BEATROUTE MAGAZINE AB EDITION JANUARY 2019

ROCKPILE
KONGOS
four democratic dictators
Four brothers take third release back to 1929.
The accordion, the harmonic hook, the
enticement.... “Come with me now!”
We’ve all heard it, whether over the
airwaves, in a commercial, on a TV show
like Running Wild with Bear Grylls, a WWE
wrestling promo, an Expendables movie,
even on a late-night program with Jimmy
Kimmel. I suppose that’s not too surprising
given it reached the summit of Billboard’s
THE TREWS
still sparkle and shine
Alternative Songs in ten weeks during 2014,
the quickest song of a new band to top the
chart since American rock band Evanescence’s
2003 track “Bring Me To Life.”
A few years on KONGOS feel that the
time is right to “reintroduce themselves”
to the globe. Johnny Kongos (accordion,
keyboards, vocals) says that even though
they’ve never actually gone away, it seems
like it after so much time spent secluded
in the studio. He and his brothers Jesse
(drums, percussion, vocals), Daniel (guitar,
vocals) and Dylan (bass guitar, lap slide
guitar, vocals) have been hard at work
putting the finishing touches on their new
release, 1929: Part 1, the first installment of
a three-album trilogy that rolls out over the
next 18 months. To kick things off, they’ve
chosen Vancouver to launch the tour.
“We love Canada! We’ve spent more time
there than anywhere except the States. Not
sure about this winter tour though,” Johnny
reports with a good-natured chuckle. “We’ll
see if we’re cut out for Winnipeg in January!”
Citing inspiration from legends Paul Simon
and Jackson Browne, KONGOS aim for
exquisite alternative grooves that have elements
of African-influenced house music.
Still hot off the press, the band’s latest anthem,
“Pay For The Weekend,” rocks along
with an elegant, but invigorating momentum
that sets the tone for an immersive and
dance-move evoking listening experience.
“We feel so strong about it,” states Johnny.
“Conceptually and lyrically it makes a lot
of sense with the 1929 theme. And sonically,
it’s a real bridge of what people expect from
us and where we’ve been headed. We’re
kinda always moving and changing things
because there are four writers. This album is
going to sound like there’s four writers, but
who are all packing a similar vibe.”
Departing from their label earlier this
year, the new release will appear under
BY PATRICK SAULNIER
KONGOS’ own banner — Tokoloshe
Records — allowing them more creative
control and freedom. Johnny says 1929 is
“less about what radio seems acceptable
and more about just going where the song
wants to go.”
He adds, “We’ve always recorded, mixed
and mastered ourselves, even directed our
videos, which is one of the reasons we left
the label world. We really do it all ourselves
and didn’t want to be stuck in a system.
There are times when you need to make
that hard push, and we feel more comfortable
being in the driver’s seat of all aspects
when those times come.”
Adding to a “crazy, busy” year in 2018, the
band’s eight-part video DocuSeries “Bus Call”
was made available for free via KONGOS
YouTube channel. The three and half hours
of content looks at life on the road and how
the “democracy of four dictators” finds a way
to work on route to the new album. If you’re
one of those people who wants to know
what it’s like “being in a band with brothers
and fighting and all that,” jokes Johnny, “go
watch episode eight and all will be answered!
It’s one of the most positively received things
we’ve ever put out.”
KONGOS new album, 1929: Part 1 is out Jan.
18. Catch Kongos live Jan. 13 at Imperial
(Vancouver), Jan. 16 at Commonwealth Bar &
Stage (Calgary), Jan. 17 at the Starlight Room
(Edmonton) and Jan. 19 at the Park Theatre
(Winnipeg).
BY TONY BINNS
Back in 2005, The Trews were playing where records, Grey Cup halftime shows and Juno
they ought to be — stadiums. They were nominations, but for some reason the moniker
opening for Robert Plant on his Mighty ReArranger
of “household name” has thus far eluded
tour and from the second their then them. Never mind, The MacDonald brothers
drummer Sean Dalton started banging on his (Colin on vocals and John-Angus on lead
cowbell everyone in the Dome knew they were guitar) continue to make Antigonish proud
in for a good time. If we were living in an era by hitting the road and spreading the hardrock
when rock was the norm instead of a niche
gospel cross-country. The fact that you
market they would have been headlining, getting
are more likely to see them on at the Coke
everyone to sing along on straight-ahead Stage or a club these days doesn’t dampen
rockers like “I’m So Tired of Waiting” and “Poor their enthusiasm in the least. Nor should it
Old Broken Hearted Me.”
dampen yours.
At the time, they reminded one of the
fictional band Stillwater from Almost Famous. The Trews perform Jan. 18 at Gold Horse Casino
Just finding their feet, but definitely on their (Lloydminster), , Jan. 31 at Starlite Room (Edmonton),
Feb. 1 at The Palace (Calgary) and Feb. 4 at Bo’s
way to super stardom. Success came, but in a
very low-key Canadian way. There were gold Bar & Grill (Red Deer).
Not ready to go.
ROCKPILE BEATROUTE • JANUARY 2019 | 15