Peter Katz

UNDG darling Peter Katz is returning to Vancouver to play at show at the Media Club this week, and I had a chance to chat with him a few weeks ago about his latest record, Still Mind Still, touring Europe and his Juno nomination.

Since the release of his Juno-nominated live album, Peter Katz and Friends: Live at the Music Gallery, in 2011, fans and industry folks alike had been looking forward to what Katz was releasing next. He's well-known for his love of performing live on stage (spending on average 150 nights a year doing it, no less), and Live at the Music Gallery showcased beautifully his penchant for telling stories about the origins of his songs (he spends nearly half the record talking) and the energy he brings to the stage. This is a man so comfortable and connected with his voice, his guitar and his talent for powerful storytelling that it seems almost effortless.

I was pleased to see quite a few of the songs Katz had played at his last show here in Vancouver had made their way onto the record - "Thunder in Your Chest", the rousing "Day and Night", and "Win Your Heart" - and were nicely captured, without losing any charm once recorded. Katz had spent about six months, from January to June 2011 recording the record, mostly live off the floor at a log cabin located 3 hours northwest of Toronto.

"We'd go up for chunks at a time, five, six days... I just spen time trying to be an artist, cause so much of your life you're spending being a publicist or an administrator," he said. "It's hard to go to bat for yourself, but that's the reality of being an independent artist."

While there was no big deadline, which was nice, Katz said, he might take more time to record his next record. "For me, [six months] is a short amount of time. I didn't think I could write something people would like writing it like that."

Clearly, though, Katz did something right, as Still Mind Still debuted at number #8 on the iTunes charts when it was released on April 24th. He had also released the album in Europe on January 17th, for a number of reasons, namely to do with his European distributor. But it also helped to bring some recognition to the album prior to it's release on this side of the pond. 

"I've been touring Europe a lot and now you're going to get more mileage. Canada's my home, and I really want Canada to take notice. Sometimes [the early release] helps to get a buzz going," Katz said.

A Juno nomination also helps. Katz attended the ceremony for his nomination of "Music DVD of the Year" for Live at the Music Gallery. Feist won the award, which Katz wrote on his blog was "a-ok" with him.

"The Junos were great. It was a shock in my life my life to be there at all. I figured it might be the only time I ever go so I might as well enjoy."

Something tells me it won't be!

Check out Peter Katz's show at the Media Club this Wednesday, May 16th here in Vancouver. You can also pick up a copy of Still Mind Still at the show and on iTunes.

Jillian Zdunich

I recently had the chance to talk to Jillian Zdunich a local Vancouver fashion designer who designs forCourtesy of Jillian Zdunich, FW 2012 Line her own company called Mortar & Pestle Apparel. After graduating from the fashion program at Blanche Macdonald Jillian started designing her own collections and launched her own fashion brand. In our interview Jillian reveals her inspirations behind becoming a fashion designer, and her inspirations behind her most recent Spring/ Summer 2012 collection. As well, she tells us what it was like to start her own business; here is what she had to say:

 

SP: What inspired you to become a fashion designer?

JZ: I believe that my need to design and create has been a life long inspiration...I've always been passionate about the fashion industry and would watch Fashion Television as a kid...dreaming of one day designing for the runway. I used to check out the September issues of Vogue and Elle from the small town public library and flip through the pages over and over and over..."designing" collections and dreaming of someday being a part of it all. I'd say my inspiration truly became a reality when I moved to Vancouver to attend fashion design at Blanche MacDonald.
 

SP: Can you tell me a bit about your background?

JZ: I grew up on an acreage about 20 minutes outside Drumheller, Alberta. I only had an older brother, 8 years older, so I had a lot of time to myself...I developed quite an imagination, growing up on the acreage...spending countless days playing outside, building forts, exploring through coulees with my dogs, searching for baby kittens...My mother converted our dairy barn into a craft/antique store and tea room, which was an amazing success and so I grew up with tourists from all over the world passing through our yard on their way to Drumheller to visit the dinosaur museums, hoodoos, etc...I suppose you could say I never had a dull moment as a child. There were constant sources of inspiration and activity all around me.

SP: What is the concept behind your current Spring/Summer 2012 collection?

JZ: The concept and inspiration behind my current SS2012 collection is a Parisian one, with a hint of retro. I, as usual, opted for high-waisted pieces, curve accentuating pieces and bold colours, reflective of the gorgeous spring and summer flowers in bloom. I created classic, simple garments that could be paired with any wardrobe- to add pops of vibrant color and life. I was fortunate enough to find a little Parisian-inspired bakery in Vancouver where I shot the Look Book shoot and it made for such an amazing setting for the collection. 

 

SP: Do you follow current colour, fabric or style trends when designing a new collection?

JZ: I try my best to follow current colour trends, however I only loosely follow fabric and style trends. I like to stay quite classic and timeless with my designs. I'd like women to be able to wear my garments season after season.

Courtesy of Jillian Zdunich, FW 2012 LineSP: Do you manufacture your line locally? If so do you have a team of cutters and sewers to help?

 

JZ: Yes, I manufacture my line locally. I have an intern as well as a seamstress who help me to complete my production. When needed, I also source out grading and some pattern drafting. Mainly, however, I work on my own at my studio.

SP: Can you describe your design process when beginning to design a new collection?

JZ: I find that the design process is organic in that I'm inspired by many sources and feed from that in order to start designing each collection. I keep inspiration tear sheets, countless sketches, fabric swatches...anything that will help me to design new garments and stay inspired. 

SP: What was the hardest part about starting your own business?

JZ: Becoming a small business owner. I have some background in business, thankfully, but it's been a very steep learning curve for me over the past year or so. I've had to become everything from the designer to the shipper/receiver, and it's proved to be an extremely demanding process time- wise, financially and emotionally. I'm fortunate to have an amazing support team in friends and family.

SP: Who are your main clientele?

JZ: My main clientele are women aged 20 to 40- from a diversity of industries and careers. 

SP: Where can your customers buy your product?

JZ: I'm currently carried at select boutiques nationwide. I also have an Etsy shop, though I'm planning to build my own independent store online this year, so clients may purchase their garments directly from my website. 

 

It was great to have the chance to talk to Jillian and we thank her for taking the time to do an interview with us! All the photos shown in this interview feature models wearing Jillian's Fall/Winter 2012 collection. You can check out her designs on her website at http://mortarandpestleapparel.ca.

Steph Macpherson

Is it just me, or have we been covering a lot of folk-y females on here lately? I'm not complaining at all - in fact, it's really great to revisit some of that folk-singer/songwriter-rock that I grew up on while living on the praries, and to hear a modern female perspective. And while we've recently spoke to Lindi Ortega and The Good Lovelies, Steph Macpherson brings her own beautiful, unique flavour to the Canadian music scene.

Listening to her album is really interesting, because while it seems like it lands smack dab in the middle of the folk-country-rock trifecta (as in, it is a balance of all three genres) and seems quite radio- and mom-friendly, there's something that stands out. Unfortunately, I'm not really sure how to describe it, so you'll just have to listen for yourself. Perhaps it's her near-perfect vocals, which echo a modern Sheryl Crow, or the depth that she brings to her songwriting. Regardless, I just really liked it, and I think her full-length debut, Bells and Whistles, is more than deserving of launching her into the Canadian mainstream music scene.

Macpherson is from Victoria, BC, and while it is not unusual, of course, for non-prarie folk to capture that mid-west country feel, she does it exceptionally well. Not only does she have it down-pat instrumentally, but also as far as her lyrics are concerned. On one of my favourite tracks on Bells and Whistles, "The Verdict", she sings about an indecisive lover, and on the title track she admits how easy it is to fantasize about another life.

While Macpherson had released her To You EP in 2009, she went into the recording session for Bells and Whistles with a very different mindset.

"This time around, I had a lot more confidence in my opinions and what I wanted," she said. "I definitely wanted a 'band' feel for most songs, but for a few songs, like "Distance" and "Open Book", I wanted a stripped down, off the floor feel. Compared to the first EP, I wanted a little more of a rockish sound, a thicker sound."

The album was recorded in Victoria and Vancouver with producer and long-time collaborator Jason Cook, who also produced her EP. "When we started [the EP], we were both so new," she said. "I think the songs throughout the new album have a bit of a 'life-journey' feel."

Macpherson is playing at The Media Club here in Vancouver on May 5th, and has various tour dates lined up in Western Canada that you can view here. She's currently lining up a cross-Canada tour for the fall.

"Life is pretty sweet," Macpherson said. "I'm excited to get back on the road again."

The Good Lovelies

If The Barenaked Ladies had girlfriends, it would be The Good Lovelies.

Pairing up bands into fictional relationships reminds me of my younger days when I would pick out which of the Backstreet Boys would go perfectly with each Spice Girl (Kevin and Scary, anyone?), but I really do have good reasons to use such a cheap lede as this one.

Both are cute, earnest Canadian bands; both engage in cute, hilarious banter during their live shows; both are (or were, the case of the Ladies) cute, legitimately good friends in real life. But the biggest similarity is the way they explore and illustrate relationships through their lyrics, addressing the other person directly and translating everyday conversations into song.

As every fan of the BNL knows, many of their songs focus on the ending of a relationship ("The Old Apartment"), whereas The Good Lovelies are like the cute girlfriend that thinks about the lovey dovey middle part of the relationship (see "Kiss Me In the Kitchen"), after you're truly in love and before things start to go sour. She's the cute girl that meant well and your mom still asks about long after you've stopped talking.

The Good Lovelies, consisting of Caroline Brooks, Sue Passmore and Kerri Ough, met in Toronto in 2006. All three were solo artists and decided to form a band after performing a live show together. They've been incredibly active since, having released three albums (including a Christmas album, Under the Mistletoe, in 2009) and been nominated twice for Roots/Traditional Album of the Year, winning in 2009 for their self-titled debut. Their latest record, Let The Rain Fall, was released in 2011 and earned them their second Juno nom.

I chatted with Caroline while the Lovelies were travelling across the states on their current tour and unfortunately, call reception wasn't the greatest.

"We're literally in the desert," she explained after our phones cut out. "It's been a busy year so far, [but] it's always like this."

"We actually went to the Junos in Ottawa and it was during our break from the tour. We had a great time," Brooks added. "I think the second nomination was really special. It really validates what we're doing. We felt so honoured to be there. When the Jennys won we were so happy for them."

"We're really lucky," she continued. "People always ask us, 'was it hard to quit your day job?' I feel guilty, but no. It's easy when it's with your best buddies. Five years in, and you spend so much time together."

I asked Brooks how the band keep their shows fresh when playing big tours like this.

"We try to incorporate new tunes," she answered. "We're playing some old ones, rotating some covers (ed. note: check out the Lovelies' awesome cover of K-OS's "Crabbuckit" below). We're recording a live album next month." They'll be taking time off later this year to write and record a new album, due out next year, she added.

"Our [live] album is coming out in the fall. There'll be some new tunes and some classic tunes that people expect from us. We'll take a sabbatical and write some new songs and the album will be released sometime next year."

Sounds like another Juno nom to me.

The Good Lovelies will be playing at St. James Hall here in Vancouver on April 26th. For more tour dates, please click here.

Lindi Ortega

I have to admit, I hadn't heard of Lindi Ortega when her Juno-nom press release landed in my inbox a few weeks ago. When your inbox is flooded with releases every morning, it can be easy to have a critical eye for certain types of bands, and when I saw Lindi's country-bombshell poses and glittery makeup in her press photos, I didn't know what to expect - shallow pop star, perhaps?

I shouldn't have been so cynical. Lesson learned: don't judge this book by its cover. Upon listening to the first track, titled "Little Lie", off of her Juno-nominated record Little Red Boots, I was completely enthralled with her clever songwriting and sassy persona. "I told a little lie or two when I spoke to you on the phone the other night.. what's a girl supposed to do when a bit of truth turns into a sweeter lie?" she sings a little too sweetly.

The album paints a convincing portrait of a young girl with an all too clear idea of her sex appeal - and knows what to do with it. "You're going to know by my little red boots, uh huh," she croons on the chorus of "Little Red Boots". The lyrics are incredibly honest, especially when it comes to the conversations she has with her imaginary (or not-so imaginary) lovers. She also talks of pining for love, or dying of a broken heart, but it's always with the unique view of the world Ortega brings to her songwriting.

"I didn't really intend on 'creating' a persona," Ortega tells me. "Ninety percent of my writing comes from my life. I look at a lot of things with a tongue in cheek way, especially the dark stuff."

She found some inspiration for her new album while shooting a video in New Orleans, a city known for dark and spooky folk stories. She said there will be a noticeable 'deep south' influence on the record, which has been recorded but the tracks haven't yet been finalized.

"Recording it was very similar [to Little Red Boots]...People always comment they wished recordings would capture the raw energy of the live show," she said. "We tried to do it all as authentically live off the floor."

Since this interview took place before the ceremony for the Junos, I asked her if she was bringing a date. She laughed and said she was bringing her parents.

"I've tried convincing them that music is something I'm serious about," Ortega said. "They wanted me to have security. I've always had a great love for writing and singing that I can't deny. As someone who's been toiling away in the Canadian industry for over a decade, it's been a slow climb."

"I'm super grateful that this nomination will help more Canadians hear my music," she added. Lucky them.

Cancer Bats

    Arriving at the Biltmore Cabaret last Wednesday for my latest interview, I was feeling more than a little nostalgic. Though it had been, admittedly, a few years since I’d attended my last metal show, the former teenaged scene-enthusiast in me was silently freaking out that I was on my way to meet and talk with Liam Cormier, lead vocalist for Toronto hardcore band, Cancer Bats. Almost 8 years ago (wow, I can’t believe how old I’m getting...) I got my first tattoo from a sketchy Montreal tattoo parlour stationed below the even more questionable “hotel” my friends and I loved to stay in. This act of rebellion would soon lead me directly into the path of Dave, an inked, pierced, and otherwise badass (in a good way) cog in the metal scene back in my hometown of London, Ontario. So while when people now ask why I got so many tattoos when I was younger I can honestly reply “because I was totally in love with the guy who worked behind the desk at the Perfect Image studio”, I can also genuinely thank him for turning me onto the music of the Cancer Bats. So as Liam and I ran into some underage fangirls outside the Biltmore on the way to conduct our interview, I was immediately transferred back to a very specific place in my life, where it was me, underage (though sneaky enough to still see a lot of their shows) waiting for a photo with this god of rock. As Liam happily obliged the girls with some pictures, I figured this was as good a time as any to break out my hidden weapon, my embarrassing ice breaker, and admit why I had jumped at the chance to take this interview.

    Yes, I had uploaded to my phone a photo of me (19 and rocking my “freshman 15”) with Liam at a Cancer Bats show at London’s short-lived but much-loved Salt Lounge. The photo represents a beginning of sorts for both of us, as he was on tour in support of his band’s first full-length album, 2006’s Birthing the Giant, and I was taking a big step towards grown-up life at the University of Waterloo. What I remember most about the Birthing the Giant-era shows was the crowd’s literal application of the rallying cry of one of my favourite songs on the album, “Grenades”. As Liam would sing “screaming our lungs out - ‘let’s go, let’s go” we would always be one step ahead, shouting the lyrics back at him and waiting for our chance to stage-dive into the moshing crowd. Talking to Liam here in Vancouver, I mention that this seems like the most youth-oriented record in their discography, and he agrees that at this point in the band’s history, he was just “excited to tour” and party with his “bros”. Songs like “Golden Tanks” further emphasize this “we”-based atmosphere of the disc, with the band’s signature massive singalong hook uniting their young fan base with the band themselves: “This is my dedication/I love my generation”. Of course, no party can last forever, and Liam is quick to point out what will be a common theme in our interview, that of the inevitable growing up that occurs as youth develops into adulthood.

    

      Two years after the release of their first full-length album, Cancer Bats came roaring back with Hail, Destroyer. If Birthing the Giant represents a focus on the collective, then Hail, Destroyer covers the more personal, “me”-oriented needs of the band. While the hardcore musical influences Liam cite remain the same across the band’s discography (Bane, Hatebreed, Converge, et. al.), it seems like there are some tougher issues being worked through in these songs than those on the first album. While certain tracks, the title song in particular, are still directed at bringing his generation together, Liam’s lyrics are a little less spirited than the first time around, and rather than dedicating songs to his love for his generation, he acknowledges the challenges that they will face (“Children of nothing/this is our song...our lives begin when we fall down”). By this time in my university career, the demands of an increasingly difficult workload and the need to hold down a part-time job were making it harder and harder to make time for fun activities, like traveling back home or to Toronto to catch a Cancer Bats show. The pressures of the world seem to have begun to wear on the band as well, though they, as I did, tried to remain defiant and hold on to the precious autonomy of youth - “Hey world, you’ll never break me/Try your hardest” (from “Deathsmarch”).  

    Despite the driving guitars and subtle inclination towards more traditional metal rather than punk influences on this record, Hail, Destroyer ultimately remains a positive album. The idea of Positive Mental Attitude (first put forth by Napoleon Hill in his 1937 book “Think + Grow Rich”) pervades this collection, even being used as the title of one of the album’s sunniest tracks (if you can call a hardcore song “sunny”), “PMA Til I’m DOA”. And indeed, the belief in oneself and a positive attitude is what Cancer Bats are all about. The belief that “every day I’m alive is the best day of my life” (from “PMA”) is the uplifting message that Liam and the band continue to share with their fans, even if those listening don’t always manage to pick out the positive. One trend in the hardcore scene that the Cancer Bats, and I, have never really got on board with, is the tendency towards overly violent lyrical imagery. Death, murder, and mutilation are often associated with this sort of music (one of the reasons my mum always made me take down my “death metal” poster when she had guests over - the poster, in this case, being one of Kurt Cobain with an acoustic guitar...), but Cancer Bats have never needed to resort to shock and awe to get their point across. Of course, not all listeners are going to catch on to the underlying positivity of their records, and Liam recognizes that certain songs on their third album (definitely their darkest), 2010’s Bears, Mayors, Scraps, and Bones, were misinterpreted by many, especially those fans just discovering the band. Tracks like “Darkness Lives” deal with some of these more violent urges (“darkness lives/in the heart of me...want to crush every part of you/broken bones and all”), but fans are encouraged to actually listen to the entire song, as in the end the “me” is stronger than this internal negativity and avows that “my rage won’t anchor me”.



    By their third record, Cancer Bats had begun to build up a pretty healthy following, no doubt owing a small debt to the exposure created by their 2009 Juno nomination for New Group of the Year. However, as many new fans caught onto the band, some of the originals, like myself, found themselves straying from their hardcore roots. As our interview progresses, I admit to Liam that, while I wasn’t purposefully avoiding it, I had somehow missed out on Bears. Though I was feeling bad for falling off the wagon after going on about what a big fan I was, Liam acknowledges that he’s actually heard that from a lot of fans that had recently rejoined the band on their latest tour. Referring to us as the “Alexisonfire kids”, he has already made the connection between this album and the events likely going on my life at the time as he and band, too, were struggling with some pretty extreme growing pains and are just now getting ready to freely rock out again. As I’ve had a chance in the past week to more deeply check out the tracks on BMS&B, I find these growing pains to quite evident, as what I first classified as simply a more “aggro” record turns out to be more representative of a band struggling to balance their personal reasons for playing together and the external pressures being placed on them by the music industry and the people whose livelihoods are now also dependent on the success of the Cancer Bats.

    Stay tuned as Liam and I talk more about the pressure to succeed, and what success actually means. We’ll cover the the frustrations “Bears, Mayors, Scraps, and Bones” deals with as well as talk about what to expect from their newest record, “Dead Set on Living” (out April 16th).   

Walk The Moon

We all fell in love with the video for "Anna Sun" from Walk The Moon, and we decided to chat up frontman Nicolas Petricca since the band's playing the Commodore here in Vancouver with Kaiser Chiefs this Saturday.

The band formed in November 2010 out of Cincinnati, Ohio and have been gaining the attention of music blogs and magazines with their art-y pop-rock. They recently released the Anna Sun EP, a strong trio of songs (including the title track, of course) that builds on dance rock bands like Phoenix and Two Door Cinema Club. With the success of their video to "Anna Sun" and their current tour supporting a big name like Kaiser Chiefs, I can see Walk The Moon becoming the next Fun. by the end of the year.

Since we conducted our interview over email, I've decided to keep Petricca's answers as he sent them.

CP: You guys have had a steady rise to the top since the release of "i want, i want" in 2010, generating a great buzz from music blogs and magazines. What's next for you after this current tour?

NP: "Rise to the top" is very flattering, thank you! Not really quite how we see it yet, but it has felt like a hurricane year-and-a-half. After this tour with Kaiser Chiefs, we are mostly looking forward to the release of the album. May is when we hope to drop the thing, and it'll have been a long year in the cocoon... we're all really eager and anxious to stretch our wings and see what the thing can do.

CP: Is there anything that would indicate to you personally that you've 'made it'?

NP: In some ways, in my mind, we've 'made it' in that we've done a lot of things I dreamed of doing when I was little... play Lollapalooza & Bonnaroo, get signed, make a record... but these are all means to an end, and the end is the next year, five, ten years when we see what we're really made of. "Making it" will be when we release record number eleven and it gets "rock album of the year" or something. I think of Red Hot Chili Peppers and Stadium Arcadium.

CP: "Anna Sun" is a great EP and really showcases your sound. What were your music intentions (if any) going into the recording? How did did the experience of recording it differ from recording your debut?

NP: The most important thing we wanted to accomplish going into the studio was to capture on record what the audience member experiences live. I think there are definitely moments in there where we succeeded... that's what I felt the independent record lacked. A big difference between this summer's recording experience and the previous one was having Ben Allen, our producer, and Mark Needham, our mixing engineer. Involving their expertise and enthusiasm was an invaluable part in bringing to life the little moments and the overarching peaks and valleys of the record.

CP: Everyone loves the "Anna Sun" music video. Was it difficult trying to get everything in one shot?

NP: The one-shot, one-take portion of the video was a big challenge. Fortunately, given the creativity of our director Patrick Meier and the commitment of everyone who volunteered to be a part of the shoot, it went as smoothly as it could and was a success in the end. We did 22 takes and picked the 3rd one, I believe. We were there at the Mockbee all night long!

CP: Where did the face painting idea come from? Which I've heard you also do at your live shows as well as bring some for the audience!

NP: The facepainting came from our brainstorming about Peter Pan & the Lost Boys... we drew from the vibe of the movie "Hook" and the face paint just kind of happened naturally.

CP: How did the band all come together initially? How long were you performing together before your debut?

NP: I started the band years ago, and after initial members left for other pursuits at the top of 2010, I found the current line-up over the course of the next year. Kevin and I were friends as children, Kevin had played with Sean in bands since middle school, and we stole Eli out of the burgeoning Cincinnati indie-music scene. So today that puts us at about one full year of playing together officially, though the guys had all been a part of WALK THE MOON on and off for another year before that.

CP: How has the tour with Kaiser Chiefs been so far? Any crazy tour stories??

NP: Kaiser Chiefs tour has been great, though a little tame as far as crazy stories go. On tour with Young The Giant last month, however, we found ourselves onstage in Toronto for the encore with the guys from Tokyo Police Club, so that's three bands going ape-wild on one stage, as the crowd sang along to YTG's "My Body". That moment is etched in my mind for sure.

You can download Walk The Moon's latest EP, Anna Sun, from iTunes or off their website. For our Vancouver friends, Walk the Moon will be opening for Kaiser Chiefs at the Commodore this Saturday. Remaining tour dates can be see here.

Boys Who Say No

Fortunately and unfortunately for music bloggers and readers, Canada has been pumping out indie-rock-pop bands by the dozen over the past few years. It can be easy to get them all a little confused, despite the overall fabulous music our fellow Canucks have been producing. Who will be the next Arcade Fire or Broken Social Scene, we all wonder?

I'm not sure if Boys Who Say No will be either of those, but they certainly seem set up for success. Their debut album, Contingencies, released February 21st, is refreshing in a number of ones - namely, that their sound comes off a little unpolished, the vocals a little echo-y, the rock more danceable than usual. There are definitely influences of the 'greats' floating around, but the sound is pleasantly original. Unfortunately I haven't had a chance to catch a live show, but I've heard their energetic onstage performance lives up to the expectations you'll form from a few listens of Contingencies and I'll definitely catch them next time the boys come to town.

The band's made up of four childhood friends - Luke Correia-Damude, Frank Cox-O’Connell, Mike Lobel and Antonio Naranjo - all floating around Toronto involved in different art projects until forming Boys Who Say No in 2008 and releasing a self-titled EP in 2009.

Oddly enough, seeing as how the band formed in Toronto, Contingencies was recorded at a rural Ontario farm.

"Originally it was kind of a budget thing," said Correia-Damude. "We all had a little bit of tech knowledge in terms of recording. It was a little surreal, because we were cooped up for like a month or so."

The band got creative with the technical aspects of record, at times running into the field with microphones to capture certain sounds. The writing of the album was "a little more evolved" from their first release, Correia-Damude said, adding that the band had only been together for about four months before recording the EP.

"Now we really work as a collaborative unit," he said. "I feel like it's the first Boys Who Say No album... We focus on the song rather than a genre. We write a song based on the best the song could be."

So, on that note - why the name?

Correia-Damude laughed. "We were all rehearsing and it started to become a thing and playing shows.. it's more difficult than you think to come up with a name!"

Eventually the band got inspiration from an old anti-draft poster on a wall, stating "Girls Say Yes to Boys Who Say No".

Boys Who Say No will be annoucing tour dates shortly, with East coast dates through Canada and the States with Japanther in April. Stay tuned!

Dirty Ghosts

A couple years ago, Dirty Ghosts caught my attention after I heard “Battle Slang” on Pitchfork’s Forkcast.  Described as “riff-tastic,” I was hooked.  I wanted more.  Nothing came.  Last week, however, they finally released their debut record Metal Moon on Last Gang Records.  I had the chance to ask lead singer/guitarist Allyson Baker a few questions over the phone on Thursday morning.  We talked about the history of the band, the record in general, pre-show rituals, and Duran Duran.

Originally from Toronto, Baker and Carson Binks relocated to San Francisco in 2000 where they formed Parchman Farm.  After the group’s disbandment in 2006, the duo began crafting songs built around the drum loops of hip-hop artist and producer Aesop Rock.  Baker took over lead vocals, a task she’d never done, and Dirty Ghosts was born.

Dirty Ghosts quickly gained critical acclaim but their productivity was delayed with Binks’ sudden departure last year, a change that triggered an overhaul of their sound.  Some songs were re-recorded and Baker’s project was expanded, including the addition of a live drummer.  Since then, they’ve gathered enough material to make up their full-length debut. 

One of the songs that benefits the most from the full-band approach is opener “Ropes That Way.”  Though rhythmically straightforward compared to the rest of the album, the song’s tough riffs and strong vocal melody keep things interesting.  Mikey Young from Total Control does an excellent remix, turning a gritty rocker into a synth-pop song straight out of 1983.  And Baker loves it.

“We’re huge fans of Total Control, both of us being based out of San Francisco.  Working with Mikey was great.  Actually, I prefer his version to the original and I hope we work together again.”

This isn’t surprising given one of her musical guilty pleasures is Duran Duran, whom she refers to as her “Backstreet Boys or New Kids on the Block,” when she was growing up.  The influences don’t end there, however.  Upon initial listens, it’s immediately apparent that Baker’s musical palate is vast.

“I would describe the sound of Metal Moon as a reflection of what’s in my record collection.  I mean everyone who collects records listens to a bit of everything.  It’s really an album for myself.  One day I’ll want to make a song with reggae beat, the next day I’ll move on to something else.  That’s why I think the sound is so varied.”

Varied indeed.  Metal Moon deftly incorporates a variety of genres like punk, electro, hip-hop, even dub.  Take, for example, first single “Shout It In,” a song reminiscent of Sandinista-era Clash.   And album highlight “19 in 71” wouldn’t sound out of place on an early Black Sabbath record.  Elsewhere, you’ll find intricate grooves that focus heavily on Aesop Rock’s stuttering percussion.  The combination makes for an interesting, rewarding listen. 

It’s one thing to have a great record but to make the songs work in a live setting brings a completely different set of challenges.  A band’s live show can be a make-or-break occasion for first-time listeners.  But Dirty Ghosts are up to the task. 

“You need to prepare yourself before a show so that when you come out, the audience gets what they came for.  For us, we usually just chill and crank some 90s hip-hop.”

Dirty Ghosts are currently touring in support of Metal Moon and should be hitting Vancouver this spring.  In the meantime, go pick it up.  I promise it won’t be leaving your stereo anytime soon.  

The Thespians

I am more then a music enthusiast, probably a bit of a music eager”ist” (if thats even a thing)? I guess with new music you can’t really get over-eager. However, I really can’t contain my excitement when I touch base with a gem discovery of such a up-and-coming band. That was the case with the English band The Thespians, it was love at first ear-gasm, when I initially  stumbled upon their internet homepage. The Thespians have a sound that boasts personality and demonstrates a refined indie punk sound.  The perfect combination of musical literacy, with hash-it-out youthful angst. I was astonished  to learn that these rockers were self promoting and still unsigned. Furthermore the production quality of their self-recorded EP and music video were the results of pure innovative talent.

The past two years have been fairly fast paced for the UK band The Thespians. Describing themselves as a little family, the Thespians are Paul, Jess, Phil and Danny. Originating from Liverpool, this quartet of modern punk rockers have taken on the UK’s independent music scene, and are currently ones to watch as far has unsigned musical talent from the other side of the pool. With tons of interested labels chasing their tails, and a unique sound to deserve it. I dropped The Thespians a little Q & A to get a true sense of this collective.

Welcome to Canada! What I mean to say is say hello to your Canadian audience. How would you like to introduce yourselves to your North American potential fans? How does it feel to touch base internationally even in the tiniest way? Tell us about yourselves, what are your horoscope signs?