Monthly Archives: February 2019

Orla Gartland’s “Why Am I Like This?”

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by Danielle Bulhoes

Orla Gartland is the perfect example of that artist you hear or read about that just went for their dream. Writing songs since she was 14 years old, Gartland brought her music to Youtube after unsuccessfully trying to perform at pubs in her hometown of Dublin. Starting in 2009 with singing covers before moving on to showcasing her own original music, Gartland now has almost two hundred thousand subscribers on her channel. And that just Youtube. This girl gets around on social media. She’s can be found on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and has a Patreon page where her fans can support her and her music.

After moving to London right after finishing school, Gartland teamed up with writer/producer Ben Langmaid and Sean Genockey. “I have met producers that are so patronizing,” said Orla. “They want me to slap some vocals on the track and leave them to the rest, to have no other input. Ben and Sean know that this is my music and so they trust my instincts; they’re there to help me realize what these songs can be. I’m in really good hands.”

Gartland has since released a handful of singles, one of them being “Why Am I Like This”. It’s her most recent release and it’s a really personal track that almost seems like Gartland has been spying on me. She sings about insecurities and anxieties and thoughts that I believe are shared by more people than they’d probably like to admit. It’s like she’s speaking directly to the listener, confiding in them as they sit together in the corner of a small bar, or maybe on the edge of a rooftop looking up at the night sky, or maybe just walking down a quiet street as neon signs flicker in windows and street lights stutter and spark overhead.

Whatever the scene you picture in your mind, Gartland makes her song sound like she’s speaking directly to you. She doesn’t shy away from the discomfort she feels in her own skin, allowing her listeners to connect with her and her song. Orla shared on her Facebook page that “if it’s not a bit awkward and uncomfortable to sing, then it’s not honest enough.”

Gartland is a fantastic artist. Check out her Youtube channel. Seek her out on Twitter and Instagram. Give her Facebook page a visit. And if you’re so inclined, think about supporting this talented artist on Patreon. I think we could all use a little more of Orla Gartland.

The Claypool Lennon Delirium, “Amethyst Realm” (2019)

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By Allesandro Rotondi

Les Claypool and Sean Lennon are an odd, yet somehow fitting pair. A delirium, you could even say. “Amethyst Realm” is our latest dose of The Claypool Lennon Delirium, and the first of 2019. It was released on Valentine’s Day, but it’s no love song. Well, at least not your typical love song. Speaking of other things that this song is not, it’s also not a radio single. Running at 7 minutes 47 seconds, it is clear that Claypool and Lennon had no intentions to please the Top 40 charts, or garner any radioplay whatsoever. After all, who needs the radio when online streaming is quickly taking over all prior listening platforms, except maybe for vinyl.

What this song is, is a weird amalgamation of grimey alternative rock and gritty bass lines (courtesy of Claypool), and light experimentation and psychedelia (courtesy of Lennon). I expect nothing less of Sean Lennon, being the son of the late John Lennon and wife Yoko Ono. His voice is Lennon-esque, with his own twist, and his musical style is a distant relative of Ono’s avant-garde experimentation. I almost want to describe it as Yoko Ono-light. The drums, bass, and guitar are quite complex at times, with tasty drum fills and guitar trills, and Claypool’s riffing bass lines that sound like Primus bass lines thrown into a new environment. It sounds progressive to a degree, like something off an early Yes album, or even Rush and King Crimson. The song is easy to let fall into the background of your conscience, seeming to sit better as a backing mood-atmosphere work, than a piece meant for forefront focus. The sound effects, and use of grand reverbs throughout the piece give it a spacey vibe. This works quite well, considering the single’s cover shows some creepy looking termite reading a compass, likely attempting to navigate a foreign planet with red skies. This cover appears to be the one of their forthcoming album, titled South of Reality. The music indeed reflects that title, and it’s refreshing to hear two successful artists going against the grain of pop expectations, to make something strange and insect-like to infest the expectations of the “glamorous” and “spotless” music industry. Get ready to call pest control, Maroon 5 and Imagine Dragons.

Avril Lavigne, “Dumb Blonde” (Head Above Water, 2019)

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by Chelsea Ives

“Fuck stereotypes. If you’re a strong person and your partner can’t handle you, go find someone who has enough self-confidence and can support you and lift you up and inspire you in your life. As an equal.” Avril Lavigne said in an Instagram post hash tagged “Dumb Blonde”. The Canadian artist is making a cherry-bomb comeback with her sixth studio LP Album released in January, Head Above Water.

The quick rat-a-tat-tat of drums opens “Dumb Blonde” like a parade march…Avril is literally playing herself onto the court with her own song. If that doesn’t scream “strong, independent woman” I don’t know what does. After her 2014 diagnosis of Lyme disease, Avril has been through physical and emotional stresses that should have left her in the dust. But Avril proved the odds wrong, recovered, and now she’s here to say she’s “takin’ the lead”.

“Dumb Blonde” opens with lyrics and that electric guitar which gives me serious “sk8er boi,” flashbacks. The song is the most upbeat song on the album and it’s clear Avril is trying to show her fans that she might have grown up, but she still knows how to have fun. Nothing is holding her back, and she’s more confident than ever. Avril has a very Joan-Jett and the Blackhearts “I love Rock ‘n’ Roll” sound in this song, and I think it suits the theme of the song. Women shouldn’t be afraid to speak our minds and be recognized for strength, independence and confidence, and we shouldn’t be condescended for showcasing our abilities.

Interestingly the song was originally recorded as a solo piece, but two weeks before the albums release, a verse with Nicki Minaj was added. I’ll be honest, I’m not a huge Nicki fan. Unfortunately I don’t see the point of her verse in the song. Avril really brings the feminist agenda here, calling to people to stand up for strong women. Nicki, apart from being looked at as a feminist (for what, though?) lends nothing to the song except a rap sound which refers to her own work with another artist? Sorry Nicki, but I think you dropped the bomb in this one.

Overall, if there’s one thing to take away from this, it’s that Avril really does have her A-game on, and she is bringing the heat to the court.

Avril Lavigne & Nicki Minaj in “Dumb Blonde” from Lavigne’s newest album, Head Above Water.

The Fontaines Live At Taloola Cafe – Saturday, February 23, 2019

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Image result for sara fontaine music

The Taloola cafe was a perfect venue for the musical duo The Fontaines, which is composed of a husband and wife who can be found performing at different venues throughout Windsor. The vintage and artsy aesthetic really fit the mood for the types of sounds and lyrics that The Fontaines were about to expose us to. I had tried going to Taloola the previous night on Friday because I knew that the cafe had live music on Fridays and Saturdays starting at 8, however the cafe was packed and so I told myself I would come the next night a little earlier assuring myself a seat. I arrived at about half an hour to eight which gave me enough time to drink my first green tea of the night and wait for what I was expecting to be a great performance.

The Fontaines are composed of Sarah and Ryan, a married couple who musically, excel together. Sarah is the main vocalist and plays the acoustic guitar while Ryan plays the cello and has some solid accompanied vocals on most tracks. The Couple also had their kids and other family members at the nearest table to the set, which for some reason just really added a lot of charm to the performance. With that being said, the most charming thing about the bands performance was just how personal and raw it felt. They performed an hour set of about fifteen tracks, and although they didn’t specify whether or not the tracks were from an album or recent mixtape, it very much felt that way as there wasn’t a single track that felt out of place and the transition between each tracks were very smooth.

A common theme throughout most of the tracks is love, particularly the love the Fontaines share. In songs like “hello my lover” and “lets fall in love” the Fontaines explore love in an interesting way that other bands usually can’t which is due to the fact that they are indeed married and in a sense they are expressing this love in unison and from a place of common understanding. This also translated to the actual music itself as the duo harmonize beautifully together on the chorus’s of most songs. Their music is very much so melancholy, which is weird to say because there songs certainly aren’t sad but rather just sound sad if one wasn’t to be listening to the lyrics, but this is probably just due to the fact that the two main instruments at work are an acoustic guitar and a cello.

Overall I found it to be a very pleasurable and relaxing experience by the end, the cafe was perfect because it allowed me to just enjoy some tea and live music while I escaped reality for an hour which was needed after the stressful week I had. If I had one complaint about the overall experience it would be that due to the social nature of Taloola cafe the chatter of others would sometimes make the music hard to hear clearly, but this was a pretty minor problem overall. The Fontaines were very charming and you could tell that they were genuinely just doing what they love up there with the person they love.

Windsor Symphony Orchestra: Bowie Got Soul – Friday, February 22 2019

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By Allesandro Rotondi

The Windsor Symphony Orchestra is one of the longest running and most profound forces in the local music scene. Since its initial conception in 1947, the WSO has kept classical alive, strengthened rock and roll, and facilitated pop music. They have also been strong supporters of student education, the importance of the arts, and collaboration with other musicians in the area, including the University Singers student choir that I’m a member of.

This evening was a collaboration with Jeans N’ Classics, a GTA-based group that joins the WSO for tribute concerts to great pop/rock artists. The band includes a guitarist, keyboardist, bassist, drummer, and two lead and two backing vocalists. The band fronts the stage, with the orchestra assembling around them in a half circle, as the conductor stands elevated in the center. The show was held at The Chrysler Theatre, and with a seating capacity of 1200, it was clear this was nearly a sold-out show. This was likely due to the billing of the concert, titled “Bowie vs. Prince,” but due to legal complications with Prince’s estate, the bill was changed to “Bowie Got Soul.” The show must go on.

The concert featured the music of David Bowie sung by Jean Meilleur, and an assortment of other soulful artists like Earth, Wind & Fire, Gnarls Barkley, The Spinners and The O’Jays, all sung by Gavin Hope. The Bowie songs were well received by the audience, as expected. The audience was a combination of youngsters and not-so-youngsters, some from Bowie’s era, some from before, and some like me who were too young to even remember Bowie’s late electronic period. As Gavin Hope walked out wagging his purple tie in the air, the audience laughed and applauded, and a group of ladies shouted “We want ‘Purple Rain!’” Gavin began to sing “Purple tie, purple tie” to the tune of “Purple Rain,” and quickly halted after receiving a look of impending doom from the conductor. The audience understood, and Gavin joked that the WSO’s legal teams could not match those of Prince. The ensemble brought the soul tunes to life, and the audience had redeemed their purple-clad expectations before long.

The mood was very different between the Bowie and soul sets. During Bowie, the audience was reflective and reminiscing, often swaying back and forth and smiling as they grabbed fond memories out of the air and tied them back to the music gracing their ears. Everyone was happy, but it was bittersweet for those who still have an ache in their heart over Bowie’s sudden, unexpected death in 2016. When the soul music hit, the atmosphere changed instantly. Feet began tapping, fingers began snapping and clapping, and people jumped out of their seat to dance in the aisles, much to the chuckles of others who were too scared to do so. It was vibrant, uptempo, and groovy.

The WSO has a knack for fitting into any musical situation. Just last week my choir was with them for Beethoven and Verdi masterworks, and next week will be Mozart’s Requiem. Tonight, they back a rock band, and provide a foundation of beautiful orchestral layering that the band builds off of. And the sound is perfect: condenser microphones capture the sound of the orchestra, and is mixed in perfect dynamic level to the band. My only point of concern was that the backing vocalists could not be heard clearly at times, and the same occasionally happened to the lead vocalists. But for the amount of musicians onstage (about fifty), the sound was immaculate. Mixing a band of eight is a daunting task, let alone an entire symphony on top of that. It also speaks to the musicianship of the orchestra members who sit in the pocket perfectly with the blend of the band. All around, the musicianship, stage production, and songs were wonderful and classy, and it was an entertaining evening of fabulous music.

“Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” performance at Walkerville Collegiate Institute- February 22, 2019

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Picture it: you pull up to Walkerville High School and enter through the giant arched doors. You are greeted by a warm atmosphere filled with smiling PTA moms and young students collecting ticket stubs. Immediately you are surrounded by a familiar feeling of childlike joy, the energy of the show buzzing through you already.

I’ll be entirely honest. I heard that WCCA’s big production this year was going to be Chitty, and I had to ask my sister and about three other adults what the heck it was actually about. From what I had gathered, it was a movie made in 1968 starring Dick Van Dyke with musical accompaniment by the Sherman brothers. I remember listening to the soundtrack once before a couple of years ago. After the first couple of songs, it grew almost impossible to not hum along with the catchy tunes and tap your foot to such lighthearted melodies. If the music was the one thing to base my judgment of this play on, then my expectations for a “truly scrumptious”, family-friendly adventure were exceeded.

As I’m sitting in my seat and looking around at the little kids with their parents, and people carrying bouquets for their kids in the show, the overwhelming pitch of the pit orcestra tuning flutes and clarinets engulf my ears. As soon as the lights went out and the spotlights came on, the imagination began to shine through.

My mind was automatically blown away with color and sound as soon as the Van Dyke protege started to sell his whistling invention during the “Toot Sweets” number. Watching this number you can’t help but bob your head as the kids are singing about sweet treats. Something that is so creative is how the cast and crew have immersed the audience into their show, so you feel as though you are a part of their choreographed routines and banter. In the middle of this number, the kids dance off into the aisles and through the seats picking up members of the audience, spinning them around in time to the beat. At that point, you could literally see people of all ages laughing and playing along- you feel as if you had transported yourself back to a time in your life where everything was joyous and carefree and it felt like a magical piece of your childhood could live itself out at that moment.

Breaking the fourth wall, was a concept that was intricately woven into the musical’s design. Both the music and stage directors worked to create a spectacle that keeps the audience not only entertained but engaged.

By the end of Act 2, the student band becomes much more involved with the musical’s plotline dressing up as guests to the Baron’s extravagant birthday party, it has a simple way of bringing the score to life and encouraging audience participation. The characters Baron and Baroness of Vulgaria, if their names give anything away, are positively volatile but make up for it with their horrible accents and humorous ways, whilst declaring their love (“Chu-Chi Face”). The song “The Bombie Samba” is a particular fan-favorite amongst the crowd due to the fact that while the Baroness is singing she would literally cut off the band’s playing abruptly to ridicule them to play better because she “is never off tune, not ever”. How the actress does this with a straight face is remarkable because it was possibly the highlight of the show.

The happy ending ensues soon after when the lights come up and the show appears to be over but not one person seemed to mind because they were instantly transported to a happy memory of their life. This musical had the power to give them that and to put a smile on their faces… all because of a magic flying car!

If you have a free moment next weekend, why not check out the magic?

-Genna Dara

Allison Brown’s “Post-Valentine Celebration” at Taloola Cafe

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-Allison Brown emotionally singing at Taloola cafe

After a stressful week I was excited to wind down, drink some coffee and listen to some live music. It didn’t take much to convince my coffee-obsessed friend to join me on this night adventure. We heard from a friend that they make the best Vietnamese iced coffee, so we had high expectations. Once we walked in and passed the vintage red chairs, we ordered our ice coffee and tried to find a seat. We ran into some difficulties when we realized there were no seats available. There was no way we were taking our coffees on the go, I needed to see tonight’s performance. So we squeezed ourselves in the back and sat on flimsy foldable chairs. It was rather “cozy” not only because we were 2 inches away from other people, but because a  warm heater was directly behind us. Nonetheless I liked the vibe of the place, the ceiling was an orange hue, and the lights were dimmed to a hazy yellow. It was comfortable and the brick wall was covered in antique style pictures, maps, mirrors and statues. It felt like a home rather than a coffee shop which made the live performance much more enjoyable to watch.

Luckily enough a table opened up and we quickly left our toasty seats for a front row view. Allison Brown was up on the small stage placed in the corner of the cafe. She conducted a mini sound check by strumming on her guitar and speaking into a microphone to check the sound. The abrupt sound did not stop the crowd from having their own conversations. Once Allison’s powerful voice filled the small room many tuned in to listen. It was a stripped down raw acoustic performance which is something I always appreciate. Her voice was filled with emotion and she took her time singing out each and every note. Not only could you hear the emotion through her voice, but you were able to feel it by looking at her face. With every long note she carried she closed her eyes and focused on her singing. She was in her own little world that she created temporarily with herself and her guitar. It created an intimate experience and being so close to her allowed me to focus solely on her without any distractions.  

While she was performing she was in her world; however, in between her songs she was engaged with the audience. She wasn’t afraid to crack some jokes just before covering Kevin Quain’s “Mr.Valentine’s dead,” saying “this is one of my favourite song sing on Valentine’s day… and on Halloween. I guess that says something about my love life.” Let’s just say she was glad Valentine’s day was over, and made many references throughout her gig about her “post Valentine celebration.” Single folks and even couples chuckled creating a light hearted atmosphere.

Near the end she played one of her original songs “Scavengers” from her 2015 album Stitches and Incisions. This folksy song allowed her to showcase her vocal range quite well. She was able to hit high notes so effortlessly without any traits of strain in her voice. Listening to Allison allowed me to be emerged in her music. Her soft and angelic like voice put me in a reflective state, and made me tune out my stressful thoughts and overworking mind. I could finally relax and focus on enjoying the music, and my perfectly balanced sweet and bitter coffee.

Even if Allison made a mistake you wouldn’t notice, she confessed after finishing her song “ I totally forgot the lyrics in the middle so for a while I was singing ‘blah, blah, blah.’” A woman who sat next to me responded back saying “with a voice like yours you don’t notice a blah, blah,blah in there.” With 20 years of performance experience she was an expertise at captivating her audience.

We Now Remember ft. Khari McClelland at Phog, Windsor ON

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There is a certain way gospel grasps the heart. It reaches out its musical hands and ignites the heart with one touch. I remember my first gospel concert was with my grade four teacher. Every Sunday we would go to a small church in Detroit to hear divine gospel sounds. Since then, I always found myself searching for that Sunday morning feeling. That feeling is home. It is a safe place. It’s a good old feeling you get when a relationship is created between you and your neighbor. Searching for this feeling led me to Phog Lounge to hear freedom singer, Khari McClelland, perform.

In a small rustic place with dimmed lights, and stringed outdoor lights to illuminate a small stage, a man’s voice was heard coming from the back of the room. Making his way through the audience up to the stage wearing a red beanie and a mustard color sweater, Khari McClelland, with nothing more than just his powerful tenor vocals, began to sing what sounded like a traditional slave song. Repeating the phrase “we are in this boat together,” Khari sang around the audience including every single person into his performance. The feeling that I was hoping to find finally resonated within.  

Phog Lounge was the perfect location for Khari’s performance because everyone that walked through the door became a part of a communal family. A regular, standing next to me, described Phog as “a room in my house where all my friends could gather to have a warm conversation and a jam session.” He could not describe Phog any better. Each person that stepped through the front door was greeted with a hug or smile. In the vibrant decorative space, a family joined together to watch a performance celebrating not only Black History Month, but also a celebration of understanding an apology, and redemption for those who suffered, and still suffer today, from marginalization.  

Upon Khari’s introduction to the stage, there were acknowledgements made to Windsor and Detroit Indigenous territorial names, which included the Ojibwa, the Odawa, and the Potawatomie. This made sense when I asked Khari why he named his tour We Now Recognize—he mentioned that “it comes from, Stephen Harper, Canadas’ former Prime Minister’s apology speech”. I really valued this because we rarely hear any organization or event acknowledge the traditional First nations names for the territories. It was simply an act of Truth and Reconciliation.  

Khari has a special way bringing spirituals to life. With every song sung came an up and down and every musical note that followed did the same. Khari’s musical sound incorporates blues, jazz, folk, gospel, splash of reggae, and soul. Each sound had brought back liveliness to all those songs that have been buried for years. Khari was accompanied by a guitarist, playing an archtop guitar; a keyboard midi controller for the organ, drum and bass effects; and a backup vocalist. My favorite track performed was a song from his solo album called, “Song of the Agitator” which moved the audience as Khari asked everyone to hum after each line he sung. “Cease to agitate/ we will when the slave whip sound is still” — “mmhmm.” This not only included everyone, but it also brought everyone together creating harmony that filled the small and intimate space.

Judging from the audience’s cheers and, of course, his grandmother and mother in the front seat cheering him on, the audience did not want to let Khari leave after his last song. We begged Khari to sing not one more song, but two more in which he delightfully delivered. Khari McClelland has a special charm that he delivers in his music, and I am certainly excited to see what he has in store for the rest of his musical journey. His music not only moves one, but it also moves all those silenced voices that have been repressed for many years.

-Maria

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B36DJl12Kgo