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Album Review: Stars – The Five Ghosts

June 21st, 2010 | By: Guest Contributor

The Five Ghosts Countdown Timeline:

February – New songs premiere at War Child and Olympic one-offs.

March – The first “Making Of” video is released via YouTube. The band begins dropping bits and pieces of information on its official Twitter.

April – “Fixed” works its way onto the internet and, subsequently, thousands of mp3 players everywhere. The band announces its opposition to SB1070 and resulting decision to boycott Arizona.

May – Stars’ website gets an album-appropriate remodel (and a forum). “We Don’t Want Your Body” premieres on Pitchfork. The band hits the road for a limited Canadian preview tour.

June – The larger US preview tour begins in Boston. “Dead Hearts” streams as Song of the Day on NPR. “Wasted Daylight” premieres on My Old Kentucky Blog.

And, of course, “The Five Ghosts streams in full on NPR.”

Nearly three full years after In Our Bedroom After the War, Stars’ newest effort drops in a (small) commotion that takes fans from one released track to all 11 within just two months. The official release date for physical copies of the album is today, June 21. That its release coincides perfectly with the first day of summer seems only fitting, as The Five Ghosts has a decidedly warm-weather feel, especially in comparison to the band’s past few releases.

Despite their sunnier moments, In Our Bedroom After the War and predecessor Set Yourself On Fire were best experienced on a snowy night, wrapped in ten layers of heated blankets. The lush orchestration and emotional resignation of songs like “Your Ex-Lover Is Dead” and “Barricade” contributed to a sense of heaviness on both albums. That emotional heft wasn’t necessarily a negative quality, but by the end of a full listen to either album, chances were you really appreciated the catharsis of majestic closers “Calendar Girl” and “In Our Bedroom After the War.”

In contrast, The Five Ghosts, while it has its share of darker moments, maintains a decidedly more light-hearted feel. Album opener “Dead Hearts” helps set the tone right away. Despite being one of the more melancholy tracks on the album, it avoids heaviness through the sparse instrumentation of the verses, straight-forward vocal delivery and the perfect end-rhyme of lines like, “It’s hard to know they’re out there / It’s hard to know that you still care.” This combination of factors allows the song to retain a sense of innocence, albeit one that’s clearly worn by life experience.

If the charmingly mismatched content and feel of “Dead Hearts” leaves any lingering doubt as to the album’s direction, “Wasted Daylight” clears up the confusion. The latter is a honeyed ode to the ones with whom we can spend a lazy Sunday (ch-ching!) in bed, sans regrets. The slight crack in Amy Millan’s voice during each iteration of the chorus makes the song all the more endearing. From “Wasted Daylight” to album closer “Winter Bones,” nothing can ruin the spirit of The Five Ghosts. (Bad pun not intended, but now that I recognize it, it’s staying.) A driving beat persists throughout the album – showing up first and most prominently in “Fixed,” then continuing on through “We Don’t Want Your Body” and eventually “How Much More” – keeping things moving forward at a steady pace.

A brief mid-album lull in “He Dreams He’s Awake” and “Changes” does little to ruin the inertia. The former is a classic Torquil Campbell slow-builder that explodes into a mass of refined chaos, sounding something like Stars-meets-shoegaze. Then, as quickly as the chaos appears, it dissolves. (The absence of drawn-out song endings also separates this album from the past few). “Changes,” despite its rock-and-a-hard-place distaste for both stasis and evolution, rouses nostalgic visions of teased hair and pastel ruffles more than any real sense of distress.

“Winter Bones” ends the album on its most melancholy note. Millan laments, “I want to believe in anything…Winter lives in my bones / It’s all I’ve ever known.” Though the song is perhaps the one undeniable exception to my warm-weather, light-hearted characterizations, it’s also a gorgeous and fitting close to The Five Ghosts. The sparse instrumentation throughout much of the song and the exposed vocals recall “Dead Hearts”, bringing the album full-circle. And that the generally sunny album closes on a dark, understated note seems ironically appropriate, given those aforementioned sprawling, optimistic closers on the more wintry releases.

Even with this reversal of sorts in overall atmosphere and sequencing, The Five Ghosts will be instantly familiar to most fans. It’s clear that Stars know what works for them, and yet it’s not a formula they adhere to with tiring rigidity. Each successive album displays clear influences from their musical past, but with enough variation to show that the band is still flexing its creative muscle. More than any release thus far, The Five Ghosts truly feels like the synthesis of the band’s history, combining the electronic, synth-heavy sound of Nightsongs with the layered fullness of Set Yourself On Fire (the two albums you’re most likely to see referenced in “return to form” debates). And it has all the classic Stars elements: the combination of the sinister and romantic, the vocal harmonies, the back-and-forth exchanges between Campbell and Millan. The familiarity of it all keeps things comfortable, while the evolving balance of the various influences keeps things interesting.

As you may have figured, I rather like The Five Ghosts so far. After hearing it live in its entirety, I was worried that the recording would feel disappointingly lacking in energy. (This happens to me a lot.) And, while the experience is different through a pair of headphones than surrounded by a group of screaming fans, it’s not at all inferior. With just the music to attend to, it’s easier to pay attention to the layering and the subtleties and the meaning of the lyrics. And it’s much more obvious how successful the album is as a cohesive unit–played straight through, nothing feels out of place, even though some of the songs would seem to have little in common when considered individually.

My only disappointment is that The Five Ghosts is so short, clocking in at under 40 minutes. But I guess the saying is “quality over quantity,” and I’ve heard enough 70-minute yawners to accept the good that’s given, however brief. The upside to the length is that no one should have any trouble finding time to give the album a play. Considering that the album is available virtually everywhere as of today, what do you really have to lose? Probably not as much as you stand to gain from this heartfelt little gem.

Purchase The Five Ghosts from your local record store, itunes, or youarestars.com today.

For more Stars:
Website: youarestars.com
Myspace: www.myspace.com/stars
Twitter: www.twitter.com/montrealstars

***

Review by Katherine Burcham

Tags: Album Review, amy millan, Chris Seligman, Evan Cranley, in our bedroom after the war, june 21, nightsongs, NPR, Pat McGee, preview tour, SB1070, set yourself on fire, stars, summer jams, the five ghosts, Torquil Campbell, war child canada
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Stars @ Starlight – May 6th, 2010

May 12th, 2010 | By: Guest Contributor

Stars

If you still haven’t heard, the air is buzzing with news of Stars’ impending release entitled The Five Ghosts which is set to drop in the wake of a series of North American concerts designed to showcase the album to lucky fans who are quick on their feet when it comes to grabbing tickets. Despite being one of the unfortunates who missed out on Stars’ Toronto date at the Mod Club (a show you can read about elsewhere, namely here), I had the pleasure of enjoying the show closer to home and in a venue that I love. My favourite part of Uptown Waterloo, Starlight is a cosy, yet classy venue with good vibes, good friends, and excellent taste in music. The venue’s only potential downfall, its lack of an elevated stage, was addressed by vocalist Torquil Campbell as he apologized that Stars’ only tall band member (Pat McGee) was sitting down playing drums. Both Campbell and singer/guitarist Amy Millan made use of the speakers throughout the evening as stools to remedy this so-called height deficiency, teetering a bit precariously to catch a glimpse of those further back in the audience.

Opening delicately with the fluttering keys and vocals of new track ‘Dead Hearts’, Stars set the stage for their 3^rd live performance of The Five Ghosts, an album that certainly lives up to the hype that precedes it. Presenting a version of the Stars flavour resembling a mixture of their latest EP Sad Robots and 2003 release Heart, the new album is full of shimmering synths and moments of devastating beauty reminiscent of Robots—think, the final lines of ‘Going Going Gone (Live)’— that are in turn infused with a dizzying passion that harkens back to the soaring melodies of Heart. Throw some addictive 80’s pop hooks into the mix and you have a performance that is, true to Stars formula, lively and pensive, exuberant and melancholy. Favourites included the dancy power pop and tongue-and-cheek lyrics of ‘We Don’t Want Your Body’, and the heart-achingly beautiful vocals of Amy Millan on ‘Never Been Good With Changes’ (start listening to it and you won’t be able to stop). The first single from the album, ‘Fixed’ (released April 20th) proved as sweetly brain-bursting as the recording, rewarding listeners with something slightly more familiar amongst the new tunes.

A brief break was announced by the band before beginning the second set of the evening—if you haven’t been following, this set was developed democratically for each show through an online create-your-own-encore poll. Although an excellent idea in theory, the polls revealed that the majority of fans voted for “the hits” (I’m talking about ‘Your Ex-Lover is Dead’, ‘Calendar Girl’, ‘Ageless Beauty’ etc.) which, because of their blockbuster status would arguably have found their way into the setlist regardless, especially given the advent of the an entire second set for each show. So, although I always enjoy the bombastic horns and dark corners of ‘One More Night’, it was a shame to lose the opportunity to hear some older/seldom played tracks—’Toxic Holiday’, ‘Theme From the Stars’, and even ‘Division’—performed live. Having said this, we were treated to a lovely rendition of ‘Tonight’ from the band’s 2001 release Nightsongs, featuring Campbell on vocals and Chris Seligman on keys as a final encore.

If you happen to have tickets for this tour in your hands (or pockets or wallet or pasted to your mirror) you should be pretty pleased with yourself; you’re in for a very special show. In the meantime, be sure to check out more Stars news and “making of” videos for the new album at the band’s website: youarestars.com

Tags: amy millan, Chris Seligman, Evan Cranley, Pat McGee, show review, starlight, stars, the five ghosts, Torquil Campbell
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The Singing Lamb’s 12 Days of Lists – Day 5: Christine’s Top 10 Albums of 2009

December 17th, 2009 | By: Guest Contributor

Anni Rossi

I’m not a serious music critic and probably never will be. I think with my heart, so here’s what my heart liked this year:

1. Andrew Bird – Noble Beast

I once heard Andrew Bird mention how, for him, music is just another language to communicate in. The notion is ever so present on Noble Beast; Bird successfully blends the music and the words together in a magical way, combines them to make your body and brain dive in complex sensations. Noble Beast makes me want to live in Andrew Bird’s brain, among the giant rodents and whistled G chords. Another masterpiece by Mr. Bird, nothing less.

2. Neko Case – Middle Cyclone

I spent so much time trying to find the right words to describe Middle Cyclone. All that comes to mind is “Wow”. Neko Case’s latest solo effort is every bit as passionate and brilliant as the critically acclaimed Fox Confessor Brings the Flood and does not disappoint. It’s a more layered album that carries you through a vast range of emotions, from the sweetness of the title track to the exhilarating feel of “This Tornado Loves You”.

3. St. Vincent – Actor

Annie Clark’s movie-like second LP is grandiose. Grandiose in the proper, literal meaning of the word, of course. If sometimes a bit over the top, Actor is an impressive collection of songs. The dramatic trumpets, the voice layering and the ever so violent guitars leaves you breathless with images of Victorian drama filled with blood, prince charmings and dark eyed nemeses.

4. Camera Obscura – My Maudlin Career

“No need to convince me that you’re a catch, I bought my ticket I’m sold at last” Obviously. My Maudlin Career is Camera Obscura at their best and Tracyanne Campbell’s lyrics at their wittiest. The arrangements on the album take their vintage pop to another level with the syrupy trumpets of “Honey in the Sun” and vividness of “French Navy”. What more can I say, this album makes me feel all fuzzy inside. (In the best way possible)

5. Language-Arts – Where were you in the wild?

They (“they” being the team of experts in my head) say that every year you should have one of those definite “wow” moments. Language-Arts were my “wow” moment of Oh-Nine. Every track sounds new and exciting. It was like a breath of fresh air in a gloomy month of October. The vocals are quirky and the music reminds of old Why? albums and Dylan at the same time. It’s stunning. The album was self-released by the Vancouver band and is their first full length. I can’t wait to hear more.

6. M Ward – Hold Time

In addition to Monsters of Folk’s wonderful first album, M Ward found some time to treat us to some of his blissful/gloomy guitar folk. With collaborations with Jason Lytle, Lucinda Williams and the “she” of She and Him Zooey Deschanel, Hold Time made me sway with a cheesy grin on my face. With songs like “Shangri-la” and “For Beginners” taking you back to 2006’s critic favourite Post-War and fully showcasing Ward’s deep vocals, Hold Time never gets old.

7. Anni Rossi – Rockwell

When the man who discovered Scout Niblett sends another of his protégé into the music world, you have to open your ears and take in the sounds. I saw Anni Rossi open for Camera Obscura and Noah and the Whale earlier this year and I was blown away. Most of the songs on this album consist of voice and viola and the simplicity of it all gets you all hooked up (cue Broken Social Scene). Oh, and she covers Ace of Base’s “Living in Danger”. She’s quickly been labelled as the “next Regina”, but don’t let the people fool you, Anni Rossi is considerably different from everyone’s favourite Russian girl. See her Handheld Shows sessions here and here.

8. Iron and Wine – Around The Well (B-Sides and Rarities)

Sam Beam found his way to the very center of my heart this fall (so did Sarah Harmer but that’s another story and I couldn’t find a good enough reason to put her in my top something of 2009, everything seemed too far-fetched). This two disc collection of b-sides and rarities is perfect, if only for “Communion Cups and Someone’s Coat”. It suits the hard-core Sam Beam fan and the Iron and Wine newbie.

9. Amy Millan – Masters of The Burial

Beautiful covers, simple melodies and great lyrics. What more can you ask for, really? Mandolin. But that’s also on there. “Ghosts weren’t meant for bleeding”; your honor, I rest my case.

10. The Rural Alberta Advantage – Hometowns

Technically this is allowed, right? The RAA’s formerly self-released debut album was re-released on Omaha, Nebraska label Saddle Creek and I’ll admit it, I was a bit late on the RAA ship. I blame it on teenage drinking and my reluctance toward everything Albertan. I don’t think I need to say how great and refreshing The RAA are, but I’ll mention it for good measure, The Rural Alberta Advantage are the next big thing.

***

Honorable mentions go to Jenn Grant for Echoes, Arts and Crafts newcomers Still Life Still with Girls Come Too (yes I really did like the album, and not only for the clever title), Dirty Projectors, Ohbijou with the beautiful Beacons and the always wonderful Julie Doiron with I Can Wonder What You Did With Your Day. There was also a great number of fantastic francophone albums this year, but that’s the subject of another post (hint hint). Be sure to watch out for The Luyas’ new album, due out some time in early 2010. Alright, bye bye 00’, hello 10’. I’m ready. (Someone please wake Fiona Apple up, I’ve been wishing for a new album since 2006, I’m about to move on with my life now.)

Zut Alors, 2009
Christine

Tags: amy millan, andrew bird, anni rossi, annie clark, beards, camera obscura, confetti, deer in the headlights, drinking, feelings, iron and wine, language-arts, m ward, my heart, neko case, st vincent, the rural alberta advantage
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The Singing Lamb’s 12 Days of Lists – Day One: Leah’s Top 9 of 2009

December 13th, 2009 | By: Guest Contributor

Neko Case

I don’t know how the rest of you are feeling, but the arrival of December hit me like a giant sack of alarm clocks, sending all those projects and to-do lists I’d put on the back burner into a rolling boil. As I’ve been scrambling to tie up loose ends and reflect a little on the past year—honestly, I was just getting used to it being 2009—I’ve compiled the following rather self-indulgent list of the earcandy that I’ve been gnawing on for the last 365 days or so. The significance of the number 9, if you were wondering, is not great—it merely reflects an aversion I have to even numbers (and thus, top 10 lists) and I felt it was appropriate, given that we are bidding farewell to the 9^th year of the new millennium.

1. Neko Case – Middle Cyclone

From that long ago first listen to the song “Letter from an Occupant” I was struck by the force of nature that resides in Neko Case’s chest. And even more than my addiction to the delicious sugar-pop she creates with The New Pornographers, I’ve become hooked on her solo material which, laden with animal desire and natural imagery, is delivered in a dynamic voice whose power is unmatched in music today. Fox Confessor Brings the Flood, Neko’s 2007 release, blew me away and honestly deserves a spot among the top records of the decade. Needless to say, Middle Cyclone was highly anticipated by all, and it did not fail to deliver. From the glorious ruckus that is “People Got A Lotta Nerve” to the naked vulnerability of its title track, Middle Cyclone alternates between making me run through the house punching and twirling through the air and breaking my heart.

2. Camera Obscura – My Maudlin Career

As much as the lyrical content of Camera Obscura’s newest album matches Tracyanne Campbell’s love-affair with all things melancholy, it also carries the joyous sonic qualities (ahhh those horns!) that I’ve come to love from this band. It’s the bittersweet juxtaposition of the shadows of life and the joie on My Maudlin Career that glues my finger to the repeat button. A beautiful rainbow sorbet of icy-sweet flavours, every track (well, almost every track—perhaps I’ll exclude a certain song about a boy whose name starts with a J) on this album is a favourite. I mean, it even makes my three-year-old niece do some elated prancing around the room.

3. Amy Millan – Masters of the Burial

Now, I must pause to mention that there is just something about Amy Millan’s voice that I will never get over. It posesses this spark that has the power to make one die a little inside and then subsequently be revived as though by a gulp of fresh air (if you really need a specific example please refer to Millan’s breathy line, “this scar is a fleck on my porcelain skin” from Stars’ “Your Ex-lover is Dead” and you will know what I am talking about). While a fan of her first solo release Honey from the Tombs, I feel like Masters of the Burial is a much more cohesive album; the gentleness of Amy’s song-writing style and her voice are the through-line that makes even her cover songs sound like originals. Directions: Listen when in need of lullabies to soften the ears and put the mind at ease. Best when enjoyed with tea and good company. And maybe some biscotti.

4. The Dirty Projectors – Bitte Orca

a) Do you hear those sounds? Those are girls, singing.

b) Why isn’t this band more famous?

While their debut release floated a bit off of my radar, Bitte Orca has me head over heels for the astonishing harmonies and poppy guitar riffs that are The Dirty Projectors’ specialty. Perhaps one of the greatest strengths of this band lies in how versatile they are, easily sliding from the bravado that is “Cannibal Resource” to the softer tones of Angel Deradoorian on “Two Doves”. I hereby mandate that it become part of everyone’s Saturday morning routine to blast a little of this sextet’s energetic sound through some big speakers. The world will be a better place for it.

5. Think About Life – Family

Without a doubt, Think About Life threw two of the craziest shows of my entire concert-going year. From these experiences I’ve learned that it is physically impossible to stand still while their ridiculously catchy retro-synth-dance-pop-whachamacallit tickles your eardrums. Every single track on their sophomore release, Family, screams DANCE! SING! ME-OWWW! Brought to you by a bunch of crazy geniuses from Montreal (yeah I know, something in the water), this is the album that will make even the blackest hearts love music again.

6. St. Vincent – Actor

St. Vincent a.k.a. Annie Clark a.k.a. Polyphonic Spree and Sufjan Stevens collaborator has created her own oeuvre of solo work that pairs songs of Disney-esque sweep with often times eerie reverb and mad guitar work. This style resulted in the brilliant collection of tracks that were released on her debut album Marry Me, and has spilled over onto her 2009 release of Actor. The dark imagery of Clark’s lyrics conveyed in her crystalline vocals is both chilling and addictive. I can’t tear my ears away.

7. Sunset Rubdown – Dragonslayer

Even though Sunset Rubdown’s latest release came in the form of an 8-song EP, this little gem deserves a place on my top shelf because, to put it simply, it is awesome. Definitely going for quality over quantity on this one, I would venture to say that this is my favourite Sunset Rubdown album, ever. Containing one of the best songs of the year and Bucky Award nominee for best lyric, “Idiot Heart”, Dragonslayer is captivating from beginning to end, capturing all the elements of Sunset Rubdown that I most love and distilling them down to one perfect little package.

8. Dark Was the Night: A Red Hot Compilation

I’ve already broken the rules once by including an EP on my list, so there’s really no harm in also throwing in a shout-out to this amazing compilation, because it deserves it. I usually enjoy compilations for compilation sake—that is, I enjoy hearing new songs from certain artists, even if they aren’t hit singles or chart-toppers. Rarely does a compilation, however, manage to combine so many (two discs full!) of great artists’ tracks and be as unbelievably cohesive as Dark Was the Night is. Bravo to the guys at The Red Hot Organization for facilitating such great musical collaboration and harnessing pop culture in the fight against AIDS. Containing new favourites including, but not limited to, Feist and Ben Gibbard’s cover of “Train Song”, Justin Vernon and Aaron Dessner’s “Big Red Machine” and The National’s “So Far Around the Bend” this album is all kinds of wonderful.

For more information on the The Red Hot Organization and its endeavours, visit http://www.redhot.org/

9. Dan Mangan – Nice, Nice, Very Nice

From pounding back insane amounts of coffee to lubricate the creative writing process, to having intense Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em-esque robot wars in alley ways (if you have no idea what I am talking about, please refer to the latest video accompaniments to Dan’s “The Indie Queens are Waiting” and “Robots”) to winning the XM Verge Award and storming CBC Radio 3’s Bucky awards, 2009 was a busy year for Vancouver native Dan Mangan. Still on tour, Dan is traipsing across the world in support of his sophomore effort, Nice, Nice, Very Nice. This album is like an old familiar blanket: it slips comfortably around the shoulders like it’s the most natural thing in the world. It might even have some of those electric heating pads for extra warmth. The chorus of “Robots,” a true chorus in that there are many voices singing the refrain, contains undoubtedly one of the best phrases of the year: “robots need love too, they want to be loved by you……”

And there you have it—a list of albums that makes me weak in the knees. Here’s to wishing for giant helpings of snow and big sounds in the New Year. Be kind to each other.

Peace,
Leah

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Tags: actor, amy millan, biscotti, bitte orca, camera obscura, cbc radio 3, dan mangan, Dark Was the Night: A Red Hot Compilation, dragonslayer, earcandy, family, list, masters of the burial, ME-OWWW!, middle cyclone, my maudlin career, neko case, nice, snow, st vincent, sunset rubdown, the dirty projectors, The Red Hot Organization, think about life, very nice, year end
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Let’s Chat: Bahamas

October 25th, 2009 | By: Carmel Garvez

Afie Jurvanen is Bahamas

The Singing Lamb: What’s the story behind your moniker, “Bahamas”?

Afie Jurvanen: I was making the record, and I had a list of names that were kind of in the running… Most of the time, I play with a band… and I have kind of a weird name, so the idea of yelling “Afie” three or four times in a loud bar – it’s just easier if we had a name. And as we were making the record, it was just such a relaxed thing – and actually, there’s a lyric in one of the songs that actually said “Bahamas”, so when we finished the record, it was just the name that jumped out of me. And I think it kinda suits the tone, and if anything, I may be bending a little bit more to the name of the band now.

You’ve played with other artists, such as Feist and Jason Collett, to name a few. What were the most important lessons learned from doing that?

Afie: Well, the biggest thing is that I feel like I’m really fortunate in being with all these people that I’ve played with in bands, who were just the sweetest people. And that can sometimes be more important than the music. You’re living with people in really close proximity for months at a time, and if you don’t get along, or you don’t like the smell of someone’s dirty t-shirt, or something like that, it can really get on your nerves. So I’m lucky that I get to surround myself with the people that I get a kick out of, and get along with. And generally, everything else seems more effortless after that.

How has that influenced your music?

Afie: When I made the recording, I didn’t really plan it out all that much. We really just set up, and I invited some players that I really trusted and just trusted their musical instincts… You don’t really have to give people like that much direction… and most people just kind of find the right thing to do without much direction. And I’m a fan of that. And when I’m touring, it’s basically just me and the drummer, and we get along really well. He has a moustache. He has an iPhone, and he likes the same Bob Dylan records as I do.

That’s sweet!

Afie: Yeah!

Simplicity is emphasized in your music. Why is that so important?

Afie: I think I’m just someone who really gravitates towards the song. It’s always about the song, and more specifically about the lyrics. And so anything that you’re adding on to that, in my opinion – I just don’t want things get in the way of that ever. Basically, I just like keeping it lean and mean all the time. And a lot of it, like, on this record, is just bass, drums, and guitar, and we pretty much just play it together. And we left a lot of mistakes on there. And we left all the microphones open. There’s kind of an excitement and spontaneity that comes when you’re recording like that, and listening back to it, it sounds like don’t really need to add a thousand delay pedals and stuff like that.

And you’ve had your songs for over a five-year period-

Afie: Some of them have been kicking around for a while… I wrote a lot of songs while I was on tour and didn’t really have the chance to play my own music or make my own recordings, and so when we set out to do that, I just kind of purged and got that out of my system. So now, it does feel weird being on tour and playing songs that have been kicking around for a long time.

Do you still feel the same connection to those songs today as you did when you wrote them?

Afie: It’s pretty much the same thing, but you kind of constantly have to find ways of keeping it fresh. Like, find something in the song that is your own and that you connect with… I just get a kick out of it now because I wail around with the guitar, and I guess, I don’t take it as seriously as I did at one time… and with the new songs, it’s like, “Alright, I really want to play this one well”, and I work myself up a little bit.

So, you’ve written some new material?

Afie: Yeah, absolutely. I’m kinda always writing, and the last recording experience was just so inspiring, which was really the opposite of a lot of other recordings that I’ve been a part of. Normally, you have no money and no time, and so you wanna be really rehearsed and go in and get it done quickly. And for this one, there was just no plan. We recorded it at home, pretty much. I don’t know; I just came out feeling so inspired as opposed to defeated. But yeah, I’ll make a new record, soon.

Do you think Pink Strat would have sounded differently if you wrote it today?

Afie: Absolutely. I mean, everyone’s taste in music is constantly growing and evolving. Meeting new people, doing new things – all of that kind of goes into it. Like I said, we didn’t really have it planned out. It’s like a document of a time period and of a place that I was in at that moment. If I set up the exact same guys at the exact same place, I’m sure we’d come up with something totally different.

I read about your mysterious knee injury. What’s that all about?

Afie: I had a soccer accident when I was on tour with Feist. We were playing soccer after the show behind the venue, and I just got a really gnarly leg injury. I got to go in an ambulance, and they pumped me full of all these drugs. And I walked around with a big thing on my leg for a few months… with a cane, and I wore my sunglasses on stage. Looking back, I can laugh about it, but at the time, it was really hard travelling around and touring and trying to get out of the bus, getting into the hotel, up the stairs of the stage – it was so much labour. I feel like when I’m an old man, it’s gonna be one of those things like, “Ah, sonny, yer grampa’s knee is acting up today”, y’know?

But is it better now?

Afie: Oh yeah, it’s better now. But every once in a while, it acts up.

How long ago was this?

Afie: A couple of years ago.

Pink Strat is the name of your album. How important is it for musicians to make connections with their instruments?

Afie: For me, it’s totally important. I’m a huge gear nerd and guitar collector… Each instrument can sort of conjure songs… You can just pick up a certain guitar, and there’s something about the way it sounds or feels will cause you to play it differently than another one would. For me, my “Pink Strat” has been with me for a long time, and I was playing it on lots of different recordings, brought it on tour with me, and I wrote a lot of good songs on it. So, when I was looking for a title for the record, it just seemed like a nice way to sort of honour that time and the spirit of where those songs were born.

How old were you when you first got it?

Afie: I was probably twenty. It wasn’t my first guitar.

Do you have names for any other instruments?

Afie: Nothing pretty, like “Lucille” or romantic or anything.

Last question! If you were a singing animal, what would you be?

Afie: I think I’ll maybe be a monkey. I can be a little bit of a goof. I also have a tattoo of a monkey!

***

For more Bahamas,

MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/bahamasbreeze

Don’t forget to catch Bahamas, opening for The Rural Alberta Advantage, on November 20th at Lee’s! Tickets are still on sale for $13.50!

Tags: afie jurvanen, amy millan, bahamas, feist, interview
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Review: Amy Millan & Bahamas @ Mod Club – October 14, 2009

October 15th, 2009 | By: Melody Lau

Amy Millan @ TIFF Canadian Music Cafe (Photo Credit: Steph Luong)

Wednesday night’s Amy Millan show at the Mod Club felt more like a cozy family get-together – but just a big one, in a large, dark club. Of course this was partially due to the amount of Arts & Crafts family members that were floating about (Broken Social Scene’s Kevin Drew, Brendan Canning and Leslie Feist, just to name few) but was also largely attributed to the musical acts of the night.

Toronto’s Bahamas opened the night with a strange, comedic set. It’s hard to tell if main man Afie Jurvanen was just nervous playing solo (as opposed to having a backing band on a regular basis) or if that was just part of his act but regardless, it worked to his advantage. Jurvanen’s commentary prior to his songs was charming and made his set ever-so light-hearted, winning over much of the crowd. His songs are simplistic yet filled with character, especially cute little numbers like “Hockey Teeth” and “Let the Good Times Roll”. He definitely takes a cue from Jason Collett, of whom Jurvanen toured with as part of his backing band, with his use of mellow chords and easy-going vocals. I was told later that most of his banter was indeed repeated material but you know what, I don’t mind. I left the show a converted-Bahamas fan and I can’t wait to see him again.

MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/bahamasbreeze

Amy Millan followed, with a stage covered in flowers (a la her main band, Stars’ set up) and a full backing band including the talented Christine Bougie on drums. As my friend, Jen puts it, there’s a difference between good folk-country music and just boring, uninspiring folk-country. Unfortunately, Millan falls towards the latter with this performance. Although there were some good songs, like the Death Cab For Cutie cover of “I Will Follow You Into the Dark” and “Skinny Boy”, much of her set was one-noted and flat. Part of this also comes from the fact that I wasn’t a fan of her latest release, Masters of the Burial though, but I did enjoy her first album Honey from the Tombs a lot. The end result of creating a setlist combining both albums’ work had some highlights but was overall a tad forgettable. It’s heartbreaking saying such words as a diehard Stars fan but in all fairness, it’s true.

MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/amymillan

Tags: afie jurvanen, amy millan, bahamas, mod club
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Pop Montreal: Day One – Cuddle Season is Here!

October 1st, 2009 | By: Guest Contributor

Amy Millan @ Pop Montreal (Photo Credit: Ming Wu)

In the spirit of fall and that new crispiness in the air, one lamb made her way to La Belle Province to meet up with another lamb in Montreal for a week of music and mayhem.

To begin, the Pop Montreal International Music Festival (September 30-October 4) is bicycle and people friendly, which is apparent from the incredible number of bicycles touring the convenient bike paths of Montreal and lining the fences outside of venues.

As a fresh start to the evening, a cycle tour up Rue St. Urbain to visit the locally renowned Croissanterie Figaro located at Hutchison and Fairmount in Outremont seemed in order. Incidentally, this special snack stop is located directly across the street from the Ukranian Federation, one of the many venues used for Pop Montreal and particularly for the showcase featuring Amy Millan that evening. Also nearby was an art exhibit based on Charles Spearin’s (of Broken Social Scene and Do Make Say Think fame) recent release entitled The Happiness Project. If you haven’t already checked out the album, it is a series of spoken word tracks—derived from informal interviews with Spearin’s neighbours surrounding the subject of happiness—over which musical melodies have been added to accompany the natural cadence of the voices. The exhibit is open for the entirety of the festival with cookies and warm smiles to welcome all that enter, so be sure to stop by if you’re in the area.

The Ukrainian Federation, at first peek through the doors, seems more like a place where you might watch your little sister’s Christmas pageant than see a concert. As the opening act for the evening took the stage, however, it was quickly made apparent that the whimsical backdrop of clouds and rolling hills combined with the impeccable sound of the venue were perfectly suited to the type of music we were about to hear.

My People Sleeping is a psychedelic pop quartet whose ambient boy-girl harmonies immediately lulled the room into a state of relaxation. Using voice as an instrument among the keyboards, electric guitar, bass, and drums, the band weaved some amazing sound landscapes. Although the stage was slightly elevated, making performer-audience interaction a bit difficult, the band bridged the gap by kindly sharing their cherry-flavoured Fisherman’s Friends with anyone suffering from a scratchy throat. Sadly though, no merchandise was for sale at the show. My Sleeping People if you’re reading this, we want to give your our money!

MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/mypeoplesleeping

Next up on the bill was Bahamas a.k.a Afie Jurvanen, whose one-man guitar act was fleshed out by the pleasing roll of a percussionist. Jurvanen has toured with the likes of (the now disbanded) Paso Mino, Great Lake Swimmers, The Stills, Howie Beck, Amy Millan, Jason Collett, Hayden, and Zeus. Bahamas delivered a more lively performance than the preceding act, waking up the audience and getting some foot tapping action going. Jurvanen’s hilarious banter was complimented by rockin’ dance moves and a magnificent moustache. Tracks that may have seemed less energetic recorded were much more enjoyable in a live setting. Songs like “Hockey Teeth”—written about make-out mishaps with a beautiful woman (Feist!?!)—warmed and readied the room perfectly for the headlining act of the evening.

MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/bahamasbreeze

After getting a chance to briefly chat with Amy Millan at sound-check that afternoon we were very excited for her to take the stage. The venue was packed to the gills by the time Amy and her Secret Weapon (made up of Hot Butterscotch horn section and backing band, Tumbleweed) kicked off their set with an acappella duet between Amy and country musician extraordinaire Dan Whiteley. The gospel tune had more country twang than is present on both of Millan’s recorded albums put together. The song set a playful tone that was calmed to a peaceful smoulder with the next track and old favourite, “Losin’ You”.

Being the first show of the band’s North American tour in support of the new album Masters of the Burial, one can expect some performance rough patches. Some slight issues with band harmony (practice, practice, practice!) and mishaps seemed to culminate with the cover of Richard Hawley’s “Run for Me” as Amy blanked on the lyrics and admitted some nervousness.

The audience, however, was hugely supportive and you could really feel the warm hometown love. After skipping the song and taking a brief time-out Amy was back on stage joking about her professionalism. Despite these endearing mishaps the through line of the performance was Amy’s voice and her charming banter which ranged from the glories of Jean Talon market, to biking in Montreal, to cooking eggplants. The rendition of “Old Perfume” (a Weeping Tile cover) and “Lost Compass” were also lovely! The track “Finish Line”, apparently the sister-song to Kevin Drew’s “Broke Me Up” from Spirit If…, was a crowd favourite.

Master’s of the Burial is an album for the twilight time; the space before sleep where thoughts are gentle and calm. The soft nuances of “Lost Compass”, a song actually recorded from the comfort of Amy’s bedroom, perfectly portrayed this feeling as the show came to a close, and heralded in the season of scarves, warm mittens, and cuddling.

Setlist:

Gospel Tune

Losin’ You

I Will Follow You Into The Dark

Towers

Ruby

Baby I

Hard Hearted

Come Home Loaded Roadie

Low Sail

Finish Line

Old Perfume

Skinny Boy

Bury This

Lost Compass

Run For Me (Take 1)

Day To Day

Run For Me (Take 2)

Bruised Ghosts

MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/amymillan

After a fucking frette bicycle ride up the hills toward the North West part of Montreal, we found Bruce Peninsula holed up in a great – if a bit remote – little venue, the newly opened Il Motore. We were warmed up by the kick-ass four part harmonies and the incredible energy that emanated from this 8 piece supergroup – energy that seemed to lack a bit on their newly released album. Despite the restless drum thumping and loud guitars, the sound system was great and did not destroy our ears but successfully delivered the nuanced vocal performance that is the band’s forte.

MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/brucepeninsula

Our adventures have left us inspired and excited for a new day of popping around. We’ve even made ourselves some delicious eggplant pizza for the journey.

Bagels and fun times,

Leah and Christine

Tags: amy millan, bahamas, bruce peninsula, festival, my people sleeping, pop montreal, show review
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Pop Montreal Picks!

September 30th, 2009 | By: Guest Contributor

This week!

Pop Montreal is coming in exactly ONE DAY and, well, we’re excited. The lineup is phenomenal and despite a few kinks here and there (The Homosexuals’ singer getting in trouble and having to cancel their show, Zoobizarre being shut down last night*) this year’s Pop Montreal will blow your mind. Yes, blow your mind. My tiny parc olympique apartment will become the Singing Lamb’s headquarters for the next week and we’ll be reporting about what’s to see, what’s new to hear and how to experience the most music/art/booze/food in one day without loosing your cool (I.e. throwing up in front of the guys from Destroyer). Here are a few things you should not be missing out on:

The Happiness Project’s art exhibition all week long at 5202 Hutchison, corner Fairmount West

Amy Millan with My People Sleeping and Bahamas because, well, it’s Amy Millan: September 30^th, Ukrainian Federation

Forest City Lovers, enough said: October 3^rd, Casa Del Popolo

For y’all Krautrock lovers and for the first time in a looooong time, Faust (and don’t forget their workshop at 12pm, Espace Reunion): October 3^rd, Ukrainian Federation

Think About Life for free, TWICE: October 1^st, Maison Radio-Canada (yes, that’s the French CBC) and October 3^rd at Espace Reunion

Pop BBQ on Friday and Saturday from 1 to 6pm for the free food and the good music: Notman House corner Clark and Sherbrooke

There’s so much more, it’s overwhelming. Take a deep breath and take a look at the whole schedule here: http://popmontreal09.sched.org

So what are you waiting for? Those megabus tickets really are cheap! Several departures a day! Only 7 hours of proximity to a stranger before experiencing the greatest music festival the belle province has to offer! GO GO GO! Don’t forget to pack a warm coat!

See you there!

*Shows at Zoo were relocated at Saphir (3699, boulevard Saint-Laurent) with shows starting at 7pm on Friday and ending at 10:45pm. Same schedule for the other days.

Tags: amy millan, festival, forest city lovers, happiness project, pop montreal, think about life
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Amy Millan @ TIFF Canadian Music Cafe – Sept. 17, 2009

September 20th, 2009 | By: Guest Contributor

Tags: amy millan, canadian music cafe, solo, stars, tiff
Posted in Photos | No Comments »

Let’s Chat: Amy Millan

July 27th, 2009 | By: Melody Lau

Amy Millan live @ Harbourfront

The Singing Lamb: So you have a new album coming out! Tell me about it!

Amy Millan: It’s very gentle. There’s a lot of times where you have these very fun epic nights and you go to the bar and you’re out and the music’s pumping and you’re dancing, you’re having such a great time with your friends and then you end up back at somebody’s house for the after party – there’s just kind of this time that’s right before you’re supposed to go to sleep but you kind of want to have one last little party or something – it’s kind of for that time. I just imagine listening to it at three o’clock in the morning would be the best. And also for my friends who just had children who are breastfeeding. So it’s for three o’clock in the morning or breastfeeding!

Ha! You should put that as a warning label on your CDs!

Ha yeah!

So is there any relevance between the first and second record?

Well Dan Whiteley is heavily showcased so he was a big person on my last album. I was very confused between kind of my love of old country music and pop music and so I think what happened was I ended up merging to have it become one. So the gentleness is there but it’s not really country and it’s not really pop. I was really scared when I made my last record because it was my first record and I had never done it but for this record I felt that I was really going to utilize the people around me. So some horn sections and some string sections…it’s a lot more layered, I think.

Is this record as country as the first one?

There’s one straight up country song; it’s the very last song on the album. Kevin Drew was like, “I’m really glad you have it because it’s like, ‘I’m still here.’” It’s still a part of me but it’s hard to explain…it’s gentle.

How has your time with other successful bands such as Broken Social Scene and Stars influenced your solo work, if it has?

Well I think when I made my first record I had written a lot of songs leading up to that and I hadn’t been in a pop band so I had this need to make pop music. I didn’t have that on this record. I didn’t need to make a song like “Headsfull” for instance. I don’t know if “Headsfull” was perfectly fit on that record; it feels kind of loud and like the ruckus but I kind of had anxiety that if I didn’t have a little bit of ruckus something would be missing, and I lost that anxiety for this record because I have two massive pop bands that I’m in, like big bands. And they’re quite loud so that squashed…or I should say quenched? It quenched my thirst for pop music so I was really able to dedicate myself to the softer side of music that I love.

Speaking of Stars, what’s the update on the band? How are you guys?

It’s great! We’re back in the studio, writing. Torquil just had a baby!

Yes, congrats to Torquil!

Yeah, she’s just going to be two months in August! The boys have been back at it; Patty, Chris and Evan have been writing some great music and we actually have four songs recorded and finished. Kind of exciting! The record should be out in the spring.

I also hear that you used to be in a band called Edith’s Mission with Emily Haines?

That was our first band ever! If you’ve seen the book (This Book is Broken), there are some pictures of us playing in the band. Are you trying to get some secret copies of music? She’ll kill me, I can’t! You have to ask Emily, she’s the only one. They’re pretty buried! But it’s interesting because there are songs that we used to play like “Combat Baby”. We actually sang a form of that song together; that was one of the songs that we sang onstage together at the Horseshoe one night but she changed it and it became “Combat Baby” so it’s interesting that a lot of the songs that we had both written had started in Edith’s Mission and they just gradually morphed into different things. There are a lot of things that I hear in Metric that we had done together. We did win a contest; we entered this Q107 thing, we were in the top 10 – so if you’re going to search, that would be the way to go…

I’ll do some digging!

That would be the way to dig!

Do you get asked a lot for a Feist/Emily/Amy all-female trio?

It was such a great idea and I always thought that that would be something that we’d do when we’re older, you know kind of how Emmylou Harris and Dolly Parton came together when they were like fifty. I just think we’re all so busy right now that it’s incredible that we even got together for five seconds for that Broken show was an unbelievable lining of stars. But you know, she sings on my record – Leslie Feist – she came and sang on my album. More importantly, I would like for us three to be on the next Broken record and I’ll have a song with the three of us on that album. I think that would be something spectacular.

How’s that going so far? Recording for the next Broken Social Scene record…

Well they just started, right. They just started writing and Kevin’s going to mix down some of the stuff and he’s going to send it to all of us and I think that show that we just had two weeks ago really reignited something for him about the core members of the band and how important it is, our chemistry and how we are together, and I think it definitely made him excited to bring it all together again. It’s just defeating sometimes when everyone’s so busy all the time but I think he was very happy with how he felt after he played that show.

I think everyone was happy!

Yeah it was really special! So hopefully that’s how it’s going to happen. There are euphoric ideas about the perfect way to live your life but it’s difficult sometimes. That’s why I think communes don’t really work. We’re as close to a commune as you’re going to get and I don’t know…the thought of it is so exciting to me that I will be truly disappointed if it doesn’t work. But we’ll see what happens!

So you’ve know Emily Haines and Kevin Drew since high school. What were your first impressions of them and do you still feel the same towards them today?

Well I met Em on the first day of school. I think that’s in the book, I met her on the first day of school going to music class and what was great was that we were both new and we started this high school in grade 11. It’s always weird when you go to a high school and then because people have already developed their friendships but luckily we went to the biggest nerd, geek-freak high school on the planet!

Etobicoke?

Yeah ESA, so it’s not like there was a lack of people being nice to us. It wasn’t some kind of nightmares, Heathers-kind of school or something. When I first met Kevin, he was quite a bit younger than me. You know at that time, when you’re that young, the difference between being in grade nine and grade twelve was pretty expansive so to me, he was a kid. He actually still calls himself ‘the kid’ which is hilarious because he’s like, “The kid needs a spoon!” and I’m like, “Dude, you’re so not a kid anymore but whatever.” But they’re magic people and I remember hearing Em sing for the first time on the second week that we met; we were in the practise rooms and she was playing piano. They’re just very, very, very funny. They’ve gotten better; it’s pretty great. Forgiveness, man! Because there are so many things – that’s the thing about friendships – is that people don’t realize that if you don’t forgive your friends, you’re going to end up lonely and we’ve done so many things to each other that could’ve destroyed our friendships and that should’ve destroyed each others friendships but we gave each other the benefit of the doubt and were like, “You’re hilarious, I don’t want to break up with you.”

How do you feel about the book being written about the band then? Because some have been pretty vocal about disliking the idea of This Book is Broken. Do you think it’s a good idea? And would you ever do something like that with Stars or yourself?

Well Stars is in that book, the book is about everyone. I mean I’ve definitely thought about writing a book about my experiences with Stars but it wouldn’t be the same as the story of how everyone came together. It would be more like road stories and the insane things that happen to you when you travel all over the place but…because there’s some good gossip in the Stars camp, believe me! I just might be at the heart of it…but anyway! What do I think of the book? I think it’s a little bit premature; I think that there’s a lot of stuff that’s not in the book that people didn’t foreclose…is that the word I’m looking for? You’re the writer…

Sure!

They didn’t come forth with a lot of information, a lot of the meaty stuff was kept quiet by me and a lot of people in the book and my favourite part of the book is the last thing that Kevin says which is that you can’t ever understand from a book. It’s pretty great from the photographs and it’s awesome to be in a book; it’s kind of cool, kind of a compliment. That’s the thing with Andrew, he’s a very eccentric person and he doesn’t give a shit about any of that stuff; he isn’t a nostalgic person. But I’m not a nostalgic person; I never want to be somewhere in the past. I’m always excited about what’s in the future but it’s a good story and I think it was done well…it sort of feels weird. You kind of look at it and kind of feel like you’re dead or something. I kind of wished that they may have waited a bit longer but that’s the thing that happens with Broken; Broken is this crazy machine that no one has the reins of. But all of a sudden Stuart said, or his brother said, “You know, we should do a book!” and they’re like, “Yeah, yeah that’s a good thing,” and all of a sudden Kev says it’s a good idea but he doesn’t realize how things are actually going to happen. Like he wouldn’t even do an interview for the book till the very last day that Stuart was writing the book! It’s just this kind of chaos that somehow pulls itself together.

Wow. So I hear that you used to hitchhike? What was that about?

I hitchhiked once on New Years Eve. I was 18 and we wanted to go to the bars because you’re old enough to drink in Montreal. It was very strange, first off it was hitchhiking in the winter – not always the best idea – but we had no money and we were very broke and I remember telling my mom, “Oh yeah, a bunch of us are just going to drive…” So then we met on the 401 it was called “thumbs up road trip” and it was me and two females and two guys and they’re very good friends and we’d split up and we didn’t even have cell phones so we were like, “Okay, let’s meet at Licks in Kingston and see how we do. The next day we ended up in Montreal! The best was coming home because we went and it was crazy; crazy Montreal times and when we were coming home we had no money left. We had nothing. I basically hade 75 cents to try and get on the subway because I was like, ‘”I’ve got to be able to get on the subway when I get back to Toronto!” We weren’t actually outside of Quebec yet and I don’t know if you know but Ontario’s pretty close, it’s about an hour before you get into Ontario from Montreal but we weren’t even there yet and this guy pulls over and he’s got his low-riser car, he’s got the dice in the mirror, he’s got this big hippie knit hat, he’s got dreadlocks and was like, “Hey where are you guys going?” and we’re like, “We’re going to Toronto!” and he says, “Me too, I’m going to Spadina station, get in!” We couldn’t believe our luck! He was telling us how he went out with the woman Susan, that Leonard Cohen song was written about and he was like “That woman, Susan, she was my girlfriend, she was a wild woman!” and telling us all these stories and he had weed and was like, “Wanna smoke some weed?” and he bought us all lunch in Kingston so…not that I’m saying hitchhike, because I would never do it now and if I had children, I’d kill them; but we got lucky.

Ha! That’s a good story. Could’ve been in the book…

Ah, see what I mean! Well what are you going to do! Emily said things in the book that I didn’t know she had said until I read the book and I was like, “Why didn’t Stuart ask or say, “Emily said this, do you have any comments?” because we didn’t know what everyone else was saying so it was like what are we all divulging here? How much info are we all giving away? So it felt like Stuart could’ve probed a little bit more. But maybe its better that the secret stays.

Well it’s a surprise too for you too when you read it then.

Yeah but there’s even more surprises. Maybe we’ll tell the real story in another ten years!

Hopefully! So this is you second time playing Harboufront Centre. What is it about the venue that you like?

I think it’s the best. It’s the best thing about Toronto. Toronto’s had such a shitty summer; the weather’s been terrible, the garbage strike’s been on, the ferry strike’s been on so it’s actually kind of the last vestige of something positive going on in the city to me right now. It’s a magical place and to be able to look out at the water and not have the stress of selling tickets and you know, it’s just free! And no Toronto guestlist nightmare and you’re like, “No, its just free!” Anybody can come and it’s great. For Broken it was a bigger deal because they cancelled the island show and blah blah blah, but a lot of people might not know my solo stuff so it’s a chance for people to just wander down to the waterfront, the beautiful waterfront and hear some songs they might not have otherwise heard.

You’re originally from Toronto but you live in Montreal now. Anything you miss here?

My mom’s house! I miss my family and I have lots of really great friends here; I miss having eggs with Kevin and calling my friend Cathy and walking her dog. It’s people more than specific places. And the language barrier is a little bit difficult so its easier here. If I have to find a sink or something I can call Johnny at the Jet Fuel and I know he’ll set me up with the coolest sink maker in the country. But I absolutely love Montreal. Evan and I just bought a house we’re renovating it right now so it’s completely gutted and pretty exciting. Building our little French home!

How did you feel when you first moved there?

I kind of enjoyed not knowing what people were talking about on the street. When I’m on the streetcar here in Toronto, I hear, [imitating the voice of an annoying teenage girl] “Oh my god, that Susan came home and she had this purse and it was so ugly!” and you’re trying to read the newspaper. But when I’m there its like [mumbles fake French] and you can imagine that they’re talking about the most romantic thing ever rather than hearing about someone’s bad date or something. Chris is trying to take French lessons. I used to be fluent when I was a kid so it’s in there somewhere but it’s pretty generous with the language, you know if you’re struggling most people will help you out. Everybody’s trying to work it out. I just want to get a piece of chicken…poulet. poulet sil vous plait!

At least you have a buddy now; Andrew [Whiteman] just moved there!

Ohhh I know! Isn’t that amazing! It’s a coup! I feel like it’s such a coup because I set him up with my girlfriend and now they’re getting married!

Aw, that’s so sweet!

I was like, I’ll introduce him to this girl and then he’ll move here and it’ll be totally amazing and then we’ll have him and then we’ll play bridge until we’re 80 years old.

It’s worked out so far!

Totally.

So on a different note, I just wanted to let you know that you have a very dedicated base of fans…

Well that’s nice!

Definitely! And they’ve kind of created something called the “Church of Amy Millan”.

What would Amy do! Ha! Well that’s very unbelievable; that’s nice to know. I’ll think of that when I’m lonely and depressed.

Well now you know someone’s praying to you every night!

That’s nice! That’s incredible and I don’t take it lightly. I hope I deserve it.

Well you do!

Thank you, Melody!

Okay, second last question: favourite drink?

Well I love wine. If I was to tell you a specific wine…it all depends on what I’m eating because to me, wine isn’t a drink, it’s also food. So if I’m having an Italian meal, if I’m having a big spaghetti or something, I want an Italian wine. If I’m having maybe something like a fusion of French like having a steak or something I can pull out a Californian wine. The best thing about drinking wine is that there’s so much to learn and there’s so much going on in the world of wine and so much to experience. I actually don’t really drink it on the road anymore because it’s a sacred time for me; this is a wonderful sacred moment I’m having with you! Mondovino! If you want to learn about wine, it’s a documentary it’s called Mondovino and it’s about the politics of wine and what’s happening with new world and old world wines. There’s just such a history and it’s an incredible, expensive habit that I’d love to get into but I’m lucky I have a sweetheart who enjoys it with me.

Aw! Okay finally, if you were a singing animal, what would you be?

Well it’s funny, you now when you do that with your friends, like if you were an animal what would you be – singing animal, we never really do but we do play that game. My best friend Sheila Malhurn who I was hitchhiking with that time in Montreal, we were talking about what animals and I was like, “What about me? What animal would I be?” and she looked at me and was like, “well I think a skunk.” and I was like, “A skunk?!” and she said, “Skunks are cute, Amy! There’s nothing wrong with skunks!” So I guess I don’t know…a skunk?

But I was thinking if I can hear any animal sing, the coolest one would be a giraffe! What do you think it would sound like? To take from its heart to its throat, like the sound would travel up that crazy neck? I would love to hear what a giraffe would sound like singing but I don’t think I’m anything like a giraffe; my neck is really short and I don’t really have a chin.

For more Amy Millan,
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/amymillan

If you missed out on her recent show at Harbourfront Centre, be sure to catch her when she returns on October 14 for a show at the Mod Club with Bahamas! Tickets on sale now for $15.00!