The Zolas are going to take your iPod by storm. Or perhaps they already have?
The Vancouver-based indie-pop duo Zachary Gray and Tom Dobrzanski released their debut album Tic Toc Tic recently and it’s a killer. Filled with infectious pop hooks, refreshing rock melodies and a whole lotta style, Tic Toc Tic puts The Zolas right up there with some of Vancouver’s top talent such as Said The Whale, Hey Ocean! and Hannah Georgas, amongst others.
I had the chance to talk to The Zolas on Friday, December 18 before their show at the Vogue Theatre with Hey Ocean! and Current Swell. Our conversation included Tom “showing” listeners his super cool piano scarf, a debate over whether Zach’s den was actually a living room, and Tom getting in trouble for not putting his girlfriend on the guest list.
Listen to the interview below.
And here are a few great Zolas songs: “You’re Too Cool,” “The Great Collapse” and “Marlaina Kamikaze.”
Last night I had the pleasure of witnessing one heck of a sweaty, slamming show, compliments of Victoria’s The Racoons at the Fortune Sound Club.
I saw The Racoons perform this past summer at the Victoria Fringe Festival Block Party, but that was before I really started digging their album Islomania. I’ve become so addicted to them lately that I was beyond pumped to see them again.
The Good News opened the evening with their 60’s-inspired indie pop. If you haven’t heard of The Good News, you should definitely check them out. Think of Winter Gloves minus the electro vibes.
The Racoons, as expected, were phenomenal. They played songs off of Islomania and a few new songs off their upcoming album. They were head banging on stage, hopping about and sweating everywhere. The small room made the band sound a lot louder, harsher and more intense, which was a nice change from their poppy-sounding record. And the fans there must’ve agreed, because they too were jumping and flailing all over the dance floor.
(The photo above was taken by Christine McAvoy, a Twitter acquaintance that so happened to be taking photos of the show. Check out some of her other work HERE).
You Say Party! We Say Die! and their record XXXX top the Indie Files' best-of list for 2009. Photo taken by myself at the CBC Vancouver open house, December 2009.
Well, folks, 2009 is coming to a close. Music magazines and online music sites everywhere are busy publishing their favourite albums of 2009, so it only makes sense that the Indie Files contribute its own year-end list to the blogosphere.
Enjoy!
Oh, and I wanna know: how does this list stack up to your personal list?
10. Jenn Grant, Echoes (Six Shooter)
Although Jenn Grant’s previous album Orchestra For The Moon is probably stronger than Echoes, Echoes is nonetheless a fantastic, dreamy album that explores the misty reality of heartbreak.
Favourite track: “You’ll Go Far”
9. Metric, Fantasies (Last Gang)
It took me a while to really get to know Fantasties, but once I did, the album became a great friend to hang out with.
Favourite track: “Gimme Sympathy”
8. Timber Timbre, Timber Timbre (Arts & Crafts)
Timber Timbre’s eerie, slightly-possessed folk tunes are oddly comforting when it’s dark and grey outside.
Favourite track: “Demon Host”
7. Amy Millan, Masters Of The Burial (Arts & Crafts)
Millan takes her sophomore solo record to the next level, bringing out all the flavours of love in her sweet, succulent songs.
Favourite track: “Into The Dark”
6. Champion, Resistance (MapleMusic)
From the moment I heard DJ Champion’s latest dance-happy record Resistance, I knew I was destined to get sweaty.
Favourite track: “Alive Again”
5. Amelia Curran, Hunter, Hunter (Six Shooter)
Amelia Curran always leaves me smiling at the power of a lone voice, a single guitar and an open heart.
Favourite track: “Hands On A Grain Of Sand”
4. The Racoons, Islomania (Independent)
I was a bit late to catch on to The Racoons’ pop-rock brilliance. Now, they’re one of my absolute favourite west coast gems.
Favourite track: “Tangiers”
3. Tegan & Sara, Sainthood (Vapor)
I can’t count how many times I’ve listened to this record. Ok, wait, yes I can: iTunes tells me it’s in the ballpark of 75 listens.
Favourite track: “The Cure”
2. Great Lake Swimmers, Lost Channels (Nettwerk)
The Great Lake Swimmers are one of my favourite bands of all time. I feel like they’re my children; as such, my duty is to brag about them whenever I can.
Favourite track: “Pulling On A Line”
1. You Say Party! We Say Die!, XXXX (Paper Bag)
Without a doubt, XXXX takes the number one spot this year. YSP! WSD!’s catchy, emotional, and well-produced pop rock is perfect in every way.
Over the past week I’ve been asking Canadian indie artists if they have Christmas songs they’d like to share with the world. I’ve collected some beautiful gems so far. Take a listen below.
You Say Party! We Say Die! played the CBC Vancouver open house yesterday in support of the food bank. The dance-punk band gave an energetic performance with lead singer Becky Ninkovic dishing out stylish, spastic moves. The only disappointment was no one in the crowd wanted to get up and start a dance party on the floor, save for a few fearless followers. Even Ninkovic commented on the lack of grooving: “I think this is the first seated audience we’ve played to,” she said.
Come on people! How can you go to a YSP! WSD! show and not get sweaty?
On Friday, I had the pleasure of meeting Saskatoon’s Jeanette Stewart for lunch at The Edge cafe to talk about what it’s like to be a woman in the music industry. She was in town to play a solo show at Café Deux Soleils.
When she’s not playing music with Slow Down Molasses, her band The Brodeo, or simply hitting the road by herself, Jeanette freelances for the StarPhoenix. She also hosts a show on Saskatoon’s campus radio. Over the summer, she actually interviewed me about my Radio 3 documentary on Women In Music. Jeanette asked me one of the toughest questions ever: she challenged me to name as many female musicians as I could in a minute. It wasn’t easy. So I decided to ask her the same question to see how well she’d do.
Listen to the interview below.
And here’s one of her songs (my favourite). It’s called “Light.”
Today I had the pleasure of co-hosting “Duncan’s Donuts” on CiTR 101.9 FM with Duncan McHugh. Here’s the mp3 of the show if you missed the fun. Oh, and in case you don’t know who the CanCon queen is, it’s me. I earned the title last time I co-hosted with Duncan because I brought so much Canadian music to play! No harm in that, right?
Brian Borcherdt, better known as one-fourth of the Toronto dance/noise band Holy Fuck, has released his latest solo record Torches (& the Ward Colorado demos), which is available to download absolutely free. Free! Want it? Get it HERE.
Torches is a follow-up to his debut solo album, 2008’s Coyotes. It was recorded in Toronto, coastal Yarmouth of Nova Scotia, and in the mountains near Ward, Colorado. The collection includes home demos and unfinished album attempts from 2004-2006.
Here’s what his website has to say about the record:
“During a time when Holy Fuck was gaining amazing amounts of international exposure, it seems natural that Brian would seek solace in his more introspective and composed work. Due to a busy tour schedule these works remained simple and unadorned personal archives. As time went on, Brian admits that these songs were often forgotten, re-remembered, re-examined, and over-scrutinized. But what results is a compelling and personal portrait of a complete dedication to music, story, and expression.
“The first day of 2009 nearly marked the end for Torches. Following a Chicago New Years performance, a taxi cab rushed off with just about every piece of Brian’s recent recorded life locked in the trunk. His lesson learned: You can only hold onto something for so long. Time, and the occasional misstep, have a way of making things disappear. Upon the return of his belongings a tormented two weeks later, Brian decided to follow that sage happening, and finally release this collection of songs. To keep with their intended spirit he decided to release them for free online. Hand Drawn Dracula is pleased to bring you ‘Torches (& the Ward Colorado demos)’, an intimate collection of songs, almost never released, by one of Canada’s most devoted cultural navigators. They are finally out of his hands so that they may find their way into yours.”
The album showcases subtle, Delphic acoustic melodies wrought with a sense of the forlorn and the unknown. Borcherdt is a songwriting God; in an instant you’ll find his soft, simple and sympathetic songs encouraging your heart to set out on a wild, emotional trek.
Jon & Roy, the acoustic folk rock trio based out of Victoria, B.C., have gone from being a west coast secret to an internationally recognized band.
Consisting of Jon Middleton (vocals, guitar), Roy Vizer (drums, percussion) and Ryan Tonelli (bass), the trio have released two albums together to date. Their latest, Another Noon, found Jon and Roy on an Exclaim! sponsored tour across Canada, a nine month ad campaign with Volkswagon, an invite for Jon to sing the national anthem for an NHL game and an overseas tour with Buck 65.
If that’s not enough resume fodder, they’ve also got a few future accomplishments to add to the list. Jon and Roy are currently touring across Canada with The Cat Empire. Come December 13, they’ll be organizing their second instalment of the Jon and Roy Holiday Special show in Victoria, which will feature acts such as Hey Ocean, Dan Mangan and Hannah Georgas.
Roy was nice enough to take a break from all the fun he’s been having to answer a few questions via e-mail. Here’s what he had to say:
1. Since the release of your sophomore album Another Noon, you’ve accomplished a heck of a lot. How is this newfound recognition treating you?
Roy Vizer: Well, I think that we are just happy to continue doing what we love. Getting the recognition is great and deep down I think some sort of recognition keeps you going and moving forward, but at the end of the day, Jon and I just want to keep growing as musicians and continue producing music that interests and excites us, and hopefully some listeners, too.
2. What is it about your music that resonates with such a varied audience? One day you could be playing to a bunch of indie kids, and the next you’ve got an ad campaign with Volkswagon!
Well, Jon and I are pretty non-pretentious, down-to-earth people so maybe that makes it easier to relate to our music than a big rock star persona with a wig, costume and two pounds of makeup. We’re not trying to reinvent anything and we don’t try to create music that’s meant to be commercial. I think that comes through a lot in our music and definitely in Jon’s lyrics. I also think that playing in a variety of genres makes us a bit more accessible to people, but you never really know what it is that people respond to. Pinning it down kind of kills the mystery and makes it too scientific … we make music that we like playing, not for a target audience.
3. Coming from Victoria (which, from my experience, is a very tight-knit city), how did the local arts and music community influence where you’ve ended up today?
I think at the early stages we got hooked in to a group of musicians that supported and encouraged us to keep playing. Both Jon and I have also performed and recorded with a bunch of musicians in the area and I think when creative people flock together it creates an environment where people are more inspired and challenged to create. Victoria definitely has that sort of inclusive, supportive community.
4. Listening to Another Noon, I feel like Victoria and the west coast in general place prominently in your songs. Is this a correct observation, or am I way out in left field? And if Victoria DOES contribute to the majority of your musical fodder, what is it about this city that inspires you so?
A lot of Another Noon was actually born in Vancouver while Jon and I were living in a big dilapidated mansion near the water in Kits. We played a lot of music at the time and we traveled around BC too, but I think Victoria does have a special place for both Jon and I. To me Victoria just strikes a perfect balance between being a real city with a pulse, while at the same time having that direct sightline to the landscape that makes it so surreal and beautiful. I also really like moist air.
5. Now that you’ve been travelling and touring intensively, how has your perspective of Victoria changed? Has it changed at all? Do you long for home, or do you find yourself looking elsewhere for inspiration?
I can definitely say that every time Jon and I get back to Victoria we appreciate it. It really is a hidden gem in Canada, but that being said, I think the band definitely feeds off the energy that we get from exploring this country. Places like Wakefield, Quebec, Kensington market in Toronto and those smoky-sweet, late-night shawarma shops in Ottawa really inspire us too …
6. You’re about to tour with The Cat Empire. How do you feel about that?
We are uber excited to be playing with a great high energy act that we have all been fans of for some time. We are also super excited to be playing in Manitoba and Saskatchewan, places we’ve never played as a band.
7. The Cat Empire employ some pretty dense instrumental layers. Do you think touring with them will convince you to add other instruments to your minimalist songs?
I don’t think that playing with them will have that affect but we are definitely branching out with more instruments and bigger arrangements on this upcoming album on our own.
8. The didgeridoo: a future instrument of Jon and Roy, perhaps?
I won’t rule “the didg” out for the future. We are big fans of Xavier Rudd and the way he plays.
9. You’ve just announced your 2nd Holiday Special, a Victoria show that will feature yourselves and Current Swell, Hey Ocean, Dan Mangan, Sgt. Strumalong and Hannah Georgas, to name a few. Why do you feel events like this are important to the music scene?
To be honest, we just really like these artists and wanted to share the stage with them. So we came up with the idea for the show. Last year was a huge step for us and we’re really fortunate to be in the position to gather the talent and put on a show that the musicians and the audience will really enjoy. Also, I think that events like these really do help to open people up to new artists that they may not have come across on their own.
Jon & Roy’s upcoming tour dates:
November 15 at Sugar Nightclub—Victoria, B.C.*
November 17 at The Commodore Ballroom—Vancouver, B.C.*
November 18 at the Garibaldi Lift Company—Whistler, B.C.*
November 20 at the Starlite Room—Edmonton, Alberta*
November 21 at MacEwan Hall—Calgary, Alberta*
November 23 at Louis’ Pub—Saskatoon, Saskatchewan*
November 24 at the Garrick Centre—Winnipeg, Manitoba*
November 25 at The Outpost—Thunder Bay, Ontario*
November 26 at O’Hanlans—Regina, Saskatchewan
November 28 at the The Royal—Nelson, B.C.**
December 12 at Errington Hall—Parksville, B.C.***
December 13 at Alix Goolden Hall, Holiday Special Show—Victoria, B.C.
(*with The Cat Empire, **with Sunparlour Players, ***with Wil)
Listen to “Another Noon” and “Little Bit Of Love” from the album Another Noon below.
Edmonton’s The Wheat Pool have released the video for their lead-off track “This Is It” from their new record Hauntario. The video’s pretty slick—the band reverses the footage so it looks super cool when all these fluffy feathers magically filter back into the pillowcases. I wish I could magically reverse the mess I create in my house!
