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PONY UP! CD Launch @ Le Local
By Katie The K. - Katie the K - 02/05/2005
The Indie Show sometimes feels like a trip outside the classroom into the library. While it may be enjoyable because it is an opportunity to zone out, the library, like the Indie Show, isn't exactly recess and therefore falls short of providing a truly rewarding time. Despite efforts to be zany and irreverent, (with lifesize Lindsay Lohan cutouts in the audience), most indie performances make me feel more like I am participating in the token youth subculture event than actually having fun.
As CJLO's RPM director, I like to dance, which is not something that you usually get at the Indie Show. More form than content, indie shows require a level of patience: waiting to be entertained, but not expecting much, for things rarely take off at these concerts. Pony Up!'s CD launch on Saturday night at Le Local was an exception. The venue was packed with everyone from my hairdresser Yannick to Ben Lee. None of the acts (Beaver, the Smittens or Donkey Heart) were taking themselves too seriously and that led to a lovely atmosphere. People wanted to laugh and that they did. Sure, there were no cramps from jumping up and down, no sore calves the next day, but that is not what Pony Up! is about. I found myself smiling at these young women, thinking "girls are good".
You may recognize the keyboardist and lead singer, Laura Wills, from her Monday Slowdance nights at Blizzarts. Those evenings are characterized by a high school gym rêverie that can soften even the sulkiest ado. Pony Up!, with their buoyant giggles and diffident chord structure, seem to be somewhat of an extension of this.
There are those who claim that Pony Up!'s success is based on the gimmick of them being an all-girl band, that they have no stage presence and that they need to practice more, but these are all lies. Writing songs where the chorus is "you were onstage crying/you got me wet" is talent and whoever says otherwise can bugger off. The girls were all humble smiles, with cute hairstyles and little boys' blazers. They played like they knew what they were doing and seemed to be enjoying themselves.
The acts preceding Pony Up! were increasingly better. Beaver, the poet/MC's voice shimmered like a New Foundland iceburg. The Smittens, a "synth-driven quartet who believed too much in the fifties-saturated pop aesthetic" (according to my friend, Peter), played like a more upbeat version of Belle and Sebastian and succeeded in shaking the crowd. Donkey Heart, in particular, were amiable, with songs that chant, "you can't play tuba when you've got braces" and something about a "Jewish Girl". Half of Donkey Heart were playing plastic yellow instrument toys and their Genexxa keyboardist, with her short hair, keyboard scarf, thick glasses and T-shirt that read "War is Bogus", was such a VICE DO it hurt.
The night was not only celebrating Pony Up!'s CD, but also perhaps their new fame in Spin. Does Pony Up! have that "Montreal sound" that Spin has tried to quantify? It's hard to say. Because each of their songs experiments with different styles, perhaps they have not yet found their own sound. Whatever their jingle, Pony Up! know how to work it. My days as a skeptical wet blanket against indie are over. There will be no more efforts to inject the indie audience with an energy they seem to lack. I have seen the Pony Up! light and it is as enchanting as a lice check on a grey day.
[Katie the K. hosts her electronic show Fridays from 2-4 p.m. She is looking forward to her upcoming interview with DJ Hell in the weeks to come.]
BETTIE SERVEERT + Telefauna @ Main Hall
By Alex - Losing My Edge - 02/09/2005
What can you expect from a band whose 15 years of existence can be graphed into one giant downward slope? After releasing their near-perfect (too perfect?) debut album Palomine on Matador in 1992, Bettie Serveert moved away from their blend of Pretenders and third album Velvet Underground (in fact, they released a live album entirely composed of VU covers) and went on to carve themselves a nice spot in the 90's canon of forgettable but pleasant Intelligent Soft Rock (ISR? Ha!) alongside the Cardigans, Nathalie Merchant and the Sundays. However, after spending the rest of the decade comfortably releasing two-and-a-half-stars albums, they rang in the new millenium releasing a couple of albums brimming of confidence and maturity, having finally escaped the long shadow cast by Palomine. Making their return to Montreal after seven years to promote their new album Attagirl, surely they had to realize that the spotlight had moved past them a long time ago and questions abound on what can Bettie Serveert offer in 2005.
Telefauna kicked off the night with their brand of electro-pop and while owing a lot to the 80's sound of Depeche Mode, to their credit they did manage to be a bit more subversive and create interesting song structures. However, they sometimes got lost trying to write something more interesting and losing sight of the simple pure pleasure of pop music. More often than not, their peak moments were too short-lived before being lost and forgotten in the aimless mess that followed them. The mess itself wasn’t quite interesting enough to hold the attention and all goodwill built by those nice little pop instances dissipated into indifference. I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt, as the sound seemed to be customized for the headliners and having seen them at the 100 Sided Die a few weeks back, they were able then to harness the crowd’s energy better into a bonafide dance party and taking our focus off the songwriting.
Bettie Serveert took the stage and kicked off with the first cut off the newly released Attagirl, “Dreamaniacs”. Right away, there was no denying the commanding presence of Vancouver-born Carol van Dijk. Her vocals were strong and confident, yet without overpowering her capable band of pros. Indeed, this is a tight balancing act that not many bands can do, much less in a live setting. As hinted in Telefauna’s opening set, the sound was geared towards Bettie Serveert and it was impressive how each instrument was pitch-perfect. The first part of the show consisted of the slower material off the new album (“1-Off Deal”, “Versace”), yet infused enough energy to never create a sense of lull. In fact, while the songwriting is at best B-level, the band has mastered the art of building up to a chorus, all done with excellent musicianship. This was confirmed with Attagirl’s more rocking tracks (“Hands Off”, “Don’t Touch That Dial”) and while the small but vocal crowd wasn’t quite in power pop heaven, it was close (story of their career?).
Following the title tracks of their past two albums (Attagirl and Log 22), Bettie Serveert started to jam more and showcasing the tightness of the band. Again, the songs weren’t always there (the ill-fated blues rock number “Greyhound Song”), but the sound and musicianship made up for it, re-inforced with van Dijk’s excellent performance. A few old songs were thrown in (“John Darmy”, “Kid’s Allright”), as well as a cover of Bright Eyes’ “Lover I Don’t Have To Love” before another jam closed out the set. They came back for the encore to treat us to their finest moment “Tom Boy” (that was 1992, folks) which dissolved into a cover of Liz Phair’s “Divorce Song” and more tight jamming.
One wonders whether they could’ve competed with Rilo Kiley had they not being born too soon for the WB mainstream crossover. Of course, being an excellent live band is not so important for the O.C. set (not when they pre-record stuff for The Bait Shop), so the point is moot. What remains is a band that is able to overcome their recorded weaknesses onstage and the appreciative crowd rewarded them with the biggest ovation you’ve ever heard from 40 people. Perhaps that graph might have a little upward trajectory at the end after all.
[Tune in to Losing My Edge Sundays 12pm-2pm and Tuesdays 8pm-10pm]
SLIPKNOT + Killswitch Engage + Unearth @ Stade Uniprix
By Jo Satana - Umlauts and Powerchords - 01/08/2005
So on Saturday night, the 8th of January 2005, Slipknot was courteous enough to pay our meager city (Montreal) a visit. And guess what? They even brought along their friends: Unearth and Killswitch Engage! Seeing that this was an opportunity not to be missed, the boys at Umlauts and Powercordz grabbed their stuff and headed East to the show (actually, both Dangerous “I Don’t Need To Do A Show To Get Credit For It” Dave and Analytical “We’ll Patch It Up In Post Prod” Alex were not able to make it, so it was just me). Now I don’t normally mind going to shows by myself, but this little shindig happened to be at Stade Uniprix: a hangar-style venue that is located in just about the worst part of town. So after trekking across the city in both a snow and ice storm, I had the distinct pleasure of fighting for my life just to find parking in the industrial sector of the East End of Montreal. Ok, so transportation and social issues aside, I was surprised by the number of people who turned out to this thing. I remembered from a previous experience that Slipknot can attract quite a crowd, but mind you this was 4 years ago and the band hadn’t played Montreal since their self-titled “debut”. It is quite obvious that their popularity hasn’t diminished during their absence.
The show kicked off with Unearth hitting the stage. This was the first time I ever heard this band live and I was anxious to see these guys especially because of the buzz that seems to revolve around them in certain circles (Revolve? Circles? It’s imagery, people!). Unearth has been credited as being one of those bands that helped to revive the current hardcore scene. Not caring much for “scenes”, I was more impressed with the way in which they conducted themselves onstage than with their given “title”. From an “auditory” perspective, they sounded great for a hardcore band (you have to excuse me, being old-fashioned and all, I’m not really used to seeing hardcore on the “big stage”). They hammered their way through their 30-minute set like a well-oiled and rehearsed machine and while I was not completely enthralled with their tunes, I can definitely see why the kids love’em.
The second group to take the stage was the buzz worthy Killswitch Engage (say it in one breath, it rhymes!). I could not believe that these were the same Roadrunner guys from many years past. It was like comparing a caterpillar to a butterfly without taking into consideration the cocoon phase; I just could not put the two together. This was my first time seeing the group with its new singer and I was totally impressed. Their set list was solid (minus their lackluster single off of the Resident Evil: Apocalypse soundtrack. Man I hate that song) and they definitely had the audience’s complete attention. Naturally, their show basically consisted of their newer stuff, and I do not necessarily think this to be a bad thing since their current chemistry really seems to be working out for them. My only bone to pick with these guys is the obvious lust for attention that guitarist (and previous drummer) Adam Dutkiewitz seems to be cursed with. On several occasions he went out of his way to overshadow his band mates, and while at times it could have seemed comical, I personally thought that it supported my general impression of a band trying to keep their cool towards the group’s “wild card”. I must mention that ‘Engage is definitely blessed with dedicated fans, as flocks of kiddies actually left the venue as soon as their favorite band left the stage. Now, I’ve been guilty of paying full price for a ticket when I was just interested in the opening band, but I at least stayed to see the whole show! I can never understand people who are willing to pay 40$ for a 30-minute show. So in that respect, Killswitch should really consider itself lucky.
At first, I couldn’t really see the connection between Slipknot and the two bands that they were on tour with. It seemed that they were preaching to two different crowds. However, any doubt that I may have had was quickly erased as soon as Slipknot hit the stage. The sheer energy that these guys are capable of harvesting is reminiscent of old Slayer tapes I’ve seen. The show opened up with the intro to their third major label installment entitled Vol3: The Subliminal Verses. Right there and then, I knew there was going to be a problem. You see, the three last Slipknot albums reflected three distinct stages of the band and each album definitely stands on its own with little common ground. What’s the problem you ask? Simple, its lack of continuity. The show felt like a giant jigsaw puzzle which really hurt the flow of the show, for me anyway. The funky jungle of sound from the first album was met with the brutality of Iowa, which was then superimposed on top of the delicately arranged and extremely fragile Subliminal Verses. If this seems a bit confusing, I feel your pain… because that’s exactly how it sounded like.
Their stage show is exactly what it was 4 years ago: an onstage assault that featured the same old antics. Both percussionists are still relatively useless musically speaking (actually, they were given singing parts this time around) but their continued presence is appreciated because I find them both pretty entertaining. There were a couple of technical problems that took away from the overall experience: halfway through their second song (”SIC”, I believe), the clowns’ drum platform collapsed as both the clown boy and the DJ were trying to knock each other off. This sent them both flying to the floor and what followed was a humorous scrambling of the drum techs to the stage. Following this, the bassist seemed to have some problem of some sort as he disappeared for at least 30 minutes during the show (not that we were able to hear the difference).
Discontinuity and technical problems aside, these guys still managed to put on a really cool show which pretty much enforces the staying power that this band has. What would normally be unforgivable for another band, these guys get away with without a problem and the reason is simple: they work so damn hard! There is not one dull moment with these guys onstage. The fact that they put so much effort into their show just makes you forget about their overall sloppiness. Being someone who loved their new album, it was interesting to see the subtleties of the new songs translated into a live show. Since Subliminal Verses is a studio-heavy release (which does not always translate to a good live experience), I was convinced I was going to hear my favorite songs butchered onstage. Then I figured it all out: the sampling guy! Anyone who knows Slipknot knows that there is a little, previously thought useless, member of the band who wears a spiked mask, who sits at the back of the stage and who doesn’t really do anything except for play previously recorded stuff at opportunistic cue moments. Well, he actually came in handy this time around because the three tracks that they played from the new album came out beautifully and were totally the highlights of the evening (I’d go into set list details, but I’d rather keep people guessing).
Slipknot has shown that it no longer needs to demand respect from its critics or its peers as they have proven that internal conflicts aside, they are not going anywhere anytime soon. There is an accepted convention in the world of loud music: when scantily clad sex kittens outnumber angry self-conscious Goth girls, you’re mainstream baby! The strangest part of this evening was accepting this fact.
Jo “Where Are My Sex Kittens” Satana hosts Umlauts And Powerchordz Sundays from 8pm – 10pm.
THE GOSSIP + The Starlite Desperation @ Main Hall
By Jordan-na - Canadian Invasion - 12/03/2004
An Evening With an Indie Music Critic
9:17pm: The show was advertised for 9pm, so like any seasoned critic, I show up late. The lady at the door informs me it will start between 9:30 and 10pm.
9:38pm:.I re-arrive, a dollar poorer courtesy of a Caramilk bar bought from a Pakistani who showed me his photos of that famous British wax museum. I climb the stairs to enter the small, square room that is the Main Hall. It’s pretty non-descript: high purple ceilings with a blue polka dots painted above the bar. A couple of mismatched tables and chairs are lined-up on either side. A lonely red bulb glows above the bar. Two speakers flank the stage and a wide projector screen hangs behind.
9:50pm: A couple of bodies trickle in from the cold Montreal night. Frozen noses, pink cheeks. The smell of cigarettes and lack of anything happening starts to get to me. Suddenly, home in my pajamas watching late night CBC seems cooler than this. The real frustrating thing is that I look particularly good tonight but there is no one to impress. Ah, the solo life of a concert reviewer. Guest lists should always be “plus one.”
10:02pm: I look around the room, bored and desperate for someone, anyone to start the show. I hope perhaps someone will recognize me as a dissatisfied music critic and get something going in order to prevent a bad review as a result of my foul mood.
10:14pm: I’m still waaaaaaaaaiting. . . Shows are NOT FUN when you’re cranky, alone and have to catch the last metro home. I watch two women kill the date going on in front of me by sitting at the couple’s table and imposing themselves on the conversation. That couple had already been waiting here longer than I had, so it was a double-kill for that date. Ouch. I wonder if the guy was Elimidated at the end of the evening. He downs the rest of his beer.
10:25pm: I amuse myself by staring at the blinking green light on my cell phone. There are instruments on the stage, evidence that a band has been here and will hopefully reappear. The tune of “Mission: Impossible” comes out of the crappy speakers. How appropriate. It seems impossible that this show will ever start. I’m beginning to hope it won’t, just because I’ll resent the band for making me wait, no matter how fucking good they are.
10:31pm: The place is filling up. What are they waiting for? The second coming of Jesus? I consider driving to Pointe-Claire and bringing Sam Roberts here. Perhaps he could be my saviour.
10:44pm: Start playing with my gum while it’s still in my mouth. Very sad. The couple in front of me have run out of conversation. Ooh, wait. . .are those band members I see on stage? Nah, must be a mirage. Fuck, my mirage let’s out a pretty damn loud guitar riff.
The Starlite Desperation kicked it off hardcore as if they’ve already been playing for a half-hour. They are a standard four-guy grungy rock band complete with dirty T-shirts, shaggy hair and loud guitars. Their philosophy probably goes something like: “The louder we are, the better we’ll sound. Right?” The lead singer’s brown bangs brush his eyes as he screams and I half-expect him to dig into a rendition of “Getouttathaway!” He refers to the crowd as “Montreal,” as if this small room of people standing with their arms crossed represents the whole island. The count in here is fifty, tops.
Okay, so the opening band is pretty decent, playing that punk-ish screaming rock that appeals to me. I’d probably like them more if I was in a better mood. Unfortunately they present nothing special or outstanding. Their music is mildly satisfying at times and the lead singer has appeal. He contorts his face and poses, stretching his long limbs for the crowd as he sings his indie heart out, falling to his knees in rock ‘n ecstasy. But by the last two songs, I got over my crush. The magic is gone, I figured them out. Oh well. It was nice while it lasted. They are done by 11:24pm.
11:42pm: “Well am I / still waiting/ for this world to stop hating. . .”
11:50pm: The Gossip finally takes the stage. “Happy to be back since Gay Pride” announces lead singer Beth Ditto and kicks into her vocals. Her voice is sweet but strong and she throws out lyrics with the bouncy rhythms that pop and hop together in a catchy beat. She enjoys interacting with the crowd, chatting candidly about nylons and hating cold weather.
Their music is bubblegum meets bar brawl. They deliver a tight, finely tuned sound with stripped-down drumbeats reminiscent of “Seven Nation Army” mixed with funky dance beats. No one sat or stood still. I wish I didn’t have to leave, but the last bus was coming. I drop my gum in the ashtray and walk out into the cold Montreal night. 12:03pm.
Time spent watching headlining band: 13 minutes. Time wasted: 3 hours.
[Tune in to Canadian Invasion every Friday 4pm – 6pm]
IMMORTAL - Sons of Northern Darkness
By Alex Robot - No Sleep Til Bedtime
For the record, CJLO’s Korgull the Destroyer (from Metal for Supper, Thursdays 2-4pm) bought this album when it first came out. I mercilessly made fun of both him AND the three corpse-painted clowns on the cover, brandishing medieval weapons and spiky armor. I knew these guys had a killer rep, but I assumed it was similar to the praise lavished on the over-rated Burzums of the Black Metal world, guys who are more renowned for their gimmicks and criminal records than their music.
But damn, I gotta eat my words. After being blown away by the Grimfist album last year, I finally caved to Korgull and checked this album out. And now I’m ready for my membership in the ‘Bring Back Immortal’ fan club. Sons of Northern Darkness manages to put a somber Black Metal spin on the polyrhythmic crunchiness of Morbid Angel, and build songs that are both epic AND furious. The guitar playing is technical, but there are tons of breaks where you’d expect an over-the-top solo and instead get a battering nod to the simpler days of Thrash… which perhaps is what lures me in as a Grimfist fan.
But the real brilliance of the whole thing is that despite the straight-ahead old-school parts and the technical edge of both the guitar and the drums, there is an all-pervading atmosphere of DESPAIR in the riffs, even in the most brutal moments. On ‘In My Kingdom Cold’, Abbath (guitar and axe wielder… how non-ironically fitting) weaves a brilliant melancholy guitar line amidst all the smashy-smashy blasting of the drums and the thankfully NOT “true black metal” bass presence. The production on the album only adds to this, as the punchy sound on the bass lets the rhythms really duke it out with the leads, delivering some really hair-raising and unforgettable grooves. On ‘Tyrants’ and the short ambient intro to ‘Antarctica’, Immortal really goes all out into the territory of truly desolate riffs, crafting an atmosphere that is both soaring AND depressive with just a handful of trebly chords and some mid-paced crunch.
I could probably go on and on, but I guess I’ll get to the point: If you can ignore the gimmicks and the clunky Scand-glish (I hereby claim that term as being coined by me, and I defy you to do anything about it!) of the lyrics, you’re not going to find much flaw with Sons of Northern Darkness. Of all the bands I’ve heard from the “glorious” (and oh-so bloody) olden days of Norwegian Black Metal, this band and Enslaved are the only ones to live up to the hype. Emperor did its best, and Gorgoroth is pretty ferocious, but Immortal are the real deal when it comes to snowy wastelands and powerhouse metal.
K-OS + Peter Elkas @ Spectrum
By Ashley Wong - Dump the Body in Rikki Lake - 01/08/2005
Peter Elkas’ (ex-Local Rabbits) solo project seemed like a strange match initially when seen opening up for mainstream hip-hop act K-OS. Local man Elkas, now re-located to Toronto, made a nice rock complement to hip-hop artist K-OS. For old Local Rabbits fans, his music has matured. His music now appeals to a much older crowd, incorporating a little bit of blues/soul with some rock and roll. The crowd seemed bored and a little distracted. His full-piece band played well with a relatively short set, setting up the stage for pop star K-OS.
Strangely enough, the moment Peter Elkas’ set ended, the Spectrum suddenly became uncomfortably taken over by loud and rowdy hip-hop/reggae fans. The air in the room became thick with the semblance and atmosphere of a club on St-Laurent. The place seared with McGill jocks, which was more than I could take. The music was pumped up, busting out all the club hits and radio anthems including an old favorite by the Fugees. People were standing on chairs, and the girls were all glammed up, gearing up to shake their booty to the much-anticipated K-OS. I was beginning to understand the appeal of hip-hop dance parties, but the people and atmosphere were just gross.
To me, part of the appeal of K-OS is the production he puts into his music. He incorporates so many different elements into his music so that it is not just straight up hip-hop, which is why Peter Elkas fitted well. K-OS blends hip-hop with jazz and rock instrumentals, even including primary use of the Spanish guitar on his latest album Joyful Rebellion (2004). He manages to do something different yet still remain in the realm of pop. His music is happy, catchy, intelligent and fun. Rather than singing about all the bitches and hoes, ‘bling’ and the Benjamins (which is more like a cock-party than anything else), K-OS sings about music, culture, love, values and life. The audience didn't seem to recognize the difference.
One thing about K-OS is that he has an understanding of communities outside of the ones he mainly draws from. K-OS, born Kheaven Brereto, grew up just outside of Toronto in Ajax, Ontario. In an interview featured on Artist Direct, he explains:
“I grew up in the suburbs around people like Sam [Roberts] and vibes like that. So a little secret to my success in Canada is that I’ve been able to assimilate into the independent rock scene and still remain a hip-hop kid. Because I know those people, I know what they’re about and I know how to vibe with them. And I think that could be a problem for some other artists is that they didn’t really grow up listening to U2 or Siouxsie & the Banshees or The Clash. They see that as rock music and there’s this taboo in hip-hop, that you just don’t do rock. “
In the article he discusses the difference between American and Canadian attitudes in hip-hop, the industry, stardom and music in general. Similarly to the way he could relate to Sam, he could relate to Peter Elkas. His openness to others broadens his audience, appealing to a range of people.
After the DJ got the audience all roiled up, K-OS hits the stage starting off the show with his hit “B-boy Stance”. From the beginning the show had a vibe of a more typical hip-hop show, which did not seem apparent from the openers. K-OS pulled out all the tricks including inviting Peter Elkas to come on stage to sing "Dirty Waters" (which he also sang on the album), stage diving, and some long drawn-out psych rock mash-ups of the Police and Bob Marley tunes. It was an upbeat beginning, but the show began to draw out as the band led into long drawn-out jams. K-OS ended the show with a recognizable favorite (and my personal favorite on the album) “Crucial”, but the band seemed tired from playing for so long, and the song didn’t seem to have the same punch. By this time it was nearing 1am and K-OS had been playing for a significant time. I did not bother sticking around for the encore. K-OS put on a great show, despite the length, and hopes to capture the same respected attention in America as he has in Canada.
-aw
Ashley Wong hosts Dump The Body In Ricki Lake Thursdays from noon – 2pm. You can check out more awesome pictures she took of the show here.
PIG DESTROYER - Terrifyer
By David Caporicci-Urovitch - No Sleep Til Bedtime - 10/12/2004
One of the most destructive albums of the year, Pig Destroyer have crafted an insidious piece of art which can easily disturb even the most seasoned veteran of the grindcore genre. Much like their previous acclaimed effort, Prowler in the Yard, Terrifyer blazes through track after track of tortured yelling vocals, accompanied by a wall of sound created by only drums and guitar. Their trademark sound of intense grooves interrupted by scathing guitar attacks remains intact, although this time the tracks seem to be all the more memorable, even though the majority of tracks do not exceed the two minute mark. Songs like “thumbsucker” and “sourheart” provide grinding riffs with no parallel in the genre, while “towering flesh” (the only track longer than three minutes) creates a psycho-erotic scene which stands out among an already exceptional album.
The booklet contains some thought provoking prose, which, like the album, is dark and foreboding. But the real treasure contained in this package is the bonus audio DVD which is an album in and of itself. The DVD contains a single 37 minute concept track entitled “NATASHA” which recants a story of ill-fated love in the form of a horrific doom infused song. This is a bit of a departure for Pig Destroyer, but they pull it off admirably, enacting a spine-chilling narrative, which at times may border on cliche, but musically establish them as true genre benders. This package is the real deal, and not for those unaccustomed with this dark world. However, still proves to be one of best metal releases of 2004.
FROM A SECOND STORY WINDOW - Not One Word Has Been Omitted
By David Caporicci-Urovitch - No Sleep Til Bedtime - 03/01/2004
Metal this year has spawned so many metal/tech/math/hard-core bands that the genre is overrun. It seems that everyone and their grandmother has their own take on this abstract sub-genre, mixing more of one element and less of another until it seems original. While some albums released produce what pioneers of the style have already accomplished, there are still some interesting variations; enter From a Second Story Window with their debut EP, Not One Word Has Been Omitted. Clocking in above 30 minutes, (longer than some full lengths I’ve heard this year) these five tracks present something that caught me totally off guard. They maintain a guiding melody while still playing heavy abrasive riffs mixed with dissonant chords and movements in odd time signatures. The vocals are a mix of a death metal yell and a superb lower dry shout. Technically, FASSW are superb musicians, but do not dwell on this, and let even stronger song writing guide the music between movements. Something also very noticeable is the eerie effect created by the band when they quickly mix upbeat major chords with sombre minor chords, frequently in the same bar. Some tracks like “I Tried Voodoo Once” use light breaks from the brutality to give the listener breathing room, which is effective, although sometimes these ideas do not seem well explored enough, jumping around too quickly without letting the movement truly develop. While FASSW will not astound the average listener of the genre, this EP shows much promise for future development, making them a band to keep watching.
K-OS + Peter Elkas @ Club Soda
By Darcy Macdonald - Ear Exam - 10/29/04
K-os + Peter Elkas
October 29th 2004 Club Soda
I gotta say I'm a bit jealous of people who have seen K-os perform with The Roots, or Blackalicious, or De La Soul, or any of the other crews on the impressive list of hip-hop talents K has shared a stage with. I've seen him perform as an opening act twice before, and though both times were tight, his job was to warm up the crowds. Perched on a stool, accompanied only by Russel Klyne's acoustic guitar work and Santosh Naidu's insane tabla control, he got 100 Spearhead fans dancing barefoot and 2000 Ben Harper peeps kickin it in their Birkenstocks.
What can I say? The man writes the songs the people feel. On his new record, Joyful Rebellion, almost every track stands as a perfect example of the genre that inspired it - not in a cheesy, ripped-off or creatively jacked-off style, but as a tasteful hommage to the architects of modern music. And every time, he manages to keep it hip-hop.
So it was cool to finally see K-os headlining his own sold-out show. The Spearheaders and Ben Harperses shared ranks with the hip-hoppers, if only for an evening, and everybody did the Charleston...something like that...love was in the room, anyhow.
After a set I pretty much missed by ex-Local Rabbit Peter Elkas (the crowd concensus seemed to be that he was good-looking), this weird alien voice came on the PA and people started to get excited. Since we were at the back of the club looking tough and generally thuggin', my homies and I didn't really pay no mind, and all of the sudden we're hearing the opening verse of "B-Boy Stance". Lo and behold, K-os was before us, sans stool, jumping around the stage in a hoodie, as a 5-piece band dropped the beat. Shedding our coolness, we rushed the floor and started doing our little two-steps.
K and The Gang went straight into "Freeze" immediately after and the breakers came outta the woodwork, forming a circle in front of the sound booth. Turned out they were stretching, 'cause later in the show they all turned up on stage for a demo. This one dude was on some bonkers drunken-style-ish, it was nice.
Many hits, very few misses - but maybe a few missed hits. Where was "Call Me"? Seems to me a live band woulda been the perfect excuse to bust out the Radiohead-flavad "Superstarr Pt.2", no? However, we were privy to rendition of the jazzed-out "Superstar Part Zero", as well as an extended reggae megamix of "Heaven Only Knows" that segued into a reggae knowledge quiz for the crowd (K said we passed but I ain't so sure. Turns out people know "Get Up, Stand Up" but they're not sure about "War"). Most of the new record was played, and it's pretty difficult to pick a highlight - the entire crowd sang along to "Emcee Murdah"; ladies clapped their hands and shouted out the chorus to "Hit The Road Jack". That was a highlight for sure, come to think of it - K sitting at a little keyboard, plunking out the notes and tossing his head over his shoulder every now and then with a smile, shades and hoodie in full effect, shinin' like Ray Charles' great-grandson or some shit, girls singing...an' they flip the beat and belt out the hit single "Crabbuckit" to a crazy roar.
K-os took several moments to speak to the crowd, asked us to give it up for his uncle and his younger brother, who were in the house, told some stories, and genuinely entertained. The two-hour set only got underway at midnight, so things went late but the crowd stayed live. "Papercutz", "The Love Song" and "Man I Used To Be" all went over large. I gotta ask though - what the fuck was up with the people in the front of the balcony on the left-hand side (like, my left)? I guess too much chronic smoke was drifting up there, 'cause y'all were asleep. There were also several "spotlight" showcases that gave every band member and opportunity to flex. The only thing that coulda made it cooler was if they had actually put a proper spotlight on the performers, but they all ripped it, notably the DJ, whose name I wish I could remember...
The encores were good but I sorta forget what was what now...in hindsight I guess I maybe helped put the balcony to sleep, haha... but yo, K-os came strapped with an electric guitar for one of the last joints... and his hood and shades finally came off too, for about 30 seconds, too, though I never found out if the crowd found him as handsome as Peter Elkas.
Before leaving, the band reprised the tripped-out ending of "B-Boy Stance". Without actually saying it out loud, K tossed a hot "fuck you" at the elitist attitude of hip-hop conformists (who probably weren't there) by making everyone in the crowd – man, woman and child - proclaim in unison that we, too, are just b-boys, and that it brings us joy.
Tune in to Ear Exam (Saturdays from 2-4pm) to hear how the kids are talking these days. Foul, downright vile.
SUM 41 + No Warning @ Metropolis
By Jordan-na - Canadian Invasion - 01/14/2005
The first stop of Sum 41’s “Go Chuck Yourself” Canadian tour was a sold-out show at Montreal’s Metropolis. They were out to promote their latest release Chuck, featuring what they describe as a metal-influenced sound with a more mature outlook. Chuck was named after a UN representative that got the band out of a life-threatening situation during a War Child sponsored visit to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The lead single, “We’re All to Blame,” suggests that the band has grown up over the course of their last four albums and now cares about social issues and the current state of our world, yet their show suggests otherwise.
No Warning, a hardcore outfit from Toronto, opened up for Sum 41.“Montreal get yer fuckin’ fists in the air!” They played in front of a yellow curtain and flat lighting, reminding you that this is only opening act, make no doubt. But they are more hard rock than Sum 41 could ever hope to be. Parts metal, parts hard rock with a slight tinge of punk, lead singer Ben Cook delivered his vocals in an angry screamo style accompanied by heavy guitar riffs and loud banging drums. Cook’s favourite word seemed to be “fuck” and variations in case you didn’t get that they are hardcore: “Thank you very fucking much” “Shake your fuckin’ tits if you’re ready for Sum 41.” It was as if they were embarrassed about opening for a mainstream band and overcompensated by acting as what they thought were bad-ass hard rockers. The music was typical pissed-off hardcore stuff. Nothing really stood out as one song sounded like the next. Perhaps they should have proved themselves by working harder on their music rather than their image.
Sum 41 obliterated any lingering thoughts of No Warning with a high-tech multimedia spectacle. Their show started off with a short film of the band members playing a basketball game that ended in a comical bloody murder, complete with body parts puréed in a blender and fried in a pan.
The Sums took the stage which was set up like an elaborate playground for the band. The speakers were set up so the guys could jump off of them. Drummer Stevo’s kit was on a raised platform with ramps on either side. He sported a blood splattered apron from the video skit. The backdrop was the Sum 41 logo surrounded by TV sets playing random clips and images. It was perfect for ADD types, with televisions to distract you, flashing lights, the band running up, down and around the stage. . . and oh yeah, there was the music.
Sum 41 opened up with “The Hell Song”, written for a friend who contracted a fatal disease, perhaps to remind us of how the band has matured and showing off their serious side. All their hits were played and the band did a decent job of recreating their repertoire live. The set list was wisely chosen to please both old and new fans, taking songs from all the albums. The crowd was more into the new Sum 41 material, singing along to new songs like “Pieces” and “Still Waiting.” There wasn’t the reaction I expected for their first big single “It Makes No Difference.” This crowd was more into the “new” Sum 41.
Singer Deryck was the center of attention. The other band members wore black and white but Deryck cavorted around the stage in a red t-shirt, doing Elvis and George W. Bush impersonations. The highlight came when at the end of “It Makes No Difference.” Deryck left the stage and reappeared near the soundboard in the back of the mosh pit. A keyboard was brought out and he played the mellowest song of their career, a ballad titled “Pieces.”
The concert was harmless fun for 15 year olds. But the show left me a bit cold with its contradictory message. Sum 41 is now trying to project an image of a band that is going back to the punk roots of social rebellion by caring about issues that affect our world. Yet they present certain contradictions in their image by having their tour heavily sponsored by Rogers mobile. A big Rogers ad was projected above the stage before the show, imploring the audience to text and win! It just reminded us of how commercial Sum 41 is. You can’t be pissed off about society and want to change the world while having your tour sponsored by a major cell phone company. It just doesn’t add up.
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