BeatRoute Magazine BC Print Edition January 2018

THE EARTH THE PEOPLE THE MOVEMENT

TRIM SIZE: 10.25"W x 11.5" H, RIGHT HAND PAGE

January‘18
PUBLISHER
BeatRoute Magazine
LAYOUT
& PRODUCTION MANAGER
Naomi Zhang
FRONT COVER PHOTO
Dave Cutler
FRONT COVER DESIGN
Randy Gibson
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
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- With Alexis Murphy & Kristy
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And Dogs
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Lights - Page 15
Photo by Matt Barnes
January 2018 3

WITH ALEXIS MURPHY & KRISTY LYNN CLARK OF LONG LIVE CATS AND DOGS
GLENN ALDERSON
It doesn’t matter if you’re a cat or a dog person,
Alexis Murphy and Kristy Lynn Clark have got all
your pet supply needs covered at Long Live Cats
& Dogs. Located in East Vancouver’s Hastings
Sunrise neighbourhood, they’re filling a niche in
the neighbourhood while injecting a bit of their
own rock ‘n’ roll personalities in to it at the same
time. Part of this unique branding extends to their
registered non-profit, Neüterhead: Ace Of Spays.
Think Motörhead but with less balls — Literally.
The organization uses rock ‘n’ roll to raise funds to
assist responsible pet rescue groups with the costs
of spaying and neutering. Funds are raised through
the sale of online merchandise and through
bands who sell Neüterhead goods and apparel
while on tour. Additional fundraising is done
at one-off shows and the next event is a heavy
metal spectacular on February 2 at the Rickshaw
Theatre, featuring a bunch of one-off cover bands
comprised of members from local favourites like
3 Inches Of Blood, Sumac, Bison, No Sinner, Glad
Rags, Baptists and a bunch more.
Joining Murphy and Clark on the board of
directors are Rheanna Diane (Fancypants Design
Co.) plus Shane Clark and Justin Hagberg (3 Inches/
Worse). To date, the collective has raised more
than $13,500 for animal rescue organizations. Not
since Bob Barker on the Price Is Right have any
individuals taken such a loud stance on the issue
of spaying and neutering. We wanted to catch up
with the leading ladies behind such a noble cause
to chat and also check out the bad ass satanic
guinea pig display they’ve got set up in their shop
so we stopped by the pet store mecca for a chat.
The little piggies are also up for adoption so stop
by and check them out if you’re in the market for a
new furry friend.
How did you two meet and get in to this
business together?
AM: We met in Physics class at VCC. In November
2012 we were hanging out and Alexis needed
cat litter. It was two buses to get up Commercial
Drive for cat litter. We talked about how our
neighbourhood needed a pet supply store and that
was pretty much it. We found 2255 Hastings (now
Black Rider Tattoo location) that day, two months
later we opened up shop as Long Live Cats and
Dogs.
Can you tell us about your pets?
KC: We’ve got two cats named Ritchie Catmore
& Ronnie James Meow who live at the pet shop.
I have two cats named Squeak and Toaster, and
Kristy has two cats, Yoyo & Squishy.
AM: We just wanted to give back to the
community.
What sort of success has Neüterhead celebrated
in the past?
KC: Past events have seen donations made to
organizations like VOKRA, HugABull, Spirits
Mission and Broken Promises.
What have you got up your sleeves for this 2018
charity event?
AM: Great bands and raffle prizes!
Can you tell us a bit about what makes you most
excited about working in East Vancouver?
KC: The community, for sure.
What are some of the more challenging things
you have to deal with as business owners in East
Vancouver?
AM: The property tax increase for rezoned
neighbourhoods
Favourite place to eat lunch/dinner in Hastings
Sunrise?
AM; Laksa King, Pho Don and OnLok.
KC: That’s a hard one there are so many great spots.
What do you think is East Vancouver’s best-kept
secret? (K&A)
KC: Hanoi has the best vegetarian pho
Neüterhead’s next event is taking place on February
2 at the Rickshaw Theatre. For more information
about the event and the charity, visit www.
neuterhead.com
Can you tell us a bit about how Neüterhead
came to be?
Alexis Murphy & Kristy Lynn Clark want to remind you to spay and neuter your pets.
4
January 2018

CITY BRIEFS!
Above the Hospital Humans Lift Expo SYML Takashi Murakami
SYML
January 12 at the Cultch
SYML — the moniker of musician Brian
Fennell — translates to “simple” in
Welsh, but the work of the Seattle artist
is anything but. With piano, strings,
synth, and affecting vocals, SYML makes
stirring soundscapes filled with delicate
depth. His first headlining show in
Vancouver this month comes on the
heels of the rising success of his 2016
debut EP, Hurt For Me.
HOT BROWN HONEY
January 9-27 at York Theatre
As part of the Cultch’s Femme January
— a month-long dedication to and
celebration of the female voice —
this genre-bending production from
Australia’s Brief Factory empowers
while unapologetically and boldly
confronting issues to do with cultural
stereotypes, sexism, and politics.
ABOVE THE HOSPITAL
January 12-21 at Red Gate Revue
Stage
In what may well be very familiar
a situation for many Vancouver
millennial, a couple — a nursing
student and an aspiring musician —
who live together in a small, over-priced
apartment spend a night reminiscing
the past and contemplating the
uncertainty of the future. Above the
Hospital marks the debut original
theatre production of Midtwenties
Theatre Society’s Beau Han Bridge.
BRENDAN LEE SATISH TANG
January 11-March 10 at Burrard Arts
Foundation
In his new exhibition, meatspace,
local artist and BAF’s Winter Resident
Brendan Lee Satish Tang moves away
from his usual ceramic medium practise
and works instead with black foam core
and hand-sawn strips of wood to create
abstract sculpture installations that
explore themes of motif and an in-flux
state.
LIFT CANNABIS EXPO
January 13-14 at Vancouver
Convention Centre
Canada’s biggest cannabis tradeshow
features about 200 exhibitors, cooking
and growing demos, talks, a vapour
lounge, and a career fair. If you’re
looking for a chance to really learn
more about this booming industry,
don’t miss out.
TAKASHI MURAKAMI
January 31 at the SFU David
Mowafaghiab Cinema
The contemporary Japanese artist —
well known for his collaborations with
Pharrell, Kanye West, and fashion house
Louis Vuitton — will be in lecture
reflecting upon 30 years of work, as well
as discussing the methods to his diverse
practice and his new exhibition at the
Vancouver Art Gallery, the Octopus
Eats Its Own Leg, which runs from
February 3 to May 6.
INCITE
January 24 at Vancouver Public
Library
Presented by the Vancouver Writers’
Fest, the first event of Incite’s new
season will feature readings and
discussions from four criticallyacclaimed
poets including Vancouver’s
Cecily Nicholson who’s forthcoming
collection, Wayside Sang, traces
the histories of the black diaspora near
the Windsor and Detroit borders.
LEIF COCKS
January 16 at Vancouver Public
Library
The founder and president of the
Orangutan Project, a charity to help
save the orange apes from extinction,
will share the fascinating story of his
life’s work, alongside some of the
current challenges the species is facing
and what can be done to contribute to
conservation.
HUMANS
January 19 at the Imperial
Everyone’s favourite local electronic
duo are releasing their newest EP, The
Feels, later this month on the 26th and
are kicking off their supporting tour
right here at home.
DTES ARTIST RESOURCE FAIR
January 20 at Carnegie Community
Centre
Calling all DTES artists! The first-ever
Artist Resource Fair, held at Carnegie,
will provide opportunities to connect
with community resource providers
about project funding, rehearsal and
exhibition spaces, classes, workshops,
and more.
January 2018 5

RIO
THEATRE
1660 EAST BROADWAY
JANUARY
JAN
7
JAN
8
10
JAN
11
JAN
12
JAN
JAN
13
-
14
17
JAN
SETH MEYERS HOSTS
THE 75TH ANNUAL GOLDEN GLOBES
FREE & ON THE BIG SCREEN
THE FLORIDA PROJECT
DAVID BOWIE'S BIRTHDAY!
THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH
4K REMASTER
THE GENTLEMEN HECKLERS PRESENTS
FLATLINERS (1990)
BACK-TO-BACK!
RIDLEY SCOTT'S BLADE RUNNER &
BLADE RUNNER 2049
KITTY NIGHTS WEST PRESENTS
DAVID BOWIE
LIVE BAND BURLESQUE
IT
FRIDAY LATE NIGHT MOVIE
AN EVENING WITH
GREG SESTERO!
(BEST-SELLING AUTHOR OF THE DISASTER ARTIST)
THE ROOM, BEST FRIENDS, & MORE
DETAILS AT WWW.RIOTHEATRE.CA
ALFRED HITCHCOCK DOUBLE BILL!
78/52: HITCHCOCK'S
SHOWER SCENE
&
PSYCHO
CITY
NATIVE SHOES
MAINTAINING A SUSTAINABLE LEG UP WITH NEW STORE
ADAM DEANE
Native Shoes has been enlitening lives
since 2009 with their simple message
— “Keep it LITE.”
A Vancouver brand through
and through, BeatRoute had the
opportunity to catch up with creative
director Michael Belgue, who offered
an eye into the legs that stand
underneath the Native brand.
“Native Shoes is a value-driven
brand, meaning that everything
we create both physically and
metaphysically must reflect our
mantra, ‘Keep it Lite.’ With all of
our product, written language, and
creative driven by this core value, the
brand has really transcended beyond
just footwear,” he says.
THRIVE ART STUDIO
COMMUNITY-FOCUSED COLLECTIVE CONTINUES TO FLOURISH IN NEW SPACE
LUIZA BRENNER
Photo by Ema Peter
Native is wearing their “Keep It Lite” mantra on the soles of their feet.
Belgue couldn’t be more right.
Native’s roots have shot towards
the sky from its humble beginnings
right here in Vancouver. In fact, their
first brick and mortar location just
opened in Gastown. The store comes
complete with sustainable seating
made from recycled shoes and a
deposit-slot for folks to drop their
well-loved sneaks.
“We knew that we wanted to open
in Vancouver and were waiting for
the right space to become available
in Gastown,” Belgue says. “Native
will always primarily be a footwear
brand and we want to continue
expanding our line and putting as
many shoes on feet as possible. We
also launched a new website and
e-commerce platform earlier this year
to meet a growing demand in the
direct-to-consumer space, and we will
continue improving upon our online
experience.”
Haven’t you always wanted to find
a case for your feet you can feel good
about wearing – like you’re adding
to the health of our planet? How
about one that breaches the lines
between seasons, age, and climate?
Whether you’re heading out for a
coffee and a hike or picking up Cindy
from daycare, Belgue says Native has
something you’ll find fun, functional
and most importantly – lite.
“Native Shoes was always meant to
be an inclusive brand for everyone, so
we love to see both adults and kids
alike enjoying our product. We are
also Beast-Free. Respecting humans
and animals equally has always been
a crucial aspect of the brand, so if
anything it has pushed us creatively to
develop alternative materials and tech
to leather and suedes.”
A local, sustainable, fashionable,
ageless, cruelty-free brand that cares
about humans and our planet as a
whole?
We’re in.
Native Shoes is at 14 Water Street.
18
JAN
20
JAN
21
JAN
25
JAN
31
JAN
1 FEB
2 FEB
STORY STORY LIE
PILLOW TALK EDITION
CARTOON CABARET
BURLESQUE
ONE TRILOGY MARATHON TO RULE THEM ALL...
THE LORD OF THE RINGS
ALL DAY. EXTENDED EDITIONS.
BACK-TO-BACK.
CRAZY 8S
DGC-BC 19TH ANNIVERSARY
SCREENING & FUNDRAISER
THE CRITICAL HIT SHOW!
#DNDLIVE IMPROVISED EPIC FANTASY
PAUL ANTHONY'S
TALENT TIME
FIRST THURSDAY OF EVERY MONTH!
THE GEEKENDERS PRESENTS
UH OH!
A YTV BURLESQUE NIGHT
FT. SCOTT YAPHE
(AKA "WINK YAHOO")
GROUNDHOG DAY
FRIDAY LATE NIGHT MOVIE
COMPLETE LISTINGS AT WWW.RIOTHEATRE.CA
It was during a wine-filled dinner with friends, in
the summer of 2015, that Thrive Art Studio was
born. Rather than a premeditated idea or thoughtthrough
plan, the endeavour came about almost
like a (very fortuitous) accident. Thrive founder
Jamie Smith used to gather monthly with a group
of girlfriends to talk about the perks and hardships
of being a female artist in this day and age. But, six
months into it, the news spread.
“I started getting these emails that said ‘What’s
this group you run? Tell me about this! I’m looking
for something!’ To me, it felt really simple. Of
course, we bring people together and we talk, but
I didn’t realize what we were doing — we were
creating community,” Smith remembers.
In a world where human connections are
becoming more rare, this sense of community is
essential.
“One of the main things is that [being an artist]
is really lonely,” Tara Galuska, Thrive member and
co-founder, shares. “It is great if you have a family
or friends who are supportive – you almost won
the lottery! But, then, they will give you advice that
usually just don’t apply in the art world.”
Almost two and a half years later, the tribe
grew significantly. Thrive is now a community of
over 160 cis and trans women, and those who are
non-binary, gender-fluid, and femme-identified
are welcome, too. What started as informal chats
became a structured business, with a range of
Thrive upholds and informs on all the bases for equality in the arts community.
different resources. Thrive Mastermind is the heart
of it. Organized in groups of 10 and led by an OG
member, members meet monthly (in person for
Vancouver-based ladies, and online for international
ones) and provide each other with support,
accountability, and motivation. Thrive Talks is a
series of 10-minute talks where members share their
stories; Thrive Art School teaches all the things you
should (but don’t) learn in art school. Lastly, there’s
the Thrive Network, an online platform used to ask
questions, share resources, and, more importantly,
connect.
“What I love about it is that it brings together,
in real time, women that are trying to reach their
goals, learning lessons, and sharing that knowledge,”
says Smith.
After struggling to find a new HQ, Thrive has
officially found their home: a co-working space in
downtown Vancouver. To celebrate this new phase,
Thrive will throw a welcome bash on January 25. All
are welcome — men included.
Thrive Art Studio is located at 535 Thurlow St.
6
January 2018

Yoko Ono
March 1 to March 31, 2018
MEND PIECE, Andrea Rosen Gallery, New York City version, (1966/2015) | ceramic, glue, tape, scissors and twine | dimensions variable
Rennie Museum | 51 East Pender St | Vancouver

BRENT WADDEN: TWO SCORES
SPINNING HIGH ART WITH A GROUNDED STANCE
DAYNA MAHANNAH
CITY
Photo by Trevor Good photo
Brent Wadden is guided by the edge of a modern hand.
“There is no going back into a weaving
unless you unravel the whole thing,” says
Brent Wadden. “So I usually just keep all
the mistakes, as it’s a total pain in the ass
to remove them.” With a resume of solo art
exhibitions in galleries spanning from Paris,
London, and Berlin to South Korea and New
York, the charm of humility hasn’t been lost
on the autodidactic weaver. This self-taught
naïvety may just be the warp and woof of
Wadden’s work.
Trained in painting, the artist’s woven pieces
still exude the spontaneity and abstraction
that brushstrokes allow. Bold geometric shapes,
lots of lines, and contrasting colours embrace
imperfections and shrug off the anxious rigidity
of strict patterns or faultless topography. But
Wadden is matter-of-fact. “Don’t romanticize
the medium or process,” he says.
To present his deliberately described
‘paintings,’ Wadden’s weavings are stretched
over a canvas. “Just to clarify, there is no paint
used.” Acrylic is often listed as a material in the
pieces, but he points out it’s also a term used
for synthetic yarns. A photo of a Brent Wadden
tapestry on social media may give the viewer
an impression of a painting, but seeing the real
deal will expose the reality of the cozy canvas.
People will “understand that I’m speaking the
language of painting, as they are presented in
this manner.”
For his upcoming solo exhibition, Two
Scores, at the Contemporary Art Gallery in
Vancouver, Wadden is creating all new works
to showcase. Using one of his three looms, the
artist spins away while listening to podcasts,
YouTube interviews, and avoiding responding
to pressing emails. However, he credits weaving
for teaching him organization and patience.
“When most people see [the looms], the first
thing they say is, ‘my grandmother or great
aunt was a weaver,’” Vancouver-based Wadden
says. “As if it’s an ancient technology (which it
sort of is) that died with their loved ones years
ago. Everything is moving so fast now!”
Using thrifted fibres, Wadden begins by
sorting them into piles “to see what materials
might work together and how much I have of
each one.” He uses a rudimentary drawing as a
reference for colour placement, but the nature
of the pre-used material creates a variety of
lines and textures. “The quantity of each colour
plays an important role in the final piece.”
By intertwining a 27,000 year textile practice
with the edge of a modern hand, Wadden
engages his audience in a beautiful blend of
the traditional and the avant-garde. “Weaving,
as well as many other general craft practices,
seem more common in Canada but have
difficulty entering a certain kind of art world.”
In Berlin, where the Nova Scotia-native lived for
many years, he noticed that between painting
and weaving, “no one really questioned the
crossover.”
Two Scores will be a multi-dimensional
showcase of Wadden’s paintings, utilizing the
floor and extensive wall space with works up to
seven and a half metres in length. His piece,16
Afghans, salutes the 16 deconstructed blankets
with photos of each original afghan displayed
with its conglomerate. Though Wadden’s
chosen craft is exhaustive, perhaps it brings
a sense of relief that the paintbrush never
did. “Weaving is a time based medium, so
you know when you are done,” he says. “With
painting, there is always this feeling of not
knowing exactly when to stop.”
Brent Wadden’s solo exhibition, Two Scores,
opens at the Contemporary Art Gallery in
Vancouver January 12 and runs to March 25.
January 2018 9

LOOKOUT
By Lauren Donnelly
Two people converse high above the streets of
Vancouver, silhouetted against a panorama of the
city. They look out at the same view, but they see
different things: one is aware of what was, and
one envisions potential that extends the limits of
possibility.
British artist Andy Field asks us to step outside
of the now to reckon with our future in his
interactive show Lookout. Participants consider
the city’s future through a conversation with
our beneficiaries: Vancouver’s children.
“It’s a really simple piece,” says Field, “but it’s
a delicate and complex experience. People find
themselves quite moved by the opportunity
to think of this place that they call home in a
different way.”
During the show, held at Vancouver
Lookout, participants listen to recordings
from students of an East Vancouver
elementary school. Speaking as their
imagined older selves, the children
share their hopes and fears for the city.
Participants then meet one-on-one with
the children to converse about the future.
Iterations of the production in
cities from London to Cairo show
commonalities among children, says
Field.
“What has surprised people is how
in tune children are with the adult
concerns with the city – property
prices, the housing crisis, gentrification
– children are acutely aware of these
things and want to come up with
solutions.”
If other shows are any indication,
participants will learn from the city’s
youngest citizens.
“Children have much sharper
ideas around right and wrong,
fairness and equality,” says Field.
“And they’re quite bipartisan.”
Sometimes profound and
sometimes amusing, Field says
the children’s urban visions
are a mix of social realism and
science fiction. It’s a refreshing
experience for both participants
and performers. “When you’re
nine years old, a lot of people
don’t listen carefully to what
you say,” says Field. “By calling
it a show, we invite adults to
listen to these children with
the seriousness with which
they would normally listen to
a theatre performance.”
Lookout runs from January
20-21 at Vancouver Lookout
as part of the PuSh Festival.
ANDY FIELD INITIATES
A CONVERSATION WITH
VANCOUVER’S FUTURE
As a professional writer, actor, and artistic collaborator, he’s instigated
and starred in a number of shows all over the country. Now in his 35th
year, McNeil is taking on the meaty role of King Arthur in his latest
project, King Arthur’s Night.
This particular stage adaptation was written by McNeil and his longtime
friend and collaborator, Marcus Youssef, and includes a cast of
more than 25 actors, singers, and musicians, some of whom have Down
syndrome.
“It’s a spectacle, and it’s quite remarkable – it’s unlike anything I’ve
ever done,” says Youssef. “Sometimes we have to find new ways of doing
things that work for all the cast and crew members so we can all feel
successful, and the process of slowing down and paying attention is
good for art-making, and good for human relationships in general.”
McNeil researched the story heavily, and part of his fascination with
King Arthur was the complexity and power of the character. Audiences
have been surprised and moved by the depth of collaboration between
people who have different lived experiences – there’s no mention of
physical or cognitive difference at any point in the show.
“After a talkback session at a show in Toronto, an acting teacher
approached Niall and said, ‘I wish I could bring all my students to the
show, because your performance is exactly what I’m trying to teach
them all the time,’” says Youssef.
“I think she was referring to the fact that all our actors from the Down
Syndrome Research Foundation – Andrew Gordon, Tiffany King, and
Matthew Tom-Wing – have extraordinary skills at being in the moment,
which is something professional actors spend lifetimes trying to achieve.
These four, including Niall, are just really, really good at it.”
When asked about creating opportunities for creatives with Down
syndrome, the pair recount a Facebook comment they received from
PuSh
Suicide. It’s a word people tend to shy away from – what is there to
say about something at once so unexplainable and so human? It’s an
abstract, daunting concept, but it’s something we’ve all thought about.
In I’m Not Here, Doireann Coady explores the simplicity of life and death
through music, dance, and recordings from her childhood, all in tribute
to her brother Donal, who took his life in 2009.
“No one cares that my brother is dead,” says Coady. “There are
thousands of people who have lost people [to suicide], and no one
wants to talk about it, because it embarrasses or scares them. That’s so
disempowering for the people grieving – it erases that person. So while
I’m doing the show, it’s about looking [death] in the eye. I’m going to
have to say he’s dead and I’m going to have to watch people’s reactions.”
Coady’s experience isolated her; it made her feel alone, despite that
experience being lived by thousands of people every day. Donal’s death
became a “congestion point” in her work, but she wasn’t avoiding it so
much as biding her time “in terms of the cycles of grief and when was
an appropriate time to tackle it in a way that wouldn’t be too damaging,
too raw, or too exposing.” Perhaps that congestion would have cleared
more quickly if others were as open to discussing suicide as she is.
“For me, the main thing has been giving a voice to the silent
experience of grief through suicide,” she says. “It’s something that is so
muted within society. There’s very little expression around how utterly
challenging it is. But there’s also been a profound joy in reconnecting
with the material that my brother left behind.”
The material she’s referencing lays the groundwork for I’m Not Here’s
soundtrack. Donal was musical as well, and after his death, Coady’s
family found recordings of his music – recordings he never even knew
existed.
“My dad buys these Dictaphones in charity shops, and he was testing
one to see if it worked,” says Coady. “He pressed record and just left it in
the mother of a young son: “As the opening number started with 20-
plus actors and musicians onstage, I started to weep, because I know the
possibilities for my son will just get bigger and bigger as he gets older.”
“Comments like that are hard to forget,” says McNeil.
King Arthur’s Night runs at the Frederic Wood Theatre from January
31-February 4 as part of the PuSh Festival.
INTERNATIONAL
PERFORMING ARTS
FESTIVAL
the house, and it was only after Donal died that my dad was like, ‘I think
this is Donal singing.’ I also found these other tapes my dad made of us
when we were kids. It was a happy accident.”
“This kind of turns into a DJ set that he never got to play,” she
concludes. And it’s not all depressing – “There’s been people
spontaneously standing up and dancing in the middle of it. I think at
a certain point, people want to dance with him and for him and for
themselves. So it becomes quite an involved experience. It’s cathartic for
everyone; it’s not just about Donal.”
I’m Not Here runs January 24-28 at The Cultch as part of the PuSh Festival.
Photo by Dorje de Burgh
Photo by Tristan Casey
By Charlotte Karp
KING
ARTHUR’S
NIGHT
AGE-OLD TALE GETS
INCLUSIVE RETELLING
I’M NOT
HERE
By Jordan Yeager
PROVIDING A SAFE SPACE
TO REFLECT ON AN OFTEN
SILENCED GRIEF
10
January 2018

By Jordan Yeager
MOB
BOUNCE
INNER VS. OUTER SPACE
Held this year at the Fox Cabaret and
the Anvil Centre, Club PuSh is a special
showcase of experimental productions
in a casual setting. Come, have a drink,
and prepare to feel challenged, to have
your mind expanded, and, as always, to
be entertained.
DAUGHTER
February 1 at Fox Cabaret
Hindsight is a powerful thing. So is
forgiveness. As comedian Adam Lazarus
reflects upon his life, he contemplates
what kind of father he was to his daughter,
presenting a story — part fact, part fiction
— characterized by love, anger, regret, and
lessons learned.
Every grade-schooler dreams of starting a band. Most of the
time, it doesn’t pan out. Such was not the case for Craig Frank
Edes and Travis Hebert. The two met in Houston, BC, when they
were in grades two and four respectively, and their chemistry
was instantaneous. Both Travis and Craig grew up surrounded by
musical families, and they picked up on instruments like guitar
and drums quickly. Almost two decades later, the pair hasn’t
slowed down. Now, they go by Mob Bounce and tour the country,
performing at festivals and hosting youth outreach workshops.
“You don’t realize how small the Native music community is
until you’re a part of it,” says Hebert. “Growing up and listening to
these artists, it always seemed so far away and unattainable. But
now we’re in it.”
For Mob Bounce, it’s a source of pride to represent a small
community in the interior. The fact that they’ve achieved critical
acclaim nationwide speaks to their talent, of course, but that’s not
what they’re proudest of. Having reached audiences across the
country allows them to inspire others to keep putting themselves
out there against all odds. This selflessness underscores the entirety
of Mob Bounce’s quintessence. They don’t create for themselves
– they create to serve others. Several times throughout our
conversation, they emphasize that no one picks up a hobby and is
good at it right away. Usually, you’ll be pretty bad at it for a while.
They were no exception.
“When we were in elementary school, I had a Windows
computer and would just loop sounds together,” says Edes. “Then
we’d lay down vocals using karaoke microphones we found around
the house. That was a long time before we called ourselves Mob
Bounce.”
Eventually, Edes moved to Vancouver to study at Capilano
University, while Hebert stayed in the interior. They traded lyrics
and song concepts over social media and soon decided this was
something worth pursuing. Mob Bounce officially got its name
in 2010, but despite operating under the same moniker, their
message hadn’t yet been honed.
“The difference is like night and day from where we started to
where we are now,” says Hebert. “I think the main thing is that
there wasn’t that intention to our songs yet.”
“I was studying acting for stage and screen, so my lyrics were
super specific, obscure references,” Edes continues, laughing. “If
you were in my class and knew this one scene from a play we’d
read, you’d understand a line I wrote. Now, we write with a lot
more intent.”
Intent is a concept they come back to frequently. A large degree
of their intention lies within youth outreach. The duo spreads their
message not only through lyricism, but also through workshops
with youth varying in age from five- and six-year-olds to high
school seniors. They cater their message to suit each group, but the
underlying principles remain the same.
“Often when we book a festival, we’ll do two three-hour-long
workshops and two 45-minute performances,” explains Edes. “We
teach them about lyrical structure – hip hop typically has 16 bars
per verse, but that sounds daunting, so we talk about it like writing
a stanza. And you can play with that structure, too, once you know
it. An analogy I like to use is that Shakespeare was the OG and set
this standard, and now we’re messing it up.”
The name of Mob Bounce’s workshop, Hip Hop and the Sacred
Space, is revealing. Often, kids who attend the workshop are facing
discrimination and bullying in school. When you’re in school,
the world you experience is a miniaturized one, but it seems allencompassing.
Bullying can have dire consequences, as evidenced
by increasing instances of suicide and substance abuse within
Indigenous communities. Travis and Craig use their years of shared
experience to foster safe spaces for youth to acknowledge what’s
going on within themselves and then to comfortably put those
feelings to paper and performance.
“Each group of kids is super different,” Edes says. “Sometimes
they’re shy and quiet and not ready to write a song about
something they’re experiencing. There’s something called the
raspberry theory. If you pick a raspberry too soon, before it’s ready,
it won’t work out very well for you. But once they are ready, they’ll
have the tools to talk about it. It’s about healing your inner space.
Then other times they come with questions completely unrelated
to music. One time I was wearing skinny jeans, and a kid asked
me how I got into my pants. I’ll even answer questions like that.
Because by the end of the workshop, he was ready to write.”
Substance abuse and suicide are, ultimately, preventable
epidemics. Above all, Hebert and Edes want to remind youth
facing discrimination that bullies’ words don’t reflect on you. The
concept of inner vs. outer space is something the duo focusses
much of their energy on. In order to realize your full potential,
your spirit – your inner space – requires love, tenderness, and
understanding.
“When something happens to you, it can either spill over into
inner space or outer space,” explains Edes. “A lot of the time, it
gets bottled up in inner space. Bullies have a poison within their
inner space that makes them act a certain way – as long as you
nurture yourself, as long as you’re true to yourself, that’s when your
message is going to resonate with others.”
Their workshops work both ways, feeding the souls not only of
the children they teach, but also of Edes and Hebert themselves.
Often, after getting through to a particularly introverted group,
they’re inspired to sit, reflect, and write about them.
“We’re excited for our next EP to come out in the new year,
because I think a lot of the youth we’ve worked with will recognize
themselves in the songs,” says Edes fondly. “They’ll know we’re
talking to them.”
Mob Bounce perform February 3 as part of PuSh Festival’s closing
night, a showcase of various artists represented by RPM Records.
Photo by Dave Cutler
SPOKAOKE
February 2 at Fox Cabaret
This is karaoke unlike anything you’ve ever
heard before. Forget “Bohemian Rhapsody”
or “Sweet Caroline” — instead, Annie Dorsen
has curated a lineup of over 90 “classic”
speeches that includes Socrates, Mummer
Gaddafi, and Ronald Reagan, all important figures
noted for their contributions to both history and
pop culture.
TORREY PINES
January 20 at Fox Cabaret
With a live score and brilliant stopmotion
animation, Transgender and
Queer filmmaker Clyde Petersen vividly tells
the story of his pre-teens — years characterized
by a schizophrenic mother, dumpster diving,
and a cross-country road trip, all set in early ‘90s
America. Hilarious, harrowing, and heartwarming.
DICKIE BEAU UNPLUGGED
January 19-20 at Anvil Centre, Fox Cabaret
Drag artist Dickie Beau is known for his miming
techniques and use of found sound, but here,
the English performer uses his own voice to discuss both
his journey and his love for his craft.
Daughter
CLUB PUSH
EXPAND YOUR MIND
BY YASMINE SHEMESH
Photo by Alejandro Santiago
January 2018 11

COMEDY
STEVEN WRIGHT
ADOPTING THE ZEN MINDSET: THE ART OF A LONG COMEDY CAREER
ALEX BIRON
Photo by Jorge Rios
Steven Wright makes his comedy work for him.
Legend has it that, before he was about to
record his first special, Steven Wright spilled
pizza on his shirt. Instead of being thrown off by
the last minute wardrobe problem, he simply
borrowed a shirt from his opening comic. Then,
instead of pacing nervously like most people
would before such an important performance,
he took a nap.
This quirky, zen approach to comedy is what
fans of Wright have grown to love over a career
that has spanned 30 years. He’s worked with
Quentin Tarantino as a voice actor and Louis
C.K. as a writing consultant, and Rolling Stone
included him in their list of greatest comedians.
He also won an Oscar for his short film, The
Appointments of Dennis Jennings.
On January 19, Wright will visit Canada to
perform at The Hard Rock Casino. He describes
Canadian audiences as the best in the world.
“Canada laughs a little bit more than any
other country I’ve done comedy in,” he says. “I
did two specials in Toronto for that reason.”
Canada was the first place Wright ever
performed outside the States.
“I went to Toronto and performed at Yuk
Yuks,” he remembers. “The owner, Mark Breslin,
was very supportive of me.”
Nowadays, though, Wright doesn’t have
much time for smaller shows at comedy clubs
and bars. This means that, unlike most comics,
he never has a chance to work out new material
at low-pressure gigs. The first time he tries a
joke, it’s in a theatre full of hundreds of people.
Another thing that makes him different is his
approach to older material. While most comics
write a brand new hour every year, Wright likes
to mix old jokes with the new.
“The show is like a painting that’s never
finished,” he says. “I keep adding layers, and it’s
never done. When the audience sees my act,
they’ll hear jokes from years ago, but they’ll also
hear some new stuff.”
Wright’s style of comedy lends itself well to
this system, since he rarely does topical jokes
that are restricted by time.
“When you do standup, it’s like you’re the
teacher and the student at the same time. I
make rules for myself. I never do jokes about
current events or the president. I like to talk
about everyday things like gravity, the speed of
light, and lint.”
One of Wright’s proudest accomplishments
is a short black and white film he made in 1999.
He wishes more people had seen it.
“It’s called One Soldier,” he says, “and I think
it’s the best thing I’ve ever made.”
When it comes to standup, though, he has
no regrets. He’s designed a style of comedy
that works perfectly for him, and when asked if
there’s anything he wishes he could do on stage,
he says that “everyone’s brain is a fingerprint:
they all work differently. I like how my mind
works.”
Catch Steven Wright live at the Hard Rock Casino
on January 19.
12
January 2018

STEVE GUNN
TRADING PRECISION FOR INSTINCT, PERFECTION FOR SIMPLICITY
SAFIYA HOPFE
ARRINGTON DE DIONYSO
PERFECTING THE ART OF RESISTANCE WITH PURE SOUND
EMILY JAYNE
MUSIC
Cocked and loaded, Steve Gunn is blazing a trail with his solo material.
Arrington De Dionyso’s shows are more than a just
a performance, they are magical acts of conjuring.
Based in Olympia, Washington, De Dionyso
is a prolific visual artist, musician, linguist and
instrument inventor. From 1995 until 2008 he
was the leader of beloved art-punk combo, Old
Time Relijun (K Records). He recalls his times in
Vancouver fondly, in 1995 being shown around
by members of July Fourth Toilet. Years later, De
Dionyso returned to perform at a now defunct
venue called the Butchershop where he gave his
first Voice Workshop for overtone singing and
vocal improvisation. In 2009 he founded Malaikat
Dan Singa, melding free associative Indonesian
translations of William Blake with dancehall
rhythms and postpunk angularity.
“Performance is a commitment to embrace the
ecstatic. Music is one means of navigating those
seldom charted realms of conscious awareness,
where your individual identity both expands
and contracts in the service of the sound itself,”
says De Dionyso. “My approach to music is very
physical, whether it’s vocal or through saxophones
or other wind instruments — it’s literally a form
of holotropic breathing in the way I play — so it’s
very easy for me to enter into trance space just
through the athletic nature of how I’m pushing
air through these wild tubes of sound. As much
as I might try to disappear into the pure sound,
I am also responsible for curating some kind of
shared experience for my audience at the same
time, and that I think is where the real artwork of a
performance occurs. It’s not enough to me to just
have some kind of singular peak experience if I am
not able to offer some means of transportation
for the person there at the show as well. So if the
audience is already willing to go along for that ride,
it’s certainly that much easier…”.
He found himself the target of the alt-right,
implicated in a bizarre and unfounded conspiracy
called #pizzagate after painting a mural at Comet
Ping Pong in Washington DC in 2010. Although
only up for a year, it was picked up by online
conspiracy theorists who took it as a “clue”
pointing to a fictitious politically involved sex
trafficking ring. Despite the online harassment,
death threats and illogical onslaught, he is more
determined than ever to keep creating art and
music with a message promoting the joy of being
human, mythology, dreams and the magical gift
of being alive. So it’s perfectly fitting that his latest
project, This Saxophone Kills Fascists, opens the
gates and calls upon the heavy medicine of music
with a nod to Albert Ayler’s The Healing Force Of
The Universe (1969).
“Because we need this medicine now more than
ever before,” De Dionyso’s latest press release reads.
“A Music of Resistance is found in the templates of
Spiritual Free Jazz. Through the guttural delivery
of ancient horns and stretched skins, a resounding
echo cracks the foundations of the walls built to
divide us.”
De Dionyso will be joined by uniquely gifted
Philadelphia percussionist Ben Bennett, who brings
some amazing perspectives to his musical playing,
informed by a wealth of experience in both poetry
and meditation.
Arrington De Dionyso performs January 12 at
the China Cloud (524 Main St.) at 9 p.m. along
with the Watermill Project and Ridley Bishop and
Clarinets. $10 at the door.
www.thissaxophonekillsfascists.bandcamp.com
One-of-a-kind folk experimentalist Steve Gunn
has worked with all kinds of talent — from Kurt
Vile’s band, The Violators, to Michael Chapman
himself — but as 2018 starts to present itself, it’s
the perfection of his intricate solo sound taking
centre stage.
Not that he’s new to working solo, and not
that he’s aiming for perfection. As a matter
of fact, Gunn describes recent realizations as
quite the opposite. “I’ve just been feeling more
comfortable in my singing and my words and
I realize, it’s really easy to kind of overthink
things.” As a self-proclaimed “obsessive” with his
work, Gunn is learning to embrace the value of
simplicity, impulse, and what he calls “restraint.”
For him, this means “thinking of songs differently”
and refusing the old traps experienced guitar
players might fall into. “I’ve played with musicians
who are older and who have been around studios
for a long time, and they tend to just kind of trust
the process and not get to overly precious about
it. You know, if you’re a singer and you play guitar,
just go in there and sing the damn song. Don’t do
fifty vocal takes and try to piece together a song,
you know? And that kind of approach, you can
really hear it in the music, and it was something I
was really trying to do: let myself sing a song and
January 2018
not have to comb over every word and try to fix
everything. Because it’s not going to be perfect.”
Another recent shift for Gunn has been a focus
on songwriting itself: methodically, formulaically,
and throughout history. Though his sources of
inspiration vary — from Indian music to “avantgarde
improvisors” and encompassing everything
in between — his respect for the song, and what
goes into its immaculate construction is both a
point of intrigue and a means of rethinking his
own work.
“I think you can approach it in all different
kind of ways. And people who construct effective
songs, that’s been lately an inspiring thing to me
even if it’s, you know, session musicians from the
early ’60s who played with people for different
labels and things. I’m just thinking a lot more
about the production of music and how to make
a record, you know?”
Having spent the last couple of weeks towards
the end of 2017 in the studio, Gunn is prepared
to manifest these recent revelations and more, all
in time for next fall when his fourteenth studio
album will emerge into the world.
Steve Gunn performs January 12 at St. James Hall
(Vancouver).
Arrington De Dionyso’s This Saxophone Kills Fascists is not preaching to the choir.
Photo by Lena Shkoda
13

LIGHTS
EXPLORING THE DARKER SIDE OF POP WITH A POST-APOCALYPTIC TALE
JOHNNY PAPAN
MUSIC
Photo by Matt Barnes
Toronto’s own Lights shows her growing maturity as an artist with Skin and Earth.
Skin and Earth is the fourth release to come from
Canadian-born synthpop artist: Lights. The album is an
exploration from her traditional upbeat pop-style to a
matured, darker subject matter while still implementing
nightclub grooves and atmospheric soundscapes.
Accompanying the new record is a complementary comic
series set in a post-apocalyptic world where its main
character, Enaia, is set on an empowering journey to find
strength in a climate of oppression.
“The basic story is this young woman who sinks into
a deep, dark place in her life. Within this darkness she
meets a friend who becomes the good and evil on her
shoulders,” explains Lights, who also wrote and illustrated
the entire comic series. “En is forced to look within herself
to find her own strength and hope within her darkness. I
think this story is really important because I’ve dealt with
depression in the past, I think a lot of people have, and it
feels the same for all of us. I think people shouldn’t look at
depression and think it’s because they’re weak or because
they’re different from somebody else or because they think
they’re just not smart enough to overcome it. It’s about
how you find your own strength, how you find your own
hope. Everybody has their own path and usually we have
to go through darkness in order to get to the good stuff.”
The story expressed in the album and comic serves as
much more than just a simple tale. Lights states that Skin
and Earth also aided her expedition into uncharted lyrical
territory, singing about formally untouched subjects such
as anger, frustration and sex.
“I wanted to be able to write about these things but felt
like I couldn’t because I didn’t have the conduit to say it. It
was probably this weird self afflicted syndrome where you
think you have to say what people want you to say. Lights
has always been positive and uplifting and that’s always
been the sort of music I’ve written. I think I got sort of
stuck in that.”
The upcoming tour is anticipated to be Lights’ biggest
production, performing the best of her releases thus far,
accompanied by visual imagery and storytelling linked to
the new record. If the album and comic aren’t enough,
Lights also wants to bring attention to her immersive
Instagram account: @skinandearthworld where you can
fully explore the Last City on Earth.
Lights performs at the Vogue Theatre (Vancouver) on
January 30 and 31.
BØRNS
STAGE MAGIC, ELECTRIC HEARTS AND SWEEPING FALSETTOS
ADAM DEANE
Some artists were born into greatness, others were
born with innate talents they’d realize later on, and
a very small select few — one— was just Borns.
Garrett Borns to be precise. A special brand of
magic must have moved through Grand Haven,
Michigan in the early nineties to produce a voice
like Borns, more commonly referred to and stylized
as Børns. The young man has a style that is all his
own to boot. Picture David Bowie meets Barrie
Gibb meets Gucci. Add about 10 inches of hair, a
killer-falsetto and more charm than that bracelet
you used to wear and you start to get the idea.
Garrett Borns’ electric heart inevitably grew
too large for its Michigan roots and propelled him
to become a superstar in his own right. With the
initial release of his first studio album, Dopamine,
the world soon realized just what he was capable
of. Even Taylor Swift tweeted about him. That’s
how you know you’ve made it. Though, this singer/
songwriter’s imagination isn’t limited to music.
Having caught up with Borns between meetings
and yoga, his patient and laid-back demeanor
rivaled his heart in size.
“I really feel like music is just one piece of
my artistic imagination. I try to write a lot of
short stories,” he says. “I have a poetic stream
of consciousness in my phone, which ends up
being a mess of words that eventually turns into
something. I want to get into more film scores,
possibly even making film.”
Borns’s career began at the ripe age of 10 as
“Garrett the Great,” a stage musician working his
January 2018
charm in local restaurants. Three years later he’d
go on to win an $8,000 art school scholarship and
a Gold Key Award for the “other” bits of his artistic
imagination. When asked when and how he finds
the time to produce all of this magic, his answer
was early and often.
“I’m a bit of a nocturnal animal at heart. There
is so much that can affect you during the day,
so many conversations to be had, your phone
buzzing. Your conscious is shifted; it allows you to
be a little more immersed in your art. Routine is a
very healthy thing for creativity, and I constantly
try to re-incent mine. I do a lot of yoga and try
to move as much as possible, especially when I’m
traveling in my capsule. Sometimes you just have
to jump and shake to get the blood (and your
thoughts) flowing.”
After an incredibly successful and hectic
tour-run with Dopamine, playing festivals like
Coachella, Austin City Limits, and even the
Tonight and Late Shows, Børns will release his
second studio album via Interscope Records, Blue
Madonna, on January 12. The two singles released
ahead of the album, “Faded Heart” and “Sweet
Dreams,” have already drawn massive success and
graced the charts this year.
With hits under his belt like “Electric Love,”
“10,000 Emerald Pools” and “Past Lives,” he’s
proved his voice to be unrivaled, intoxicating and
often times his highs rocket him out of every genre
society wields at him. Is he electro-pop, dreampop,
electro-funk… even psychedelic at times?
Who knows, who cares? His sound slithers through
a multi-coloured river of euphoria, leaving rich,
magical sparkles in its wake. Borns also the only
Michigan-bred human to rock a mid-driff Gucciblouse.
For that reason alone, you’ll want to catch
Garrett the Great, better known as Børns, on his
latest tour in support of Blue Madonna.
Børns performs at the Vogue Theatre on January 20.
Garrett Borns AKA Børns releases his latest offering Blue Madonna this month.
Photo by Chuck Grant
15

MUSIC
JOHN MAUS
MAKING MUSIC ABOUT THE WRONG APOCALYPSE
GRAEME WIGGINS
Often musicians let their music do the talking, making
interviews short, occasionally insightful but rarely treading
into philosophical implications of their art and how it’s
talked about. John Maus, whose apocalyptic new album,
Screen Memories, deals with fairly complex issues in a synthheavy
pop vein, takes things even further in discussion.
It probably helps that during the six-year hiatus between
albums he took time off to finish his PhD in Political Science.
Music writers often describe his music as outsider art
with a cult following, which is something Maus is keenly
aware of. When it arises in conversation, he notes, “I’m
wondering now if you’ve found the one or two towards the
end where I personally lamented this precise definition that
you’re bringing up now.” There’s a sense in which he gets
it, that there’s a sense in which his music is a little off the
beaten path.
“I guess in the sense that some of the things that I’m
trying out are so outlandish that the only comparison that
can be made is with some of these weird records at the
bottom of the vinyl bin — weird born-again, or family in a
trailer somewhere made. Other than that it’s just an easy
way to box it up and put in on a shelf where it belongs,
conveniently easy.”
He thinks this classification in music criticism stems
from a deeper issue in artistic evaluation; that judgments
about music are often made without really attempting to
bring anything new to the table. Putting things into genres
is an easy out for a music writer. He explains, “I have three
records out or whatever and each time I’m a different genre.
The first time it was hypnagogic pop, and last time, I can’t
remember, something like ’80s retro, and now I’m a retrofuturist.”
To be fair Screen Memories does have an ’80s feeling. It’s
synth heavy, it’s dark, and like a lot of eighties music, it does
seem to ruminate on the ideas of apocalypse. One would
have figured given its release this year that much of it must
be inspired by the political situation in the U.S. right now,
but the apocalyptic theme runs deeper than that. “Most
of it was finished during the time a Trump presidency was
still more or less a joke that the media was having. There
was no conceivable way. I distinctly remember some press
conference where Obama was somewhere and he was
reassuring everybody that Americans were not that stupid
that they would elect a reality star. The apocalyptic theme
I had in mind was more the Silicon Valley ideology. The
technocratic, techno-gnostic, ideology that holds sway
more and more.”
While Screen Memories might not have quite capitalized
on the world’s apocalyptic turn, it is still a fitting record for
the current zeitgeist.
John Maus performs January 24 at the Biltmore Cabaret.
Photo by Shawn Brack
The latest from John Maus, Screen Memories, is fitting for the current zeitgeist.
16
January 2018

THE WOMBATS
MATURING ORGANICALLY AROUND LIFE AND LOVE
FRANKIE RYOTT
FIRST AID KIT
STRIKING A BALANCE BETWEEN ANGER AND ROMANCE
SARAH BAUER
MUSIC
The Wombats proudly embrace a transformation on their new upcoming album.
They say good things come in threes but the
Liverpudlian lads from the Wombats are well on
their way to breaking the rules with the impending
release of their fourth album Beautiful People Will
Ruin Your Life.
Having first entered the musical world in
the mid ‘00s, the Wombats quickly obtained
stardom with their debut album, A Guide To
Love, Loss & Desperation. It was on this album
with titanic tracks like “Moving to New York” and
“Let’s Dance to Joy Division” that the Wombats
created a whole new thirst for alternative-pop and
indie rock. With time and testing the Wombats
continued to develop their sound and so too their
fandom, delivering once more in 2011 with their
triumphant album, This Modern Glitch. Following
suit again in 2015, their third album, Glitterbug,
catapulted the band back into the spotlight,
gaining critical acclaim worldwide from a whole
new era of fans, resulting in a debut spot in the Top
5 on the UK Album chart and Billboard 100.
Now as 2018 slowly blooms, Beautiful People
Will Ruin Your Life sees the Wombats stripping
back the bark of their sound with an aim to
approach music more freely.
“In this album we wanted to do something more
organic and less synth driven which has moved
us away from our previous albums,” explains
frontman Matthew ‘Murph’ Murphy. “I think we
are still growing and getting better, music isn’t
something you ever figure out, it always keeps you
on your toes, and as a writer I’ve just learnt to step
away from it when I need to and be a bit more
patient.”
This patience has come with power as the
Wombats have managed to piece together a
compilation of tracks that not only redefine
their playful nature, but also delicately delve
into the depths of human connection. The key
inspiration of which can be attributed to their
Photo by Phil Smithies
own experiences with the addictive twists of
relationships, which have become the well-planted
seeds that Beautiful People Will Ruin Your Life has
grown from.
“I’m an empath, I always write about
relationships whether they’re fucked up or not
and I absorb other peoples problems and energies,
it definitely encourages my creativity,” Murph
explains.
Since the albums announcement, fans have
been teased with two tracks. The upbeat synth
pop anthem “Lemon to a Knife Fight” and “Turn,”
an electrifying euphoric love song that Murph
describes as a “beautiful mistake.” Both tracks have
amassed more than a million plays on Spotify, an
indication of how the album will be received.
“Songwriters have to adapt these days because
everything is literally on a 4 inch by 2 inch screen
and it is so easily accessible. It’s really great to
release albums, more importantly to write songs
and get them out there instantly and watch the
reaction,” says Murph.
For more than a decade the Wombats have
continued to test the boundaries of alternativepop.
Their journey has been one of transformation
and Beautiful People Will Ruin Your Life is just
the introduction to their new organic sound and
a clear display of the Wombats evolution into
maturity. As the release date approaches, The
Wombats are set to hit arenas all over the U.S. and
Canada and later in the year will be embarking on
a U.S. summer tour co-headlining with The Pixies
and Weezer.
The saying goes ‘good things come to those who
wait’ and until February 9, Wombats fans must
obey, patiently.
The Wombats perform at the Imperial (Vancouver)
on January 30.
It’s dark outside in Stockholm when BeatRoute
reaches sisters Klara and Johanna Söderberg,
known together as First Aid Kit. Klara, the
younger of the duo, has filled her apartment
living room with lit candles, and describes
the lighting as low and peaceful. It’s a pretty
vision for two pretty-voiced women who have
enchanted folk and indie pop enthusiasts for
almost a decade with their honeyed, siblingbonded
harmonies and nostalgic lyricism.
But pretty has its limits, especially in a year
like 2017, which Klara describes as “change…
but not in a good way,” for the political and
cultural climate of the world. Ruins, First Aid
Kit’s fourth LP, addresses the aftermath of
Klara’s broken engagement and the detritus of
two wild and rebel hearts. With a single, jutting,
screaming line on track nine (“The Hem of Her
Dress”), the Söderbergs alert listeners to their
own personal sea change: they aren’t afraid to
get ugly.
“It’s more interesting to play with our voices
and create those contrasts,” says Johanna, who
pairs Klara’s lead singing and guitar with vocals,
keys, bass guitar and Autoharp.
Ruins, produced by folk favourite Tucker
Martine (My Morning Jacket, Neko Case), has
emerged out of the dust storm of a protest
song single released in March 2017 (also
produced by Martine), called “You Are the
Problem Here”. In it, the Söderbergs go against
type, with grizzly guitars and furious, hollered
lyrics, directly addressing a recently publicized
rape case where the perpetrator slinked off
with a light sentence.
“We could have approached it as sweet
and pretty,” says Johanna, letting her voice go
cartoonishly cutesy, “but we just thought, no,
we’re angry, and this is a punk rock song.”
The Söderbergs go by what they want, in
the format they decide, and are comfortable
enough in their musical identities to claim
every aspect of it with outward joy.
Take for example the referencing to
postcards and phone calls on Ruins (there’s
even a track called “Postcard”), as means of
communication with a distant ex.
“We were going to call it Snapchat,” jokes
Klara, while Johanna explains their preference.
Social media, texting and digital devices “just
don’t fit,” with the evocative styling and sense
of harking-back in their music. Jay-Z and his
Motorola two-way pager on “I Just Wanna Love
U (Give It 2 Me)” sounds completely outdated
now, Klara reminds us.
“Postcards remind us of our parents when
they were young,” says Johanna. “We’re
romantic.”
Romance holds strong on Ruins, as a
cohesive vein within a thoughtfully arranged
ten-track collection marking the residual
pains and revelations of a great love lost. The
sonic bond between Klara and Johanna is
unmistakable, like the McGarrigle sisters, but
juicier and with a rollicking, Johnny Cash sense
of genre and playfulness in where their voices
take them. There is an optimism despite the
heartbreak, torrential change, and the big fat
unknown of the future.
As said in a handful of the opening words on
“It’s A Shame,” “No point on wasting sorrow /
On things that won’t be here tomorrow”.
First Aid Kit play in Vancouver on January 27 at
the Vogue Theatre (Vancouver).
Klara and Johanna Söderberg aren’t interested in faking nice anymore.
January 2018 17

MUSIC
BRUCE COCKBURN
JUST A MOUTHPIECE A BONE TO PICK
ANDREW BARDSLEY
Photo by Daniel Keebler
Bone On Bone is Bruce Cockburn with something to say.
Canadian icon, Bruce Cockburn, returns from a
three-year hiatus with Bone on Bone, a return to
form for the legendary singer-songwriter. With
an astonishing 33 albums under his belt, Bruce
Cockburn has brought us a frantic, but timely
album, his first since 2011. Cockburn has been a
fixture in Canadian folk since the ‘70s, but it was
Dancing in The Dragon’s Jaws (1979) and the
song “Wondering Where the Lions Are” which
propelled Cockburn to international renown.
“What else am I gonna do? I’m still here and
I still have something to say.” Cockburn tells
BeatRoute from his Bay Area home, when asked
what keeps him going, his 33rd album now on
the shelves. “I have had the same lack of a game
plan since day one.”
Bone on Bone also marks Cockburn’s
first album since the release of his memoir
Rumours of Glory (2014). His rewarding lyrics
and virtuousic guitar ability has defined his
career, but following the release of his memoir,
Cockburn initially didn’t think he was going to
be able to return to music. “After that long I
wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to remember
how to write a song, or whether-or-not my life
had changed enough that it wouldn’t be the
thing to do anymore.”
It was an invitation to contribute a song to a
documentary on Canadian poet Al Purdy that
brought Cockburn back to songwriting. “This
was a gift from God I thought. I had this image
of this homeless guy who was obsessed with Al
Purdy’s poetry.”
The song in question turned into “Sweet Al
Purdy” and is also the inspiration behind “3 Al
Purdy’s” on Bone on Bone. Cockburn did not
grow up in a religious home but it was his time
as an adolescent that helped form his faith,
which has always been a critical juncture for
him. A child of the Beat Generation, Cockburn
grew up reading about Buddhism, the Occult
and eventually Christianity.
“It got to the point where I had to look in
the mirror and say to myself, ‘You’re a Christian
now.’ At that point in my life, I didn’t really know
how to have a relationship with anybody let
alone God. I had grown up not really good at
relationships so I had a lot to learn about that.”
A large part of Cockburn’s extended period
away from music allowed him to invest himself
in fatherhood for his young daughter Iona
Cockburn, born in 2011. Although Cockburn
tries to bring his daughter on tour as much as
possible, she has started school and is unable to
join him as much as he would like.
“If you have a family that can travel with you
that changes the picture drastically.” He attests.
At the juncture of parenting and activism,
Cockburn is hopeful for his daughter. “I trust
that my young daughter will pick up the vibe,
but the world she grows up in is going to be
quite different from the one we are currently in I
think, and not necessarily for the better.”
Living in San Francisco under the looming
thunderstorm of today’s political climate has
allowed a new era of activists to interact with
Cockburn’s music, finding such hits as “If I had
a Rocket Launcher” off the 1987 album Waiting
For A Miracle, still resonant with the politics of
today. While Cockburn does not consider it his
job, he is happy to speak truth to power with
the power he has an artist.
“I’ve never seen myself as much of an activist
but as a mouthpiece for the people who are the
real activists.”
Bruce Cockburn performs January 27 at the
Centre for the Arts (Vancouver).
18
January 2018

JP MAURICE
USHERING IN THE FUTURE OF MOM ROCK
ADESUWA OKOYOMON
MUSIC
“Every album is a learning experience. Recording a song is taking
it to its final resting place. As soon as an album is done, I want to
start working on the next one immediately,” says Vancouver singer/
songwriter and producer JP Maurice. Maurice grew up playing
the guitar, taking piano lessons, and singing in choirs and musical
theatre. “As long as I have been able to talk, I have also been singing.
My parents would listen to The Beatles, The Beach Boys, and The
Everly Brothers, and I would sing along and try to pick out the
harmonies.” His second album, Boys will be released on January 12
and is a fitting follow-up to his first EP, Girls.
Boys was birthed in 2014 when Maurice was living in Toronto,
and recorded over the summer of 2016. He worked with producer
and engineer Russell Broom at Blue Light Studios. For Maurice “The
Boys and Girls concept is mostly about duality. There’s balance and
counterbalance to everything in life. It’s important to see all sides
and when the lines get blurred that’s okay too.” The songs off his
first full-length album, The Arborist were “a reaction to what I was
going through at the time. I was in my late 20s and it was a very
dark time for me. I was singing about heartbreak, dissatisfaction,
poor decision-making, and angst. I’d like to think that I’m more
mature now.” On Boys, he sings about “looking at the world [and]
finding my place in it.”
Maurice, who describes his sound as pop noir or mom rock, has
a gift for creating songs that transcend genres, moving seamlessly
from pop to rock to alt-country, and back again. The newly released
music video for his single “Go,” directed by Johnny Jansen, perfectly
showcases his alt-country prowess and impressive vocals along with
his niece doing cartwheels. It’s light-hearted, bubbly, and fun, and
passes along a message that he hopes anyone who listens to his
album receives: “Have fun, be nice, roll with the punches, don’t take
yourself too seriously and love like no one has ever loved before.”
Fresh off CTV’s new show, The Launch, he is already working on
a new album and hoping to embark on tours across Canada and
Europe soon. Maurice is poised for a very big year.
JP Maurice plays his album release show at the Rickshaw Theatre on
January 12.
Photo by Jen van Houten
JP Maurice grows up on his latest LP Boys.
January 2018 19

BPM
FEATURED CONCERTS
VICTORIA, BC
GRANDTHEFT
BUILDING THE BEAT WITH A KEEN EAR
JAMIE GOYMAN
THE ZOLAS
PLUS ALEX LITTLE & THE SUSPICIOUS MINDS
CAPITAL BALLROOM // SAT, JAN 13
BAMBOO BASS PRE-PARTY
WITH PIGEON HOLE, SAM KLASSIK, AND ALEX MEI
CAPITAL BALLROOM // FRI, JAN 19
Photo by Sean Berrigan
Aaron Waisglass embraces melodies and chords.
Toronto-based producer Grandtheft is a name
that has gained massive ground in the electronic
music swell. Born Aaron Waisglass, his debut EP,
Quit This City, was released on Mad Decent in
2016. Along with the polished remixes he’s been
pushing since 2014, he has shown the fire he
possesses.
Pulling out of 2017 in true Grandtheft
fashion, Waisglass laid out with the bass heavy,
swooning “Square One,” featuring lyrical
accompaniment from MAX. With a push from
radio play of his “Easy Go” single, he is finding
that sweet spot of milk and honey every artist
hopes for.
“I have been in a crazy studio zone, and
writing fast. I used to be so slow, but I am really
trying to write the music quickly and organically
rather than overthinking everything,” Waisglass
explains. “Once there is a musical framework, it’s
about what sounds good and different. These
days, I try to let the melodies and chords come
through me. I kind of engineer/mix the records
as I produce, so I guess my personality comes
through in the music naturally.”
Fueled by an unstoppable work ethic,
Waisglass has a fervid need to create, exploring
anywhere his keen ear for sound will take him.
Having worked with the likes of Keys N Krates
on “Keep it 100” and Diplo remixing Calvin
Harris hits “Sweet Nothing” and “Summer,”
Waisglass has displayed, time and time again,
his ability to get the big rooms moving and
keep fans attention in this saturated media
environment.
“There is something about creating, then
listening to [a song] that didn’t exist before. I
always try to make music that I want to hear,
songs that I want to listen to, but don’t have,”
Waisglass muses. “Sometimes, if I have a melody
in my head, I’ll start there. Almost every time I
have a session with a singer these days, I start
fresh, writing a song from scratch and building
the beat and lyrics on the spot.”
When it comes to what’s on the up-and-up
for Grandtheft, the trimmings are seemingly
stacked to the nines. The chances for a fulllength
album in 2018 are looking good. It’s in
the works.
“Tons of my best-ever music is ready to be
released… I’m working with a lot of organic
sounds again, and I’m always looking for
different and more interesting sounds to work
with. Field recordings and sound effects from
real life have been finding their way into my
beats lately.”
Experience Grandtheft. You won’t regret it.
Get sticky; get sweaty.
Catch Grandtheft at Venue (Vancouver) on
February 3.
NONCOMPLIANT
A SINGULAR VOICE IN TECHNO
THEY KEEP DANCING
VINCE VACCARO
PLUS OCIE ELLIOTT
CAPITAL BALLROOM // SAT, JAN 20
HUMANS
PLUS INKY
CAPITAL BALLROOM // FRI, FEB 9
FOR FULL CONCERT LISTINGS & TO PURCHASE
TICKETS, PLEASE VISIT:
WWW.ATOMIQUEPRODUCTIONS.COM
FACEBOOK /ATOMIQUEPRODUCTIONS TWITTER @ATOMIQUEEVENTS
Looking back on 2017’s world of dance music, the
name Noncompliant (aka DJ Shiva) was hard to
miss. In a decades-long career that arcs from rural
Indiana raves to top tier European clubs, it might be
hard to identify a tipping point. “I think I found a
fresh musical focus with the Noncompliant project.
Also, I finally just bought a ticket to Berlin, got one
gig at a femme/queer collective called Room 4
Resistance, and it was exactly the right place with
exactly the right people. Other than that, I have no
idea, really. Sometimes it’s just luck that you catch
the right ear at the right time.”
It’s more than just timing and luck that helped
spread the Noncompliant moniker, the work is
there too. The Midwest producer and DJ recently
released music on notable labels like Argot, Valence
Records and FLASH Recordings (the Techno
platform of producer Florian Meindal). There was
the raucous Boiler Room set at Detroit’s Movement
music festival and a European tour ending with a
closing set at Berlin’s Berghain nightclub, the holy
grail for techno DJ’s. “That was a dream come true
and real life was actually better than the dream
version!”. And then came the accolades. To name
a few, a spot on Mixmag top 20 breakthrough DJs
of 2017 and a best mix of the year pick over at San
Francisco’s Technoclam.com (“Celebrating the notdudes
of House and Techno”).
After more than 20 years as a DJ, Noncompliant
is proof that refusing to conform can set you free.
“Don’t be intimidated by jerks. You will run into
them: naysayers, shit talkers, haters. You have no
control over them, but you have control over you.
Don’t let their bullshit drive you away from what
you love. Never let them win.” Inspiring words
from someone who started out in music on their
own, without having others in the community
to identify with. “Not in the earliest days. I was
in a small town, no internet, pretty isolated.
After I moved to Indianapolis I found more of a
community, including a few friends who weren’t
DJs but occasionally bought me records to support
me when I couldn’t afford them. Later there was an
email list called Sister DJs that was super supportive.
I have since found various groups of women and
queer folks online.”
In 2018 the techno veteran shows no signs of
slowing down. “Going back to Europe in March,
playing Moogfest in May, I’ve got some fun tunes
dropping on wax fairly soon.”
Noncompliant plays Open Studios on January 27.
Noncompliant warns don’t be intimidated by jerks.
20
January 2018

BIG BOI
A FAMILY AFFAIR
YASMINE SHEMESH
CLUBLAND
FRESH BEATS FOR A NEW YEAR
ALAN RANTA
BPM
We did it! Somehow, we survived a year under the tiny thumb of President bully
von Pussygrabber. Still, time is tight. Best tell that little voice in your head that
says “stay home and finish binging Halt and Catch Fire” to STFU more often.
Get out there and see something difference. Make your experiences now. The
same opportunities may never present themselves again.
Softest Hard
Jan. 12 @ Celebrities
This trap-loving, Los Angeles-based producer of Vietnamese heritage is rising
so fast, she’ll give you a nosebleed. As Skrillex associate, repping the OWSLA
imprint, her debut at Happy Ending Fridays will likely be the first of many, but
you have the chance to say you were there first, before she really blew up. Don’t
blow it.
All across the Boomiverse and in to your headphones, Big Boi is louder than ever.
It’s just a few days before Christmas and Big Boi, speaking
over the telephone, is beaming audibly at the thought.
“It’s the most wonderful time of the year, they say,” the
seminal rapper, born Antwan André Patton, enthuses.
Patton’s prolific career, of course, was launched off a
Christmas record. “Player’s Ball,” the debut single from
OutKast, the trailblazing Atlanta hip hop duo comprised of
Patton and André “André 3000” Benjamin, was first released
on A LaFace Family Christmas — a 1993 compilation from
production team and Dirty South sound pioneers Organized
Noize — before appearing on the group›s 1994 debut
album, Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik. The funky gem
climbed to the top of the Billboard Hot Rap Tracks charts and
stamped OutKast, and their city, firmly on the musical map.
This Christmas, though? The Pattons are spending time
in Atlanta before heading off to Jamaica for the new year.
Because family is, in fact, what it’s all about for Patton. His
wife and three children are first and foremost the core of his
heart, but those values of deep connectivity, respect, and love
also extend to the root of his music. On his latest solo record,
the critically acclaimed Boomiverse, Patton worked again
with his longtime collaborators Organized Noize.
“I think it’s the history, the professionalism, and the
curiosity of making new things, you know? That’s what kind
of brings us together,” Patton explains. “We’re like coal miners
or gold miners or diamond miners, always looking for a
sound, looking for a word, looking for something new to add
to the music. It’s all about discovery.”
On Boomiverse (its concept inspired by the Big Bang
Theory, the beginning of the universe), Patton is as innovative
as ever. “All Night,” for example, is a jaunty piano rag that
feels almost reminiscent of Idlewild, OutKast’s nod to 1930s
Georgia juke joints, and has Patton taking his usual smooth,
lickety-split delivery and rising it up into a cheerful croon.
“It was a chance to show off something different and flex
my vocal ability,” he says. The futuristic sax of “Freakanomics,”
the infectious, bass-heavy bounce “Chocolate,” and an
eclectic assortment of cameos ranging from Adam Levine
(“Mic Jack”) to virtual Japanese pop singer Hatsune Miku
(“Kill Jill,” which also features Jeezy and Killer Mike) — the
latter, a brilliant album highlight — display the kind of
forward-thinking artistic vision that continues to cement
Patton’s place as one of the best in the game. Then, “In the
South,” with fellow Atlanta rapper Gucci Mane and the late
Pimp C, is classic Big Boi — all slick swagger. Patton first
traded bars with Gucci on Sir Luscious Left Foot’s “Shine
Blockas.”
“Gucci Mane, man, he’s one of my favourites,” Patton adds.
“We have an amazing chemistry. This is the third record we’ve
done together. We did “Shine Blockas” for me, then I did a
song with him and Juelz Santana called “She Got A Friend,”
and he came back and did “In The South.” It’s an Aquarius
energy, I think, man. We get together and we jam.”
When it comes to chemistry, there’s an undeniably special
spark between Patton and Killer Mike. The two go way back,
from days in the Dungeon, to Patton signing Mike to his
Purple Ribbon label and joining forces in the supergroup
Purple Ribbon All Stars, to numerous collaborations over the
years. Patton calls Mike his brother.
“We’re family to this day,” he asserts, “so, it’s always an
out-of-this-world connection when we get in the studio,
‘cause we feed off each other’s energy, you know? He’s on
Boomiverse maybe three or four times, like, he would come
into town when I would be working on the record and
be like, ‘Bro, let me get on this! Let me get on this!’ and he
actually brought me the “Kill Jill” record, with the [promise]
that he had to be on it if I took it.”
In another recent team-up, Killer Mike and his Run the
Jewels partner, El-P, requested Patton do a spot on their track
“Chase Me” for the film Baby Driver.
“I flew to Atlanta and I just jumped on it,” Patton says,
adding that he jotted some lines down on the flight over, but
most of it just flowed out of his head from really digging the
Danger Mouse-produced beat. “And Killer Mike came later
on that night after my verse was done and was like, ‘Bruh. It’s
outta here.’ We had to turn it in, I only had 24 hours to do it.”
“Chase Me” has been nominated for Best Rap Song at the
2018 Grammy Awards. And, even at this point in his career,
with so many awards, including multiple Grammys, on his
mantle, Patton says it still feels admirable to be recognized
by his peers. After all, it’s about that connection.
That reciprocated love and respect. Family.
“When you’re making music, especially after 20 years, and
still getting Grammy nominations, and people still love the
music, and are still coming to shows, and still loving you, man
— I mean, that’s motivation to go back in and make more,
you know what I mean? We ain’t gonna never stop.”
Big Boi performs at the Commodore Ballroom on January 9.
Matoma
Jan. 18 @ The Commodore Ballroom
Norwegian tropical-house producer Tom Lagergren, famously known as
Matoma, has such a keen ear for pop melodies, honed through years playing
classical piano in his youth, that he can’t seem to keep his often-collaborative
singles off the Billboard dance/electronic charts. For the One In A Million Tour,
he’s pushing his latest single, a collaboration with Miley’s younger sister, Noah
Cyrus, and if that track doesn’t make you drunkenly slur “hakuna matata,” lord
only knows what will.
K.Flay
Jan. 21 @ The Commodore Ballroom
Once you hear the voice of electro indie-pop/alternative hip-hop songwriter
Kristine “K.Flay” Flaherty, and the keen observations she has about life these
days, it won’t ever leave you. She’s been on a slow burn for the last decade or so,
starting off making reactionary hip-hop on her laptop, signing a later-regretted
contract with RCA, ultimately coming out of that with a fan base dedicated
enough to fund her debut record, before ultimately leading us to Every Where Is
Some Where, her sophomore effort that basically blew 2017 up.
Beautiful Swimmers
Jan. 27 @ Celebrities
The extensive personal archives of DC-based duo Andrew Field-Pickering (a.k.a.
Maxmillion Dunbar) and Ari Goldman (a.k.a. Manhunter) have been expanded
through years of working in record stores. Though deep house truly runs
deepest in their souls, they can and will tap all veins of sound in their eclectic,
horizon-broadening sets, from disco and UK garage to jungle and post-punk.
Joyner Lucas & Dizzy Wright
Feb. 03 @ Fortune
This will be a truly intense night of hip-hop. Joyner Lucas does not pull punches,
evident from his gut-punching viral video for “I’m Not Racist” and his welldeserved
Lil Pump diss track, while Dizzy Wright used 2017 to drop two
thoughtfully blunted full-length sequels, The Golden Age 2 and State of Mind 2.
Show up, and get woke.
K.Flay
Photo by Kenneth Capello
January 2018 21

STONE SOUR
HARD-ROCK GROUP FINDS THE PERFECTION IN IMPERFECTION WITH HYDROGRAD
JOHNNY PAPAN
Photo by Travis Shinn
Stone Sour shine a sweet light on old school ideas.
THE FLESH EATERS
RAZOR-SHARP PUNK PIONEER CHRIS D. HASN’T LOST HIS EDGE
KARINA ESPINOSA
Stone Sour is a five-piece hard-rock group from Des Moines,
Iowa originated by guitarist Josh Rand and vocalist Corey Taylor,
who also famously fronts the eight-piece nu-metal juggernaut:
Slipknot. In 2002 Stone Sour released their well received
self-titled debut album and 15 years later, the group has now
dropped their sixth record: Hydrograd, which re-explores musical
techniques from their past.
“We recorded this album live as a band, with four of us in the
big live room and Corey in the vocal booth,” explains Rand. “We
wanted this album to breathe. We really pride ourselves in being
a live band and wanted that to translate on this record. We didn’t
want it to be over polished to perfection because sometimes the
imperfection is what makes it perfection.”
Despite the raw take on the album, at least to modern stances,
the album is still a tightly-knit rock-record with catchy tracks fit
for radio airwaves. Their approach is respectable, as the constant
need for to-the-grid perfection in today’s musical society is
beginning to cause a singularity in sound across most artists.
Rand confirms that recording Hydrograd the way they did was
about capturing emotion, not science.
“All of the classic records that everybody loves and are featured
in top 10 countdowns and stuff didn’t have the technology that
we do now. They went in there as a band and recorded it live. It
was about getting a vibe and making you feel something instead
of making it perfect. Music doesn’t have to be perfect, I think for
what we do that sucks the life and the energy out of it.”
With frontman Corey Taylor leapfrogging between Stone Sour
and Slipknot every few years, Rand finds himself exploring his
craft during the band’s off-season. He has earned a professional
certificate in guitar from Berklee College of Music and is also
getting his Masters, which he claims gives him opportunity to
learn new tricks and come up with fresh songwriting ideas.
“I was self taught and learned by playing metal. To be able to
dab into jazz and into blues and even classic rock, I knew it would
help in my songwriting. It’s about growth and not repeating the
same thing.” Rand continues: “I don’t wanna be a band where
every album is predictable on what it’s gonna be. With us, right
out of the gate we had [slow] songs like “Bother” and [heavy
tracks like] “Get Inside,” we were all over the map. It allows us
musical freedom to be able to do whatever we want, which I’m
thankful for. I love metal as much as anybody, but I’m glad we
get to be us and we’re not forced to not be able to go out and
explore.”
Rand promises this upcoming tour is going to be the biggest
production of Stone Sour’s career and encapsulates the best
of their old and new. “We’re playing songs that people have
requested for us to play for a very long time. It’s just as exciting
playing some of the old songs as it is the new songs because we
haven’t played them for 15 years. It’s pretty awesome.”
Stone Sour plays the Abbotsford Centre (Abbotsford) on January
27, Encana Events Centre (Dawson Creek) on January 29.
The Flesh Eaters occupy a fascinating
space in the history of LA punk. They’re
not so much a band as they are a
revolving group of musicians helmed
by Chris Desjardins, the lead singer
who penned the majority of the
band’s repertoire. Poet, musician, film
expert and all-around Renaissance
man, Desjardins, also known as Chris
D., was integral to the vitality of LA’s
nascent punk culture. He is considered
as one of the most poetic lyricists to
emerge from this scene, and perhaps
in American punk in general. In
early 2018, more than 40 years after
forming, the Flesh Eaters will reunite
to mesmerize crowds once again with
their trailblazing sound.
The band has gone through a series
of lineup changes throughout its
history, but for this upcoming West
Coast tour, Desjardins is backed by
fellow LA punk heavyweights John Doe
and D.J. Bonebrake of X, Dave Alvin and
Bill Bateman of The Blasters and Steve
Berlin of Los Lobos. It’s the same crop of
people responsible for the Flesh Eaters’
most celebrated album, A Minute to
Pray, A Second to Die (1981). But while
it’s common for bands on reunion
tours to play from one, seminal record,
Desjardins doesn’t feel pressured to pay
any kind of fan service.
“For the most part, [fans of the Flesh
Eaters] are already pretty familiar with
all of our work. The problem is we just
have five days to rehearse before our
first show. So as much as I’d like to play
from our latter records, we can only relearn
so much material,” he sighs.
Desjardin’s frustration is
understandable. After the release of
A Minute to Pray, the Flesh Eaters
went on to produce a slew of equally
compelling work. This includes Forever
Came Today (1982) and Miss Muerte
(2004), two criminally underrated
albums that hold their own against the
band’s 1981 release. What’s great about
the Flesh Eaters is that they resist a
one-dimensional interpretation of punk
rock. Pulling from influences as diverse
as African roots music, ‘70s garage rock,
free jazz and blues, the band transcends
the limits of genre classification.
“I think that kind of experimentation
was what set us apart in punk,”
Desjardins concludes. With the band’s
later work, it’s clear that Desjardins
refined and even mastered his
songwriting abilities.
The significance of A Minute to
Pray is undeniable. The album was
released in 1981, just as Reagan was
elected into office and ushered in a dark
decade. Although Desjardin’s lyrics are
not overtly political, they have a morbid
undercurrent, evoking the most sinister
strains of gothic literature and 1960s
horror films. Amplified by the front
man’s snarl and tormented cries, the
Flesh Eaters’ music projects a grotesque
vision of the world that many choose
not to confront.
“It’s a vision of the kind of evil and
madness that exists in humanity. That
darkness, it’s always been there. We
weren’t thinking in specific political
terms [when making A Minute to
Pray,] but I’ve always been trying to
understand people who are evil and
how they can justify their senseless
actions.”
These kinds of sentiments resonate
now more than ever and Desjardins
recognizes the importance of his work
in such troubling times.
“I do think we are stuck spiritually.
I don’t mean that in a religious sense
because everything is political and we
are all so motivated by fear. That’s why
I have to be an artist. I can’t work a 9 to
5 in an office and wear a suit and tie—
although right now with these hipster
trends, a suit and tie sounds like a more
preferable outfit choice,” he chuckles. “I
believe some of the greatest art emerges
from darkness. Art is the channel
through which we can strive towards
enlightenment, and that’s something
we really need today.”
The Flesh Eaters will be in Vancouver for
a rare, not-to-be-missed performance on
January 25 at the Rickshaw Theatre.
LA punks the Flesh Eaters reunite to mesmerize crowds again.
22
January 2018

HOSTILES
DISPOSING ROMANTIC NOTIONS OF HEROISM FOR REALISM
PAT MULLEN
“Sometimes I envy the finality of
death. The certainty. And I have to
drive those thoughts away when I
am weak,” says Rosalie (Rosamund
Pike) in Hostiles. “We’ll never get
used to the Lord’s rough ways.”
Rosalie opens up to Captain
Joseph Blocker (Christian Bale)
towards the end of Hostiles, a
visionary and meditative western
from director Scott Cooper (Crazy
Heart). The pair pauses following
a journey plagued by violence,
bloodshed, and death. Rosalie’s
reflection on America’s violent
ways anticipates the blood-soaked
finale of Hostiles that features a
body count so high it’s rivalled
only by Hamlet. Her speech
crucially asks the audience to
consider the perceived heroics in
the action to come.
These thoughts on the finality
of death challenge the classic
image of heroic cowboys riding off
into the sunset after battle. The
Hollywood genre tied to colonial
mythmaking has a sorry history
when it comes to representing
relationships between Indigenous
MOLLY’S GAME
POKER DRAMA PLAYS WITH A FULL DECK
PAT MULLEN
Rounders meets Miss Sloane
in the ridiculously entertaining
poker drama Molly’s Game. Jessica
Chastain doubles down as poker
princess Molly Bloom in this hotly
anticipated directorial debut from
writer Aaron Sorkin (The Social
Network, Steve Jobs). Chastain
follows up her stellar performance
as high-powered lobbyist Liz
Sloane with a similar and equally
electrifying turn as Bloom, a
smart and fast-talking hustler in
this high stakes true story of an
entrepreneur who built and lost
an underground poker empire for
the stars.
Molly’s Game energetically
chronicles Bloom’s journey from
world-class athlete (the film
opens with her crashing hard on
the moguls and seeing dreams
of Olympic gold fold) to pit boss
as Chastain narrates Molly’s
fast-talking, smooth-operating
story in witty voiceover. The film
centres on Bloom’s 2014 arrest
Christian Bale plays Captain Joseph Blocker in this contemplative albeit imperfect western.
persons and settlers. Stories of
rugged white heroes defending the
lands from bloodthirsty “savages,”
who rarely get any speaking
lines, built the Dream Factory of
Hollywood by recycling westerns.
Hostiles does away with
romantic notions of heroism with
Bale’s excellent turn as Joseph, a
racist leader of the cavalry who
receives an ironic assignment for a
man who proudly slaughtered the
Indigenous persons of the land.
His mission is to oversee the safe
return of terminally ill Chief Yellow
Hawk (Wes Studi) back home
so that he can die peacefully in
for operating an illegal poker
operation, along with trumped-up
racketeering charges alleging ties
to the Russian mob, and lets her
explain how and why a woman
who could have done anything
decided to run poker games
on the sly. The approach makes
Bloom sympathetic regardless
of what one thinks of her career
choices.
Bloom’s lawyer, Charlie Jaffey
(a reliable Idris Elba), hesitates
to defend a client with such
notoriety, but Molly refuses to
cut a deal, name the names of her
A-list clients or, more significantly,
sell two million dollars’ worth of
debts her clients accumulated over
the years. Simply put, she doesn’t
want easy money off trading
names to bookies will break legs
to collect.
Sorkin assembles a fine
ensemble of stars as Molly’s clients,
especially Michael Cera who is a
hoot as a skeezeball Hollywood
card shark. Chastain speaks fluent
Sorkinese after the Aaron Sorkin-y
Cheyenne territory.
The journey opens Joseph’s
eyes to the root of violence on the
frontier. As the company suffers
considerable casualties, he learns
to see Chief Yellow Hawk as his
ally rather than his adversary. The
true hostiles are the white men
like himself who bred so much
violence into the land.
Hostiles gives its Indigenous
characters speaking roles with
dialogue in Cheyenne and English,
while including folklore and rituals
as part of the greater heritage
wiped out by colonial genocide,
although one wishes the film
Miss Sloane and really has a handle
on the rat-a-tat energy of the
writer’s whip-smart screenplay.
Molly Bloom is Liz Sloane with
a better wardrobe and a more
plausible legal outcome, but it’s
a bit too bad that Sorkin didn’t
the script hand off to a seasoned
director like Miss Sloane’s John
Madden, since his hand behind
gave them the same depth and
complexity as Joseph and Rosalie.
Hostiles takes two steps
forward, one step back when it
comes to representing Indigenous
characters in westerns. The
film struggles in its finale that
inadvertently writes a white
saviour narrative alongside a
powerful admission of America’s
history of violence. This brutal
genre flick isn’t going to sit easily
with some audiences, but offers
a contemplative, if imperfect,
Hollywood acknowledgment of
the mass bloodshed of Indigenous
persons on the frontier.
the camera isn’t quite a steady as
his hands with the screenplay. A
perfectly good two-pair to a full
house, say. Even if Sorkin’s visual
style leaves something to be
desired, Molly’s Game sees him in
his element writing some of the
best dialogue you’ll hear this year
with performances to match it.
Jessica Chastain is the perfect poker kingpin in Molly’s Game.
THIS MONTH
IN FILM
HOGAN SHORT
January 2018 23
FILM
Falling after Christmas but before the Academy awards,
January is notoriously the worst month of the entire
year for film. So instead of recommending some terrible
films, here is a list of a few interesting showings at
Vancouver theatres.
RIO
Jan 6, 21 - The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
This is the most rewarding trilogy to marathon, and
here is your chance to do it on the big screen!
Jan 3, 11 - Blade Runner: Final Cut and Blade Runner
2049
A revered classic of Sci Fi Noir, followed by its unlikely
and exceptional sequel.
Jan 17, 22 - 78/52: Hitchcock Shower Scene
The 78 and 52 in the title stand for the shots and cuts
in the iconic shower scene in Psycho, in this film that
delves into the genius of Hitchcock’s craft.
CINEMATHEQUE
Jan 12-21 - Canada’s Top 10 Film Festival
“The best of 2017 in Canadian features, shorts, and
student shorts.”
Plain and simple, these are the best films that Canada
has produced this past year. You can catch the
hauntingly sad Never Steady, Never Still by Vancouver
director Kathleen Hepburn. Luk’Luk’l, from local
director Wayne Wapeemukwa, was a favourite at VIFF
this year. And Allure is a psychological thriller starring
the fantastic Evan Rachel Wood. This festival allows you
to see the best Canadian student films, shorts, features,
or documentaries our talented country has to offer.
VANCITY THEATRE
Jan 5-11 - Italian Film Festival
Attending any film festival is a unique chance to see a
curated set of films, and the Italian Film Festival is no
exception, offering a great opportunity to see new and
classic Italian cinema. At this festival, you can see on the
big screen the legendary Fellini’s La Strada, the first film
to win best foreign film at the Oscars. If you have seen
the best film of 2017, Call Me by Your Name, directed
by Luca Guadagnino, now you can watch one of his
first films, I Am Love (featuring Tilda Swinton). With
a documentary about Italy’s most prominent exorcist
(Deliver Us) and a biopic about Andrea Bocelli (The
Music of Silence), there will be something here for you
– the hardest part is picking something.
Psycho

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4
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present
Ladies of Country
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Blues Brunch 1-4
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4:30-7:30
Daniel James
9-late
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Shaun Rawlins
EP release
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Best in Vancouver
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27
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MUSIC REVIEWS
Porches
The House
Domino
Aaron Maine’s best songs as Porches are about
being alone. His 2016 sophomore album, Pool,
was a nuanced examination of loneliness filtered
through some of the catchiest pop music in recent
memory. The House, his third album, deals with
many of the same themes, but where Pool felt
like an introspective bedroom record, The House
expands outwards into anthemic synth pop that
exudes emotional catharsis.
In many ways, The House could be a slog of an
album, but it’s a rare record that feels both personal
and populist. As Maine sings about self-isolation
and retreats within, he manages to never exclude
the listener from these moments.
On the album’s second single “Find Me,” Maine
embraces the healing powers of solitude: “Think
I’ll go / Somewhere else / Where I can sink / Into
myself / Just watch me go / Just watch me go,” he
sings overtop clanging cymbals and a ‘90s bass
organ that syncopates with the song’s 4/4 kick
drum. It’s not often that dancefloor-ready songs
start off a verse with “Touch my neck and walk me
home / And I’ll be fine once I’m alone,” but here, it
works perfectly.
On “Anymore,” Maine returns to the wobbling
auto-tuned vocals that felt so out of place on Pool,
but now they sound like a tasteful artistic decision.
In several places on The House, Maine covers his
impressive singing voice with robotic auto-tune
that sounds like Cher’s “Believe” for the hipster set.
It’s a stylistic choice that won’t win everyone over,
but it works to disembody Maine’s voice in ways
that are often quite intriguing.
Late album highlight “Goodbye” finds Maine
sinking away again, but this time it’s from an ending
relationship: “I feel it move, I feel it ache / It’s sad
to see how much you changed / I’ll slip into a cold
lake / now I just feel it slip away.” He doesn’t wallow
long, though, as the song bursts into major key
chord stabs and thumping drums before its three
minutes is up.
Maine began working on The House right after
completing Pool, and the records tend to feel like
they were made with the same sonic palate. “W
Longing” feels the most like a leftover from Pool,
but it’s a welcome addition to The House, where its
instantaneous melody and pleading chorus (“Tell
me what you want to hear / I want you to hear it
/ Tell me what you want to feel / you know I want
you near it”) make it one of the strongest songs in
the Porches catalog.
In The House, Maine makes chintzy euro house
sound like high art. It’s as though Alice DJ packed
her bags and moved to Bushwick. There’s no one
making music quite like this right now, and it’s hard
to imagine anyone doing it any better if they tried.
Yet The House isn’t without its flaws. It is a record
that can feel maddeningly sparse at times. Rarely do
songs cross the three-minute mark, and, while every
song that does is fantastic, it makes the one- and
two-minute tracks feel like interludes that aren’t
needed. Admittedly, it’s a minor gripe, but it’s hard
not to think how much more affecting this record
would be with a little more flow.
Still, even with its minor flaws, The House is a
must-listen record that is as affecting as synth-based
music gets.
• Jamie McNamara
• Illustration by James Mackenzie
January 2018 25

BROCKHAMPTON - SATURATION III Eminem - Revival Jeezy - Pressure N.E.R.D - NO_ONE EVER REALLY DIES
BROCKHAMPTON
SATURATION III
Question Everything, Inc. / Empire
Despite releasing three albums in 2017,
BROCKHAMPTON has yet to oversaturate the
rap market, speaking to the versatility and talent
of each member in the boy band. Rap is the new
rock, but BROCKHAMPTON is the only boy band
to release nearly three hours of original music and
rise to internet stardom over the course of a year.
SATURATION III is arguably the best of the trilogy
in terms of consistency and production quality,
offering some of the group’s smoothest R&B tracks
yet while delivering a healthy amount of bangers
at the same time.
Album opener “BOOGIE” is the musical
equivalent of a shot of adrenaline, further
establishing the collective’s fascination with
“breaking necks like a chiropractor” and
reminiscent of SATURATION’s “HEAT,” one of the
finest, most aggressive offerings from the group.
“SISTER/NATION” is another cannonball of a track
that never loses its velocity thanks to its industrial
and electronic influences, sounding like a playful
take on Yeezus.
With 14 members, BROCKHAMPTON has
perfected the art of balancing everyone’s talents
across the album. With each record, there are
fewer tracks in which one artist steals the show,
which is more than Odd Future or even Wu-Tang
could say.
SATURATION III marks the end of a yearlong
era, providing new artists a framework for success,
but the flooded release schedule wasn’t the only
thing driving BROCKHAMPTON’s hype. The group
redefined how rap collectives and boy bands
should operate, utilizing the strengths of each
member while pushing the boundaries of hip-hop
in the process. No one is selfishly seeking solo
stardom, solidifying BROCKHAMPTON as a team
effort bound to improve in 2018.
• Paul McAleer
Eminem
Revival
Aftermath Records
Revival is an exhausting experience. Each insightful
message is overshadowed by lackluster and stark
production that overstays its welcome. Eminem
hasn’t lost his lyrical ability, but not even the
best rappers have the skill to make every bar
count on 17 tracks that average five minutes long
each. Every clever line is challenged by verbal
regurgitation that knows no limits: “That butt
won’t ever give up / That’s why you stick out no
matter what,” Eminem raps on “Remind Me,” later
adding, “Your booty is heavy duty like diarrhea.”
On “Untouchable,” two songs before the fannyfocused
“Remind Me,” Eminem raps about racism
and white guilt in America over a circus-like and
delirious guitar backdrop before the beat switches.
The message is sound, but the confusing choice on
the production side and the ridiculousness of later
tracks hurts the chances of Revival being taken
seriously.
Guitar-backed rap doesn’t usually fit the desired
tone of Revival, but “Castle” is an example of
Eminem’s songwriting rising to the challenge of
making the album interesting. While Revival often
relies on unoriginal, but important ideas, “Castle”
is a looking-glass into Marshall Mathers, the
human as opposed to the rapper. The track takes
listeners through his relationship with his daughter
and the anxiety that came with it, opening with
the months leading up to when she was born until
he struggled with his drug addictions.
The personable moments continue with
“Arose,” leaving listeners craving more vulnerability
throughout other tracks on the album. Ultimately,
Revival fails at being truly impactful and lacks
replayability. The components of success are
unevenly littered across the project, but Eminem
didn’t bother to rearrange them or throw the
useless ones away in the process.
• Paul McAleer
Jeezy
Pressure
Def Jam
On “Ignorant Shit,” JAY-Z once joked about critics
who attributed his success to the sound of his
voice alone, but obviously the Brooklyn legend
is lyrically gifted. While Jeezy doesn’t have the
same level of talent, he offers one of the most
unique and unmistakable voices in the rap
game. Jeezy’s eighth studio album, Pressure, finds
him as consistent as he’s ever been, because his
memorable hooks and verses match the tenacity
of his voice.
There’s no song that lives up to the message
and presentation of Hov’s “The Story of O.J.,” yet
Pressure doesn’t aspire to be more than rap music
you can bob your head to. Regardless, the subtle
political statements are extremely effective and
catchy, overshadowing Eminem’s painstakingly
political Revival; on “American Dream” Jeezy raps,
“First my president is black / Now my president is
wack / I ain’t never going broke / What’s American
in that?”
With13 tracks amounting to 44 minutes,
Pressure is a refreshingly lean and enjoyable listen,
showing signs of constraint in a rap game flooded
with filler tracks. Jeezy holds his own on the five
songs without any features, but the best tracks
are the ones where he’s feeding off the energy of
his guest stars by the likes of Kodak Black, J. Cole
and Kendrick Lamar. With the star-studded roster
on Pressure, it’s surprising that there aren’t any
radio- and club-ready bangers on the album, but
Jeezy still offers one of the smoothest and most
enjoyable rides of the year.
• Paul McAleer
N.E.R.D
NO_ONE EVER REALLY DIES
Columbia Records
N.E.R.D spends the majority of their latest album,
NO_ONE EVER REALLY DIES, relying on big
name features to pick up the slack for otherwise
lackluster tunes. With Rihanna, Kendrick Lamar,
Future, Wale, Gucci Mane, M.I.A., Andre 3000, and
yes, even Ed Sheeran, the rest of the album seems
fragmented and rushed.
“Lemon,” the album’s first single, is an upbeat,
dancefloor-worthy track, almost fully due to
Rihanna’s strong rap verse. “Don’t Don’t Do It!,” in
a similar scenario, has Kendrick Lamar’s part acting
as the saving grace. While some tracks can stand
their ground, particularly in the first half of the
26
January 2018

CUTTING-EDGE PERFORMANCE — ALIVE WITH THE EXPERIMENTAL SPIRIT
UNPLUGGED
DICKIE BEAU (ENGLAND)
SUPPORTED BY
Drag artist extraordinaire Dickie Beau has refined the art of lip-synch playback
performances with flawless miming and use of found sound. Here he
drops the mask, and the true Dickie enlightens on Greek culture, democracy
and more, laying bare his artistic journey and technique.
JAN 19 9PM JAN 20 8PM
THE FOX CABARET
THE ANVIL CENTRE
TORREY PINES
CLYDE PETERSEN (USA)
Trans filmmaker and musician Clyde Petersen presents a stop-motion animated
adventure into his misgendered pre-teen years spent in Southern
California. Playing to live score performed by Petersen and his band, this is
a movie memoir as innovative and idiosyncratic as they come.
JAN 20 9PM
THE FOX CABARET
JOSEPH KECKLER (USA)
The artistically ambidextrous Joseph Keckler is a star of New York’s performing
arts scene with awards, commissions and book deals. Harnessing
his three-octave range, Keckler moves from opera to pop without missing
a beat. A self-deprecating and charming showcase of the lowbrow and
highbrow.
JAN 26 8PM JAN 27 9PM
THE ANVIL CENTRE
THE FOX CABARET
HINKYPUNK
FAKEKNOT (CANADA)
Vancouver’s Ralph Escamillan reveals a dance spectacular that has him
decked out in “sequin skin”—a walking, breathing and shiny signifier. Inspired
by drag, ballroom and vogue subcultures of expression through artifice,
he offers a beguiling and sexy study on the gaze, the body and the self.
JAN 26 9PM
THE FOX CABARET
DAUGHTER
QUIPTAKE & PANDEMIC THEATRE (CANADA)
A harrowing yet hilarious exploration of “toxic masculinity.” Toronto comedian
Adam Lazarus, a recent new dad, comes to grips with what it means
to become the father of a daughter, and with smart, incisive and remorseful
self-reflection, asks, “What are you willing to forgive?”
FEB 1 10:30PM
THE FOX CABARET
SPOKAOKE
ANNIE DORSEN (USA)
A night of karaoke like no other. Participants won’t find any Queen or Taylor
Swift here. In their place are some of the great artists who have gone down
in history for their words. More than 90 classic speeches by the greats of
our time, from Socrates to Sarah Palin, await to be recited.
FEB 2 9PM
THE FOX CABARET
CRIS DERKSEN TRIO
CRIS DERKSEN (CANADA)
Cellist and composer Cris Derksen has been called to collaborate with
icons from Kanye West to Naomi Klein. Armed with loop pedal, drum machine,
and cello, the JUNO Award-nominee pulls audiences into the propulsive,
hypnotizing pounding of powwow music, head-nodding rhythms of a
hip-hop, metronome thumps of a techno mix, and more in a thrilling night.
FEB 2 8PM FEB 3 9PM
THE ANVIL CENTRE
THE FOX CABARET
RPM RECORDS:
LIVE IN VANCOUVER
VARIOUS ARTISTS (CANADA)
Celebrate the closing night of the 2018 PuSh Festival, with a lineup of Indigenous
musicians from across Turtle Island: hip hop from Vancouver duo
Mob Bounce backed by DJ Kookum, and electronic beats and soundscapes
from Ziibiwan. This is a dynamite evening of powerful, diverse music to
move the feet and soul. Surely one of the city’s musical events of the year.
FEB 3 10:30PM
THE FOX CABARET
PRESENTED
WITH
FROM THE HIP & THE QUEER TO THE RADICAL & RIOTOUS
PRESENTED WITH
2321 MAIN STREET
VANCOUVER
PRESENTED WITH
777 EAST COLUMBIA STREET
NEW WESTMINSTER

SUNDAY MARCH 25
HOSTED BY MICHAEL BUBLÉ
ON SALE NOW!
SPACE PROVIDED BY

The Fugitives - The Promise Of Strangers
Tom Phillips - Plastic Machine
Ty Segall - Freedom’s Goblin
album, other collaborations sound out of place.
Future, on single “1000,” doesn’t seem to mesh well
with the rest of the track. The fast-moving beat
leading into Future’s signature overly auto-tuned
verses seems like a clash of styles. Overall, the
album seems to be rushed along, with much of
the production sounding recycled. Did “Lightning
Magic Fire Prayer” really have to be nearly eight
minutes long?
Perhaps the point was to sound jarring. Pharrell
Williams, one half of the duo, whose name is on
every track as a producer, seemed to want to create
an album of protest. Unfortunately, at the end of
2017, when listeners have already heard protest
songs and albums alike, it seems like the kind of
thing that shouldn’t feel rushed.
• Amber McLinden
The Fugitives
The Promise Of Strangers
Borealis Records / Westpark Records
Vancouver pop-folk group The Fugitives return
after four years with their latest offering, The
Promise of Strangers. The album finds the band
making a noticeable rise in production quality from
their earlier work.
The Promise Of Strangers is a series of
dedications to people both known and unknown
to the band, and in some cases fictional. It’s an
album that brims with rich harmonies, both vocal
and instrumental.
Beginning with a low-key vibe on the cut “I Have
No Words (For Leonard Cohen)”, the band takes
their time to build the song, when the chorus
drops in with a subtle organ and banjo higher in
the mix. By the second chorus, the classic Cohen
gospel background vocals come to the fore, and
the section is an indication of what’s to come
throughout the record: harmonies that hinge on
smart chord changes and composition. “See This
Winter Out (For Amy)” is closer to The Fugitives’
earlier work, the kind of kick-drum-with-banjo
vibe popularized by Mumford & Sons, (which can
either be a good thing or a tired cliché, depending
who you ask). Indeed, the “whoa” hook abounds
throughout the record, at this point well overtired
for this era.
“Northern Lights (For Steel Audrey)” kicks
off with a nice acoustic/banjo/organ intro and
a change in pace vocally, while the evocation of
the celestial occurrence feels a little too easy, a
kind of chocolate chip cookie that’s palatable for
anyone to chew on. “London In The Sixties (For
Dr. McMorran)” is a standout, with its clever beat,
rousing horns, and the line, “The English are the
kings of dressing down the blues,” finally drops in a
bit of sarcasm on what is ultimately a very earnest
record.
While the production on The Promise Of
Strangers is beautifully executed and The Fugitives’
willingness to take a leap sonically is a step up
from their previous work, the album feels a little
too choreographed. It’s the kind of easily digested
folk-pop that fits for the wholesome folks on a
festival afternoon, which honestly feels like the
whole point. A little grit and grime could do these
escapees a world of good.
• Mike Dunn
Tom Phillips
Plastic Machine
Independent
Every time I review a country record that remains
true to the style’s roots and is honest and heartfelt,
I’m tempted to write a lengthy diatribe on the
state of the art form. Unfortunately, that’s not only
self-indulgent, it’s also a disservice to someone like
Tom Phillips, who’s spent his entire career making
straight up country music and has never felt the
need to subvert his work to the whims of the
McCheeseburger factory of corporate country.
Phillips’ latest, Plastic Machine, is his first with his
new band, The DT’s, and his second with producer
Lorrie Matheson. The opener, “Distance,” sets the
tone for the honesty of the record, with Phillips
writing liberating and heavy lines about his past
as a hard drinker, backed by a clean mix featuring
Matheson laying down some Exile-era Jimmy Miller
piano out front. “Deeper Blue” kicks off in classic
prairie country rock style, a buck-forty sunshine
straightaway, with Geoff Brock’s guitar drenched
in Leslie tone before dropping into slinky Keith
Richards riffs. Deicha Carter’s lead vocal on the cut
is a real find – there’s a lot of Susan Tedeschi in her
tone and she doesn’t hold back anything, while
sisters Shaye and Sydney Zadravec are on point
with their harmonies throughout, adding just the
right doo-wops and oohs to fill out the vocals. “Dry
As A Desert Bone” unflinchingly lays bare Phillips’
past with liquor. The title cut finds Phillips pensively
regarding the trappings of modern life, invoking an
image of screen-addled citizens walking down the
street in full distraction. “Death of Love” has been
years in the making, Phillips having commented
in the past that he could never get the vibe right
on a record. Here, it gets a Tex-Mex feel with Tim
Leacock and Ian Grant swinging a cool hesitation
groove in the rhythm section while Matheson’s
addition of organ is a nice compliment, as is the
Tijuana Brass feel in the horns.
Country music has always been run through
with threads of self-abuse and reflection – it’s what
makes it one of the best hangover styles there is.
The danger in that is that artists feel like they have
to maintain those myths and illusions for the sake
of authenticity. Modern country is selling self-abuse
by the ounce, with little post-party reflection. Tom
Phillips’ Plastic Machine isn’t preachy in its selfreflection,
it’s just honest, and it’s some of Phillips’
best work.
• Mike Dunn
Ty Segall
Freedom’s Goblin
Drag City
It’s remarkable that through 10 albums in 10 years,
Ty Segall has never had an outright clunker. Sure,
there are some duds contained in each album,
but never has a whole album been a write-off for
the garage rock legend. Unfortunately, that also
means that it’s hard to call any of Segall’s albums a
masterpiece.
That trend continues with Freedom’s Goblin, Ty
Segall’s 10th studio album that acts as the purest
distillation of Ty Segall on record yet, for better and
worse.
On Freedom’s Goblin, Ty Segall has arrived at the
destination his albums have been heading towards
for the last five years. It’s a 19-track hodgepodge
of just about every kind of guitar music you can
throw fuzz on top of. There are cinematic ballads,
roiling disco stomps, twangy country rock tunes,
and everything in between.
It doesn’t make a lot of sense as a cohesive
album, but it’s quintessential Segall. Throw
everything at the wall and see what sticks. Luckily,
a lot of these songs plaster themselves to the wall,
but when they don’t it’s increasingly evident.
The clear highlight here is Segall’s cover of Hot
Chocolate’s disco classic “Every 1’s a Winner.” Segall
trades the slow-motion clavinet chug of the original
for a murky bassline and sleazy funk rock. It’s an
interesting direction for Segall, and it would be
great to hear him explore it further. Unfortunately,
the other 18 tracks included here don’t really move
outside of his wheelhouse and after 10 albums, it’s
hard not to feel a little disappointed with that.
• Jamie McNamara
Platinum Era (’96-’09)
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January 2018 29

NEW MOON RISING
YOUR MONTHLY HOROSCOPE
QUAN YIN DIVINATION
Month of the Water Ox
As the full rush of water slows to a
trickle, this month aligns with the
reasonable, reliable and hard-working
Ox, giving many a relief from the
romantic tensions of the last few weeks,
and inviting in a more conservative and
conscientious time. The Ox favours
structure, discipline, hard work, and,
occasionally, a dabbling of bohemian
joys, but generally stands as a strong
pillar of society and proud to be of high
moral and ethical standing. Assuredly,
this would not be the time to do
anything that might offend the status
quo.
This month also has a strange wisdom
as the trickle of water, although gentle,
has persistence in getting its way and
carving a path where there was no
one before. Flexibility, adaptability,
neutrality, and patience guide us with
clarity through the dense fog and dewy
mists represented by yin water.
Rabbit (Pisces): Take a reprieve from
work activities now as you’ll feel the
need to let down, stay home, and work
on small projects that you’ve been
putting off. Ready yourself for a more
fortuitous year ahead.
Dragon (Aries): You can’t do it all,
but you like to try. Set your priorities
with work, family and friendships.
Step up to be your most reliable and
dependable self, but don’t forget to take
care of your own needs first.
Snake (Taurus): A chance for a long
awaited strategic move forward is hand.
How can you execute your plan so you
move into the New Year with more free
time and less hassle?
Horse (Gemini): Heal, refresh, renew.
A good time to clear the air with
someone you love about your feelings,
or take time to sort out in your own
way what you need to forgive, forbear,
or simply forget.
Sheep (Cancer): Open your heart
and mind to the perspectives of others
to get the positive attention and
recognition you want and deserve. A
boost in your self-esteem is the happy
result.
Monkey (Leo): Laughter is the best
medicine and people will enjoy
connecting with your clever wisdom
and natural rhetoric, so when you have
the chance to stay or to go — be sure
you say it with a smirk.
Rooster (Virgo): When the going gets
tough, the tough get going. Productive
energy is available to you now and
making a head start will put you in the
lead for 2018. You can do it!
Dog (Libra): Pay respect to your
superiors by going out of your way to
be kind or generous and you will make
friends, rather than enemies. Watch
your step and check your ego.
Pig (Scorpio): Soften to any situation
that triggers deeply held emotions. It’s
good to feel all the feels, and sharing
with others will draw your true friends
into devoted service. Compassionate
understanding requires communication
from the heart.
Rat (Sagittarius): Focus on selfdevelopment
and growth to bring a
positive start to the year and get back
on track with your highest goals. You
can make progress this month on a new
project or start a new career if you have
the right attitude.
Ox (Capricorn): Beware of your
temper as those around you may be
ultra-sensitive. It’s better to back away
from any situation that tempts you into
anger — especially any situation where
you just can’t win.
Tiger (Aquarius): Your secret is out
and so why not just be honest about
your perspective and feelings. Others
will draw a line or stand by your side,
divided on the issue. Take a side and
make it clear what you think is right.
Susan Horning is a Feng Shui Consultant
and Bazi Astrologist living and working
in East Vancouver. Find out more about
her at QuanYin.ca.
30
January 2018