Andrew Wieler, aka Andrew Wixq, is CJLOs Metal Music Director and hosts Grade A Explosives every Sunday at 4pm.