Wet Secrets: Marching On To Glory

WET SECRETS

December 9, 2013 · by Christine Leonard

EVERYONE LOVES A PARADE!

Edmonton’s favourite imaginary friend the Wet Secrets is a band that wants to stick their tongue in your ear. And by tongue, they mean their sweeter-than-sin new album, Free Candy. Conceived as a cunning stunt in 2005 by bassist/vocalist Lyle Bell and drummer/vocalist Trevor Anderson, the Wet Secrets made their first appearance on stage at a reputable establishment called Seedy’s. Invigorated by the thrill they received from that initial act of exposure, the Wet Secrets swiftly assembled and issued their debut album, A Whale of a Cow, later that year.

By 2007, the Wet Secrets had found a rhythm to match their trumped-up, pop-rock methodology with their sophomoric release, the appropriately titled Rock Fantasy. Received with open arms, the catchy cache of Rock Fantasy was a magic bullet that shot the Wet Secrets to the top of the Canadian charts, where they lingered on well into 2008.

“Trevor and I were at a show and kind of made a pact/dare to start a band and write and record an album before the first show,” Bell recalls. “We took a show and promptly forgot about all of this until a week before our first gig. We did a crazy, no-sleep week of practice/recording and got it done literally five minutes before the show started. At the time, both Trevor and I were in bands and fairly accomplished and we mutually knew some people we thought would be fun to play with. We wanted to avoid guitar, for whatever reason, so it was horns and keys with everyone singing. It was thrown together pretty quickly without too much thought about anything further into the future than that one gig. Also, that first night we made our pact-dare, our friend Fish took a photo of us that looked like I was telling Trevor a wet secret. Can’t remember if Fish said that or Trevor, but it was the genesis of the name.”

Obviously accustomed to making a serious racket when performing as a part of his erstwhile bands, Shout Out Out Out Out and Whitey Houston, bassist and lead vocalist Lyle Bell has never shied away from making a scene in public. Pursuing his affection for the campiness and controversy, Bell and his long-time friend and collaborator drummer/vocalist Trevor Anderson have discovered like-minded musicians in trumpet player/vocalist Kim Rackel, trombonist/vocalist Emma Frazier and keyboardist/conga player like Paul Arnusch. Settling into their role within the dynamic group, Paul and the two majorettes are primed to deliver Bell and Anderson’s madcap musical mash-up.

“We sometimes spontaneously write jams during practices, make wonky demos and then refine them in the studio,” says Bell of the group’s evolving songwriting process. “Sometimes, I’ll get bombarded with an idea and work out most of the song in my head. I can generally hear how everything is going to go and then I’ll show it to Trevor, who often sends it spiraling into a different dimension. Everyone in this band is actually pretty fucking talented musically. Zero slouch. Kim and Emma are superstars!”

Now, you might be tempted to think that blasting out starry-eyed tunes like “Hot Hot Hotter than the Sun,” “The Chinball Wizard” and “The Ballad of El Doucho,” while being backed by a fulsome brass section, would be enough for any band on the march. But if you need to know one thing about the Wet Secrets, it’s that they love being the centre of your attention and will stop at nothing to get there. Plying their eminently danceable hooks whilst decked-out in tasseled red-and-white marching-band uniforms, Bell and company demonstrate that no loud outfit is complete without an equally loud outfit.

“The outfits were the old uniforms of the Red Deer Royals. Unlike Lorde, Trevor was once a Royal and we were able to buy about twenty complete marching band outfits in a sweet deal brokered by his mom.”

After five years of anticipation and planning, the Wet Secrets’ next great orchestral manoeuvre is finally ready to be unveiled. The musical counterpart of the cat hair-covered sweater in your closet (also Bell’s wardrobe of choice when he’s not in uniform), Free Candy comes across as fun, friendly and a little bit freaky. A return to the halcyon days of one’s cavity-filled youth, the gratuitously tasteful album came together during this past summer, guided by the hand of producer Nik Kozub (White Horse, Cadence Weapon, Shout Out Out Out Out).

“I learned a lot about the business in general from being in Shout Out Out Out Out: take the work involved seriously and have a plan,” Bell says. “In the four years (five?) since our last album, we went through some personnel changes and had general life bullshit drop down on us. We got older, wiser and slightly sadder. Rock Fantasy was kind of about sex and hedonism with a bit of whimsical bullshit. Free Candy is a more adult album, loosely about sex, death and humanity, supernatural claptrap, the untimely death of a friend, evangelicals banging on your doorway too early, people who sit in the green room and eat your deli tray while you play, dyin’ — the usual.”

Bell confesses that their predilection for stirring crowds into frenzies has led them down the yellow brick road to chaos on more than one occasion. He recalls a pie giveaway that resulted in an Animal House-calibre food fight. How does one get pie out of a trumpet? Marx Brothers-inspired tomfoolery aside, these festival veterans have a history of engaging audiences with a constant parade of well-composed and skillfully-executed aural pleasures. Indeed, the Wet Secrets strive to infuse their musical presentations with an intelligent and slightly warped sense of humour. In doing so, they seldom fail to elicit an appreciative response from their listeners.

“I am my own harshest critic and I am super-pumped that we had the stick-to-it-iveness to get Free Candy done,” Bell reports. “We are all totally proud of this one, our little breach baby. I’m already working hard on the next album. We have big plans. I want to take this as far as we can possibly can. We also want to reunite the Smugglers so we can do a split 7″.”

Tongue firmly planted in cheek, the Wet Secrets plan to exercise their right to party as they champion Free Candy across the land.

“It’s amazing how fast the years can slip by, but our mandate of having fun together hasn’t changed. Once we got rolling again everyone started to get excited about pushing this album through to completion. Lately, we’ve been playing some of our best shows ever. It does sound like the same band, but I think we’re also a band in transition. Maybe in the future, we won’t be quite as jokey… Of course, when you wear marching band outfits there’s a pretty fine line between being seen as a glib gimmick and being taken seriously. There are tons of weird art-rock bands out there that we love, like Devo and Ween. I think it’s possible to play completely ridiculous material really well. That’s when it’s the most entertaining.”

Catch Wet Secrets at the Palomino on December 13. Free Candy will be released on February 4, 2014.

By Christine Leonard

And So I Watch You From Afar interviewed by Christine Leonard

AND SO I WATCH YOU FROM AFAR

UNREQUITED OBSESSION

Northern Ireland’s upstart gift to the post-rock era, And So I Watch You From Afar, has been making waves and garnering restraining orders since 2005. Formed in Belfast, the intrepid four-piece surprises and delights by interspersing their angular rock hooks with dissonant bursts of electronic fury. 

With two albums and two EPs to their credit, ASIWYFA has earned a reputation for creating powerful, multi-dimensional, instrumental pieces augmented by the occasional glockenspiel or human voice. Burning the candle at both ends, dual guitarists Rory Friers and Niall Kennedy juxtapose melody and cacophony with incendiary results. Each pulse of noise, every break in the action, provides an abrupt but mutually-adopted jumping-off point for the band’s next musical (mis)adventure. With bassist Johnny Adger and drummer Chris Wee laying down a solid foundation, ASIWYFA’s towering sonic spires threaten to scrape the very heavens. It’s a good thing that these math-rock druids have their feet firmly planted on good old terra firma.

BeatRoute: How would you describe the current musical scene in Ireland at this time and where does ASIWYFA fall into the scheme of things?

Chris Wee: The Irish scene is still really healthy in terms of the quality of music coming out. Unfortunately, gigs are definitely feeling the effects of the recession with less numbers. We were fortunate to be coming up the ranks in Belfast at a time when there was a lot of collectivism and passion in the scene. ASIWYFA curated a mini-festival back in 2008 in Belfast, called “A Little Solidarity,” which showcased a huge variety of local talent and was a real high point for us career-wise, as well as a marker for how good our local scene was. There was a great sense of bands helping each other out and that is still very much alive in the present day. Back then, we were only beginning to do small bits of touring and were very active in Belfast. But, nowadays with our touring schedule we don’t get to spend much time in Belfast as we would like to. It’s nice to come back and get down to local shows when we’re home.

BR: How do you intertwine disparate elements like melody and brute force to make a cohesive whole? You often use explosive bursts of electronic distortion to punctuate and underscore your more straight-forward rock and roll creations. Are your juxtapositions intended as to come across complimentary rather than clashing, or both?



CW: From the outset, we have always strived to make interesting music, not just to entertain an audience but to challenge and entertain ourselves as well. We have also been keen never to cover old ground in terms of our writing and that has continually pushed us into new territory. Our writing process has evolved quite a lot since our first jamming way back in 2005/6. Rory [Friers, guitar] has always been the brains in regards to bringing the initial ideas of melodies, riffs and rough structures. Then, we get into the rehearsal room and thrash around until we start to get an idea of the song. That’s where the dynamics come in and ideas for ridiculous changes in pace or mood come from. We can be quite ruthless with material in that if we’re getting bogged down with an idea it’s better to cut it loose and move on to make sure the momentum and the creativity is maintained.

BR: In what ways is All Hail Bright Futures a reflection of the depth and complexity you’ve continued to build into your songwriting style since the release of your award-winning album, Gangs?

CW: All Hail Bright Futures was written with a lot less of the boundaries and restrictions we had with earlier work. With this album we decided that we would try and make the guitars sound as little like guitars as possible to keep the sound fresh and guitar lines were transposed onto other instruments to create a rich variety of sounds. We went into the studio with a very small percentage of the album written and it allowed us to be more open to different instruments and sounds, less precious over the older conventions of just guitars and drums. We approached it with really open minds and a willingness to try all sorts of different instrumentation. There was also a much more collective contribution from the three of us during the recording, the three of us were in all day every day constantly discussing and contributing ideas of how the song was progressing, which was an immensely satisfying experience.

By Christine Leonard

Originally published October 7, 2013 in BEATROUTE MAGAZINE 

And So I Watch You From Afar - Big Things Do Remarkable Live 07.04.2013 | Strom München

Axis of Conversation Interviewed by Christine Leonard

AXIS OF CONVERSATION

·

SMALL TALK, BIG SOUND

They say that life is something that happens while you’re busy making other plans and, when it comes to Calgary’s cello-embellished pop-purveyors, Axis of Conversation, the old adage definitely holds true. The past three years have been demanding ones for lead vocalist/guitarist Chris dela Torre who, along with bandmates bassist/vocalist Eric Estor, keyboardist/glockenspieler Gerald Dacanay, violinist/keyboardist Shelly Groves, percussionist Matthew Doherty and cellist Cheryl Bergen, has been burning the candle at both ends.

“The actual recording took two-and-a-half years to complete from first day in studio, if you count songwriting it’s even longer than that,” dela Torre relates. “Since before the band started, I’ve wanted to do an album where we had gift of time, to be able to enter into the process with no real deadline and no real parameters. It ended up being too much of that. By time the third anniversary of start the project rolled around, I thought, ‘This is ridiculous!’ but it was also a case where we just had to make it that kind of record. As a group, we have six children between us now, so working at that pace was less of a luxury and more of necessity.”

Pulling together the many-stringed, Axis of Conversation made the decision to move forward with the production of their latest offering, The House of Stay Together, despite the challenge of balancing creative endeavours with meddlesome day-jobs and domestic distractions. What began as an exercise in exploring the themes of teenage love and tempestuous relationships became a 10-track tribute to the band’s own internal struggle to overcome the mundane and craft something of lasting portent.

“We had been working with our engineer, Cody Coates, for quite a while and loved working him with him – he’s like family, but due to everyone’s schedule the task of putting an album together with him was difficult. We had been stuck for a while when we called up local engineer/producer/musician Arran Fisher (Ship Shape, The Summerlad) in the spring of 2012. We thought he’d be a good choice, because he’s done so much work with Woodpigeon, which requires a lot of recording of strings. Even though he and Cody have a totally different style, I think it was a really great working relationship. I spent a long time finalizing the mixes with our friend Reuben Ghose, who produced our first full-length, Delusions of Safety, six years ago. Reuben and I both knew that success of this new album, in terms of it being a step forward for the band, was in the mix.”

From the deft backmasking on the opening track, “We Make Dew,” to the symphonic spree of “Prince’s Island,” The House of Stay Together is a brilliant coming-of-age album for the subtly sophisticated Axis of Conversation. Lyrically mature yet consummately dance-able, the album that took so long to make allows each situation to build and flourish in its own fashion. Fear and acknowledgement dominate the emotive storyline as dela Torre and company come full-circle and hold a mirror up to their collective mortality.

“I think we were subconsciously approaching this album like it was our last,” confesses dela Torre. “Essentially, it’s a document of the six of us working things out in the basement. I’d describe our current sound as one of confidence, especially compared to our first full-length album. We’re no longer that experimental band that was in the midst of the feeling-out process. We’ve gained a lot personal maturity as people and it’s inevitable that those age-related changes will factor into our music. If this was our last album I’d be okay with that because I think we did a really good job.”

Axis of Conversation will release The House of Stay Together at the Palomino on September 13 and at an afternoon, all ages show at the Cliff Bungalow Community Association on September 14.

Originally published in BeatRoute Magazine September 9, 2013 
By Christine Leonard
Photos: Damian Espinosa

Alabama Shakes

~ Boys and Girl ~Alabama Shakes combine myriad genres in their gritty, soulful rock

Originating in Athens, Alabama in 2009, Alabama Shakes was initially conceived by high school classmates singer-guitarist Brittany Howard and bassist Zac Cockrell. Soon the two joined forces with drummer Steve Johnson, guitarist Heath Fogg and keyboardist Ben Tanner, and earnestly began crafting their unique brand of gospel and blues-tinged garage rock.

“I don’t pay attention to what is popular at the moment, but I do think there is a yearning for something real after years of more processed music,” says Howard. “Our sound is influenced by so many different artists as we all listen to such a wide array of music it would probably shock you. I think that is what I like best about our band. But there is a common ground of bands with real energy and soul that have helped us sculpt our sound. You know, bands [and] artists like AC/DC, Black Sabbath, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Otis Redding, Drive-By Truckers, Charles Bradley, Tina Turner, and many, many others.”

Hurtling from relative obscurity to being nominated for three Grammy Awards for their 2013 debut full-length release Boys & Girls has been both rewarding and disruptive for the tight-knit quintet. Not surprisingly the comfort and support they receive from their hometown crowd still grounds Alabama Shakes and keeps them connected to their roots.

“My favourite venue is a place called Egans in Tuscaloosa, Alabama,” says Howard. “It’s a hole in the wall bar, but it’s the best because everyone there just wants to have a good time. It’s tiny, sweaty, and dark, and one of the first places we ever played. Unfortunately, we don’t get to play places like that anymore, but last November we did a secret show at Egans under a different name! It was so fun... we may have to do that again.”

For Howard and company, wistful memories of days gone by are counter-balanced by the anticipation of adventures yet to come. Acutely aware of the dangers inherent in acquiring fame and fortune in rapid succession, Alabama Shakes is in no rush when it comes to pushing out their next album. Instead, the band that merges Janis Joplin’s crashing urgency with Otis Redding’s easy wisdom is prepared to shake up this summer’s festival circuit and give folk music fans a reason to hang loose.

“We just try and have fun, we give it our all, and when the audience gives it back to us then things really get going and can create this whole circular energy vibe. “We are a rock ’n’ roll band, but are honoured to be embraced in any scene that appreciates what we are doing. We tend to bring a lot emotion and electricity to the live show. If you give us some love we will return it and we promise a good time where you can forget about your worries for a short while.”

by Christine Leonard


Originally published July 25, 2013 in Fast Forward Magazine

Video: Alabama Shakes - Always Alright (Live on SNL)

Carpenter nails it!

The rural advantage 

Carpenter harvest punk-infused rock anthems

Published July 4, 2013 by Christine Leonard


Despite making waves in the Vancouver post-punk sensation All State Champion for over 15 years, Ontario-born singer and guitarist Dan Sioui admits that he’s never considered himself to be a true West Coaster. Secretly fostering a special place in his heart for the grit of blue-collared bards like Bruce Springsteen and John Cougar Mellencamp for decades, the talented singer and guitarist decided the timing was right for a reunion with his musical upbringing.

Eschewing his former hardcore haunts, Sioui linked up with guitarist Ryan Howlett of Speaking of Heroes, and then bassist Dana Edwards and drummer JJ Heath of Daggermouth. By 2005, Sioui and company were working up a sweat in the Hive Studios (Pride Tiger, Black Mountain), labouring under the humble name of Carpenter.

“It was sort of strange getting into the vibe of a purely rock ’n’ roll feel,” says Sioui. “Taking on the challenge of emulating a blue-collar classic like American Fool was a complete 180 from the angular post-punk music I had become accustomed to. I know it threw a lot of people off, but I’ve been at it for so many years now that the response has grown into something much more positive.”

Shepherding his forays into folk, pop and rock beyond Vancouver’s cloudy comforts, Sioui ventured back to Ontario’s countryside to compose Carpenter’s bucolic 2010 offering, Sea to Sky.

“I bought a farm in Ontario off the Internet, so I could be closer to where I grew up while I was writing. As cheesy as it sounds, there’s a certain breadth and airiness about being under wide-open skies that allows me to leave the space within our songs. A lot of bands are afraid to let space happen.”

Compelled by the plight of independent farmers, Carpenter swiftly became a conduit for political outrage, effectively funneling Sioui’s ire for the corporate-based Agribusiness into every passionate track.

“As a band, we put a lot of work into writing songs that are effective in communicating big ideas in a simple way,” he says. ”Starting out I never could have imagined a scenario where I would have any political stance whatsoever through music, but I’m not the kind of person who stands by and watches while the little guy is getting squeezed in all industries. We understand the value of supporting our local producers and businesses. I guess it’s a bit of our punk-rock influence fighting through.”

Tasked with striking a balance while styling striking ballads, Carpenter has temporarily moth-balled plans to re-enter the studio, instead opting to embark on a summer tour. Rolling into Calgary just in time for Stampede 101, the East-meets-West hybrid, which has shared the stage with the likes of NoMeansNo, Attack in Black and Minus the Bear, plans to flush the seawater from their veins and replace it with a warm draught of Albertan rye.

“My ideal would be to combine JCM with Hüsker Dü,” says Sioui. “I may draw on roots rock, but I like to play it at an insane volume and fling my body around like a man obsessed. We have a like-minded crowd that knows it’s not a political rally, it’s more of a feeling of connection between band and audience. Every show is a celebration. It’s something that goes back to our hardcore roots, and in a weird way it’s the thing I’m most proud of.”

Vulcan, Alberta, Canada - Hosts Spock Days

SPOCK DAYS LIVE LONG

TREKKIE CONVENTION GOES INTO ORBIT WITH THE LAUNCH OF THE TREKCETERA MUSEUM

An annual, community-wide Star Trek Convention, Spock Days, is occasion for perking up one’s ears and pursuing a bit of recreation in Canada’s Star Trek capital. Four fun-filled solar rotations of costume parties, celebrity appearances and mingling in the interest of inter-planetary friendship, Spock Days has been turning other bastions of science-fiction fandom green with envy for the past 21 years. A crop-circle-worthy locale on the undiscovered prairies, the festival’s birthplace in Vulcan, Alberta is more than the namesake of Spock’s logic-espousing home world it’s a cosmically certified tourist destination.

“The Town of Vulcan is genuine,” confirms Star Trek enthusiast and repeat Spock Days attendee Shannon Sigvaldasson. “For the residents of Vulcan and the surrounding area, this weekend is their Mardi Gras and they go all out! The whole community sees the benefit of aligning with Star Trek culture and, in so doing, creates a larger, world-renowned identity for their town.”



Enhancing Vulcan County’s reputation for being a veritable Rigel 7 of dark skies and space culture, curators of fandom Michael Mangold and Devan Daniels have announced the impeding launch of Canada’s only Star Trek-themed museum. The Trekcetera Museum is set open during Spock Days with an official ribbon-cutting ceremony featuring this year’s special guests. Actors Robert Picardo “The Doctor” and Ethan Phillips “Neelix,” of Star Trek Voyager fame, and senior illustrator Rick Sternbach are slated to headline this year’s festivities.

“The real joy of seeing celebrities in Vulcan is that the setting provides for more up-close encounters and one-on-one time,” says Sigvaldasson. “There is a kind of freedom and safety that being in Vulcan allows the stars versus the comparatively rigid schedule of a typical convention.”

Guest of honour and Spock Days emcee Robert Picardo, who is also known for his roles as Richard Woolsey from the popular TV series Stargate, will be delivering an original live performance along with his former Voyager co-star and astro-gastronomer, Ethan Phillips. A senior illustrator and designer for Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Voyager and the first two seasons of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, special guest Rick Sternbach will also regale the congregation with insights into his role in creating hundreds of props and set-pieces for the franchise and personal stories of assisting the show’s writers.

“Go for the whole weekend, there’s no reason to leave! Book a hotel room or campsite early, they fill up quickly. Be sure to catch the Parade! Walk the main streets; each shop you wander into will have some fun and unique Trek memorabilia. And, if a group of Klingons invites you to drink with them, do it!”

Spock Days runs from June 7 to 9 in Vulcan, AB.

Originally published in BeatRoute Magazine June 4, 2013
By Christine Leonard

Calgary Metalfest 2013

Return of the Beast 

Calgary Metalfest enters its second summer

by Christine Leonard


Calgary Metalfest II featuring Skeletonwitch, Intronaut, Scale the Summit, Into Eternity, Anciients, Endast, Wake, Disciples of Power and many more
Dickens Pub June 6-8, 2013


Now in its sophomore year, Calgary Metalfest was originally conceived as a hell-raising party for local soundman/producer Nathan Renaud on the occasion of his 30th birthday. Far surpassing the traditional party benchmark of waking up the neighbours, the success of the premier installation was a pleasant surprise for Big Nate.

“I call myself the ‘sole proprietor’ of Calgary Metalfest,” says Renaud. “Mainly because I started last year’s festival as an excuse to see all my friends. The first year my selection process was entirely selfish and short-sighted.”

Despite its casual nature, the inaugural event was a success. “You can’t imagine the relief I felt when our venue reached 90 per cent capacity on that first night. The place only held 500 people and 460 showed up! I couldn’t have been happier; I was walking around handing out kegs and bonuses.”

Confident he could out-do his previous effort, Renaud spent the past 12 months contacting and booking over 80 bands from across the country to perform during Calgary Metalfest 2013’s four-day showcase. It hasn’t been easy deciding who will converge for the second edition of this extravaganza of extreme music; the enthusiasm displayed by Canadian metal bands seeking exposure for their brand of high-octane hardcore has precipitated a waiting list of would-be stand-ins.

“It was obvious that there was a demand for this festival, but the logistics were a bit of a nightmare at times,” says Renaud. “I have to give a big shout out to Tyson Cale Boyd of ConcertWorks in Edmonton for putting me in touch with many of the acts that were coming through; I was super-fortunate to be able to pick up Skeletonwitch from Athens, Ohio and Intronaut out of L.A. When it came to selecting from the demos and applications submitted by local bands, it seemed like we had received submissions from every damn one of them.”

Augmenting his role as producer and stage manager for Scarab Productions (purveyors of Calgary’s international metal festival, Noctis), Big Nate also plays bass for the local tech-death ensemble KYOKTYS. As a musician himself, he has come to appreciate a hands-on approach to mounting an unforgettable show. And although Big Nate has to remind himself to pause and enjoy the melodic chaos, he’s determined to make sure everyone involved leaves feeling like it’s their lucky day.

“It’s going to be crazy,” he says. “I’m sure the Breathe Knives, Witchstone show on Saturday is going to sell out, but Broken City has allowed me to open up their rooftop patio for an all-ages shaker. So, we’ll have all of those cross-over thrash bands like Oh, Shit! and Epidemic playing up there, just for fun. Hardcore standup comedian Jason Rouse from Hamilton will be performing and emceeing the festival. He’s hosted Monsters of Comedy and the Metal Hammer: Golden Gods Awards and he’s the crudest motherfucker I’ve ever heard.” Thankfully, attendees will be able to travel between venues with ease — they’ll have a shuttle running between them from 6 to 9 p.m. each night. And while it’s looking more like an official festival than last year’s event, Renaud still sees it as a celebration of his 31 years on earth, calling it “the best damn birthday party you’ll ever attend.”