BeatRoute Magazine AB print e-edition - March 2017

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THE FRONTIERS a need to create 2016 brought about a lot of changes for The Frontiers – including a name change and a shift in sonic identity. Four members left the band in the spring of 2015, and two new members cycled in through the coming months. They added Jeff Towers on percussion in late 2015, and brought aboard guitarist and producer Mike Fournier early in 2016. When the dust settled, they got down to work. Lead songwriter Drew Jones, violinist Mike Kissinger, stand-up bassist Ethan Dalen, and the two new members went on to perform 86 gigs that year, including 42 from June to August. “We create value based on how much we can gig,” states Jones, over pints at the Kensington Pub. “Recording was an afterthought,” he continues. The fact is, the band was sitting on over a dozen songs ready to record. All they needed was a nudge of ambition from their newest member, Mike Fournier, as he offered to record an EP for them at Slaughter House Studios, where he rents out a recording space. They decided to record the entire album live-off-the-floor – a true testament to the cohesion of their live set. “After listening to the takes over and over, I noticed that muting the vocals really cleaned up the feedback in the session, so we decided to re-track the vocals one by one in my home studio,” states Fournier, explaining the refining stages of this ambitious 10-hour project. They only ended up using 5 of their 10 allotted studio hours, due to the fact that they nailed each track by the third or fourth time through. Their lead single, “Man of Steel,” was actually nailed in the first take. SILENCE THE SWAMPS horror from the depths! Alt-country inspired act release debut album after cutting their teeth on the road. Jones and Towers credit The Avett Brothers, an American alt-country band as their main source of inspiration for the tightness of their live set, stating that “though [the] songs are formalized, we leave a lot of room for live improvisation.” Silence the Swamps aim to bring a sludgy new voice to Calgary punk, steeped in horror imagery and geared towards a raucous Saturday night out. The trio, comprised of Cam Jonze, Dylan Sutton, and Brendan Toft, draws influence from a wide spectrum of music like grunge and early AFI. However, each member cites The Misfits’ blending of grim lyrical content with big rock riffs as one of their key influences. “We reference a lot of dark images in our lyrics, whether it be prostitution, drugs, addiction, abuse, depression, anxiety,” says Toft. “But then there’s the other side too, and it’s just about having fun, playing music, and wanting to hook up” The three have known each other for 15 years, but it was an impromptu jam lesson last summer that turned the possibility of forming a band into a viable project. “I kind of know when shit isn’t going to work, or when to not even bother with it, but within the first practice it was like ‘we can actually do this,’” says Jonze. The group had three songs written within the first two weeks, and now with a debut album slated for mid-March release, their focus has turned to their live show. “You see a lot of bands now, at whatever bar on whatever night, show up with their nine-to-five fuckin’ gear, play a little bit and get out,” opines Sutton. “I think we want to do something a bit different.” “Yeah, put some showmanship into it,” says Jonze. According to them, this is something the local punk scene needs more of. “The punk scene in Calgary isn’t exactly flourishing,” alleges Jonze. “That’s one of the reasons why we make punk. Not only because we love it so much, but we think that the time in the world is right, right now.” “Too many people are just stuck, pigeon-holed in that alt-rock thing, writing songs about flowery bullshit or whatever, and sometimes on Friday, Saturday night you don’t want to go hear that shit… You want to go have fun,” Sutton muses. Toft points out that music is cyclical, and believes that punk is at the start of a resurgence. The goal of Silence the Swamps is to be at this new movement’s cutting edge. “It’s time for a punk band to have that raw edge and vision,” he says. Catch Silence the Swamps EP release March 16th at Nite Owl with Inch to the Right and Dear Rabbit out of Colorado. photo: Mark Preston In speaking with Jones, Towers, and Fournier, it’s easy to realize that their musical chemistry stems from their everyday life. The group would finish each other’s sentences as they reminisced on their inclusive band philosophy. “Nobody by Taylor Odishaw-Dyck is the star… It’s not about one person,” agreed Towers and Fournier. “We line ourselves up on stage in a half-circle; we want to make sure our philosophy shows through,” adds Jones. The digital edition of their new release Enough is Enough, is available now on Bandcamp, and they have just announced that their album release show will go down at Broken City in late March, with support from Fig and the Flame, and The Dearhearts. The album is packed with breathtaking violin scales, intense vocal harmonies, and honest lyricism: “It’s been a while, but now I’ve finally figured out just where I’m going.”These guys are no longer messing around, as they intend to take their music to the next level. Enough is Enough was chosen as their album title to reiterate this mindset. “This is a DIY project in pure form,” states Towers. “Anything within our reach, we take care of ourselves.” They can talk the talk, and the trail behind them backs up their confidence. In 2015, they sold out a previous album release show at The Palomino under their old moniker, Sealegs, and sold out of their physical CDs soon after. “Whether you get noticed for it, or you don’t, you still create it,” states Fournier, then stepping back to let Jones finish the thought. “When that need to create is meshed with a response from the community, that’s when shit gets real.” Catch The Frontiers as they release Enough is Enough alongside Fig and The Flame and The Dearhearts at Broken City, March 24th. by Jonathan Crane Audacious horror punks think Calgary’s scene needs a crash cart. Perhaps their EP release show will be their answer. photo: Michael Benz 24 | MARCH 2017 • BEATROUTE ROCKPILE
TOURING ROUNDUP what’s coming to town in March... WEEZER April 5th at the Grey Eagle Event Centre What’s left to say about a band so part of pop culture’s modern fabric? However you feel about the trajectory of their career and the signature veneer of frontman Rivers Cuomo, it’s hard to dispute that there’s a certain magic in their many early-mid career hits and enduring spirit. Though their success is stadium-sized, Weezer have always felt relatable in their awkwardness. Revisit a younger you while they play “Buddy Holly” and take a look around at the next generation of alt-rockers just starting to get inspired by the band. HUMANS March 9th at Nite Owl It’s always a party when Humans come to town. Their sets at the Hifi, Commonwealth and Sled Island block parties are the stuff of legend. This time, they’ll be headlining the latest CLUB NACHT at Nite Owl with Overland and sitstill (who blew us out of the water at our most recent issue release party). If muscular electronics and pop accessibility are you thing, don’t miss it. KATE TEMPEST March 31st at Commonwealth At the cross-section of performance, music and poetry, Kate Tempest relentlessly injects her art with a street-wise perspective on the issues of today. Her delivery is rooted in spoken word but verges on modes like rap, monologue, rant and plea. Accompanying her lyricism are jagged abstractions of electronic music, rock and hip-hop. She’s been noted by the Mercury (longlisted) and Ted Hughes (winner) awards for her ability to interest young people in poetry through contemporary languages they already understand. Her performances are direct, confrontational and unlike anything else you’ll see this month. MOTHER MOTHER March 20th at the Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium Mother Mother have enjoyed a meteoric rise since their off-kilter indie pop beginnings in Vancouver. Today a Universal signee, the band has carved out a niche as in pop’s stratosphere while keeping a signature oddity that shows a commitment to identity. Sporting a futuristic, alien-like look and hard-hitting hits on new album No Culture, this tour looks to be a highpoint from the band. ROCKPILE BEATROUTE • MARCH 2017 | 25
Page 1: FREE MARCH 2017 LOON See... Festiva
Page 4: pulse The Kinkonauts, Calgary’s o
Page 8 and 9: CITY GODDAMN MILLENIALS secret line
Page 10: The NASH beware of the Quarter Hors
Page 14 and 15: $100 FILM FEST 25 years of small ga
Page 16 and 17: Questioning the Old Trouts’ about
Page 19 and 20: ROCKPILE THE COURTNEYS all around t
Page 21 and 22: TRIM SIZE: 10.25"W x 11.5" H, RIGHT
Page 23: STRFKR from disillusionment to thri
Page 27 and 28: WORST DAYS DOWN bring Elsewhere hom
Page 29: letters from winnipeg JOEY LANDRETH
Page 32: LET’S GET JUCY! Clubbing in the w
Page 36: DEAR RABBIT silly little songs true
Page 40 and 41: WOODHAWK soaring beyond the sun by
Page 43 and 44: musicreviews Dirty Projectors Dirty
Page 45: Dead Men Can’t Cat Call Tour Wine
Page 48: out,” she sings. “And all the p
Page 51 and 52: as exuberantly friendly as it is fu
Page 53 and 54: “KMAG YOYO,” a high-paced humor

BeatRoute Magazine AB print e-edition - March 2017

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