TOVI, Praises, and The Local Group
TOVI
I Keep Floating Away // Self-Released
In her sensational full length album debut, I Keep Floating Away is the backdrop to that feeling of drifting between a bizarrely acceptable dream and the day to day struggle of navigating life. For Rebecca Emms (TOVI), said dream would be Toronto’s Covid-induced winter lockdown during which she recorded portions of the album, including all of her vocals from the [dis]comfort of her bedroom. With a little help from her friends at Ontario Arts Council, Josh Korody (Breeze, Nailbiter), and Jesse F Keeler (Death from Above 1979, MSTRKRFT) she emerges in a trip-hop-synth-pop daze with a bleary-eyed shoegazing understatement for all our disassociating needs.
One of the most outstanding tracks, “Progress” is the synthetic assurance we can all cling to. She hits us with the collective hard truth, ‘I’ve still got a lot to figure out, But so do you and so does everybody else’. Merging a drum and bass line reminiscent to an older Gorillaz track with a solid synth pad, TOVI recognizes that even the smallest victories count for something, right? ….RIGHT?? Swinging us into another type of mood is the heavier, dirtier kind of psychedelic grind “I Don’t Think We Can Be Friends”. Consider this the hype track of begrudgingly setting boundaries that you may or may not commit to, in the simplest terms.
The entirety of the album settles between the two varieties, providing some softer Lana Del Rey-type lyrics in the opening track “Just our Luck” and “Mad Melancholia” while pleasantly stumbling over some more eclectic moments on “Money on My Mind” and “Tennessee Baby”.
All tracks are underlined with the acknowledgement of self sabotage and an absolute tongue-in-cheek commentary on the matter.
I Keep Floating Away is aptly named as the more I listen to it, the more I find myself floating into a summer infused with eager anxiety, Stranger Things, and throwbacks to 80s/90s synth. It’s boldly driven and a major win for Canadian music.
- Frankie Undseth
Praises
In This Year: Hierophant // Hand Drawn Dracula
Let there be many praises for the new release by Toronto’s dream punk/goth rock Praises titled, In This Year:Hierophant. Released on June 17th, 2022 with Hand Drawn Dracula. Cleverly crafted and full of intention the artist Jesse Crowe is Praises.
In This Year:Hierophant is the latest offering sophomore album by Praises. I feel it’s worth mentioning as with every year Crowe draws a tarot card to represent what is to come. Using the drawn card to shape and form the character of the coming album and title. Something I thought was worth sharing. This latest release, In This Year:Hierophant delves into hypnotic haunting vocals, synths, flutes with jazz undertones. Like a darker Portishead kind of sound and feel. Themes of human reckoning and hope. Praises is Crowe’s way of healthy release and channeling everything into their music. To transmutes and heal oneself and others. Music is so healing on so many levels.
All written by Crowe. Mixed with the magic of Josh Korody of Candle Studio. Masterfully mastered by Heather Kirby Dreamlands. Crowe along with Julia Wittman lend their ears for the engineering. It’s creative genius at its best with the all the love put into this release. Crowe breathes immense passion and fierce emotion into this release… you will feel it too. Like a voice finally being heard, acknowledged, and healed.
“Peace of Mind” really grabbed a hold of me. The simple synth loops and drum beat coupled with Crowe’s mesmerizing vocals and the delightful pleasing sounds of the flute. This song was the one that reminded me of Portishead. I think amongst the dark feel of this song Crowe uses her voice and expresses the depth of her words and her vocal styles.
“The Dancer” touches on getting lost inside your head. It might even be a dark place. Your invited to hide and hold your breathe. Don’t breathe. Don’t move. This song feels like it’s the only safe place one might have to find comfort in the dark. Better to be comfortable in the dark than to be afraid of it.
“Our Father” features a thought provoking video directed by Julia Wittman. The video is a cross between an art piece and movie. Very powerful and paired so nicely with this track! Well done!!
“March” leads in with an intricate drumbeat complete with rim shots and perfectly timed high hat. Precise and pleasing to my ears. Spacey synths lead into the deep vocals and themes of time. It gradually builds and builds with such an intensity. I would really live to see this song and album get featured in a film in the likes of David Lynch’s Twin Peaks. Someone feature this now it’s got such an apocalyptic soundtrack vibe.
I never realized how much this album was gonna grow on me and have me grow with it with every listen. It draws the poison out of the wound for healing. Freeing release.
Thank you Crowe for this creation and heart full expression. I hope many will give praise for Praises new release, In This Year:Hierophant. You can catch Praises performing live on August 11th/2022 at Horseshoe Tavern if you’re in the Toronto area check it out!
Be good to each other.
Love Always,
Green Noreen
The Local Group
Nero’s Waltz // Grey Records
Good news folks! New music has arrived from Saskatoon bluegrass band, The Local Group. Nero’s Waltz made its way into the streaming world June 3rd and consists of eleven tracks, great stories, satisfying harmonies, and rippin’ banjo.
Produced by Clayton Linthicum and recoded by Micah Erenberg, the album was released through Grey Records. It is evident than many different hands helped craft this album, making it a great release for The Local Group.
Nero’s Waltz definitely shows off the skills of each member and demonstrates how versatile this group is. From more classic sounding bluegrass to songs with a lot of their flare intertwined, each track paints a picture of the talent the Local Group holds. Adding a little extra to a few of the songs, Jake Vaadeland also makes an appearance on the album.
The group is made up of four musicians, Jaxon Lalonde on lead vocals and banjo (with the odd triangle appearance), Elliot Dillabough on guitar and upper harmonies, Ethan Peters on double bass, fiddle, and lower harmonies, and Justin Vilchez on mandolin. There are noteworthy performances from each member on the release, so I will lay them out for you!
Jaxon Lalonde writes a lot of the songs for the group, one of which being the catchy and sombre “(I’ve Been Getting Back Into) Crying Lately”. This is one of my favourite tracks on the album – that Lalonde sure knows how to write melodies that stick in your brain for hours.
Elliot Dillabough has the speedy fingers that hold the group together on acoustic guitar. Take a listen to “Nobody’s Love Is Like Mine” to hear a spicy solo from him. Another noteworthy Elliot moment on the album is the song “Fair and Tender Ladies”, which features him on lead vocals throughout.
Ethan Peters wears many hats in Nero’s Waltz, some of which bringing’ the bop on double bass, switching it up with the fiddle, and singing ballads in French. Check out “À la claire fontaine” to hear a couple of these fine skills Peters has.
Justin Vilchez has a special role on this album unlike the other members. Right before everything was locked down a few years ago, Vlichez flew to his home in Australia and ended up not being able to fly back. He wrote and recorded all of the mandolin parts in Australia and the band added them in after. It’s hard to imagine what Nero’s Waltz would sound like without the tasteful mandolin Vilchez adds. “Blue Yodel No. 68” is an example of a song that features his talented mandolin playing.
Showcasing each member’s skills in addition to the collective band is “Nobody’s Love Is Like Mine”. A well done cover, their version is catchy as hell and includes solos between choruses. If you are to check out one song from Nero’s Waltz, this would be the one to listen to. I highly recommend sitting down with the entire album though. Treat your ears.
-Holly-Anne Gilroy
