BeatRoute Magazine B.C. print e-edition - September 2016

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MUSIC IN FILM AT VIFF 2016 American Jazz and Japanese Metal highlighted for this year’s doc picks Music lives in sound, but truly comes alive when it can be seen as well as heard. And for those who could never pick between an album or a film, VIFF 2016 does not disappoint with a lineup that is brimming rhythm. These five documentaries are will settle any sound-lover’s score. GIMME DANGER Iggy Pop and his Stooges were one of the biggest acts to shake up the rock scene. This film pays tribute to that past, through that past, using 16mm footage from the original Stooges run. Directed by Jim Jarmusch, it is a must-see for any music nut. Of course, the star of this doc is Iggy himself, and viewers will love wallowing in the Passenger’s greatness most of all. WE ARE X If you haven’t heard of X, here’s a précis: they are the biggest rock band in Japan. They have the biggest shows, the biggest drum set, and the biggest hair. But despite selling 30 million albums, the band broke up in the peak of their fame. With talking heads from greats like Gene Simmons, this is the story of X and its star, Yoshiki, as he tells the story of the greatest band you’ve never heard of. TWO TRAINS RUNNIN’ The great blues artists of America have been slowly fading away, but they have never been forgotten. During the height of the Civil Rights Movement, two of these blues artists—Taylor Branch and Gary Clark Jr.—were sought out to perform for the people once more. Narrated by Common and featuring astounding performances, PLAYING LECUONA Lecuona: one of the greatest jazz musicians and composers in Cuban history. Like Handel before him, students of Lecuona’s music believe he must have been guided by God to create such stunning music. This documentary follows those who can’t let the master’s music go, and viewers are treated to performances from some of Cuba’s greatest artists, whether they play in the studio or on the street. by Paris Spence-Lang I CALLED HIM MORGAN Not to be outdone, the American jazz artists take their rightful place, and with a decidedly more dramatic air. Following the story of jazz musician Lee Morgan and his wife Helen who shot him dead during a gig, this is jazz music at its rawest and most impassioned— cut short by an event whose ghost still haunts those involved. See these movies and innumerable others at the Vancouver International Film Festival, running from September 29 to October 14. FREIGHTENED the high seas of low-cost goods Your skirt is from Indonesia. Your peppers are from Chile. And it all came here on a giant boat. We’ve heard plenty about the social issues that occur where these products originate—but few people are aware of what goes on while that clothing and produce heads our way. In Freightened, we learn that what we know is only the beginning. Coming from director Denis Delestrac (Banking Nature), this documentary peers deep into the hull of the shipping industry that is so rarely thought of, save for the tanker parkade in English Bay. But it is this industry that runs the world economy: Ninety per cent of goods consumed in the West are manufactured elsewhere and shipped abroad in giant cargo ships that can reach almost half a kilometre long. These ships are what allow us to get our H&M shirts for less than the price of a Subway sandwich, but, as Delestrac quickly reveals, the costs—while hidden—are immense. One cause of this problem is what people in the industry call “sea-blindness.” These massive ships are often forced to dock far away from urban centres, which means they are ignored by those who unknowingly rely on them. Think about it—when’s the last time you biked out to Deltaport for a picnic? But it extends beyond the consumer—not even the captains and crews, or even the owners, are certain of what they’re shipping. As one expert in the documentary points out, “‘Said to contain’ is a legal term.” In one container out of Iran, Nigerian authorities found 250 tonnes of rockets and grenades. The container was “said to contain” glass wool and marble slabs. The industry is rife with other issues, and Delestrac relentlessly puts them on display one by one. From oil spills to noise pollution, jail-like Exposing the dark underbelly of the business that brings us our comfort items working conditions to corporate crime, it’s difficult to walk away from Freightened without feeling, well, frightened. Delestrac does an excellent job of unveiling the fascinating and discomfiting world of shipping, a topic which otherwise seems as obtuse and lumbering as the ships that fuel our world. And by Paris Spence-Lang after a viewing, one thing’s for sure—you’ll look never look at the oil tankers in English Bay the same way again. See Freightened at the Vancouver International Film Festival, running from September 29th to October 14th. 26 FILM September 2016
ALBUM REVIEWS Preoccupations Preoccupations Flemish Eye It’s tough to imagine many other bands that could bounce back from the year Preoccupations just had. The group formerly known as Viet Cong began hearing charges of racial and political insensitivity with regards to their name shortly after the release of their 2014 Cassette EP, but with the release of their critically adored and commercially successful self-titled LP in 2015, these criticisms suddenly became much louder. Suddenly a band that was selling out shows around the world began being inundated by protests at many of their shows. Promoters began pulling dates and others refused to book their shows. Critics who once championed the band suddenly began to focus solely on the divisive nature of their name. Many, including this writer, felt the band should have been a shoe-in for the 2015 Polaris Prize, but that too felt more like a referendum on a name and less like what should have been a victory lap for a band that had created one of the best albums of the year. While they claimed there were “zero political connotations” in regards to the choice of the name, the attacks and protests only seemed to get louder citing that a lack of intent is not equivalent to a lack of effect. After all, the military wing of Viet Cong were a destructive force that killed thousands of civilians and ruined lives of thousands of others. In late 2015 the band, which was now being.referred to as “four guys from Calgary who chose a really bad band name,” released a formal apology to anyone they had offended and announced they would be changing their name. Preoccupations feels like a cathartic exercise for the band on both a psychological and sonic level and definitely amplifies many of the group’s earlier works. The album’s production and songwriting feels much more full than previous efforts, which are in large part due to the new material being lathered in layers of synthesizers. The results of which give the album a more interesting and accessible sound without sacrificing the ambiance that helped draw comparisons to acts like Joy Division. The album opener and first single is the dour and menacing “Anxiety.” The aptly titled track sets the tone for the album with singer Matt Flegel’s lyrics creating a vivid picture of the backlash, abandonment and humiliation the band members went through. While the album has many highlights, the track that will likely stick for many listeners is the Dan Boeckner guest vocal appearance on the 11-and-a-half-minute opus, “Memory.” Boeckner, whom many will recognize from his work in Wolf Parade and Operators, introduced the band at last year’s Polaris Gala and was one of the few to stand up for the band in a public forum. The track explores themes of loss and remorse and builds and grows until it collapses into several minutes of distortion and reverb. While there are not any real missteps on the album, “Sense” and “Forbidden,” the two brief tracks that start off the final third of the album, feel more like snippets of ideas than fully realized songs. Neither is unlistenable by any stretch, nor do they feel out of place in the flow of the album, but they also don’t leave much of an impact or call out for repeated listens. The album closes with its two strongest tracks, “Stimulation,” which is the most familiar sounding of all the songs on the record, and the stunning “Fever.” The latter is a tremendous conclusion and feels like the band shedding the weight of the tumultuous past year. The track is a definite showcase for Daniel Christiansen and Scott (Monty) Munro who lather the track in roaring synthesizers, weaving in out of howling guitar riffs into a chaotic build while Flegel repeats the line “You’re not scared/You’re not scared/ Carry your fever away from here” until everything fades into a soaring and therapeutic crescendo. Preoccupations have made a bold and powerful statement and the album is a resounding success on all fronts. It is a statement on all levels that the band will not be defined by its early missteps and are here to stay. With any luck this record will allow them to once again be judged on their art and not the name that’s on the box. Written by Lewis Cohen Illustration by Cody Fennell September 2016 REVIEWS 27
Page 1 and 2: FREE SEPTEMBER 2016 ANIMAL COLLECTI
Page 3 and 4: TABLE OF CONTENTS SEPTEMBER ‘16 B
Page 5 and 6: ANIMAL COLLECTIVE past the stress a
Page 7 and 8: September 2016 7
Page 9 and 10: TEGAN AND SARA blending sharp intro
Page 11 and 12: JUST DO IT YOURSELF Written by Devo
Page 13 and 14: THE TEMPER TRAP Aussie quartet stic
Page 15 and 16: TA-KU AND WAFIA turning a game of o
Page 17 and 18: SUBCULTURE notes from the undergrou
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Page 21 and 22: FRINGE FEST 2016 Behind the curtain
Page 23 and 24: Dear Carlotta, I’ve low key been
Page 25: R&B ALE & PIZZA HOUSE putting beer
Page 29 and 30: SEPTEMBER I5 - I 8, 2OI6 VICTORIA,
Page 31 and 32: come together for a two-song split
Page 33: Gwen Stefani, Eve Rogers Arena Augu

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