Ray LaMontagne

The May 30th bill at Massey Hall began with the vocal styling’s of the first opening band The Secret Sisters, whose charming country, western style set the pace for the course of the evening.

Following shortly after, Brandi Carlile (vocals, guitar, piano) and her band hit the stage, opening with their perfectly harmonized song “Oh Dear” from her 2009 album Give Up the Ghost. Carlile’s voice, which was powerful enough to fill the room to all corners, was both dark and sweet as she sung with an air of purpose and excitement.

The humbled musician who kept an upbeat, colourful interaction with the crowd, outdid each succeeding song with tantalizing melodies filled at times with a harder rock edge. A unique experience for Massey Hall, Carlile decided to play hit “Dying Day” as a completely unplugged acoustic set, which set the audience into complete silence and awe.

Carlile, who was backed by the vocal styling of the Hanseroth twins, Phil (bass) and Tim (guitar), proved that she could do no wrong with her emphatic and energetic nature making audience members yearn for more.

Closing their set with a cover of Youth Group’s “Forever Young” and calling on concer-goers to join in on the chorus, Carlile displayed the raw power of a female vocalist and was the perfect second act to set the stage for what was to follow.

No seat was a seat too far when New Hampshire-born singer-songwriter Ray LaMontagne began his set with his tasteful blend of blues, folk, and country. LaMontagne, who was backed by the band The Pariah Dogs, featured Jennifer Condos on bass, Jay Bellerose on drums, Eric Haywood on pedal steel, electric, and acoustic guitar, and Greg Leisz on pedal steel, lap steel, electric, and acoustic guitar.

The soft-spoken LaMontagne, whose raspy voice resonated throughout the venue, performed with outstanding energy and emotion in his music. Opening with “Like Rock & Roll Radio” from the 2010 album God Willin’ & the Creek Don’t Rise, listeners were put into a daze with the calming and soothing nature of his voice.

Playing a collection of songs from his 2004 album Trouble, 2008′s Gossip In The Grain, and his most recent album God Willin’ & the Creek Don’t Rise, including songs such as “Jolene,” “Hold You In My Arms,” and “Let It Be Me,” Ray’s dream-like serenade of music was the ideal sound for the acoustics of Massey Hall.

Despite the limited interaction with the crowd which took away from the overall performance, LaMontagne won the hearts of concert-goers with his intensity and melancholic songs.

Ending his set with the encore song “All The Wild Horses,” fans gave a standing ovation to the talented man that stood before them, needing to be pulled away from the venue in order to leave.

Little Foot Long Foot - Oh, Hell

Little Foot Long Foot, damn big sound. They are bluesy, with classic and catchy riffs, eerie organs, and a female vocalist that pierces through it all. In dire musical times such as these, Little Foot Long Foot are sure to be warmly welcomed into ears across the country.

The Toronto trio (previously playing the blues in twos), comprised of dapper bearded drummer Isaac Klein, powerful but not shrill vocalist and guitarist goddess Joan Smith, and recently added organist and vocalist Caitlin Dacey, shows no lack of passion and keep the blues true to its roots. Oh, and they play hard.

Comparisons to the White Stripes seem inevitable here (a role reversal of the red, black, and white “brother and sister” team of Jack and Meg), but Little Foot Long Foot set themselves apart by not adhering to their iconic, minimalistic, and simplistic (but highly effective) drumming and guitar sound.

Joan Smith’s vocals can sometimes reflect the gritty growl of Alison Mosshart or Beth Ditto, with tinges of Joan Baez here and there. Paired up with her distorted guitar, it’s effortless to drink it all in. Klein’s drumming is en par with Smith, and toe-tapping is nearly unavoidable. Dacey’s organs are a welcome addition, as they add that final layer to each track, and round out the already seamless sound.

This is the band’s second full-length album, and with a title like Oh, Hell, you’ve got absolutely nothing to lose and everything to gain. You’ll be taken to hell and back, sell your soul to the devil, but come out seeped in blues goodness.

The single, “Sell Out,” is a perfect introduction to the band. It features an unbelievably catchy riff, Smith’s piercing vocals and tongue-in-cheek lyrics, awesome organs, and deadly drums. The fifth track, “Kickface,” starts off in the deadliest manner with a scrumptious and spooky guitar and organ intro, almost making the listener feel as though they’re in a Vincent Price film. And with lyrics like, “Makes me feel bad, feels good that way,” this track is, well, damn good. The dance-y break near the end is just classic – denying a dance to it is futile.

“She Looks To You,” the eighth track on the album, starts off with quite a unique drum beat (nearly sounds like Klein is playing it in reverse), and then proceeds to literally explode into blues bliss. The amusingly titled “Neko Case Hate Fucks Kurt Cobain” is quite a standout track, starting off with a subtle organ, then leading into Smith’s wail and Klein’s drumstick taps, culminating in an explosion of sound. As Smith fiercely states in this track, “god damn.”

If you ever find yourself hankering a big-sound blues band, give Little Foot Long Foot a listen. Sounds this good are hard to come by, so do yourself a favour and go ahead and fall victim to this hard-hitting trio. Your ears will endure a blues killing, but they will thank you.

Oh, Hell will be released with EMI Music on June 28, 2011.

Johnny Flynn - Photo by Amanda Macchia

Budding English folk-rock act Johnny Flynn & The Sussex Wit stepped onstage to play for a packed crowd at the Horseshoe Tavern on Thursday May 26.  The band, who is fronted by Johnny Flynn, also features sister Lillie Flynn on vocals, flute, and guitar, Adam Beach on bass guitar, James Mathe on keyboard, and David Beauchamp on drums.

The musicianship skills of Flynn were made apparent when he played an array of instruments including guitar, banjo, mandolin, violin and trumpet. Additionally, Flynn overwhelmed audience members with the poetic nature of his lyrics and enchanting vocal style.

The show opened with a charming rendition of “The Box” and continued with the band playing hits off of their first full-length LP, A Larum (2008), such as “Cold Bread,” “The Wrote & The Writ,” and “Hong Kong Cemetery.”

The band kept the pace of the night by playing tracks off of their second album Been Listening (2010), including songs such as “Kentucky Pill,” fan favourite “Barnacled Warship,” and “The Water” featuring Lillie Flynn singing the part originally performed by Laura Marling.

Despite Flynn’s inability to communicate with the audience, as indicated by “thank you” being the only words muttered by the shy performer, concert-goers could not get enough of the intoxicating sound of the well-practiced and skilled band.

While at times people wanted to sing along with the gentle sounds of these folk gods, respect was paid where due in order to soak in the warmth and energy that was pouring off the stage.

Ending their set with “Tickle Me Pink” and performing their encore song “Leftovers,” both tracks from A Larum, Johnny Flynn & The Sussex Wit gave a memorable performance filled with high-energy and a tranquilizing sound from beginning to end.

Cake

Currently on tour to promote their 6^th studio album Showroom of Compassion, alternative rock band Cake from Sacramento, California made a stop at the Sound Academy in Toronto on May 21^st.

Opening with “Sad Song and Waltzes” from their 1996 album Fashion Nugget, fans sang along with lead singer John McCrea’s melodic vocals and moved their bodies to the soothing trumpet solos from Vince DiFiore.

After taking to the stage with a late start, audience members were thrilled when McCrea announced that the evening would be divided into two sets. It was met by a cheerful response from the crowd and he continued saying, “we are here to serve you.”

The evening with Cake started off with a set filled with fan favourites, such as “Opera Singer” and “Satan Is My Motor,” and was followed by a focus on songs from their newest album including “Long Time,” “Mustache Man (Wasted),” and “Federal Funding.”  The first set ended with “Sick of You” where McCrea invited audience members to join in on the chorus.

The second set featured songs such as “Love You Madly” and “Short Skirt, Long Jacket” which featured McCrea’s half-spoken energetic vocal style for which he is so famously known.

The evening took a semi-serious turn when the band took a break for their performance to talk about an environmental project they have been working on. The project has the band giving out trees on every stop on their tour to an audience member who promises to plant and take care of the tree, making the young gentleman who promised to plant the tree in his aunt’s backyard one lucky man.

An evening filled with singing, dancing, cheering, and laughing came to a sombre end as the band played their encore songs “Never There” and wrapping up with “The Distance” the second single from their 2^nd album Fashion Nugget which was truly the icing on the cake.

Ben Fox and Branko Scekic - Photo by Amanda Macchia

The Horseshoe Tavern was hit by the innovation and rich ambience of three unique bands last Saturday night; a foursome from Brooklyn, NY sandwiched between two hometown units.

After an opening set by Seas, Toronto’s The Darcys flooded the venue in their typical fashion – stretching syncopated dissonance to all four corners and gliding through bending transitions and twisted structures. “House Built Around Your Voice,” among others, demonstrates the flattering juxtaposition of frontman Jason Couse’s only slightly calloused vocals with the general harmonious chaos and intricate arrangements of the band’s instrumental elements.

Bear Hands then proceeded to deliver their colourful indie rock to the northern crowd. Although the mood they instill musically is far from the spectral area of which the sound of The Darcys and Dinosaur Bones reside, the jittery, electric elements of their style and the simplicity of their melodies was a fresh turn for the line-up to take.

To close the show, headliners Dinosaur Bones showered the warmed-up audience with a balanced blend of melodic balladry and moody, electric progressions that may have become the signature sound of the five-piece Toronto outfit, as they consistently draw music-listeners to their live sets. The shuffling rhythm and crying blues licks featured in tracks like “Royalty” demonstrate the band’s ability to integrate traditional elements of rock into their innovative craft. Meanwhile, the classic structure of “Sharks in the Sand,” paired with its authoritative melody and muddy descending minor chords offers listeners an idea of the strong visual element of the band’s artistry. And so perhaps the name rings true: Dinosaur Bones are of significance today, but with a constant reminder of the ways of yesteryear.

With a bill of Suuns and The Black Angels, you know you’re in for a night of darkness. Unfortunately, the darkness only really worked for one band at Lee’s Palace on April 14. Montreal’s Suuns took to the stage first with their fascinating, gritty art-rock. They started off their set a bit messily, working into the nooks and crannies of the heavier guitar-driven parts of their album Zeroes QC. After a few songs, when they got more into the electronic-led songs such as “Arena” and “Up Past the Nursery,” the set was pulled together splendidly and they twisted into the rest of the material.

With a front man who keeps his jaw tight when he sings, a drummer who brings the “oomph” when you least expect it, a bassist/guitarist who usually keeps his busy fingers in the background and a multi-instrumentalist (but mostly synth player) who is the most occupied in noise, they make for a really interesting band to see live.

But while the audience seemed pretty perplexed by Suuns’ art-rock concentration and mysterious presence, they were up in arms for The Black Angels, an Austin-based psychedelic, blues-rock party-hardy quintet; the younger brother of other (and better) Blacks, The Black Lips and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.

The band played through their most recent album, Phosphene Dream, as well as previous material. They rarely stopped, and honestly, it’s all a buzzy blur. Every song kept enveloping into the next with the same kind of sound and not much to keep things more interesting. The crowd seemed to love it in the mosh pit/crowd surfing/high-fiving/fist pumping capacity that’s fine for hits like “Haunting at 1300 McKinley” and “Telephone,” but those actions and the slow-paced strobe light persisted for the entire dragged-out set. And there’s nothing memorable about what the band members did as they all retreated into putting on this spectacle. It’d at least be more fun (not to completely knock on getting excited at a show like that) if the music had more weight to it.

The Black Angels are much more fitting for a bigger venue or an outdoor concert, while Suuns confronted the darkness and at least probably came away from the show with a lot more fans.

Mike Kaminski - Photo by Amanda Macchia

If you didn’t make it out to the Horseshoe on April 7, you missed one hell of an evening. Local rock ‘n’ roll night was no disappointment as bands Give Us The Daggers and the Dirty Mags from White Girl Records gave an unforgettable performance.

Hitting the stage just before 11 p.m., Give Us The Daggers turned a murmuring crowd silent as they started their set with “Fight For Your Love” – a song easy to listen to with a memorable chorus and a strong bass line.  A somewhat awkward start, evidenced by the lead singer’s comment “don’t be afraid to move, you’re not paintings,” quickly gave way to an enthusiastic response from the crowd as the band played one energetic song after another.

The members of Daggers, whose sound blends indie soul with a punk rock edge, were able to showcase their skills on drums, guitar, and bass without overpowering the vocals, which was refreshing for a live rock ‘n’ roll show.  By the end of their set, Give Us The Daggers happily left the stage leaving the crowd awaiting the much-hyped band that was to follow.

Undivided attention was paid to the Dirty Mags as they took to the stage just before midnight. They started their set with ‘”Money Forever,” getting bar-goers flocking to the stage as their high-energy performance created an enticing feeling throughout the venue.

Sounding like the offspring of New York City’s indie rock band The Strokes and Chicago-based Smith Westerns, Dirty Mags frontman Mike Kaminski outperformed Julian Casablancas of The Strokes with his perfectly controlled magnetic voice, making listeners yearn for more.

The evening continued with the song ‘”Somebody,” which allowed listeners to appreciate the musical ability of the band with their wide range of vocals and their technically precise playing. The band later invited a fellow musician onstage for a cover of Roy Orbison’s “Pretty Woman.”

After an unyielding performance, the band chose to wrap their set with their popular hit “Mainline,” its upbeat rock sound being the perfect choice to end the evening.

Catch the Dirty Mags’ 9 p.m. set at The Velvet Underground tonight!

More Photos HERE!

Natasha Pasternak and Kevin Black - Photo by Amanda Macchia

You’ve definitely heard the words “hands” and “teeth” before, but have you heard them in that order? If you’ve been paying any attention to Toronto’s indie music forecast, it’s plain to see that those two simple words are now the name of one of the city’s most promising young bands. And it all started out somewhat unintentionally.

Natasha Pasternak, who is the only female fifth of the band, said Hands & Teeth came together as a result of the frustration of each individual member with the other bands they were in, and that the material they were coming up with on their off-time from those projects turned out to be better sounding.

“It was pretty organic,” said Pasternak, who is a singer, guitarist, and keyboardist for Hands & Teeth. “And it all came together without us saying ‘let’s be a band.’”

Their unique experimental pop sound can be found on their first EP and only record to date Enjoy Your Lifestyle, released in 2010. Since then, Hands & Teeth have been developing their sound and plan to have a new album out later on in the year, tentatively titled How To Make Your Children Love You. According to keyboardist and guitarist Jeff Pinto, listeners can expect a more driven and animated sound on the upcoming release.

“The first release sounds like it was written and recorded in the studio.” Pinto said. “This one we’ve been playing live. Because they’ve been tested live, you need a certain drive.”

And after listening to a few of Hands & Teeth’s intricate tracks, it can be undoubtedly concluded that the band draws on what seems to be an unlimited number of influences. Their inspirations span from The Beatles to the Talking Heads to classical music, and many artists and genres in between.

“I’ve never been a part of a project where people have such different influences,” said Pasternak.

But their interests and inspirations appear to work harmoniously together, rather than clashing and contrasting. Hands & Teeth have already come up with countless unique and defining sounds in their short amount of time together, from the mystic and earthy patterns featured on “Until the Night” to the driving cheeky rock of “Race to the End.” When it comes to writing songs, it is evident that Hands & Teeth are not afraid of being a little unconventional and not relying solely on generic song structures.

“You should have knowledge and education of what it is, bet let it go,” said Pinto of formulaic songwriting. “But still have that awareness.”

And with five diverse and open-minded musicians working at their craft simultaneously, it’s no wonder how such interesting and experimental tracks materialize.

“Somebody brings a kernel,” said Pinto, “and then we work it out together.”

And with hopes of one day playing the great Massey Hall and touring across Canada, it seems the members of Hands & Teeth are in it to win it, but the music will always be the determining factor of success.

“If you can earn a livable income practicing your craft, that’d be success,” said Pinto. “I don’t need multiple homes.”

You can catch Hands & Teeth as soon as April 23 at The Piston, playing alongside The Box Tiger and The Guest Bedroom. Next month, you can find them at the Toronto Underground Cinema with Parks & Rec, The Cautioneers, and the Formalists on May 19.

Jeffrey Innes - Photo by Amanda Macchia

Somewhere between the harmonic country-rock jamming of The Band and the cheeky modern pop-rock of The Elwins lies Yukon Blonde’s addictive sound. Their clean and structured rock songs, layered with dangerously catchy harmonious choruses and defined electric chords, filled the Horseshoe Tavern last Friday, restarting the hearts of the crowd with their sound reminiscent of summer months.

As the Vancouver foursome delivered the first words of “Wind Blows” (“The wind blows, can you hear the wind blow, listen to the raindrops, outside of my window”) elongated bright chord progressions swelled, eventually reaching the song’s climatic guitar solo, only to eventually release the tune back into the same hypnotic familiarity of the song’s opening lines.

Similarly, the sweetness of the bright chords and harmonies of “Babies Don’t Like Blue Anymore,” paired with the songs steady downbeats, had audience members thrilled and partaking in the musical action as much as it is possible to do offstage. Unsurprisingly, the retro vibe and minimalist vocals of “Brides Song” had the same crowd-pleasing effect, its blues-oriented solos flooding the sweaty, crammed space.

At points in their set, Yukon Blonde were accompanied onstage by fellow musicians and peers that they have toured with, and all the while, they were supplemented by the singing and clapping of the mind-blown crowd. Their songs are catchy, their vibe is nostalgic, and their harmonies are tranquilizing.

LifeStory:Monologue - Photo by Riley Taylor

An impressive appetite for fully-loaded nachos is one of the many attributes the boys of Lifestory:Monologue can boast about. Hometown heroes in their own right, the Guelph six-piece played a packed CMW performance at Sneaky Dee’s on Saturday March 12. As they prepare to drop their much anticipated debut LP sometime this year, the band will provide fans with the same unprecedented sound they are known for and that they believe is crucial in today’s day-and-age.

Although this will be the first full-length we’ve seen from them, Lifestory:Monologue has managed to stay on everyone’s radar through a number of eloquently composed EPs and powerful live performances. But as they approach their seventh year, like many bands, they describe their early years as an experimental period that helped guide them toward the direction in which they wanted to go musically.

“I’d like to call it our acid trip days but we weren’t even cool enough to do drugs,” says Zac Tenwesteneind. “But these past three years have been what the band is all about now so it’s like nothing even happened before that.”

The past couple years have also seen a few minor changes to the members of Lifestory:Monologue, which now includes Richard Nuttall (vocals), Jay Reid (bass/vocals), Jason Gormley (guitar), Zac Tenwesteneind (keys/vocals), Brett Banks (drums/vocals) and Mike Short (guitar). Together, these six talented individuals have created a loyal following by offering a sound that bridges the gap between popular genres.

“I was talking to one of my friends at Arts & Crafts and she said that we sound like we are the band that people who like hardcore like and then for half of the people that don’t like hardcore, we might be one of those bands they listen to,” says Reid.

Their ability to cross genres has provided them with opportunities to play with several different bands which has become an experience in itself.

“It’s funny cause no matter what bill we’re on, we are always the ‘something’ band on that bill. We’re either the heavy band on an indie bill or the softer band on a metal bill or the weird band on a normal bill,” explains Gormley. “And sometimes we’re the normal band on a weird bill. That’s happened before,” Zac adds jokingly.

While they often still struggle to explain their complex composition of juxtaposing vocals and instruments, they seem to leave it to others to create their own description.

“There was a drama teacher whose son opened for us one night and he was like, ‘You guys are like a rock band with someone up front tellin’ ya about his life. But you care about his life.’” jokes Reid. “He was wearing a tam and drinking Courvoisier.”

Mostly all stemming from the small town of Guelph, a lot of their inspiration and motivation comes from fellow musicians they knew growing up in their thriving local music scene.

“Growing up in Guelph was more or less the reason we started a band in the first place. Back when we were younger there were friends of ours and friends of friends who were in bands that we all looked up to. We saw them doing their thing and we were like, ‘Oh we want to do that too so we can hang out and play on a Friday night,’” explains Gormley.

The networking amongst fellow local bands has proven to be very beneficial for them as well.

“The relationships that we’ve made in Guelph are something we still appreciate now. The new album that we just finished recording is being mixed by our good friend Jordan, who has been in one of the bands that we looked up to growing up. And then production is being done by Kenny Bridges of Moneen,” explains Gormley.

Still in the production stages, a date is yet to be set for the release of the album. Thirteen songs have been recorded, 12 of which are new, and with the help of Kenny they hope to have a finished product that portrays a musical re-birth for the band.

“This album is going to be the one that we all love and feel like it’s the start of our band even though it’s been awhile for us,” says Reid.

Rest assured the LP will contain the same artistic symmetry that many associate with Lifestory:Monologue. Taking a page from their own book, they have and will continue to create music that has proven themselves different from other bands.

“It’s like painting a picture. A picture can’t be the same as the one right beside it. You can use some of the same colours, perhaps even the same paint brush for part of it, but other than that you have to be different,” says Zac. “Good analogy,” jokes Short.