Les Chemins De Verre by Karkwa

I admit, it can be somewhat strange to listen to music in a language you don't understand. As someone that pays attention to both music and lyrics, being cut off from half that experience can make it harder to really get into a band. Harder, but not always impossible (one of my favourite bands, for instance, sings both in a language I don't understand, and one that no one understands).

The band in question here is Montréal's Karkwa -- who amazed me away the minute I first saw them live, in a show where they blew out a speaker at the Biltmore -- and Les Chemins De Verre is their fourth album. From what I can piece together through my own (very limited and rusty) French and Google Translate (there are not a lot of English articles on the album, which is a great shame) it was recorded partially in Paris, with very little preproduction; a lot of it was based on spontaneity, improvisation and impulse. It was about capturing a moment, not recreating it, and the album somehow manages to be more complex, yet more accessible than their previous, Le Volume De Vent.

"Le pyromane" starts, appropriately enough, with a crackling fire before the band kicks in, gradually building to a roaring blaze, and introduces their rich and lush wall of sound which continues right into "L'acouphène". The gorgeous "Moi-léger" slows things down, at first driven solely by a piano, but one by one the full band joins in finally basting in full force, only to drop back out at the end. "Marie, tu pleurs" is a more upbeat and catchy track that is impossible not to join in on the handclaps, and it leads well into "Le bon sens", whose seemingly cheery beginning seems to hint at something darker, that kicks in midway through the song. The first single from the album, "Les chemins de verre" brings the high energy back as it races through, only pausing briefly to catch its breath before screeching to a halt.
"Dors dans mon sang" is breathtakingly beautiful, featuring a heartbreaking piano that melds first with Louis-Jean Cormier's haunting voice, then a chorus of ooh's as it swells and intertwines with well placed feedback, before suddenly dropping, ending again with Cormier over light piano.
This is juxtaposed by the frantic "La piqûre" which sees the layers voices and cacophony of noise adding to the frenzy, and segueing into "Les enfants de Beyrouth", keeping up the same level of intensity with its plinking piano keys. The moody "Au-dessus de la tête de Lili-June" is mostly spoken word, and the layered, repeating lines -- along with the sparse music, and even the tone of voice -- makes it sound creepy as hell. But "28 jours" comes in light and calm, melodic and almost reassuring and it, too, builds to a grand ending, though never shedding its optimism. "Le vrai bonheur" ends as the album began, with a cracking fire in the background, and a song that seems, thematically, the opposite of the opening track, and gives you a feeling that lives up to the title.

It is kind of amazing how something like this can instill so much emotion. No, I do not understand what he is singing, and yes, I am just hearing his voice as another instrument; but despite that, I am filled with a variety of emotions throughout the album. Maybe even more so that songs that I understand, as with these there is more room for interpretation. That is why I am afraid to find out the translations of the songs. Sure, part of me does wants to go through each song and find out what they mean, but I fear that this would ruin them for me. That it would be drastically different from what it is in my mind. And to say nothing of the poetry of the songs. No doubt the translations would never match up perfectly and would most likely come across clunky and awkward.
I may not ever fully understand the meaning behind the songs, but what I do know is that the five members of Karkwa are all brilliant, and that Les Chemins De Verre will no doubt end up being one of my favourite albums of the year.


Download L'acouphène

Download Moi-léger

Download Dors dans mon sang

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Rat A Tat Tat by Jason Collett

If you are familiar with Jason Collett, then his latest album, Rat A Tat Tat, likely won't surprise you. That doesn't mean, however, that it isn't full of excellent music. Collett has always been rooted in the 70s, and this album simultaneously pays tribute to his influences and pushes the boundaries on his own sounds; even though you can tell what, and who, inspired him, it never sounds derivative or ripped off. The Broken Social Scenester is joined on his fifth solo album by some excellent musicians, including (but not limited to) all four members of Zeus, Afie Jurvanen (aka Bahamas) and Jason Tait (of The Weakerthans).

The album has an incredibly laid back feeling, like it was conceived and recorded on a lazy summer day, and that is immediately apparent. "Rave On Sad Songs" starts stripped down and acoustic-y, but gains momentum adding instruments and backing vocals for a lush ending. From there is launches into the more upbeat and hypnotic "Lake Superior", which grooves perfectly into the brilliant bass line of "Love Is a Dirty Word", an insanely catchy song that is impossibly not to at least sway along to. "Bitch City" seems completely effortless, as it slows down again while Collett drawls "You gotta walk light when you're stepping in shit".
The sexy "High Summer" is a great example of how Collett firmly roots his music in Canada, (seamlessly) working in a mention of Penetanguishene, ON and -- singing of a summer fling -- the lines: "so we pushed off in her canoe / and she showed me what a real Canadian can do, oh my".
"Cold Blue Halo" could easily be a forgettable track, but Collett weaves layer upon layer of autoharp, wurlitzer piano, banjo, moog synth and backing vocals that draws you in. From there, "Love Is a Chain" is another high energy and playful song which could easily be the albums next single and "Long May You Love" and "The Slowest Dance" are both a little more basic tracks; the former having a galloping beat that builds to the chorus where Collett's voice soars and the latter sounding like they were just flat out having fun. I wouldn't be surprised if that one was recorded live off the floor. The moody "Winnipeg Winds" is dark and as chilling as the title implies, again drawing strength from its layers and the album comes to a close with "Vanderpool Vanderpool" which may not be the best choice to wrap things up, but is certainly not a bad song. Again, feeling laid back, it sneaks in some Spanish guitar flourishes before the song slowly, and almost lazily, jams to the end.

Throughout the whole album, Collett oozes confidence and charm, and it all just seems so effortless. Possibly because where he seems strongest is his craftsmanship. While he is not without his musical talent, or captivating voice, what drives the album -- and what sets him apart from any other "indie-folk" artists, if that is what you want to classify him as -- is the composition of the songs. Be they dense & layered or stripped down & minimalistic, they always seem to be the perfect fit.


Download Bitch City

Download High Summer

Download Love Is A Chain

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Versicolour by Aidan Knight

After years of being beside the spotlight, backing up bands, Vancouver's Aidan Knight has stepped out on his own. While working with bands like The Zolas and Maurice, he started crafting songs and over a span of two years, recording whenever he could, playing a lot of the instruments himself and enlisting in the help of Toronto's The O'Darling for various duties (including backing vocals) Knight put together his debut solo album, Versicolour.

The album kicks off with "The Sun", which is an amazing opener. It starts off soft -- and somewhat dark -- then gradually builds to a grand ending of horns, strings and what I am pretty sure is a glockenspiel. It definitely setting the stage for the rest of the album. "Fighting Against Your Lungs" feels really light and almost effortless, though when it changes up for the "extro", I can't help but feeling that could have been expanded into a song of its own. A haunting piano starts "Eyelid Clicks", before building electronic feedback adds to the mood, and "Altar Boys" can only be described as beautifully melancholic. "North East South West" is another song that swells to a rich ending, while "Knitting Something Nice" starts off gentle and light, but gradually turns a little darker, both musically and lyrically. That is countered as the album comes to a close, with "Sorrows" being more or less an a capella intro to "Jasper", Knight's voice mixing with those of The O'Darling brilliantly. And much like how "The Sun" was the perfect opener, "Jasper" is the perfect closer. It is uplifting and beautiful, and you can't help but smile while listening to it.

I don't think it's a secret that I have a soft spot for strings and horns in my music, and when someone as talented as Aidan Knight can arrange them into something like this, well, I was won over half-way through "The Sun" on my first listen. And I have no doubt that song will remain one of my favourites of the year.
My only problem with the album is that it is much too short. With only 8 tracks and clocking it at just under half an hour, it feels like it's over before it had a chance to begin. I can't help but think that if it were an EP, it would have been perfect.
But aside from that, it is a stellar debut album and shows Knight has talent to spare. He can make songs minimal without being dull, or rich without being overwhelming, and add depth to the most simple sounding song. There is no doubt that after this, he deserves to step into the spotlight on his own.


Download The Sun

Download Knitting Something Nice

Download Jasper

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Say Us by Zeus

A couple years ago, I went to see Jason Collett at Richard's. Due to the poor planning (on their part) and a curfew, I thought I was getting there early, but actually caught the last couple songs of the bands set, in an almost-empty room. They came back later as Collett's backing band, and Jason was nice enough to let them play another one of their songs in the middle of the set, for those who missed them. They were also the band that opened for, and backed up, Collett when he was back a couple months later as kind of a make-up show. That time I caught the whole set, and while I was interested in them the first time, this time I was won over. And then when Metric came through town, I was excited enough, but when they added this band as their opener, I was thrilled. Who am I talking about? Zeus, of course. After a fantastic teaser EP last year, they released their first full length this year, Say Us. A few times I've been burned by bands with great EPs, but mediocre full lengths -- mostly the same amount of good songs, spread out over twice as long -- and while I wasn't really worried, since I had heard some of it live, it was still in the back of my mind.

The album sets the stage with, "How Does It Feel?", a holdover from the EP which gives you a hint of the catchiness that will pop up in the next 40 minutes or so. "Fever Of The Time" is a bit more mellow, but not without a subdued energy, and then one of my favourites, "Kindergarten", builds to a fantastic finale. It is perhaps the best proof that "[they] got fire within [them]", along with the next track, "The Renegade" and its climb to a great ending. "Greater Times On The Wayside" is a short track that almost leads perfectly into "The River By The Garden", which has an upbeat mood that belies its darker lyrics (that remind me a little of Where The Wild Roses Grow). After that, "You Gotta' Teller" ramps up the energy with distortion and fuzz, and is probably the most intense on the album. "I Know" and "Marching Through Your Head" are another couple from the EP, with the latter being fantastically catchy (an apt title, too, since that is what the song will be doing). "The Sound Of You" brings the tempo down, if only for a moment, when "Heavy On Me" starts with an energy and intensity that keeps boiling just under the surface, breaking through every so often only to be contained again, before letting loose at the end. The album closes with the piano-heavy "At The Risk Of Repeating", which is a nice way to close the album.

One great thing about Zeus is the fluidity of the band. With the exception of drummer Rob Drake, the members Mike O'Brien, Carlin Nicholson & Neil Quin all trade off instruments and lead vocals throughout the album. But there is never a jarring shift; the songs all blend together so seamlessly that you might not even notice. It's rather Sloan-esque, showing off how multi-talented the whole band is, and is especially cool when seeing them live. Needless to say, my worries were for nought, as the album more than matches the awesomeness of the EP. It is undeniable contagious and infinitely re-listenable, and will no doubt be remembered by the time the year-end best-of lists roll around.


Download Kindergarten

Download The River By The Garden

Download Heavy On Me

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Tic Toc Tic by The Zolas

While this may be the first album under this name, Zach Gray and Tom Dobrzanski are definitely not new to the Vancouver music scene. They first earned attention and acclaim as half of Lotus Child, but after that band dissolved, they joined forced once again as The Zolas and burst forth with the released of their first album, Tic Toc Tic. Produced by Howard Redekopp (New Pornos, Mother Mother, Said The Whale, 54-40 and many, many more), the album also features a few other Vancouver musicians, like Aidan Knight, Ali Siadat (Mother Mother), Ashleigh Ball (Hey Ocean!) and Shane Nelkin (The Awkward Stage), among others.

The album comes out swinging with "You’re Too Cool", an insanely catchy and somewhat scathing look at hipsters, which even name checks their Vancouver headquarters, the Biltmore Cabaret. The high energy of the opening track not only manages to be kept up, but even surpassed as the album goes on; "The Great Collapse" has a deceptively upbeat sound masking the dark lyrics about the fall of civilization, and "Marlaina Kamikaze" features quick and almost frantic & rambling verses, which fits the theme of post-breakup psychosis. This is countered by the overt sexually frustration in "Body Ash" which is then the released for all the wrong reasons in "Cab Driver", proclaiming "I'm gonna love you to cancel my mistakes" in one of the most straight up rocking tracks, with an insane outro that really highlights the piano in their piano-pop. "Marionettes" brings things down for a moment, showcasing the bands skill as balladeers, but the somewhat dark and eerie "I’ve Got Leeches" cranks it back up, if only for a moment. "These Days" is the slowest song on the album, and while it's by no means a bad song, it's probably the least good... I think it would have worked better coming off of "Marionettes" without Leeches splitting them.
One of my favourites, "You Better Watch Out", is another highly energetic track with cascading piano and a touch of horns, and sees the narrator wresting with his shyness on the bus while "here beside me sits the girl of my prayers" (which is a feeling I relate to far too well). But then that is followed by "No Talking" which comes right out with an anthemic chorus and a carpe diem vibe. The final two songs on the album see the band stretching their stylistic muscles, with "Queen of Relax" overflowing with cynicism and asking, nay, sneering: "Don’t you think it’s time for a car crash?", and "Pyramid Scheme", which is a lot looser that the tight and fiery passion of the rest of the album, and brings the album to a sprawling, shouting end, almost abruptly.
(And a random aside, just a strange personal anecdote: the first time I listened to the album, it was while I was reading the excellent I Kill Giants, and during the climax of the book, the lyrics "Fee-fi-fee-fi-fo-fum / I smell the blood of a Caucasian. / Be we alive or be we dead, / He’ll grind our bones to make his bread." came on. So very fitting, and I love it when things sync up like that)

Tic Toc Tic manages to keep its energy and catchiness throughout, and underneath the flash, it has substance -- something that is sometimes forgotten by bands looking to be more punchy than poignant. It is also yet another good example of how friendly and tight knit a lot of Vancouvers bands have become. It is really nice to see a music community where it isn't just a handful of unrelated bands, but a group of musicians who are friends, help each other out and even tour together. You needn't look farther than their show at the Biltmore earlier this year.

Overall, is a very solid album, an excellent debut, and I can't wait to see where they go from here.


Download The Great Collapse


Download Marionettes


Download You Better Watch Out

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