In a Sea of Talented Artists, Let Us Hand Pluck Some Hidden Gems You May Be Looking For: CJLO Presents girl with dream, Hanako and Holly Mclachlan at mai/son

In an age where new music is plentiful and ever-changing, the excitement of nuanced sounds can be tainted by one’s struggle to determine whose album to play next. The bottomless pit that is today’s music streaming services can exacerbate the daunting task of finding what you really want to listen to. Sure, now, with Spotify’s Smart Shuffle and Apple Music’s For You playlists, listeners get a taste of what could pique their interest, but what about the smallest hidden gems from the local scenes? 

CJLO Radio has always advocated for Montreal’s up-and-coming artists. The exploration of genres on CJLOs radio shows are endless, and often pluck out under-the-radar musicians. This April, CJLO has shoved its foot into the door of folk music programming. This month’s “New Roots” concept will showcase nothing but folk, shining a spotlight on music made by local community artists, for the community. 

To kick off folk music in April, CJLO hosted three Montreal folk artists at mai/son this past Friday. Hidden in plain sight in the Mile End neighbourhood, mai/son’s external complexion is a run-of-the-mill Victorian-looking home. I would know; I’ve lived five minutes away from the building for the last 6 months, walking by it every other day, and never once judged its character. However, the venue’s nonchalant exterior is nothing but a facade for the beauty that lies between its walls. While maintaining its homely atmosphere, mai/son has made space available for local artists to display their art in the gallery walls scattered throughout the property. The space’s intimate and cozy setting makes for a truly unique and memorable atmosphere. 

On Friday, April 4th, CJLO presented Hanako, Holly Mclachlan and girl with dream, three exceptional talents of the Montreal music scene. As audience members crept inside mai/son, it was apparent that newcomers were struck by the unprecedented warmth the house offered.  After many explored the character of the venue, guests gathered by the stage in anticipation of the opening set. 

The evening began with a set by Hanako Brierley, more commonly known as folk singer and bassist Hanako. Of Japanese-Canadian origin, the singer-songwriter’s work continues to evolve as she makes her way towards her third studio album. 

Offering a bit of old and a bit of new, Hanako performed a live debut of her 4-track Japanese EP, KakoBako, as well as an unreleased track, “Let Me Drive You”. The singer’s soft-spoken lullaby of a set perfectly set the intimate tone for the evening. Audience members sat cross-legged on the floor, eyes wide in awe of Hanako’s truly raw and emotional lyricism. Listeners swayed and held onto each other’s hands tightly, and it became apparent how serene the collective audience experience was. 

After a brief intermission, the audience was introduced to Holly Mclachlan. Mclachlan’s storytelling through electroacoustic production, blunt lyricism and spoken word shines brightly on her most recent album, Faith Adventure. During the event at mai/son, the singer took the opportunity to deeply engage with her listeners, fixing one’s gaze on the enunciation of her every word.   

Settled in between a bassist and violinist, Mclauchlan’s set perfectly encapsulated the eclectic musicality of her artistry, giving listeners nuanced, colourful folk. Her live rendition of “angel cardzzz” was hard-hitting and truly introduced listeners to her gritty tone. As she pulled out a special acoustic guitar, the singer spoke of the instrument’s supernatural qualities, elucidating the guitar’s “cursed” character. 

McLachlan’s trio was also joined by a spontaneous fourth member, an old friend visiting Montreal who brought his bongos and tambourine along for his adventure. The harmony that manifested from Mclachlan’s spur-of-the-moment decisions illustrated how comfortable she was in her music. As the quartet dove into, “South Dakota’, the sound shifted from experimental to a more traditional folk style. With a catchy melody, Mclachlan had audience members singing the lyrics back to her and swaying along to her strum pattern. Mclachlan’s rambunctious crescendos and complete engagement with the music truly embodied her sound. 

To close the show, Concordia Alumni Chrissy Lawson arrived at the Mai/son stage performing as girl with dream. I was fortunate enough to sit down with Lawson after the show to further explore what drives her as a folk-rock artist. She spoke of her early exposure to music, participating in her Pentecostal church’s youth music group and immediately being drawn to the stage. This led Lawson to perform for congregations of 800 people at just 14 years old. 

Since then, Lawson has dipped her toes into a plethora of musical endeavors. The artist has worked with different groups including indie-rock bands Dresser and Ribbon Skirt, and has explored various unnamed solo work prior to girl with dream (we’ll let fans fester over that one). 

Her most recent EP, Tell, divulges Lawson’s innate writing abilities. Her vulnerability and open dialogue surrounding heartbreak, hardship and self-identity give those struggling a place to feel heard and find a sense of belonging.

Amidst her hectic touring schedule, Lawson continues to exude strength as she rips apart some of the most confessional and thought-provoking themes in her music. In our conversation, Lawson explained, “I’m putting some really serious stuff and really serious feelings out there…I want to strip away those layers, the pretense of performance…”  Lawson’s passion and grit exuded from her life performance at mai/son. girl with dream truly held audience members in the palm of her hand. The softness of her vocals against the deep hum of her bass further illustrated the catharsis she feels in her performance. 

During her set, Lawson took a moment to bring attention to Quebec’s upcoming federal election: “It’s super important to show up this year and vote” she proclaimed. In our later conversation, Lawson admitted that this statement was premeditated with the strongest of intentions: “There is a contingent of people in society that like, kind of want to see me dead, and like, as a trans person, I don’t really get the opportunity to not be political.” Lawson stood strong in her statement during her set at mai/son, believing that as a performer, she holds an obligation to stand from her growing platform and urge listeners to make thoughtful actions when it comes to politics.  

In its entirety, CJLO’s celebration of Folk music at Mai/son this past Friday gave voice to three artists whose performances left chills and sparked introspection. For every indie-folk lover who finds themself searching for a modern reincarnated 60s' folk, change your channel over to CJLO 1690AM.