The Sylvia Platters are a wonderful band from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and I love their music. Comprised of Alex Kerc-Murchison, Stephen Carl O’Shea, and brothers Nick and Tim Ubels, they play melodic jangle pop, infused with elements of alternative rock, indie, shoegaze and dream pop, and served up with stellar arrangements, exquisite instrumentation and Nick’s sublime vocals. While not at all retro, their pleasing sound nevertheless reminds me at times of such 90s bands as the Gin Blossoms and Toad the Wet Sprocket, with hints of 60s The Byrds.
From what I can tell, they’ve been putting out really fine music for about nine years, beginning with their 2015 debut album Make Glad the Day. Since then, they’ve released a second album Shadow Steps, in 2018, as well as numerous singles and three EPs, including the outstanding Live at Malibu Sound last year. If you like great jangle and power pop, I strongly recommend checking out at least some of their back music catalog.
Photo of the guys drinking the blue Kool Aid by Anthony Biondi
Now the guys are back with a marvelous new single “Kool Aid Blue“, a tasty cup of jangle pop goodness. Released January 19th, the track was recorded and produced by Jordan Koop at The Noise Floor, Gabriola Island, BC, and mastered by Greg Mindorff at Suite Sound Labs in Vancouver. I know next to nothing about the mechanics of music, so can only do my best to describe what I hear.
First off, I really like the song’s fascinating melody that sounds more complex and unpredictable than a typical pop or rock song, which I find causes me to want to listen more carefully and closely. Second, I love the contrasting gnarly and jangly guitars, which makes for a richer, more dramatic soundscape. And what exceptional guitar work it is, those gorgeous jangly guitar notes sparkling like precious gems, accompanied by grungier notes soaked in glorious reverb. Of course, I have to call out the brilliant rhythm section of resounding bass and aggressive percussion that together drive the song forward so beautifully.
Nick’s vocals are warm and comforting as he sings the poetic, yet relatable, lyrics that seem to be about having uneasy feelings of self-doubt and uncertainty, and attempting to escape from them through alcohol, symbolized by Kool Aid blue.
Living in sequence Gets a little uneven Spin in a fixture Alight as a stone
Alternative vision A tragic hair decision Read in the leaves That all you need’s a missing page
Glimpse the ether A mirror figure It’s just a phase you can’t escape
A sinking feeling Amber light; a dimmer view But that sinking feeling Will dissolve in Kool Aid blue
Slow motion sickness Wasted in stasis Another draft begins alone With three sheets to the wind You follow it home
A sequined ceiling In the dark, a clearer view And that sinking feeling Will dissolve in Kool Aid blue
And that sinking feeling Will dissolve in Kool Aid blue Will dissolve in Kool Aid blue Oo oo oo oo oo oo
The video was written and directed by Daniel Sparrow, filmed by Brendan Taylor, with additional photography by Daniel Sparrow and Alex Kerc-Murchison, and produced by Zone Pictures. It stars Junnicia Lagoutin, who’s shown in scenes with and without Nick Ubels, along with Jordan Hughes and the other band members.
And here’s the song on Bandcamp, along with a bonus “sugar free” instrumental version:
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 “ZooLife“, 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.
One of my favorite indie bands I’ve gotten to know over the past few years is Vancouver, British Columbia-based four-piece Bealby Point. Named after a local beachside vacation spot, they’re comprised of four childhood friends, Jack Armstrong (lead vocals), Clayton Dewar (lead guitar), Jordan Studer (bass), and Zack Yeager (drums). I love their buoyant, high-energy alternative/garage rock they cheekily call “music to fold laundry to“, which has earned them favorable comparisons to such bands as The Strokes. Their description of themselves as “approachable guys making cool music” is genuine, based on the mutual respect, camaraderie, and joy of spending time together that’s so evident in all their photos and little acoustic performance sessions they frequently post on TikTok and Instagram.
Beginning with the release of their debut single “I’m So Bummed Out Right Now” in February 2021 (which I featured in an installment of Fresh New Tracks, and has been streamed over half a million times on Spotify) the engaging four-piece continued dropping a series of excellent singles, including the brilliant “Talk To Me”, which I also reviewed and earned a spot on my Top 100 Songs of 2021 list. They released an EP Fridays in July 2022, and on May 10th, dropped their latest single “America“, a song they say is about falling in love, then falling out of love in tragedy. When I asked the band why they used “America” as the title and the subject of a romantic relationship, drummer Zack told me “The idea to personify America as a girl is tied to the idea of the American dream, [with] living a happy successful life basically culminated into a relationship. All of your hopes and dreams, ambitions and expectations, crushed by falling out of love.”
Like all their music, “America” was recorded and produced by Matt Di Pomponio, however, the song is a bit of a departure from their previous work, with a more serious, introspective vibe. I love how it opens with a gentle fuzz-coated riff, then launches right into the anthemic chorus. As always, the guys’ instrumentation and musicianship are outstanding, with Jack and Clay’s vibrant guitars accompanied by Jordan’s sturdy bassline and Zack’s spirited drums. I really like Jack’s warm, plaintive vocals as he sings of the joys of a new love in the opening chorus: “America, she loves me. I thought it couldn’t be I get down on my knees and scream America. Her shoulder rests on mine, I’ll be here for a lifetime“, then turn emotionally-wrought in the final chorus as he laments about how their love now lies in ruins: “America, I’m a human being. The faults that lie in fate that I don’t want to make. Fuck sakes America. Her shoulder rests on mine. Now let me drift away and wallow desperately again.”
“America” is yet another superb track by this talented and wonderful group of guys, and I remain a loyal fan!
It’s time for another installment of Fresh New Tracks, and this week I’m showcasing three terrific new singles, one by Bealby Point, a Canadian alt-rock band I wrote about twice last year, and two by Irish acts I’ve not previously featured – Big Sleep and pMad.
BEALBY POINT – “Say It Anyway”
Named after their favorite beachside vacation spot, Vancouver, Canada-based Bealby Point consists of four childhood friends, Jack Armstrong (lead vocals), Clayton Dewar (lead guitar), Jordan Studer (bass), and Zack Yeager (drums). I love their buoyant, high-energy style of alternative/garage rock they cheekily describe as “music to fold laundry to“, which has earned them favorable comparisons to such bands as The Strokes. Since the release of their debut single “I’m So Bummed Out Right Now” in February of last year (which I featured in an earlier installment of Fresh New Tracks), the engaging four-piece have continued dropping a series of excellent singles every few months, including the brilliant “Talk To Me”, which I reviewed, and also earned a spot on my Top 100 Songs of 2021 list.
Now they’re back with their fifth single “Say It Anyway“, which will be included on their forthcoming EP, due out this summer. Like all their songs, it was produced by Matt Di Pomponio, and features the guys’ signature intricate guitar noodling and lively rhythms we’ve come to love and expect. The bouncy, upbeat vibe contrasts with the rather biting lyrics about struggling to get over a former romantic partner whose hurtful words still sting: “Cause I don’t really care about this. Like anyone, I’m trying my best. But I don’t want to hear your bullshit. Reminds me of that thing that you said ‘Do unto others as they do to you’. You don’t have anything nice to say? Say it anyway.” As always, Jack’s colorful emotive vocals perfectly convey the frustrations expressed in the lyrics, and make for a compelling listen.
I recently learned about the charismatic Dublin-based duo Big Sleep when they followed me on Twitter, and I’m glad they did because I love their brand of alternative indie pop, infused with elements of synth wave, funk and folk. Comprised of Irishman Rónán Connolly and Florence, Italy-born Matteo Poli, they met in at school when Poli came to Dublin on an exchange program to learn English. Together, they honed their musical chops spending countless hours playing open mics, charity gigs, battles of the bands and busking on the streets. In time, they’ve earned a reputation for their energetic live shows, performing weekly as a four-piece with some of Dublin’s most talented musicians.
They released their debut single “Paint on Cars” in January, 2020, and like Bealby Point, have just dropped their fifth single “Tutti Frutti“. The delightful song is the lead single from their forthcoming EP Feel SomethingSomeday, and features Jacopo Stofler on lead guitar and Aidan Gray on bass. Connolly also played guitar and Poli played drums. Featuring a deliriously infectious groove, “Tutti Frutti” is their most upbeat song yet. A colorful blend of swirling jangly guitars are layered over Gray’s propulsive bassline, accompanied by Poli’s assertive thumping drumbeats, creating an exuberant sonic backdrop for Connolly’s charming Irish brogue. The lighthearted lyrics speak of being attracted to someone and wanting to get to know them better: “Tutti Frutti, now won’t you take it easy, cuz I’ve been dying just to see your other side / And you seem hard to keep ahold of, and I don’t mind going where your breeze blows.”
Big Sleep will be performing a show at the Sound House in Dublin on May 21st. Tickets can be purchasedhere.
pMad is the solo music project of Irish singer-songwriter Paul Dillon. Based in County Galway, Paul is a lifelong lover of music, and has been involved in songwriting and performing for years, previously as a member of the bands Starve the Barber and The Suicidal Dufflecoats, and currently a member of The Greeting as well as his recently-begun solo project pMad. His eclectic sound, which is a glorious blend of darkwave, post-punk, alternative and goth rock, is heavily influenced by some of his favorite acts like The Cure, The Sisters of Mercy, Sonic Youth, Suicidal Tendencies, The The and Tom Waits. With his music, he aims to “follow a path of introspection with a unique view of the world & what we are doing to ourselves and the planet.”
When the pandemic lockdowns impacted his and every other musician and band’s ability to make and perform music, Paul created a “The Best of Irish Indie” page on Facebook, in which he ran a series of ‘Best of Irish’ polls. Energized by the response, he unearthed his own music collection, which inspired him to rework and record some of his previously-written songs, along with some newly-written ones. Taking advantage of modern recording technologies, he created a number of singles and a full album he plans to release later this year. Without ever being in the same room together, he created the songs remotely in collaboration with Zedakube Recording (Ireland), Protonaut Studio (Germany) and Elith Mastering Labs (Mexico). He released his debut single “Who Am I” last December, then quickly followed in early February with “Medicine”, both of which have received critical acclaim and airplay on radio stations around the world. Now he returns with his third single “Broken“, a dark and powerful song that speaks to today’s troubled times.
As to the meaning behind the song, Paul explains: “None of us are built without cracks or faults, we all hurt, we are all human.pMad is ‘broken’ in some form or another, just like everybody else. Knowing and understanding that we are all broken, and being comfortable with that, is the way to save ourselves.” To convey these strong emotions, pMad starts with a deep pulsating bassline and pounding drum beats, over which he layers grungy guitar notes and haunting industrial synths. The result is a lush, darkly beautiful soundscape that’s the perfect accompaniment to his commanding vocals that sound ominous, yet reveal glimmers of optimism. The video he’s created for the track is every bit as impactful as the song. Featuring a cast of androgynous youths, people of color and others dealing with emotional trauma, interspersed with footage of street protests, it’s a powerful representation of the song’s message of human vulnerability and perseverance.
As a blogger who writes about new music, I’m continually inundated with submissions from artists, PR firms and record labels, all wanting me to review their music offerings. There’s no way I can possibly write about or feature even a tenth of them, so must carefully pick and choose those I feel are standouts, or that resonate with me in some way. And so it was when I received an email from a nice man at Nice Marmot PR about Canadian artist dwi – aka Dwight Abell – and his debut album Mild Fantasy Violence, which dropped October 1st. Though several days passed before I was able to give the album my undivided attention, once I did I was hooked on this exquisite and beautiful work. I’ve listened to it multiple times since, and love it more with each play. The songs are brilliantly written and executed, with such compelling lyrics and memorable melodies, many remain stuck in my head long after hearing them.
Based in Maple Ridge, a suburb of Vancouver, British Columbia, Abell is also bassist for Canadian alternative/power pop band The Zolas. When the global pandemic shut everything down in March 2020, he decided to create his solo music project, which he dubbed dwi after the first three letters of his first name. With time alone (albeit with his wife and two young children), he had a chance to reflect on his own life and insecurities, as well as the crazy world around him, which led him to create this deeply personal record. Influenced by some of his favorite acts like The Beatles, The Cure, Oasis and Damon Albarn, dwi’s music is wonderfully refreshing and innovative, spanning with ease across a wide range of genres and styles.
Released via the label Light Organ Records, Mild Fantasy Violence explores feelings of disconnect from the normalities of relationships and society, touching on such topics as childhood, friendships, addiction, politics and environmentalism. “It’s about using extremes of both escapism and deep self reflection to come to terms with everyday life” Abell explains, adding “There’s so much I want to say about this album, but I honestly think everything I want to tell you about it is already in the songs. I’ve been dreaming about this moment ever since I heard Oasis for the first time at the tender age of 10.”
The album was artfully produced, mixed and engineered by James Younger, bassist of Canadian synth-rock band Yukon Blonde, who also played bass on “Intuitive”, as well as synths on some tracks. Abell played all other instruments except for drums. In listening to his songs, two of the most immediately striking aspects of dwi’s sound are his outstanding guitar work and quirky, endearing vocals that remind me at times of Declan McKenna or grandson, yet are uniquely his own. Then there are his disarmingly pointed lyrics that are so honest and relatable.
This is immediately evident on the first track “Intuitive“, a bouncy tune with a sort of hip hop beat, highlighted by a blaring distorted guitar riff. The song opens with noises one might hear at a party or bar as dwi bemoans his jadedness and ennui: “You said you brought the good shit, but I can’t taste the difference no more.” Later in the song, he expresses his desire for a hooker, knowing that nothing’s gonna come of it: “Senorita of the night. You’re stuck in bathrooms practicing your lines. I wanna love you but both my hands are tied. I wish I wasn’t so intuitive all the time.”
His skill for writing a great melody is showcased on the darkly beautiful “Reverse Engineering“, which to my ears has a strong twenty øne piløts feel. The song is really terrific, with elements of hip hop, alternative rock and dream pop, and I love the glittery synths, lovely piano keys, twangy guitars and snappy percussion, not to mention dwi’s wonderful vocals. And on the brilliant title track “Mild Fantasy Violence“, he ventures heavily into electronica to create a futuristic soundscape as a backdrop for the lyrics about addiction, using video games as a metaphor. He explained to Colleen Flanagan of Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows News that the song “is about someone who has an urge to play a video game and by the end of the song they are completely sucked into it. I love it lyrically and I love the progression of the song. It’s kind of like three songs in one. The first half of the song describes the struggle. The second half is like you are going through this tunnel and you’re getting all these warnings thrown at you. By the end you’ve just escaped and you’re inside this thing that you really didn’t want to be in but it’s glorious nonetheless.”
“Freak N Out” speaks to the emotional trauma many have experienced as a result of both the Covid pandemic and the destructive political divisiveness of late: “We’ve poisoned the well again but that’s old news I guess. The news is division of class and races no.” The hauntingly beautiful and sweeping orchestral and psychedelic synths and bold jangly guitars are fantastic. The dark and trippy video, directed by Sterling Larose, shows dwi seemingly losing touch with reality – i.e. freaking out – as he dances about in a wet field on a rainy night while interacting with a giant rather scary-looking teddy bear.
The album’s vibe makes an abrupt turn with the deliciously-upbeat, radio-friendly track “Good Friend“. The lively but poignant pop/rock song is about “discovering that a friend had been struggling with something dark and wishing you knew more at the time so you could help them through it” explains dwi. Against a backdrop of hard-driving rhythms and frantic riffs, he plaintively laments “Had I known you were broken inside. Had I known you were empty inside. If I was a good friend, I’d a known better. If I was a goodfriend, I’d have done better.” It’s one of my favorite tracks on the album.
“On the Weekend” has a languid, doo wop sound, with a wonderful mix of reverb-soaked jangly and distorted guitars, accompanied by swirling synths and gentle percussion. The lyrics seem to speak to wasting time with momentarily pleasing, but ultimately unproductive, pursuits like porn and watching strippers: ” Oh porno on the weekend helping the time go a little slow. Well I was in a daze until I finished, deleted the history but it wasn’t my history.” That x-eyed teddy bear makes a return appearance on the quirky surreal video, in which dwi performs the song with a backup band and a host of characters doing weird shit.
On the catchy “Summer’s Shut Down“, another radio-friendly tune, dwi laments about his ruined summer thanks to Covid, and how he misses his friends and fun times: “Just like a hunger strike, but at least with that you can put up a fight. My only vacation is staring at my laundry trying to figure it out. I guess my summer shut down.” The musically complex “Balance” sounds like a song that could have been recorded by the Talking Heads. I adore the bouncy groove and, as always, dwi’s guitar work and vocals are superb. The album closes with the achingly beautiful “Soon“, another of my favorites. Oh hell, they’re all favorites, as I love the entire album! The bittersweet lyrics seem to speak to feelings of disconnect and that something’s missing in your life, but remaining optimistic that things will be better soon: “I’m always home, but I’m never quite there. Like a lion’s roar that’s too loud to hear./ Soon. Hold my breath for me./ This land was grey, but the weather has changed.”
Mild Fantasy Violence is a brilliant and beautifully-crafted album filled with wonderful, outstanding songs. It’s an impressive debut effort, and a testament to dwi/Abell’s strengths as an imaginative and innovative songwriter and musician. He should be very proud of what he’s accomplished here, and I thank him for gifting us this lovely record.
Abell will be touring Canada in November with The Zolas to promote their latest album Come Back To Life, as well as perform his own songs. The tour starts in Montreal on November 4, and will finish in Victoria on the 27th.
After being unable to perform live or even see one another during most of 2020, Vancouver, Canada-based alt-rock band Bealby Point are having quite a productive 2021. Starting with the release in February of their debut single “I’m So Bummed Out Right Now” (which I featured in a Fresh New Tracks post), they followed up in April with their second single “Telescope”. On July 15th, they dropped their third single “Talk To Me“, which I’ve chosen as my New Song of the Week. All three songs will be included on their forthcoming EP, due out later this year.
Named after their favorite beachside vacation spot, Bealby Point consists of four childhood friends, Jack Armstrong (lead vocals), Jordan Studer (bass), Clayton Dewar (lead guitar) and Zack Yeager (drums). Drawing inspiration from fun times spent at Bealby Point, the guys aim to create music “that captures the most cherished memory of your favourite summer and turning it into the perfect sound.” Their buoyant, high-energy garage rock sound has earned them favorable comparisons to The Strokes.
As with their previous singles, “Talk To Me” was recorded with veteran producer Matt Di Pomponio. About the song, the band explains “It’s about balancing heavy emotions with stifled logic – doing something you have reason to believe is wrong, but it feels right because you want it. The track follows a pair who previously revealed their intimate feelings to each other. Now, they have closed off their real feelings and resist the urge to speak from an open heart, in order to save themselves from the perceived consequences of revealing their true thoughts. They long for things to go back to how they were.”
The song opens strong with a wonderful swirling guitar riff, accompanied by a superb rhythm section, courtesy of Zack’s assertive thumping drumbeats and Jordan’s prominent chugging bassline, which is fucking fantastic! The dual guitar work by Clayton and Jack is brilliant, highlighted by what I’m guessing is Clayton’s blistering guitar solo in the final chorus. Jack’s colorful, emphatic vocals are marvelous, with a hazy lo-fi quality that reminds me a bit of The Strokes lead singer Julian Casablancas, even when they soar to a falsetto. We can feel his exasperation when he implores his partner to just communicate with him in an open and honest fashion: “Talk to me and I’ll talk back. I never lied to you. I don’t want that. But if you have to lie to me then I’ll lie back. And that’s the back and forth I can’t stand.”
“Talk To Me” is a terrific song, and with three excellent singles to their credit, Bealby Point have firmly established themselves as one of Canada’s best indie bands. Hell, they now rank highly among my own favorite indie bands as well. I look forward to hearing their upcoming EP.
Band photo by Sam Fazio, and single artwork by Quinlin Gustin.
Hailing from beautiful Vancouver, Canada, the Matlen Starsley Band are a five-member collective of seasoned and accomplished musicians who came together in mid-life to recapture some of the energy and passion that got them into the music business to begin with, and in the process create some great music. Comprised of Dennis Matechuk (lead vocals), Kevin Star (guitar & vocals), Don Lennox (bass & vocals), Jim Wesley (drums) and Darryl Hebert (keyboards, guitar, accordion & vocals), all are either former or current members of the Bryan Adams Band, The Ray Roper Project, Bad Moon Riders, Touchdown, Fandango, and Bad Allen and the Muscle Cats. Collectively, they’ve played thousands of shows in venues ranging from intimate clubs to major festivals in front of 20,000 fans, and bring a wealth of experience to the creation of their engaging style of music drawn from country, blues, roots and Southern rock.
In July 2019, they released their terrific debut album Rollin’ Again, which I later reviewed. Unable to tour or play live during most of 2020, the guys spent time writing and recording songs for their second album, due out later this year. The first single from the new album is “Makin’ Good Time“, which I’ve named my New Song of the Week. The song is a rousing Southern rocker, with feel-good lyrics about going out on the open road, experiencing freedom from responsibilities, and feeling the sun on your skin and the wind in your hair. “Wind on our backs, nothing but blue sky. Ain’t got no destination. No time or place we got to be. Makin’ good time, just gettin’ away.“
Musically, the song features the band’s reliably awesome mix of bluesy and slide guitars and jaunty honky-tonk piano, enhanced by a spirited horn section that really dials up the energy level. Dennis’ warm, earnest vocals are backed by the delightful Chandra Russell, whose soulful croons add some nice texture to the track. I love the many little touches the guys employ in their songs, like Kevin’s slide guitar mimicking a rolling train when Dennis sings the lyric “We’ll go down to the station tonight, we’ll hop on up when that train rolls by.” It’s a fine song that makes for a good time indeed!
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