Category: Reviews

KIFFIE – Album Review: “The Product”

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Reviews18 Comments

British artist Kiffie (the music moniker of Daniel Paul Kiff) is a creative and fascinating singer-songwriter, composer and producer of electronic music based in Norwich, England. Drawing from a wide range of music genres including electronica, hip-hop, rock, folk and classical, his arresting songs are inspired by current events, as well as the oft-covered topics of love, lies and betrayal. Kiffie records and produces all his own music at home using hardware instruments, synthesizers and drum machines. In a space of less than three years, the incredibly prolific artist has released an astonishing 13 albums, six EPs, two compilation albums, two CDs, and numerous singles. His songs have received critical acclaim, and garnered airplay on BBC Radio 6 and other internet radio programs.

His latest album, The Product, which he released exclusively on Bandcamp last Friday, July 21st, really struck a chord with me. In his remarks about the album, Kiffie wrote: “Evil things happen when good people say nothing. This album asks a lot of questions…. it’s up to you to work out the answers.” Accordingly, the songs touch on such timely issues as creeping authoritarianism, income inequality, misinformation and fake news, anti-science/conspiracy mongering, and political corruption – all things of great concern to me. He originally wrote the songs for his participation in the Lights & Lines Album Writing Club, and the album represents the final updated version.

The album opens with “Thank You For The Hope“, a melancholy, yet almost cinematic track, with introspective keyboards and wobbly, atmospheric synths. The spare lyrics are directed to a loved one who’s support offers a glimmer of light in the darkness: “Although the sky looks dark, the future looks grey for us, and it no longer feels like home, it doesn’t mean there is no hope! You are with me!” “New Enemy” speaks of cynical, soulless politicians who seek to divide us by scapegoating others, making them into our enemies: “History, it teaches you to be a little wary, of men, who’ll say anything to convince you to vote for them. History, it teaches you to be a little wary, of them, who blame anyone to create a new enemy.” Kiffie’s ominous soundscapes nicely convey the sinister forces at work here.

On “Leadership“, he laments about those who only want to hear what they want to believe, whether it’s truthful or not: “I don’t think I can deceive you, the truth is on my side. And I won’t lie to try to save you, what is there to hide?” The songs starts off with a simple piano riff, but eventually builds into an unsettling track, accompanied by Kiffie’s somewhat disconcerting, echoed droning vocals. And on the melancholy “Small Boats“, he sings of refugees of political unrest making the hazardous journey across the sea (the Mediterranean, I assume), in search of a better life, encountering resentment and hate by some, but empathy and assistance by others: “You’re welcome to stay. I promise you wont be a burden on the state, but don’t read the headlines today.“

“Being Patriotic” touches on how some politicians use ‘patriotism’ as a cudgel to keep us in line while claiming that government cannot afford to provide public services, yet are eager to give tax breaks to the wealthy: “They don’t know how to speak the truth, they only need to mesmerise you. They don’t have a lot of money to look after you, but they’ll find it when their friends ask them to./ They cant keep a single promise if it means their shares go down in value. They count on you being apathetic. they count on you being patriotic.” Musically, the track has a rapid, skittering trip hop beat, overlain by a droning synth bass groove.

“Independent Examination” speaks to those who subscribe to fake news and conspiracy theories, refusing to accept scientific verification: “Truth is based on fact. It doesn’t rely on lies, I can assure you of that./ Science follows an enquiry process. Your ideals might not align with that. Facts aren’t open to interpretation, they stand up to independent examination.”

The title track “The Product” is a dark and unsettling instrumental piece, featuring ominous buzzing synths accompanied by a repetitive percussive beat, creating a palpable sense of impending doom. “Reparations” addresses income inequality, and how the rich and powerful strive to maintain the status quo: “How did you come to be so powerful? How did things come to be so unequal?/ Should you pay back the profits? Should you recompense? Should you give up the titles? And should you start again, With nothing, like we did, like we did?” The hauntingly beautiful track is dominated by contemplative piano keys and a mournful keyboard organ riff, punctuated by languid drumbeats, all of which create a kind of dirge-like atmosphere. Kiffee’s droning vocals are at once both soothing and accusatory.

On “What Was Promised“, Kiffee ponders about our purpose and role in this world, and whether our actions and efforts make a difference: “Why do we try to change our lives? Why do we want the world to be better after all? Could it be we don’t see what was promised anymore? Could it be it’s time for love to rule forevermore?” The minute-long instrumental piece “Resolution” closes the album on a rather portentous note, with droning, ominous-sounding synths.

While not always an easy listen, given its bleak subject matter and instrumentation, The Product is compelling nevertheless, offering us glimmers of hope and beauty throughout. Kiffie makes a bold and impactful statement with this album, and I for one am glad to see artists having the courage to speak out about these issues facing society today.


Connect with Kiffie on Twitter / Facebook / Instagram

The best place to find all his music is Bandcamp, but some of it is also available on Spotify / Apple Music / Soundcloud

ELEANOR COLLIDES – Single Review: “Daydreams and Algorithms”

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Reviews11 Comments

Named after his childhood imaginary friend, Eleanor Collides is the solo music project of London-based singer-songwriter and guitarist Nick Ranga. The talented artist melds alternative, indie and dream rock with synth pop to create his distinctly melancholic, yet beautiful sound. I love how he’s described his influences: “I find inspiration in the cathartic vulnerability of Low, the poetic storytelling of R.E.M., the passionate anthems of Manic Street Preachers, the genre-defying artistry of Orville Peck, and the darkly captivating electronica of Depeche Mode. These influences, among many others, have shaped my artistic vision, allowing me to carve out a unique sonic identity.”

Though he’d been writing songs for many years, he finally started recording and releasing music in the summer of 2021, beginning with a four-track EP How to Make Friends. He followed up with a couple of singles, then in March 2022, he released his debut album People are Taller in Real Life. Since then, the prolific artist has dropped eight more singles, one of which, the hauntingly beautiful “Pantomime“, I featured in a Fresh New Tracks this past April. Today he’s back with his latest single “Daydreams and Algorithms“, another outstanding track. All eight singles will be included in his forthcoming second album, due for release later in the year.

For the recording of the song, Nick sang lead vocals and played guitars, bass, piano, drums and strings, and Charles Connolly, who mixed and mastered the track, played marimba and sang backing vocals. Though “Daydreams and Algorithms” starts off slowly, with just a simple, rather melancholic strummed guitar, it soon becomes clear that there’s a lot going on musically. As the song progresses, the instrumentation expands into a captivating soundscape, with added guitar, piano and warm strings, accompanied by Charles’ enchanting marimba and Nick’s steady drumbeats and moody bassline. Nick’s pleasing, low-key vocals have a comforting, almost sensuous quality, nicely complemented by his and Charles’ ethereal backing harmonies. It’s a stunning song.

As to the song’s meaning, Nick says it’s “about longing and obsession in the age of social media, about falling in love with someone through a screen who may or may not be real.” 

I can hear the sound of dreams
The cigarettes and faded blue jeans
The photographs and played back scenes
Never knowing what they mean

I can see your days collide
The indecision codified
The fantasies and rising tide
History happens in real time

ooh ooh ooh

You could be my daydream
My landslide, my slipstream
My devil chasing moonbeams
Intention lost to the mainstream

I could be your joyride
Your agent on the outside
Your lowest low and highest tide
Watch as I revert to type

ooh ooh ooh

Connect with Eleanor Collides:  Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Find his music on Bandcamp / Spotify / Apple Music / YouTube / Soundcloud

GLOOM IS OKAY – EP Review: “Gloom is Okay”

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Reviews10 Comments
Queenie, the cover girl pup

Describing his sound as “Happy/Sad music for Happy/Sad people”, Scottish alt-rock artist Gloom is Okay is spot on, in that his music takes listeners from euphoric highs to crushing lows and back again. Drawing from an array of elements ranging from alternative and dream rock to progressive and metal, and blending darker lyrical themes with complex melodies, gorgeous guitar riffs and grandiose synths, his unique sound is variously reminiscent of some of his favorite acts like Porcupine Tree, Thrice, Radiohead, Nine Inch Nails and Anathema, to name but a few. He started the project in the early days of Covid lockdown as a kind of coping mechanism, and being an advocate for positive mental health, he wanted to put a positive spin on things through his music. He loves listening to sad music and embracing the myriad emotions it brings out, both good and bad.

Based in Glasgow, Gloom is Okay is the music project of singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Martin Walker. Involved with music from an early age, he was previously a member of award-winning Scottish progressive rock band Akord, who released an EP Carry the Sound in 2013 and an album Ethereality in 2016. In 2020, Gloom is Okay released his debut solo EP Loopholes, featuring five exquisite instrumental tracks so dramatic and beautiful, they literally take my breath away. After a two and a half year-long hiatus, he began dropping a series of new singles this past March, culminating in the release of his second self-titled EP Gloom is Okay on July 14th.

For the recording of the EP, Martin sang lead vocals and played guitars, bass, piano and programmed synths, Iain MacLeod played additional bass, Mark Norris played drums, and Scottish musician and singer Modern Sonder sang additional vocals on “Pine”. The EP was mixed and mastered by Tomekeeper Productions.

I loved Gloom is Okay at first listen, and though it sounds different from Loopholes, due in large part to the inclusion of lyrics and vocals, it’s every bit as dramatic and gorgeous. It opens with “Butcher“, a song about being stuck in a recurring cycle of counter-productive behavior, unable to change for the better: “Repetition, to fill the gap. It makes me wonder what I’ve never had. My inhibitions, thrown from the shade. It makes me wonder If I will ever stay.” The song is a progressive rock gem, with vibrant, edgy guitars, exuberant drums and soaring atmospheric synths. Martin’s somewhat echoed vocals have a haunting but warm quality that’s both pleasing and impactful.

“Gravity” speaks to Martin’s struggles with writing music, or as he so beautifully puts it, “it’s a song about the madness of musicians…for those moments where you just want to smack your head against a brick wall, hoping the ideas will fall out of your ear.” The song has a beautiful but mysterious vibe, with a haunting melody that alternates between moments of calm with delicate piano keys, airy synths and chiming guitars, to cinematic flourishes of grungy guitars, heavy bass and tumultuous drums. Martin’s vocals have an emphatic sense of urgency as he sings “We show fire. Madness like gravity. We grow but you’d rather conserve your energy. Feeling low but inspired to scrawl through this melody. From head to toe expired, but I’ll swim through this debris.” The official video shows a woman experiencing her own little bout of madness.

The darkly beautiful “Pine” is sort of like two different songs in one. The first three-quarters of the track consists of a lush, moody soundscape, punctuated by gorgeous shimmery guitars and sharp percussion and the stunning dual vocals of Martin and Modern Sonder (aks Jazz Dey), backed by their own harmonies. At 3:21, the music abruptly explodes with a furious riff played by Martin on his 8-string Strandberg guitar, accompanied by Mark Norris’ pummeling drums, for the final minute of the track.

About the song, Martin explains: “I wrote “Pine” when the whole world shut down and I felt like I was missing an important piece of a never ending puzzle. Although there was no end in sight at the time, I could see the positive effects of conversations and searching for the good in the little things. It’s a positive spin on what was probably one of the most difficult times for a lot of people.” This is expressed in the lyrics “We pine but we’re focussed, with no more time to readjust. We saw a stable flare to guide us through, to see us through. But we are breaking through with no tools in our hands. We are mending you.”

The rather mysterious video shows a young teenage boy and two young Asian women exploring a scary-looking derelict abandoned building.

A deep and grungy synth bass introduces us to “Phantom“, an intense, ominous-sounding track that seems to speak of people who are out of touch, and no longer dealing with reality: “Have you even considered at all that you’re missing time? You only project what you thought caused this to climb. Within the grey you don’t comply. But you’ve found the way and the phantom’s live.”

Martin calls the final track “Good Morning” the one love song on the EP. Though running nearly six minutes, it’s a real tour de force so compelling and beautiful that it seems over sooner than I want it to end. It starts off as a lovely piano ballad as Martin croons “I can’t wait for the echo as it follows you, so I can keep up. And I will stay for the moment it fades off of you, cause I’ll still see it.” At the one-minute mark, a sensuous Latin dance beat takes over, accompanied by finger snaps and melodic guitar notes lasting around 40 seconds. The music then slows back down to an enchanting interlude before the wonderful Latin beat returns at 2:20. At 3:40, heavier gnarly guitars ensue, along with crashing cymbals, bold percussion until finally a scorching guitar solo brings everything to an electrifying crescendo in the bridge. The grungy vibes then continue through to the end of the track.

Gloom is Okay is a glorious little EP, with lots of beauty and drama packed into its 23 minutes. As Gloom is Okay, Martin and company have done an masterful job creating this exquisite collection of songs, and they should be proud of what they’ve achieved here. He’s an insanely talented songwriter and musician, and I look forward to hearing more from him.

Connect with Gloom is Okay: Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / TikTok

Find his music on Bandcamp / Spotify / Apple Music / Soundcloud / YouTube / Amazon

BRAIN APE – Single Review: “mcmx. drawing room”

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Reviews3 Comments
Photo by Nuri Moseinco

Brain Ape is a wildly imaginative and creative London-based rock band who skillfully fuse punk, stoner rock, grunge, noise rock and shoegaze to create their unique sound they call “Scratch Rock.” Originally formed at the beginning of 2012, like many a band, Brain Ape cycled through a series of drummers, and is now a duo consisting of Minky Très-vain on guitar & vocals and Sol Alex Albret on bass. They’ve released music rather intermittently since 2012, but their discography includes three albums (Dara O’ in 2014, Auslander and Ausländer, an all-acoustic album featuring five tracks from the original plus three new tracks, both in 2017) and several singles. I reviewed the full-length Auslander, which you can read here.

After a hiatus lasting a couple of years, Brain Ape returned in January 2021 with “clxxvi. veni vidi vici”, the first in a series of strangely-titled singles. They followed in 2022 with “cclxxv. theatrum serpentis”, then “mcmi. fenchurch king”, the second of which marked a new shift in the band’s sound. Whereas their earlier sound was strongly influenced by grunge acts like Nirvana, their newer music is now strongly influenced by contemporary pop and hip-hop acts like Billie Eilish, Childish Gambino, and Denzel Curry.

Their latest single “mcmx. drawing room”, to be released on July 19th via London independent label Scratch Rock Records, is Brain Ape’s second single to reflect their change up in style and genre. According to the band’s press release, the song “references a drawing-room within the historic 10 Downing Street (the official London residence of the British prime minister), and continues where their previous single “mcmi. fenchurch king” left off, diving deeper into the story of Eric Tunglsson, son of the Auslander. Exploring rising nationalism in the West and the glorification of false icons, the song marks the second time the duo have made any kind of political statement.”

Musically, the song is unlike anything I’ve heard before, and is hard to categorize or describe. It’s also a brief track, lasting only 1:40 minutes. Starting with a simple, stuttering trip hop beat, Brain Ape layers mysterious psychedelic synths, sharp percussion, grungy scratching and otherworldly vocal sounds to create a decidedly unsettling soundscape that turns quite melodic in the final chorus. I’ve always liked Minky’s vocals, and though it’s sometimes difficult to understand the lyrics, they range from delicate falsetto to ethereal whisper to plaintive wail, all exuding a seductive, yet menacing vibe. A rather interesting feature of the song are the sudden skips occurring from 1:07-1:13, which I assume are intentional. An unusual song indeed, but also strangely beautiful and captivating. I like it!

The video, which was written, shot, produced, directed and edited by the band, features Minky as Eric Tunglsson, Sol as Wyn Pfaird, former bandmate Jacob Powell as Trin O’ Gealach, as well as Siubhan McGealach and The Shrewd.

Here’s the song on Spotify:

Connect with Brain Ape:  Facebook / Twitter / Instagram
Find their music on Spotify / Apple Music / Bandcamp / YouTube

JEEN – Single Review: “Just Shadows”

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Reviews8 Comments

I seem to be focused on Canadian artists lately, as there are many who are making some great music that I also happen to be fond of. My latest is JEEN (Jeen O’Brien), a creative, talented and hard-working singer-songwriter and musician from Toronto, Canada. She creates a melodic brand of alternative pop-rock that’s alternately pleasing and edgy, delivered with her distinctive vocal style that reminds me at different times of singers Meg Myers. K. Flay and Lana Del Rey.

The prolific artist has quite an impressive resume; over the past nine years, she’s released an astonishing six albums and scores of singles, one of which, “On and On”, I reviewed last year. Her songs have been used in commercials for such companies as Google, Panasonic, Estée Lauder, Kraft, BlackBerry, KIA, Rogers, MasterCard and Molson, as well as various movies and television programs, including Cook Off, Republic of Doyle, Instant Star, Ruby Gloom, Degrassi, Killjoys, Hockey Wives, Workin’ Moms, MTV Catfish, and MTV Are You the One.

On July 7th, she dropped her latest single “Just Shadows“, which she says she wrote after “thinking how the darker parts of everything can snuff out some of the best people’s light. It’s about trying to get out from under it so we don’t just become casualties of our shittiest days.” The song is the first single from her forthcoming seventh album Gold Control, which she’d began working on last year after the release of her previous album Tracer, in October 2022. Unfortunately, due to what she calls a ‘massive computer failure’, she lost all the demos for Gold Control, sending her back to the proverbial drawing board. “My long time co-producer Ian Blurton suggested we just go in and jam the songs a bunch top to bottom and re-demo them before we started tracking for real. We had never done it that way for the previous albums; always just worked off my home demos as opposed to rehashing the songs prior with the full band. Anyway, it was super fun to go a little deeper on these songs at that early stage, and I think the whole LP is better for it.”

For the recording of “Just Shadows”, JEEN sang vocals and played rhythm guitar, Ian Blurton played lead guitar, Ben O’Brien played bass, and Stephan Szczesniak played drums. The song gets right down to business with an opening burst of grungy guitars, humming bass and powerful thumping drumbeats, ultimately exploding into a full-blown rocker in the choruses with raging riffs and thunderous drums. It’s one of the hardest-rocking songs JEEN’s put out yet, and I love it. She has a somewhat mumbled drawl-like singing style that’s quite appealing to my ears, backed by her own soaring harmonies as she passionately urges someone in deep emotional pain to not allow their sadness to take over: “He looks so sad he looks so sad, yeah he looks so sad to me. You look so sad you look so sad, you look so sad to me. It’s just shadows just shadows just shadows.”

Connect with JEEN:  Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Find her music on Bandcamp / Spotify / Apple Music / Soundcloud / YouTube

NATIVE TONGUE – Single Review: “Dark Green Eyes”

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Reviews12 Comments

Now I turn my attention back to England to shine a spotlight on Native Tongue, an alt-rock band from Bournemouth. Fronted by the prolific singer-songwriter and producer Nathan Evans on lead vocals and guitar, Native Tongue also includes Arron Bennett on drums and Jake Waters on bass. Nathan also writes and records music as a solo artist under the moniker NAVE, and this past February he released his monumental 31-track album God’s Waiting Room (which I reviewed.)

Native Tongue’s sound is darkly beautiful, edgy and melodic, with thought-provoking lyrics delivered by Nathan’s captivating tenor vocals. They began dropping singles in early 2022, which culminated in the release of their debut five-track EP Hiding In White Light. That September, they released a beautiful short film with the same title which they wrote and directed. Hiding In White Light features four of the tracks from the EP, and tells a dark story of mental illness, hallucinations, loneliness and depression. The film is available for viewing on YouTube.

Now they’re back with a powerful new single “Dark Green Eyes“, accompanied by an unusual video that would make David Lynch proud. The song is the first single from their forthcoming second EP Sodium. When Nathan first sent me the song and video, I was immediately blown away by the song’s complex and jarring music that starts off with a melancholy acoustic guitar, then evolves into an explosive maelstrom of grungy and screaming riffs, smashing drums and crushing bass. There’s beauty to be found too, particularly in the melodic gnarly guitar solo in the bridge. Nathan’s vocals also start off with his signature plaintive tenor croon, but turn emotionally-wrenching and raw with the music, until he’s literally frightening us with his impassioned wails, leaving us drained by song’s end.

Nathan told me he originally intended for “Dark Green Eyes” to be a Nave song, but decided to turn it into a full band song with live drums and bass to creating a more powerful dynamic. About the song’s meaning, he explains: “I wanted to create a character that seems so desperate to be in the spotlight and wants to know what it feels like to be adored. I love the line ‘I wanna know what it feels like to be yours’ because it twists it as you expect it to say ‘I wanna know what its like to be you’. To me, this implies the character doesn’t even feel worthy enough to imagine himself as this successful person and instead he wants to know what it would be like in their shadow. It is tragic to see someone wishing they were anything but themselves and needing validation from others to make them feel good. He is a victim of society who is encouraged to compete and compare himself with others constantly.”

Both song and video are simple yet profound, beautiful yet disturbing. In the video, Nathan portrays a man performing the song on stage, baring both himself and his soul in front of everyone in a raw, unflinching manner.

Connect with Native Tongue:  Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Find their music on Spotify / Apple Music / Soundcloud / YouTube / Bandcamp

ALEX SOUTHEY – Single Review: “Never Listen”

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Reviews8 Comments

Still focused on Canada (having just written about two artists from the Vancouver area), today I turn my attention to Toronto, the home of singer-songwriter and guitarist Alex Southey. The talented musician has released a lot of music over the past four and a half years, including three albums, three EPs and numerous singles. His sound can generally be described as alternative indie folk, sprinkled with elements of rock, pop and shoegaze. But like all creative artists, he’s not afraid to experiment with his music by exploring different genres and styles outside his comfort zone, and as a result, each of his albums and EPs sound quite different from one another. His thoughtful and intelligent lyrics about life, love and socio-cultural issues of the day are delivered with his beautiful distinctive vocals.

Photo of Alex by Steven Medeiros

I’ve been following Alex since the beginning of 2021, and have previously written about him three times on this blog, most recently this past January when I reviewed his superb EP Common Fantasies. One of the tracks from the EP, “Soften”, spent three months on my Weekly Top 30, peaking at #5. Now he’s back with another terrific single “Never Listen“, his first release of 2023. 

For its recording, Alex played acoustic and electric guitars and sang vocals, assisted by fellow musicians Christina Dare on bass & backing vocals, Gab Lavoie on Korg synths, and Craig McCann on drums & percussion. All three also played on four of the tracks on Common Fantasies, and support Alex for live shows. The track was produced, mixed and mastered by Alex Gamble.

Alex’s wonderful strummed acoustic guitars have a rather mysterious quality as they guide the song forward, accompanied by Christina’s subtle bass line, Craig’s measured drumbeats and Gab’s delicate spacey synths. Alex’s beautiful chiming electric guitar that appears later in the song adds an enchanting layer of color and texture to the proceedings, creating a vibrant, arresting backdrop for his bewitching vocals that alternate from smooth heartfelt croon to ethereal falsetto. His and Christina’s harmonies in the choruses are simply stunning, nicely complemented by the aforementioned chiming guitar notes.

The lyrics speak to those who refuse to acknowledge or accept the warning signs all around us, using as examples our over-consumption of natural resources, the consequences of our continued burning of fossil fuels on our environment and climate, and repeated injuries resulting from violent sports like football: 

Heating everything I'm about to eat
Plants and animals - and motor oil

Learn to love the A
Learn to love the B
The part that slips between
Is gasoline

You just never listen
You just never listen

We can spend our time
Outside evening-walking
With smiles to hide behind
The never talking

Some come on so strong
It's the only way they know how to do it
It's all they really want
Nothin' much to it

You just never listen
You just never listen

After the CTE scan said
"You're never listening
You're never listening at all."

During the drive home
Close your eyes
Somebody's mother said it's fine
Somebody's brother died that summer

You just never listen
You just never listen
You just never listen
You just never listen

Alex will be performing “Never Listen”, along with several of his songs, tomorrow night (Friday, July 14) at the legendary Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto. Details below:

Connect with Alex on Facebook / Instagram

Find his music on Bandcamp / YouTube / Soundcloud

WESTERN JAGUAR – Album Review: “Oblivion”

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Reviews14 Comments

In late May, I featured the poignant song “Better Daze” by Canadian alt-rock act Western Jaguar, the music project of singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Jeffrey Trainor, on one of my Fresh New Tracks posts. Though I generally prefer to not write about an artist or band again so soon, I like his new album Oblivion so much that I just have to share it with my readers. Besides, I know the album means a lot to him, marking a return to making music after a two-year hiatus during which he’d all but given up on it, so it means a lot to me too.

Hailing from the picturesque Fraser River Valley of British Columbia east of Vancouver, Western Jaguar was born in 2012 when Trainor turned to music to get him out of a low point in his life. With the help of an evolving lineup of musicians, he released three stellar EPs and several singles between 2013 and 2019, including the excellent “Disappear”, which went to #1 on my Weekly Top 30 in 2019. Despite his prior accomplishments, when the pandemic hit in early 2020, bringing things to a halt for just about every musician and band, the social isolation allowed him to reflect on how unhappy he’d become as a musician. He says he’d become fixated on “likes, a following, positive feedback…and making music other people liked.” By the end of 2020, he decided he didn’t want to make music anymore, essentially walking away from Western Jaguar, which he conveniently blamed on the pandemic.

Thankfully, after a long break he came to realize that, just like in 2012, music could once again lift him out of his slump. He decided to restart Western Jaguar as essentially a solo act and went to work resurrecting a few previously-written songs and writing and recording new ones for what would become his latest album Oblivion, which he released on July 7th. For the recording of the album, Trainor sang vocals and played most instruments, though his former Western Jaguar bandmates Davis MacKenzie Zand played bass and AJ Buckley played electric guitar and drums, and sang backing vocals on two tracks, and musician KC Roces played electric guitar on “Daydreaming”. Trainor produced and mixed two of the tracks, with the rest produced and mixed by Zand, and mastering was done by Jordan Koop.

The album opens appropriately with “Start Again“, a lovely 57-second-long instrumental piece with guitar and gentle synths that serves as an intro to the bittersweet song “Milwaukee“. The instrumentals gradually build with the addition of beautiful jangly guitars, organ, swirling synths and spirited drums, turning the song into an arresting anthem by the final chorus. Most of the songs on Oblivion deal with aspects of love and loss, and “Milwaukee” touches on both, as expressed in the lyrics “Now my patience is strained, and my love has gone away. There’s nothing left of me, and I’m out on the streets of Milwaukee.“

Continuing on a similar theme, “Matador” speaks to regrets over allowing a love to slip through his fingers, and willing to do anything to get her back: “I loved her with all of me, you better believe that I had hoped to one day get down on my knee. But I was dumb and she left me, you better believe that I would do anything. I’d bury my heart in the depths of hell. Drive my car at the speed of sound. Get bucked off a bronco’s back just to have a chance at bringing you back.”

Like “Matador”, “Doomsday” was actually recorded pre-pandemic by the previous Western Jaguar lineup that included Davis MacKenzie Zand on bass and AJ Buckley on guitar and drums. Originally slated for release in June 2020, the song features fantastic watery guitar work by Buckley, while he and Zand keep the rhythm on solid footing with their masterful drumming and thumping bassline. The lyrics are directed to a lover who’s abandoned the relationship, despite the singer’s attempts at redemption, which Trainor sings with heartfelt conviction: “You packed it up and left while I was trying to make amends. This is something I won’t forget, though I still don’t comprehend.“

“Better Daze“ is a melancholy but pleasing song about going through hard times after a tragedy and trying to get back to better days. Musically, the song has an upbeat dream pop feel, with a breezy melody, beautiful chiming guitars and snappy drums that contrast with the darker subject matter. Trainor’s clear, pleasing vocals have a hint of sadness as he sings the lyrics telling a story about a woman named Suzie, whose fiance Harold died suddenly after a fall in the shower just before they were due to be married. Suzie falls into a deep depression, and with the best of intentions, her father insists she take medication to help improve her mood. Unfortunately, the drugs only make her feel worse: “Suzie’s felt worse since the medicine. Her lungs are burning and she can’t breath in. Her father insists on the vice, it’s the only way for a normal life. But a normal life was lost last June when Harold fell in the bathroom. She hasn’t taken them for 6 weeks. If only it was that easy. Her father asks if she’s feeling well. She gives him a smile though she feels like hell. She wants him to think that she’s okay, even though she’s thinking of better daze.”

On the beautiful and bittersweet “Daydreaming“, Trainor laments of a love that wasn’t meant to be, due to his partner’s emotional struggles and inability to commit to the relationship: “There was a time for us to move into oblivion. But you were daydreaming, just lost in your mind, leaving me behind.” The gorgeous shimmery guitars are played by KC Roces.

Though most of the songs on Oblivion deal with loss, Trainor is in fact a happily-married man, which he celebrates on the sweet love song “Darling“. Calling it the poppiest song he’s ever written, it’s definitely the most upbeat track on the album, with a bouncy melody, sunny guitar lines, plucky bass, cheerful xylophone and exuberant hand claps. The charming lyrics express the love he feels for his wife: “I’ve been waiting all my life for you, my lovely darling. I’ve been waiting all my life I’d say, it’s worth it darling. And I know you don’t prescribe to lovesick lullabies.”

Trainor turns philosophical on “Just Racing“, contemplating the rapid passage of time and the attendant challenges of making sense of the never-ending barrage of information and changes thrown at us: “It’s all moving way too fast. It’s not too much to ask, just slow it down so I can breathe. Help me take apart my enemies. / So won’t you pick me up and take me home. I’m only 25 but I feel so old. Caught up again in the cracks of my brain, racing to the end like a bullet train.” Musically, the song has a languid, introspective feel, featuring just his strummed acoustic guitar, backed by a lovely organ synth.

Similar to the opening track “Starting Again”, Oblivion closes with a simple but stunning atmospheric instrumental composition “Phases“. Consisting of a delicate piano movement accompanied by airy synths, the track nicely brings this outstanding album full circle. Trainor’s a talented, earnest and thoughtful guy, and I’m happy he resurrected Western Jaguar and gifted us with these deeply moving songs. It’s a triumphant return, and I hope we’ll continue to hear more from him in the future.

Follow Western Jaguar:  Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Find his music on Bandcamp / Spotify / Apple Music / Soundcloud / YouTube

dwi – Album Review: “Zoo Life”

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Reviews18 Comments

Many singer-songwriters tend to write from their own personal experiences, and oftentimes, some of the best and most compelling songs are born of pain and trauma. Such is the case with Canadian artist dwi and his new album Zoo Life. About the album, he states “This is the first time in my life where the story of the songs came first before the music. Some of the songs break my heart, and I’m not just poetically saying that. I went to very uncomfortable, dark and painful places to find these themes. And now a year later, I realize that I’ve learned so much about myself and why I’ve done the things I have, and why I have prevented myself from healing. You can survive trauma. But you always have to live with it. So you might as well turn it into art.”

Based in the suburbs of Vancouver, British Columbia, dwi is the music project of singer-songwriter and instrumentalist Dwight Abell, who’s also the longtime bassist for Canadian alternative/power pop band The Zolas. He’s an immensely creative, talented and imaginative guy, with a totally original sound and an endearingly quirky vocal style that make his music so uniquely distinctive. I think he’s one of the brightest stars today in the Canadian music scene, or anywhere really, and I’ve grown quite fond of him.

In October 2021, dwi released his brilliant debut album Mild Fantasy Violence (which I reviewed). Written during the Covid lockdowns, the album explored feelings of disconnect from the everyday normalities of relationships and society, touching on such topics as childhood, friendships, addiction, politics and environmentalism. One of the album’s tracks, “Good Friend”, spent four months on my Weekly Top 30 chart, going all the way to #1 and ending up ranking #16 on my Top 100 Best Songs of 2022 list. He followed in August 2022 with a marvelous single “Party4One“, accompanied by a delightfully zany video. That song also went to #1 on my Top 30 chart, and ranks #24 on my Top 100 Best Songs of 2022.

Since then, he’s dropped a number of singles, several of which, including “Party4One”, are featured on Zoo Life, which dropped today. Many of the songs address Dwight’s childhood experiences in foster care, which he equates with being “taken away to a zoo”. He explains “I actually did research about my time in foster care for this album and requested all the documentation of it (900 pages) from the ministry. I discovered that I was abused in one of the homes I was in, and there were photos taken of me. That’s where the album cover came from. I’ve also realized that I’ll probably go back to the old way of conceptualizing songs, because this process emotionally wiped me out. But I’m glad I touched on it as much as I did.”

For the recording of Zoo Life, dwi sang all vocals and played all instruments, except for drums, which were played by his childhood friend and fellow Zolas band member Cody Hiles. The album was produced by Ryan Worsley, and released via the label Light Organ Records.

The album opens with the title track “Zoo Life“, on which dwi addresses the lingering trauma from his foster care experiences: “Standing on the edge of my life. On a perfect Friday night. I don’t know if I can take this. Zoo life, zoo life I’m breathin‘”. Fueled by an emphatic beat overlain with wobbly psychedelic synths, a deep bass groove and stabbing guitar notes, the song has a melodic but rather ominous vibe, ending with a lovely instrumental fade-out. The song’s video, showing scenes of dwi lying backwards on a stairway in front of a church and singing on what appears to be a city street, conveys a strong claustrophobic feel.

“Get Me” opens with a blast of drum fills and bass, then settles down somewhat in the melancholy verses, Cody Hiles’ aggressive drums still dominant throughout. I really like the melodic piano-driven interlude in the bridge before everything ramps back up to a dramatic crescendo as dwi remembers past traumas he’s long tried to suppress: “Pool of blood on the bathroom floor. Wait, who is that on the bathroom floor? From the other side, wake up. On the other hand, shake it off. Don’t look at that void, it’ll crush you.”

The wonderfully wacky “Party4One“ is the one moment of levity on the album. In dwi’s own words, the song is “about falling in love with yourself during an intense state of cabin fever. Love yourself, make out with yourself, and for the love of gawd, scare yourself. The weirdos are in charge now!” It’s a riotous blast from start to finish, and dwi’s quirky vocals are relentlessly endearing as he sings “Hey reflection, I really like you. Don’t want your friends. Hey man, I think it’s pretty funny given who I am. Nothing can stop me, I’m living in a single player game. You can’t stop me, it’s a party for one.“ The hilarious video shows dwi dressed in goth-punk black leather and a plaid skirt, with his hair styled to feature two devil-like horns. He enters an old house and proceeds to indulge in all sorts of childish antics, including playing video games with a giant stuffed teddy bear, overdosing on bowlfuls of Froot Loops, covering his face with lipstick in front of a bathroom mirror, and engaging in S&M pretend with the aforementioned teddy bear.

On the darkly beautiful and cinematic “Fear Of Forever” – which would make a terrific James Bond movie theme – dwi passionately laments of his lingering bitterness and feelings of abandonment to those who hurt him: “Don’t ever trust a god who leaves you all alone / And don’t ever send a boy to do a man’s job / I’ve got the fear of forever“. The song includes sweet vocals from what I’m guessing are one of his little son’s. And on “Phony“, with its glorious Britpop-inspired soundscapes and soaring choruses, he sings the poignant lyrics that seem to be about how we try to hide our pain and aching need for love and acceptance by being other than who we really are: “I never wanted purpose. I only wanted you. And all good things must end here.”

One of my favorite songs on Zoo Life is “Overrated“, as I can’t get enough of its powerful, foot-stomping groove, gnarly bass, spacey synths and dwi’s wonderfully-crazed vocals as he ticks off a number of popular things in culture (VR, licorice, Top Gun, 69, as well as passion, anger and temper) he feels are overrated. A lifelong lover of video games, dwi’s shown as a kind of gaming character in the surreal video.

“Marker“, recorded with his band The Zolas, has a bit of a Psychedelic Furs feel to my ears. The lyrics seem to speak of coping mechanisms children of trauma engage in to survive: “I imagine you as a child tempted to steal a marker. You’ll get caught red-handed when you get creative.” Here’s a live performance of the song by dwi and The Zolas:

“Uncle Uncle” touches on dwi’s ongoing PTSD from witnessing his young son getting hit by a car (thankfully he survived and is doing well): “Take me to a shrink and change my medication / Hypnotize me till I turn blue / I hear a car crash in my mind, kids crying all the time / There is a demon in my mind, throwing parties all the time. I say ‘I’m cool, I’m cool’. But there’s one problem, it never quits.” In addition to the great lyrics, I love the song’s driving beat and that wonderful jangly guitar riff between the verses.

“Day By Day” is a jaunty punkish tune with more of those terrific head-bopping rhythms, psychedelic synths and exuberant jangly guitars. As the title suggests, the lyrics speak to the ongoing work required to keep one’s sanity and deal with adult problems on a daily basis. “Where’s the spark that I had as a kid back in the day. All those dreams sure felt like they would stay. Now it seems that simple stuff ‘s getting in, in my way. Guess I’ll have to take it day by day.“

dwi taps into his inner beast on the bombastic tour de force “Hypocrite?!“, unleashing a torrent of jagged buzzsaw riffs bathed in feedback and fearsome impassioned screams, nicely accompanied by Cody’s explosive drums. The furious instrumentals gradually fade and are replaced with lovely contemplative piano keys and dwi’s haunting vocals for the final minute of the song.

The heart-wrenching and powerful album closer “Holes In My Story” deals with dwi’s coming to terms with having been abandoned by his birth parents and the abuse that followed as a foster child: “I guess I’m staying at someone else’s house again; wait out the storm. / The strangest part I don’t recall you leaving me at all./ I guess I’m putting on a brave face again. These masks are worn. I’m sitting in a cage with my family. What did we do wrong? The hardest part, I don’t recall you needing me at all. Well that was fun, and thank you for creating me, but it’s time to go. / Don’t you dare go feed those animals; they’ll never get trained. Holes in my story, holes in my story. I shine a light on it, but still feel misplaced.”

By song’s end, I’m left emotionally drained and nearly in tears, not only from the lyrical content, but also from dwi’s truly breathtaking creativity, talent and musicianship. Despite it’s dark, often disturbing subject matter, Zoo Life is a magnificent and gorgeous work nevertheless. He’s outdone himself yet again with this album, and I remain a loyal and devoted fan.

Connect with dwi:  Twitter / Instagram / Facebook

Find his music on Spotify / Apple Music / YouTube / Amazon Music

MISSIO – Single Review: “Good Vibrations”

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Reviews13 Comments

Austin, Texas-based duo MISSIO, made up of singer-songwriter and producer Matthew Brue and songwriter/producer and instrumentalist David Butler, have been one of my favorite music acts for the past five years. Not only do I love their great songwriting, edgy, thoroughly original sound that’s an eclectic mash-up of gritty alternative electronic rock, hip hop and dreamy emo vibes, and Matthew’s beautiful emotive vocals, I also have mad respect for them. With an openness and honesty shown to their fans they’ve affectionately dubbed the ‘MISSIO Mafia’ (of which I proudly consider myself a member), they exude a genuine coolness, yet aren’t afraid to share their anxieties and vulnerabilities.

I’ve written about them numerous times on this blog, and in fact, featured their hauntingly beautiful “Bottom of the Deep Blue Sea” exactly one year ago today, as one of my entries of a 30-day song challenge I did last July. Today, I’m thrilled to share their latest single “Good Vibrations“, along with a terrific video that dropped last Friday, June 29th.

MISSIO has consistently produced an exceptional catalog of music, beginning with their brilliant debut album Loner in 2017. They’ve since followed with three more studio albums, The Darker the Weather // The Better the Man in 2019 (my review of that album has garnered over 3,100 views, making it my most-viewed album review ever), Can You Feel The Sun in 2020, and VILLAIN last September (which I also reviewed). In 2020, they also dropped a gorgeous soundtrack album for their film Love Me Whole. Several of their songs have charted on my Weekly Top 30, three of which – “I See You”, “Underground” and “Can You Feel the Sun” – reached #1. This past February, the guys released an EP I Am Sad, featuring six deeply impactful songs touching on anxiety and emotional pain, then followed in early June with their mellow trip hop single “Easy”, which along with “Good Vibrations”, will be included on their forthcoming fifth album.

According to the guys’ discussion of the song on their first episode of #MissioMonday, livestreamed this morning on YouTube, “Good Vibrations” started out as a demo written by Matthew a few years ago. He wasn’t sure what to do with it, and also had misgivings about releasing it, given the fact it shares the same title as the iconic Beach Boys song. But he thought that, given all the bullshit and negativity bombarding us these days, we could use a little more love and positivity. Besides, their drummer Jaydon really loved it, exclaiming “That’s a hit!”, so they decided to record and release it as a single. David also noted that he’d be honored to have their song even mentioned in the same sentence as the Beach Boys’ classic.

One of the many things I love about MISSIO’s music is that no two songs sound alike, and that’s especially true with “Good Vibrations”. The song hits hard, fueled by a powerful synth bass groove and Jaydon’s muscular drumbeats. It’s not a dance song per se, but I defy anyone to sit still when hearing it. My entire body is bopping to the beat as I write this review! To my ears, the song has a few echoes of 80s songs by Depeche Mode and Thompson Twins, but still sounds exciting and fresh. The combination of those heavy, pulsating beats, explosive percussion and colorful spacey synths create a bold, cinematic backdrop for Matthew’s sultry, impassioned vocals as he sings “What you need, What you need is my love. And some good vibrations.”

Jaydon is correct in his assessment of “Good Vibrations”, as MISSIO has another hit on their hands.

For the wonderful music video, they wanted to have a good time, so gathered a few skater friends together and shot the video at a skate park in San Marcos, Texas. The video features Matthew and David, along with skaters Kat Frances, Mason Lapena and Abel Rodriguez, and was directed by Matthew, filmed and produced by Ima Leupp, and edited by Joe Hassage.

Follow MISSIO:  Facebook / Twitter / Instagram
Find their music on Spotify / Soundcloud / Apple Music / YouTube / Amazon