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

LA VIDA LOCAL
Rayman has finally released his debut
LP. A great deal of mystery surrounds
this singer/songwriter. He shies away
from press, and his releases seem to
emerge from a great enigmatic fog.
However, once heard, they sink deep
within a very profound part of the
lucky listener’s very being.
He has a distinct vocal style that
is hard to forget. Tastefully subdued
and layered in emotion, characteristic
of a southern bluesman, his voice
projects heartfelt, soulful lyrics borne by
mesmerizing melodies and rhythms.
He brought back some of his
previous singles like the incredible
“Lucy The Tease,” a song that will
instantly get you hooked on Rayman’s
sound. “Tennessee” is also found here,
combining a serene depth of melancholy
lyricism and surprisingly fresh hip-hop
percussion and sampling.
This full length also features many
new songs, and really showcases this
man’s range. A funk groove kicks off
“Beverly,” before being joined shortly
down the road by some ethereal guitar
plucking, only to be bombarded by a juicy
bassline and Rayman’s signature crooning.
A release that certainly merits
multiple listens, but you will find that goes
without saying once you hear it.
Dawn Richard
Redemption
Local Action/Our Dawn Entertainment
Monomyth is a term used to describe
a basic narrative framework that’s
been pulled from the stories of Jesus
Christ, Gautama Buddha and applied
to the creation of modern-day fictions
such as Star Wars, The Matrix or The
Lord of the Rings. They’re all about the
hero’s journey, a protagonist gathering
some deeper knowledge and their
transformation into something better
because of it. In 2016, D∆WN, or Dawn
Richard, is our redeemed protagonist.
D∆WN got her start in music as a
member of P. Diddy-sponsored, reality
show-spawned girl group, Danity Kane. It
wasn’t until 2013, with her independentlyreleased
solo debut Goldenheart,
that her journey progressed from the
blandness of pseudo-top 40 stardom to
her destined role as a visionary blender of
R&B, dance, and electronic music.
Redemption is the final piece of the
monomythic album trilogy, starting with
Goldenheart and punctuated by last year’s
brooding Darkheart.
Almost every track of Redemption is a
highlight, with various interludes providing a
pause in an otherwise non-stop affair. “Love
Under Lights” turns its EDM-crescendo into a
shimmering metamorphosis of the entire song
while “Black Crimes” is a Black Lives Matter
anthem that contrasts the term ‘hate
crime’ with law enforcement’s seeming
love of their ability to commit them.
Redemption is impassioned,
empowering and the perfect way to end a
trilogy that we can only hope gets a sequel.
Sad13
Slugger
Carpark Records
Sadie Dupuis, of Speedy Ortiz fame,
shows fans another side with a solo
project that is a fuzzy, feminist fantasy.
Under the name Sad13, Dupuis leans
away from the harder grunge sounds
of Speedy Ortiz, aiming instead
towards a more pop and electronic
influence. Fortunately, the change of
pace is welcomed.
Slugger is filled with feminist pop
anthems that everyone can dance to.
The 11 songs on the album expertly
weave a narrative that combines
both personal struggles and political
commentary. “Get a Yes” is a song about
consent in relationships; a much-welcomed
break from the American news cycle where
women are constantly told they don’t have
control over their own bodies. Other songs
like “Hype,” confront sexism in the music
industry with fantastic lyrics like, “they still
wanna lick my asshole/ they still wanna buy
what I’m selling them.” Overall, Slugger is an
album that packs a punch while still being
incredibly fun to listen to.
Thee Oh Sees
An Odd Entrances
Castleface Records
Leave it to John Dwyer and co. in Thee
Oh Sees to not only release two albums
in one year, but to release two
albums that manage to be at once
completely different, and yet meant
to play as companions.
A Weird Exits was a snapshot of a
new version of Thee Oh Sees, complete
with new drumming tandem Ryan
Moutinho and Dan Rincon, making a
case that, while they’ve always been
known primarily for their raucous live
show, they could reach excellence as a studio
band as well. That album landed fairly far on
the more psychedelic side of Thee Oh Sees
discography, filled with Hendrix-esque guitar
heroics, but anchored with pummeling
krautrock-inspired rhythms that helped
keep even the wooziest elements of the
songs grounded.
An Odd Entrances dives even further
into the transcendent qualities of krautrock,
slowing down the tempo overall and offering
up even more new looks (see: bossa nova
pastiche on “At The End, On The Stairs,” and
folkloric balladry on “The Poem”) from a
band that never ceases to bring garage rock
to surprising new places.
Young Mammals
Jaguar
Odd Hours Records
Although Young Mammals originate
from Houston, the sound of the band’s
latest offering, Jaguar, would beg to differ.
Layered with carefree, twangy guitars and
dreamlike vocals, Jaguar can conjure
the breezy atmosphere of a beach
instantaneously. The sound of summer
is practically bursting out of this record,
melting through chunks of coldness that the
winter season carries with it, but that does
not necessarily mean that the entire
album is memorable. The majority of
Jaguar blends together, nearly seamlessly,
so while it does not make for the most
surprising or interesting listen, it capitalizes
on what works. Since the majority of
tracks fall under three minutes, the album
flows quick, making it easy to commit to
in a short amount of time.
Standout tracks include the
irresistibly catchy title track “Jaguar” and
slow-burner “Heavenly,” which feature strong
lyrics and vocals that steal the show. While
the lyrics on other tracks match the music
well enough, they are easily forgettable and
there is room for more creativity. However,
as the band’s name states, Young Mammals
is young, and the amount of potential Jaguar
showcases is exciting.
Sort of Damocles
When I Die Throw My Body In The Garbage
Boat Dreams From The Hill
The sonic equivalent of looking through pictures of people and good times that
have passed you by, Sort of Damocles captures melancholy in its most gentle
and beautiful form. This is an album that asks the listener to contemplate and
reflect, as it is music that lends itself to introspection.
Cheap High
Subterranean Suburbia (LP)
Dipstick Records
A product of the burgeoning post-punk scene in Abbotsford, Cheap High
comes out swinging with their debut, Subterranean Suburbia. Creeping with
post-punk tension, the album takes fans into Cheap High’s dystopian nightmare
of superficial relationships and a willingly isolated and apathetic society.
Expressing the frustration, rage, and emptiness of modern living, the album
pairs its Joy Division tendencies with clever, image-heavy lyrics. In all, Cheap
High proves that post-punk is far from dead.
Mother Upduff
The Decay (EP)
Independent
Mother Upduff’s most recent EP does not shy away from its roots, with psychedelic
noise rock overtones leading the way. The heavy, bluesy, and soulful
album brings to mind a grittier sound of soul power, not unlike the Black Keys.
“Concept and Scope” sounds like a James Bond theme from the days of yore,
while the dogged guitars of “Parnassus Drive” make you feel as if you’re in a
dark, smoky blues club. The album is bare and raw – no special effects here –
as the band continues to embrace its live sound with its strained (and at times,
sharp) vocals.
Little Crow
Little Crow
Independent
An atmospheric debut release that exhales a melancholy tale, acoustic-alternative
duo Little Crow deliver a soft-spoken yet powerful record that touches on
subjects of love, heartbreak, and fading memories. A haunting effort fueled by
pure emotion, this four-song EP holds greatly produced recordings of beautiful,
radio-worthy tracks that leave you wanting more.
Winona Forever
This is Fine
Independent
This is Fine is a distorted collection of poppy indie-rock songs that will surely
get you groovin’. Winona Forever’s catchy opening tracks bring to mind laying
on the beach during a relaxing summer day, sipping a refreshing beverage,
smiling as the sun smiles upon you.
With elements of garage rock, alternative, and pop, the indie-darlings
from Langley, BC deliver a likeable, upbeat record.
Post Death Soundtrack
The Unlearning Curve
Independent
PDS have crafted a consistent stream of tracks that utilize a broad range
of instrumentation while still retaining a linear mood and tone that carries
through most of the album. Due to the consistency in the songwriting,
each song serves as a fairly good reflection for the rest of the album. Each
track is cool and foreboding, giving off an air of intrigue and edginess, with
an overarching sense of melancholy that runs throughout.
36 REVIEWS
December 2016