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Hey Joni
This article originally appeared in the 2021 POP Montreal Programme
I met Joni years ago when a mutual friend told us that we should meet (his exact words, "it's gonna be good"). Visiting Montreal from Ottawa, she was a fellow community radio music director. We talked about our respective stations over some Boustan, sharing notes about how they operated before going record shopping. Not just colleagues, but instant buds. Music talk with her could range from Rancid to Rhys Chatham, to our mutual love for North of America and Autolux.
Over the years we became closer through our On-the-Road-esque network of radio friends, making sure to link up at music and radio conferences along the way or whenever she was in town for a show or a screening at the dearly departed Blue Sunshine (and most importantly explaining what the words "plenary" and "groat" meant at an NCRC). One visit to POP Montreal in 2011 involved a packed Japandroids show at le Divan Orange where Joni emerged from a sweaty mosh pit excited that she had just been kicked in the face by a crowdsurfer. Nothing fazed her.
When she moved to Montreal, the entire CJLO staff were so happy to finally be in the same city as Joni, and to be given the opportunity for more frequent hang outs and run-ins with one of our fave out-of-town radio pals. Through radio, she dug her roots into the music scenes of the different cities she lived in; she became an exceptional resource for DIY bands trying to book tours, and got involved with festivals like Arboretum Festival, Suoni Per Il Popolo, and of course, POP—becoming the Symposium Director for a time, where I had the pleasure to work with her on two workshops. Joni loved more than just community radio, Joni loved community.
I have so many stories about Joni, a lot of them about her great sense of humour, but most of them about what a kind, helpful and incredibly supportive friend she was. My wife always remarked how she truly listened to you, and was always interested in what you had to say, what you were putting out into the universe, and what kind of art you were creating. She genuinely cared.
Joni was the familiar face you looked for in a crowd at a show; she was a lot of people's security blanket and probably never realized that. Everyone rightfully loved her. Mention her name to a stranger in a different music scene and you will immediately bring a smile to their face, followed by an, “Oh, you know Joni too!?” As our different communities live on, Joni will continue to link us together, but it’s still going to be hard to get over the habit of looking for her when walking into a packed venue.
Joni was also incredibly fun, and did not waste time. The drumming, welding, sailing, embroidering, knitting, I-learned-to-code-cuz-pandemic-freed-up-a-lot-of-time-ing marvel wouldn't want us to waste any time either. Live your life, learn that new skill, go on that trip, meet those new people and take that chance. Don't waste the little time you have. Fill it with whatever challenges and interests you, and whatever makes you happy - and share that with those you care about. That's how we can continue to pay tribute to Joni and keep her memory going.
She was, and will always be, the coolest person I know.
Shots ring out from the center of an empty field
Joni's in the tall grass
She's a beautiful mental jukebox
A sailboat explosion
A snap of electric whip crack
She's not thinking about the future
She's not spinning her wheels
She doesn't think at all about the past
She's thinking long and hard about that wild sound
And wondering, will it last?
-Sonic Youth, "Hey Joni"
Mapping Montreal Music
CJLO has recently endeavoured upon a new initiative: the Mapping Montreal Music (MMM) project. MMM will see the production of an 8-episode podcast series, whereby we’ll be mapping our city’s musical history, borough by borough. Tasked with the project are three new members of the CJLO staff: Music Journalist in Residence Sun Noor, Music Journalist Assistant George McFarlane, and Lead Web Developer Alana DeVito.
So the world can learn more about our new staff and what brought them to CJLO, we’ve asked each new member to fill out a short Q&A.
Sun Noor (Music Journalist in Residence):
1. Can you tell us about your relationship with music journalism?
I've always had a passion for music and art growing up. I also really enjoyed writing and storytelling and so I merged all of my passions together in high school and started making web zines, which eventually led to the creation of my blog, For the Record. The idea emerged from creating an outlet for my friend to discover new music and keep up with releases. Although I still enjoy writing features on artists and in-depth album reviews, I've been more focused on producing longform, research-heavy articles. To me, shedding light on interesting scenes and movements from both the past and present make for the best music discovery pieces.
2. What interested you about this position and CJLO 1690AM?
I'm a big fan of Montreal music, storytelling and CJLO, meaning this role simply consisted of what I enjoy most. Volunteering at the station over the past year and curating cool playlists has been great. I'm excited to contribute to the station with the project.
3. What do you hope to create with the MMM project?
I hope to create an audio experience through storytelling that will make listeners feel as though they can envision the places being visited. I've always wanted to create a documentary-style project on Montreal music, as there is so much to explore and uncover. I also hope to shed light on lesser known movements from the past and present while incorporating important discourse about the future of live music.
George McFarlane (Music Journalist Assistant):
1. Can you tell us about your relationship with music journalism?
I’ve always been interested in music journalism from an outsider perspective. As a gigging musician and fan of live music in general, obviously I would always go to shows and form my opinions on the acts that played. I never really put pen to paper and got those thoughts out of my head, though. Working with Sun has been great so far because it feels like I’m finally getting the opportunity to really show my love for local music. There’s also this annoying elitism that so often comes with music journalism, and it’s very heartening to see that there’s none of that at CJLO, and specifically with what Sun and I are working on.
2. What interested you about this position and CJLO 1690AM?
I’ve been wanting to get involved with CJLO for a couple years now. Anytime there’s been a job opportunity, I’ve applied, and this time I guess the fit was right! Over the last year or so, I developed this intense fascination with local/campus radio stations, which made me want to work for one even more! I was also working as an audiobook editor over the summer, and I had been looking for more opportunities to create sound content for a while. CJLO in particular interested me because it’s so close to home. Not only is it in Montreal, but it’s for my university! All of the interactions I’ve had with people from CJLO have been nothing short of lovely, and it’s great to finally be able to contribute to that environment.
3. What do you hope to create with the MMM project?
The MMM project is an opportunity to spotlight one of my favourite things in the world, local music. Since I’ve only lived in Montreal for a couple years, I don’t connect as deeply with the history of music here. In those few years, though, it’s been made abundantly clear that live music and Montreal go hand in hand. The reason I play music at all is because of a single student show in a dingy basement when I was fourteen, and all I want is to translate that incredible feeling into this show, and maybe convince some more people to go out and support their local scene!
Alana Marta DeVito (Lead Web Developer):
1. Can you tell us about your relationship with music journalism?
When I was a teenager I consumed everything I could about music and would buy armfuls of music magazines. It was a hugely important part of my life and actually what inspired me to become a musician and sound artist later on. Actually, before I became a musician I wanted to be a music journalist at a British music magazine…
2. What interested you about this position and CJLO 1690AM?
I had actually come up with the concept for an assignment in one of my CART classes (computation arts) – this idea that you could “hide” content in different GPS locations on a map and then allow people to explore their city to find these “gems” – and had just started to prototype when Francella approached me at my position at the Acts of Listening Lab at the Centre for Oral History and Digital Storytelling to ask to collaborate on a project combining the music community and history of Montreal in an interactive, “soundwalk” form. It was perfect timing! I’ve always wanted to get involved with CJLO, so it was exciting when it fell into place!
3. What do you hope to create with the MMM project?
An exciting and innovative, new medium to explore music content while learning about your community. A new way for people to connect with the history, present and future of the creative, vibrancy of Montreal.
Best of 2021
CJLO tends to attract community members who are intensely passionate about art, whether they’re creators, consumers, or both. As a result, checking out our yearly “best of” lists is a great way of keeping up with great releases that may have flown under your radar this year. With the station’s wide range of tastes, from crusty hardcore to electro-pop, there’s surely something for everyone to discover. Music-based lists also weren’t the only thing submitted, so make sure to look out for top movies as well!
Thanks so much to every CJLO member who contributed to the list this year, and anyone who helped make 2021 a great year for the station. Catch you all in 2022!
Dana Hachwa (volunteer)
Soundtrack to my First Year in Canada
1. Good Days by SZA
2. Guys by The 1975
3. Connaissais de Face by Khruangbin
4. Tidal Wave by Tom Misch
5. What Once Was by Her’s
6. Slow Burn by Kacey Musgraves
7. Ginger by WizKid, H.E.R.
8. Golden Brown by The Stranglers
9. Black Madonna by Cage the Elephant
10. Heart Don’t Stand a Chance by Anderson .Paak
11. Rhymes Like Dimes by MF DOOM, DJ Cucumber Slice
12. Slow Dancing in a Burning Room by John Mayer
13. Time Moves Slow by BADBADNOTGOOD, Samuel T. Herring
14. Send Me An Angel by Scorpions
15. From the Inside by Linkin Park
16. The Zephyr Song by Red Hot Chili Peppers
17. Dress Down by Kaoru Akimoto
18. The Adults Are Talking by The Strokes
19. Like Real People Do by Hozier
20. Mourir au large - sunset version by Safia Nolin
21. Steppin’ Out by Electric Light Orchestra
Remi Caron (staff and DJ)
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10 Best Visual Media Scores and Soundtracks of 2021 (in no particular order)
Bo Burnham - Inside (The Songs)
Daniel Hart - The Green Knight
Jonny Greenwood - Spencer
Mark Isham and Greg Harris - Judas and The Black Messiah
Thomas Newman - The Little Things
Jim Williams - Titane
Various Artists - Last Night in Soho
Hans Zimmer - Dune
Ramin Djawadi - Eternals
Alexandre Desplat and Various Artists - The French Dispatch
10 Best Albums of 2021 (in no particular order)
Arcade Fire and Owen Pallett - Her (Score)
*Note that even though the film was released in 2013, the score received an official release in 2021
Ariane Moffatt - Incarnat
Kiwi jr. - Cooler Returns
IDLES - CRAWLER
PONY - TV Baby
Olivia Rodrigo - SOUR
Jon Batiste - WE ARE
The Killers - Pressure Machine (Abridged)
Lucy Dacus - Home Video
Kanye West - Donda
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Best Films of 2021 (IN ORDER)
10) Dune dir. Denis Villeneuve
9) Val dir. Leo Scott & Ting Poo
8) West Side Story dir. Steven Spielberg
7) The Green Knight dir. David Lowery
6) tick, tick…BOOM! dir. Lin-Manuel Miranda
5) Titane dir. Julia Ducournau
4) The French Dispatch dir. Wes Anderson
3) Bo Burnham: Inside dir. Bo Burnham *Author’s Note: Some may claim this stand up comedy special as a cheat or a cop out of another excellent film, however it is on many top ten lists of film critics when it comes to the end of the year. Also it had a limited theatrical run.
2) Blue Bayou dir. Justin Chon
1) In The Heights dir. Jon M. Chu
Chris the Frog, host of Sewer Spewer (Mondays at 12 pm)
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Best Montreal Albums of 2021:
Backxwash - I LIE BURIED HERE WITH MY RINGS AND MY DRESSES
Fuck Toute - Coké computer
Katö - Québec Gold
Spectral Wound - A Diabolic Thirst
Priors - My Punishment on Earth
The Horny Bitches - Shut up and Be Nice
Thrush - Cool Now
CRABE - Sentients
Birmani - Birmani
The Last Mile - Respect the Frequency
Best Canadian Albums of 2021:
Bad Waitress - No Taste
Botfly - Lower Than Love
Rules - The Bummer Circus Comes to Truth City
Black Dresses - Forever In Your Heart
Tunic - Quitter
Slowpoke - Slowpoke
Karloff - Karloff
Wine Lips - Mushroom Death Sex Bummer Party
Olde - Pilgrimage
Zero Zero Ufo - Conspiracy
Best International Albums of 2021:
The Armed - ULTRAPOP
Danny Efman - Big Mess
Yautja - The Lurch
Carcass - Torn Arteries
Harakiri For the Sky - Maere
The Muslims - Fuck These Fuckin Fascists
Turnstile - GLOW ON
Filth Is Eternal - Love is a Lie, Filth Is Eternal
Pupil Slicer - Mirrors
S.H.I (Struggling Harsh Immortals) - 4 死 Death
Chris the Frog - Best New Movies I Watched in 2021 (in no particular order)
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The Last Matinee (VOD)
Psycho Goreman (Shudder)
Mad God (Fantasia Fest)
The Sadness (Fantasia Fest)
Fear Street Part 2: 1978 (Netflix)
Candyman (Theatres/VOD)
Dune (Theatres/VOD)
Frank & Zed (Fantasia Fest)
Vicious Fun (Shudder)
Straight Edge Kegger (Shudder)
Megan Dams - host of Purple Hour
Best Projects of 2021
1. Planet Her - Doja Cat
2. Donda - Kanye West
3. Happier Than Ever - Billie Eilish
4. Life of a DON - Don Toliver
5. Scary Hours 2 - Drake
6. Big Femme Energy Volume 1 - Femme It Forward
7. TEMPORARY HIGHS IN THE VIOLET SKIES - Snoh Aalegra
8. JNGL - IAMTHELIVING & Teon Gibbs
9. Certified Lover Boy - Drake
10. To: You (a holiday joint) - Baby Rose
Best Singles of 2021
1. Drugs N Hella Melodies - Don Toliver (feat. Kali Uchis)
2. Thot Sh*t - Megan Thee Stallion
3. Take My Breath - The Weeknd
4. Like That - Kalisway
5. Talk Luv - Zeina
6. Patience - Realestk
7. MERCEDES - Brent Faiyaz
8. Feelings - Zach Zoya
9. All My Wishes - Fernie
10. Beautiful Mind - Ciscero (feat. Oddisee)
Alex Viger-Collins
Best Albums of 2021
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1. Japanese Breakfast - Jubilee
2. CHVRCHES - Screen Violence
3. Cadence Weapon - Parallel World
4. Porches - All Day Gentle Hold !
5. Brockhampton - Roadrunner: New Light, New Machine
6. Kacey Musgraves - Star-Crossed
7. Janette King - What We Lost
8. Tika - Anywhere But Here
9. Magdalena Bay - Mercurial World
10. Julia Daigle - Un singe sur l'épaule
Honourable Mention: Olivia Rodrigo - Sour
Best Discoveries of 2021
1. New Order - Brotherhood (1986)
2. Hole - Live Through This (1994)
3. Radiohead - Pablo Honey (1993)
4. George Strait - Strait from the Heart (1982)
5. R.E.M. - Document (1987)
6. XTC - Skylarking (1986)
7. Green Day - Warning (2000)
8. Allen Toussaint - Southern Nights (1975)
9. Eve - Scorpion (2001)
10. Gladys Knight & The Pips - Claudine (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (1974)
Honourable Mention: Dolly Parton - Hello, I'm Dolly (1967)
Angelica (BVST DJ)
Best Albums
My list this year could easily be called "Bands I Really Wanna See When This Nightmare Ends," as there's not one single act here that I've seen live yet. See you in 2022, maybe? Or maybe in 2023? Stay safe out there, y'all. Once again presented in no particular order, you can check out the playlist of all the recommended tracks from these records!
Knivad - Insidans Ärrvävnad
Knivad explain their band name as "Swedish for something like 'stabbed in the throat by a fucking knife!'" and that just about covers their sound. Fusing crust with metal in a furious, raw D-beat yelp, the album manages to strike a balance between sexy stomp and breakneck ferocity. Track to taste: "Häktad"
Birmani - Birmani
These fuzzed out locals are more than a psych-y stoner act, there's some real rock groove to their first full-length, and all the grit is balanced out by some unexpected moments of pure sheen that veer toward big pop hooks. Track to taste: "Balles de plomb"
Deathchant - Waste
While this sophomore album isn't as perfectly pulled together as their 2019 self-titled debut, it's still incredibly strong, and continues to define their sound, which they aptly bill as "psychedelic heavy proto-metal.” I was hungry for another helping of So-Cal scuzzbucket rock, and this delivers. Track to taste: "Holy Roller"
Mastiff - Leave Me The Ashes Of The Earth
Easily the bleakest album on this list, Mastiff's third full length is a maelstrom of the most miserable bits from every extreme metal subgenre blended into a pummeling assault that shows no mercy, but doesn't overstay its welcome. Track to taste: "Endless"
Scare - Congratulations on Your Death
Clocking in at under 12 minutes, this mean little morsel hits all the sludge/hardcore high notes, and is heavily recommended for those still in mourning for the likes of Cursed, Mi Amore, and Trigger Effect. Screamy and dreamy, this EP has me hoping for a full length in 2022! Track to taste: "Post-Life"
Olde - Pilgrimage
This thick slice of Canadian doom dropped a year into COVID, and properly captured the absolute futility of, well, everything (and not just because they directly reference plague doctors on "Medico della Peste"). A big, meaty, angry record, Pilgrimage will force-feed you and leave you sated. Track to taste: "In Defiance"
Harakiri For The Sky - Maere
Five albums in, this Austrian post black metal duo continue to never disappoint. Expansive without relinquishing any intensity or viciousness, and introspective without being claustrophobic, Maere is a truly beautiful record. Don't miss the cover of Placebo's "Song to Say Goodbye" that closes out the record, it's an unexpected, but very welcome surprise. Track to taste: "Time Is a Ghost"
King Woman - Celestial Blues
Kristina Esfandiari returns with an extremely worthy followup to 2017's flawless Created In the Image of Suffering. Slipping effortlessly back and forth from the dread and emptiness of space and silence, through ethereal vocals and lush melodies, to explosive riffs and animal howls, this album will undo you and stitch you back again. Track to taste: "Entwined"
SATE - The Fool
On the surface, Sate is a blues rock singer, fronting a blues rock band. That hardly encompasses how dark and seductive her new album is. Setting aside her incredible musical pedigree (SATE is the daughter of Salome Bey), this second full-length is proof of the chops to go along with it. There's enough growl and grind in this record to appeal to the grittiest, so don't sleep on this rough gem. Track to taste: "Dirty Little Lie"
Zack Oakley - Badlands
If Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats had a happily stoned sibling, it would be Zack Oakley. This record is unashamedly steeped in drugged out ‘60s/’70s psych, and it's exactly the kind of sunshiny acidtab rock that appeals to the part of me that's always ready to bolt to the desert and disappear. Track to taste: "Acid Rain"
Alex Menjivar (AutoBeat DJ)
Best Albums
Joy Orbison - still slipping vol. 1
Space Afrika - Honest Labour
El Michels Affair - Yeti Season
Priori - Your Own Power
Leon Vynehall - Rare, Forever
Madlib - Sound Ancestors
J. Cole - The Off-Season
Flying Lotus - Yasuke
BADBADNOTGOOD - Talk Memory
Unknown T - Adolescence
Mansur Brown - Heiwa
Best Local Releases
Skiifall - WOIIYOIE TAPES Vol. 1
Secret Witness - Volume I
Fred Everything - Alone (Together)
Hologramme - CIEL
Ellxandra - Old Memories That Never Were
Camille Frey - The Grand Tour
Salin - Cosmic Island
DJ Killa-Jewel - Sagittarius
Hildegard - Hildegard
Gayance - No Toning Down
Paolo Rocco - Life in Pieces
Pascale Project - Where’s the Party?
Favourite New Local Artists
Skiifall
Pascale Project
Ellxandra
Calvin Cashen (Music Director, The Waiting Room DJ)
Top Albums
Pauline Anna Strom - Angel Tears in Sunlight
Magdalena Bay - Mercurial World
Julie Doiron - I Thought of You
black midi - Cavalcade
Playboi Carti - Whole Lotta Red
Erika de Casier - Sensational
Jazmine Sullivan - Heaux Tales
Astral Social Club - space draft extended play
Knocked Loose - A Tear in the Fabric of Life
Water From Your Eyes - Structure
Top Songs
Megan Thee Stallion - “Thot Shit”
Magdalena Bay - “Chaeri”
Tirzah - “Send Me”
Julie Doiron - “You Gave Me the Key”
Yves Tumor - “Jackie”
Hermeth - “Devil's Reject”
The Weather Station - “Parking Lot”
Makthaverskan - “This Time”
Water From Your Eyes - “My Love's”
black midi - “John L”
Playboi Carti - “Vamp Anthem”
Baby Keem (feat. Kendrick Lamar) - “family ties”
Big Thief - “Little Things”
LSDXOXO - “The Devil”
six impala - “6FINGERDEATHPUNCH”
Arooj Aftab - “Mohabbat”
Overmono - “Pieces of 8”
Sweeping Promises - “Pain Without a Touch”
Lost Girls - “Losing Something”
Om Unit - “Treading Earth”
Andrew Wieler (Metal Music Director and host of Grade A Explosives)
Albums of the Year
1. Radical - Every Time I Die
Easily the best work these Buffalo natives have done since The Big Dirty. This record sees them lean into some more "post" elements with great effect. Now they're all fighting with each other, so it might be the last album, and if so it's probably the best one to go out on.
2. Diablo Swing Orchestra - Swagger & Stroll Down the Rabbit Hole
Hey, do you like metal? Oh, and also swing music? And also a bunch of other genres mashed together to a near-perfect paste? Well friend, this here is for you. Not as good as Pascifisticuffs, but still more creative than most things you'll listen to this year.
3. Sleep Token - This Place Will Become Your Tomb
A good, but ultimately disappointing album from Sleep Token. Could have used another year in the oven really with non-sequiturs and more disjointed segments than Sundowning. Still, what it has is more interesting than a lot of other stuff I've heard this year.
4. The Lion's Daughter - Skin Show
Sludgey, plodding stuff with synthesizers thrown in gives this both a foreboding and aggressive atmosphere. Like if John Carpenter was in Unsane but didn't want to impose.
5. Sermon of Flames - I have Seen the Light, and it was Repulsive
This album finally cemented an idea that wasn't fully formed in my mind, which is genres like "industrial" and "black metal" and "noise" should really act more like descriptors than be their own genres of music. Seriously, no one likes a boring plain "black metal" album, but then you put in some noise electronics, and some weird chord progressions, and you get something like this thing. Is it Methwitch, no, but It's as close as this year gives us, so we must work within the paradigm we have.
6. Amigo the Devil - Born Against
Mixing elements of tragedy and comedy, this is "murder folk/country" at its absolute best. It's sometimes funny, sometimes heart-wrenchingly sad, but always engaging, and even though it's not perfect, it's definitely worth your time.
7. Vitrail - Les Pages Oubliées
Québec manages to make a post-black metal project that stands with any of the rest of them. This record soars with parts infused with all of the things the "post" modifier indicates, while still keeping black metal at its heart, all while not going off onto 8 minute long tangents.
8. Grale - Agitacion
A small EP that whacks a big punch of heavy stoner rock. Really, this could have gone to the other compatriots of this band, namely Olde or Head of Jeddore, but this is so lean and to the point that it edges them out.
9. Bridge Burner - Disempath
Ugly deathy crust stuff from the COVID resistant (or more likely idiot resistant) New Zealand. Really this is just a standout among the other sludgy stuff that it could share with, including Erdve, Wanderer, or LLNN, but this one just has a punch to it that sort of made me feel literally anything, so there's that.
10. Cvlt ov the Svn - We Are the Dragon
A mix of metal with some pop sensibilities, this self-described "Occult Murder Pop" basically got their description correct. I'm just shocked that of all the Scandinavian countries, Finland delivers this to us and not the pop juggernaut that is Sweden.
Honorable Mentions
Bloody Hammers - Songs of Unspeakable Terror
Best Misfits tribute album of the year for sure.
Lordi - Lordiversity
I feel as though I have to put this on the end of year list in some capacity for the sheer audacity of making an album that is actually seven different albums all set from different genres from rock/metal history including: 70s rock, AOR, Disco, industrial rock, 80s rock, thrash, and prog rock. It's kind of insane to do something like this, but this is Lordi after all.
Portrayal of Guilt - Christfucker
One of two albums put out this year by this band, and I find this one leans more into the noise and industrial which means it's more ma jam.
Harakiri for the Sky - Maere
This duo has basically perfected post-black metal, though that apparently means they have to be long-winded with their songs, but I'd rather listen to a long meandering song full of artistry than the cash grab that certain other bands in the genre try to do.
Neker - Neker
Italian one man stoner doom is a solid release that deserves a shout out
Scare - Congratulations on Your Death
Is this the best EP Quebec put out this year? The leading question has been asked.
Vagina Witchcraft - Vagina Witchraft
Easily the freshest voice in sludgey hardcore, with a fresh voice and take on the current world. If you're worried about what that means, you can just listen to the first track, "Prelude", and see what I mean. A bit more raw than I usually like my records, but it is "off the floor" so I can't really complain too much.
There Were Wires - Somnambulists (reissue)
Best reissue of a record this year where every band was legally required to do at least one. If you want to see what a band looking into the future of metalcore would do in the early 00s much like Planes Mistaken for Stars, this is something you should check out.
Tunic - Quitter
"You want us to be noisier? Fine, we'll be noisier."
Backxwash - I Lie Here Buried with my Rings and My Dresses
Continuing the hip hop, industrial, and metal crossover, this record didn't do it for me as much as God Has Nothing to do With This Leave Him Out of It, but I could see why other people would prefer it more with its higher intensity and more in your face approach.
Sate - The Fool
Toronto's Sate returns with a cosmic rock concept record and basically puts so many pop artists to shame with her natural vocal talent.
BVST Goes Santapalooza X!
Did you blink sometime in the summer and suddenly find yourself in December? So did Angelica from BVST, who woke up and realized that it's time for holly-jollying and kris-kringling during her year-end xmas specials!
First up, it's a brand new edition of the BVST HEAVY METAL XMAS SPECIAL! Newly recorded for this year, with some old favourites and fresh new tracks, your holiday just got heavier! Tune in Wednesday, Dec. 15 at 7:00 p.m. EST for all the merry metal fun.
Then, it's time for the main event! BVST GOES SANTAPALOOZA X is happening on Wednesday, Dec. 22 at 7:00 p.m. EST! The incredible 10th edition of this annual event welcomes guest programmer Matt Kiernan to once again take over the music direction. He'll have all the underground Christmas tunes you need to hear this year, so make sure not to miss it, or you'll get a lump of coal in your stocking!
Porches Wants Listeners to "Feel the Joy" of 'All Day Gentle Hold !'
Photo Credit: Jason Nocito
“This song really slapped / brought me back to life.”
So sings Aaron Maine on “Back3School,” one of the singles from All Day Gentle Hold !, his fifth and latest album under the moniker Porches. After a global health crisis that caused the most turbulent 18+ months that any of us have ever lived, the New York City-based artist wanted to write music that went in a completely different direction than the prevalent mood of the time.
“I think for me, it was a lot about just capturing and selecting songs that felt the opposite of what was going on,” Maine says, “which was death, and fear and panic and total chaos. And I feel while there's a lot of violence and chaos in these songs, at the core, they're pretty full of life.”
That said, Maine didn’t go into the creative process thinking he was going to write a quarantine album. In fact, the genesis of All Day Gentle Hold ! began in fall 2019, before his fourth album, Ricky Music, dropped right when everything hit the fan in March 2020. What the pandemic did do, though, was change Maine’s outlook on what material he had thus far, and what he would mold out of it going forward.
“I think the main thing that shifted once the pandemic arrived,” Maine says, “was my lens or perspective I had, when I was going back through this folder of songs [where] I had started these ideas. And it became very clear to me what felt appropriate to release, if I was to release music, again, [and] what felt like it cut through. I feel they all came from a specific place where it was a lot more joyful and less belabored than stuff in the past. I don't think it's very demanding, content wise, or self-absorbed as some of my music, in hindsight, has been.”
It’s true that All Day Gentle Hold ! sounds like the most fun Maine has ever had on record. The LP is also more guitar-centric than any of Maine’s albums since Slow Dance in the Cosmos, his 2013 debut as Porches. In press releases for the new album, the six-string energy is credited to Maine rediscovering some of his formative influences, such as the Ramones, Nirvana, and the Strokes. Despite crafting the album in his living room studio, from those influences Maine created his most mosh pit-worthy collection of songs, heard best on the head-banging opener “Lately,” the pummeling rush of “Watergetsinside,” and the crashing closer “Comedown Song (Gunk).”
“I was imagining,” Maine says, “if there was a day that would come where we were all allowed to be in a sweaty room together, and celebrate just live music and health in general, like what would be an appropriate soundtrack to that. Because it was a lot easier to kind of overlook that in the past where touring is a given and live performances are a given. Then it's easy to be like, ‘Ah, I don't want to tour, it's grueling, or this or that.’ I think a big part of why it sounds the way it does is [that] I was imagining ‘how can I create the most […] guttural, direct performance with these songs?’ I would say it's probably the most sing along-able, slam your head around to, hang out with your friends [music]. [Getting] excited about being here still.”
Even with the explosiveness of All Day Gentle Hold !, it’s still very much a pop album, albeit one with more impressionistic lyrics than the average pop song. (Just one example, “You suck on my arm and I kiss on your face,” from “Back3School.” Make of that what you will.) Songs such as “I Miss That” and “Okay” are among the loveliest tracks Maine has put out to date. The songwriter thrives, however, on making you sing along to such hummable tunes with their weird turn-of-phrases.
“I've always been interested in melodies and pop music, for sure,” Maine says. “But I think I don't know most of what I'm trying to say [lyrically]. There's a catchiness that is associated with pop music that I'm always searching for. Lyrically, I feel, for me at least, it's always [been] less pop. That's where it stays away from that, which I like. I've always liked that weird juxtaposition of singing about sucking on my arm, but it's to a dance beat.”
As he did with the chilly 80s-esque pop of his second Porches album, Pool, Maine manages to unintentionally capture the pop zeitgeist on his new, rock-leaning LP. Mainstream acts such as Olivia Rodrigo, Willow, and Billie Eilish have all incorporated late 90s / early 2000s rock into their recent music. It’s something that Maine notes is purely coincidental, even if he appreciates how the new youth movement reflects the spirit of his own formative influences that he tried to capture on record.
“I hope that the kids like it,” Maine says, “I mean, they’re a powerful audience to have on your team. That's where the real fandom happens. That's kind of what I was to the Strokes and Interpol and artists like that. And I feel it's coming from a youthful place. For me, this record, I think [touches] on those influences that are so ingrained in my head, in a different way than music I listen to today, even if I'm totally obsessed with it.”
With touring back on in the more vaccinated parts of the world, Maine will be heading out across North America and Europe starting March 2022 in support of All Day Gentle Hold !, and it’s Montreal where he’ll start his two month-long excursion. While he has fond memories of playing shows in Montreal when Porches started out, Maine normally reaches the 514 at the end of his tours, making him pine for his home of New York City more than usual. But now, back on the road for the first time in what feels like forever, Maine is sure he’ll be getting “that first crazy excitement by playing the first note of the tour” in Montreal.
With All Day Gentle Hold !, Maine successfully convinced his label to release it as soon as possible, because he felt the album would otherwise lose the urgency and timeliness that’s so central to the record. It’s ultimately that vitality that the artist hopes will translate to listeners.
“I just hope that it gets them excited and feel alive, as cheesy as that sounds,” Maine says. […] I just want it to be gobbled up, enjoyed, chewed up, spit out. I just want people to grab it and squeeze it for whatever it's worth. Which I think is a good time or an emotional time […] whether that's walking around with headphones alone or blasting it in your car, driving around with your friends. I just want people to feel the joy that I felt creating it and singing it, and hopefully that is a positive experience.”
All Day Gentle Hold ! is out now (Domino Records).
Alex Viger-Collins is the host of Ashes to Ashes, your home for modern pop in all its forms, every Tuesday at 8:00 PM.
At The Movies Interview with Jeremiah Hayes about the documentary film Dear Audrey
Remi interviews director Jeremiah Hayes about his new documentary film Dear Audrey - a coproduction between Cineflix Media and the National Film Board of Canada (NFB). The film will be screened as part of the RIDM festival on November 19th at Cinéma Du Musée, and can be streamed online from November 22nd-25th. More information can be found here.
Dear Audrey is an emotional in-depth narrative exploration of Martin Duckworth, introduced by RIDM as a staunch defender of peace and justice and one of Quebec's most important documentary filmmakers. The film itself follows the journey of his family as the octogenarian, along with his 47-year-old autistic daughter, supports his wife, photographer and activist Audrey Schirmer, through the final stages of Alzheimer’s disease.
Remi and Danny host At The Movies, which can be heard every Tuesday morning from 8:00 - 9:00AM. Tune in for discussions about movies, soundtracks, and iconic film scores. At The Movies also covers film festivals that are located in Montreal.
At the Movies Interview With Katharine Setzer About the 34th Image + Nation Film Festival
The Image + Nation film festival, Canada’s first LGBT2SQ+ film festival and pioneering platform of queer stories, goes hybrid across Quebec for its 34th edition from Nov. 18 to 28 with a roster of in-cinema and virtual screenings to offer loyal and new audiences a taste of the best and brightest queer cinema of the year. More information can be found here.
Remi had a chance to interview Katharine Setzer, programming director of the lmage + Nation Film Festival.
Remi and Danny host At The Movies, which can be heard every Tuesday morning from 8:00 - 9:00 a.m. Tune in for discussions about movies, soundtracks, and iconic film scores. At The Movies also covers film festivals that are located in Montreal.
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Newscast for November 15, 2021
Quebec zoo owner pleads guilty to animal welfare offences, Quebec to bring back publicly covered IVF, When Quebec parents clash over vaccination of 13-year-old, judge rules in favor of the shot.
Newscast for November 11, 2021
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