Canadian Music Week

CMW Review: The Inbreds, March 24, Lee’s Palace

Posted on by Mark in Canadian Music Week, Concerts | 1 Comment

After a 7 year hiatus, the Inbreds reunited to play Lee’s Palace at CMW. This Halifax/Kingston initiative from the 90’s showered us with their brand of drum-driven bass music. It was an opportunity for old fans to hear some classic tunes, and new ones (admittedly myself) to discover this charming band. They played their fun brand of indie rock that harkens back to the days before indie rock was anywhere near as cool as it is now.

One of the most interesting aspects about the Inbreds is their unique approach to standard rock instruments. Bassist Mike O’Neill plays bass the way other people play guitar: by strumming chords and playing through distortion pedals. This makes for a heavy full sound that still manages to not be muddy. Pair this with some good story-telling vocals, and solid drumming in Dave Ullrich, and you’ve got yourself a decent show. Add an encore (a rare CMW treat) where Dave sports a flamboyant Elvis suit and you’ve got yourself a pretty good show.

CMW Review: Absolutely Free, March 24, Comfort Zone

Posted on by Paul in Canadian Music Week | 1 Comment

Absolutely Free is the new project of 4 former members of spazzy Toronto indie/art rockers DD/MM/YYYY, a band who Panic Manual writer Mark once describedas “unmusical” and “like 5 drunk fratboys finding your little slice of heaven and puking in it, then on you.”  Needless to say, they didn’t make a fan of him that night.  I, on the other hand, liked the band when they were around and so when I found out that Absolutely Free were playing a show at Comfort Zone, I of course invited Mark to check it out as well.  Kind of like one of those blind taste test things – “What?  There’s no way this is instant coffee!!”

So what did the band sound like anyways?  Well, they shared the same musical adventurousness and penchant for instrument switching with their former incarnation, but with a much stronger krautrock influence, a smidgen of funkiness, and a whole hell of a lot of echo effects on the vocals. I don’t think it would be out of line at all to describe this thing as a cosmic odyssey.  I’ll definitely be checking these guys out again.  And what did Mark think?  Turns out he liked it.

CMW Review: BADBADNOTGOOD, March 23, Wrongbar

Posted on by Mark in Canadian Music Week, Concerts | Leave a comment

BADBADNOTGOOD was featured on the cover of last Thursday’s NOW. The timing simply couldn’t have been better, since they were playing the Wrongbar the very next day. The band consists of drummer Alex Sowinski, bassist Chester Hansen, and keyboardist Matt Tavares. They met at Humber’s jazz program and have managed to fuse elements of jazz, hip hop, youthful bravado, and web 2.0 net savvy to create some kind of tidal wave phenomenon. It was a crazy and adrenaline pumped set as they celebrated both the Now cover, and getting booked for Coachella.

After seeing their fresh faces, it would be easy to discount BBNG as newbies. That is, until you hear them play. They are tight and skilled the way jazz musicians are, but they’ve managed to combine that with restless energy and the confidence to dash musical boundaries. Why can’t a band who has figured out how to tie the jazz of yesterday with the hip hop and rock of today put on a show that involves moshing? No reason, because that’s exactly what they are doing.

There’s a popular conception that modern jazz has become ossified. It’s easy to get that idea if you listen to standard adult contemporary jazz stations that cater to an older generation that grew up on Miles Davis. If that’s your starting point, then it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking BBNG are a different breed entirely. If you dig a little deeper though, you realize that mirroring the times, exploring new vistas, and pushing boundaries is exactly what jazz was about. In that respect, BBNG is simply part of the latest wave of artists to pick up the torch. They’ve been able to do it in a way that resonates with a new generation. That’s a good thing for jazz, and a good thing for new music.

BADBADNOTGOOD’s next album, BBNG2 is set to release April 3rd.

CMW Review: Martha Wainwright, March 22, El Mocambo

Posted on by Mark in Canadian Music Week, Concerts | Leave a comment

The last time I saw Martha Wainwright, I missed half her set due to an unfortunate venue timing mixup. That wasn’t the first, and it won’t be the last time that I’m late for a show. It was, however, the most memorable. The remainder was so captivating that it remains on my shortlist of top Toronto Jazz Festival shows. I was not going to miss the start of her CMW appearance.

Martha Wainwright controls her voice the way rocket surgeons control their finely tuned rockets.

Fortunately, I was able to get to the El mo in plenty of time to set up camp. She strode on stage in a bejewelled jacket as if just dismounting from her trusty Harley, then launched into an intimate set of solo acoustic guitar. Her voice is so signature that it really stands in a category all its own. She can serenade like a bird, evoke the singsong qualities of an innocent child, or growl like a rocker. Martha Wainwright controls her voice the way rocket surgeons control their finely tuned rockets.

This was a decidedly different Martha from the one I saw at the jazz fest. That Martha was a demure jazz vixen backed by double bass and warm guitar singing songs from the late great Edith Piaf. That Martha paired nicely with a glass of merlot. This Martha was as ready for a rock show as she was the camp fire. This Martha worked best with some beer. That she can so easily move from chill to elegant and back again underlines her versatility as an artist.

Martha Wainwright has no upcoming shows, though I would consider flying somewhere to see her again.