Monthly Roundup: June 2014

Vancouver’s Five Alarm Funk, one of Canadian Content Machine’s featured bands of June.

Happy Canada Day! It is a beginning of a new month and we have the most Canadian of holidays to start it off. Why not pitch in a little of your patriotism Canuck-style and check out the many Canadian acts we featured last month here at Canadian Content Machine.. From behemoth funk troupes to charming songstresses , the month of May was a good one for Canadian music.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

New Album Reviews!

Pull the Emergency Switch! Five Alarm Funk Raises the Alarm with their Apocalyptic New Album, Abandon Earth

Five Alarm Funk. Photo Credit: Brooke Roisum.

One of the most ecstatic and eclectic releases so far this year, Five Alarm Funk’s Abandon Earth absolutely blew us away. Of course, when you have nine members in your collective (including timbales and congas), you know you’re going to be filling each and every corner of your full-length LP. Certainly one of the few bands that actually live up to their name! You can check out our review of Abandon Earth by Five Alarm Funk here.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Swim to New Shores: Jon McKiel’s new, self-titled EP reviewed

Jon McKiel.

Halifax has its music scene down pat, with multitudes of acts washing ashore the Atlantic coast each year. To distinguish yourself among the many is quite an achievement in itself; fortunately Jon McKiel has his own science. His latest EP, Jon McKiel, goes for that perfect mix of restraint and optimism that makes for one pleasurable listen. Find out more in our review of Jon McKiel’s latest self-titled effort here.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

The Simple Charms of Jessica Bundy’s Careless Smile

Jessica Bundy. Photo Credit: Robert M. Saxe.

“Indie Darling” may be a bit of an overused term. How about “Indie Treasure”. Okay, that may be overdoing it, but Jessica Bundy is kind of special. The Toronto native just released her new EP, Careless Smile, an indelible mix of love and loss. Despite its seemingly easy-going nature, Careless Smile hits where it counts (both in the head and the heart), and it certainly made an impression on us. Look at our review of Jessica Bundy’s Careless Smile here.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Chromeo, Act II: Their latest, White Women, reviewed

Chromeo.

Chromeooo. Oooo. Even their name is given to being chanted, and if you have ever been to these Montreal dudes’ live shows you would expect that and more. After ten years in the industry, Chromeo may have finally achieved international super-stardom with their with their latest release, White Women. The album debuted at a cool No.11 on Billboard, and hit single “Jealous (I Ain’t With It)” has found its home on everyone’s radio and playlist this summer. But there is more to White Women than that, so read our review of Chromeo’s newest and shiniest here.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Concert Reviews!

Concert Review: Timber Timbre @ Massey Hall, May 23rd, 2014

Timber Timbre at Massey Hall. Photo Credit: Malcolm Cook.

Timber Timbre is a band that gets a lot of love here (just read up on our review of their latest, Hot Dreams, here), and when we heard they were playing a show at the legendary Massey Hall in Toronto, we just had to take it in. And what a show it was! Act like you were there once you read our full review of their show here.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Second Spins: Older Albums Reviewed Again!

School Damage: Fixed By Hooliganism

School Damage. Photo Credit: Miranda Armstrong.

There is the good, the bad, and the just plain insane. Guess which category School Damage falls under. Yes, this Toronto punk trio has a few things it wants to say, and naturally those things are being yelled at and shredded over 200 bpm. School Damage already has released a couple of scorchers: their self-titled debut in 2012 and the sophomore release Weird Days in 2013. So when do we get to hear some new stuff? We’re not sure, but for now quench your hardcore thirst with our feature on School Damage here.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Special Event Coverage – North by Northeast 2014!

A-Z NXNE: A Short (and Long) Preview

North by Northeast, SXSW’s Canadian sister, arrived in Toronto in the middle of June. While headliners like St. Vincent and Run the Jewels tended to be American, we had plenty of made-it and up-and-coming Canadian acts hitting the stages. From Joel Plaskett Emergency to The Jerry Cans, NXNE proved to be (as always) an excellent showcase of Canuck talent. Look back and reminisce with our preview of NXNE here.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

That finishes the month of June at Canadian Content Machine. Canada Day is here, and so is July! Fire up your barbecues and pack your camping gear. But don’t forget your music!

Concert Review: Timber Timbre @ Massey Hall, May 23rd, 2014

Although I am not usually one for sitting still at a show (or anywhere for that matter), if there is any band that will keep you completely entranced regardless of the audience arrangement, it is Northern Ontario natives Timber Timbre. While you can generally find the five-piece band packed into ornate churches across the province, on Friday May 23rd they arrived in Toronto to join the ranks of Canadian greats such as Neil Young as musical alumni of the historic Massey Hall. The night’s show, part of the documentary series “Live at Massey Hall” that aims to showcase up-and-coming Canadian musicians, began with an appropriate air of timelessness that can only be procured by genuine, lasting talent.

Driven by the creative force and beautiful simplicity of front man Taylor Kirk, whose distinct lyrical style is comparable to that of Leonard Cohen, Timber Timbre hit the stage immediately, hypnotizing a sold-out audience totally unprepared for what was about to come their way. Stepping out into sultry red lighting and wasting no time, Kirk, backed by Simon Trottier, Mika Posen, Mathieu Charbonneau and Olivier Fairfield, effortlessly swung into a captivating set that kept fans in favour of all five of their albums entirely satisfied.

Timber Timbre @ Massey Hall, May 23 2014. Photo Credit: Malcolm Cook.

In a venue like Massey Hall where every note reverberates throughout the building and the percussion carries a much heavier presence, the live experience of the eclectic sounds that make Timber Timbre is completely different from that which you will get through their recorded material. The band flowed through both lesser known songs as well as album anchors including “Bad Ritual” and title track “Hot Dreams”. However, the majority of the songs were almost unrecognizable to even the most accustomed ear, becoming slightly more experimental than the usual melodies. That got me hooked, as listening to their challenging improvisation you can’t help but become enchanted by their stripped down rendition of 1960’s psychedelia. While the old-school surf-rock-esque riffs are slightly more prevalent, the set remains interwoven around the synthesizer that defines much of their infectiously soothing sound.

Often being described as “eerie” and “haunting,” the sounds of Timber Timbre remain for me, uniquely indescribable. Low-fi, yet very far from boring, and as foreboding as it is enticing, Timber Timbre’s set at Massey Hall is refreshing by means of a serious commitment to unwavering unpredictability.

---

 

Author: Jordan Hodgins