Monday 22 August 2016

The Electric Revival buries the needle on ‘Magnetic North’

Ian Dillon of The Electric Revival recorded their latest LP analog-style


by Christine Leonard
22 August 2016

There’s nothing like an honest day’s work, especially when the fruit of your labours arrives in the form of glorious vinyl LPs. It’s the kind of worthwhile pursuit that gets Calgary-based “sonic architect” Ian Dillon out of bed, and into his tidy ponytail and lab coat, in the morning.
“I was being an opportunist,” explains Dillon, who was recently featured in his role at Canada Boy Vinyl during a recent episode of The Amazing Race Canada. “I had gotten the gig at Canada Boy Vinyl as their mastering engineer back in September of 2015, and quickly realized that they had everything at the studio set up to be able to do an analog recording. They had built this amazing studio and had all this equipment that would allow you to record an album without ever touching a computer and walk out with a vinyl. I had been there for about six months, but had yet to see anyone attempt it. So, I was like, ‘Guys, I’m doing it!’”
As fortune would have it, Dillon also happens to be the guitarist/vocalist for the local rock and roll juggernaut The Electric Revival. A blues-infused power trio formed in 2009, The Electric Revival had coincidentally amassed a new haul of hardcore gems that were just begging to be laid down in the studio.
“I’ve been making records since I was 10 years old and it’s the first time I’ve been in a recording studio that didn’t have a computer screen in it,” Dillon says. “As a recording engineer, who makes records full-time, it was like taking something you know everything about and flipping it upside-down and doing it completely differently. For me, it was revitalizing. Like, ‘Wow!’ It’s no longer about sitting in front of a computer screen. Click, click…click. It’s about working with people in a room with a vibe. It definitely changed the process.”
Working closely with drummer Dallas Lobb and bassist Daniel Toews, Dillon chose to extend their grassroots approach to all of the instrumental and vocal tracks used in creating their forthcoming LP, Magnetic North (House of Pleasant Thoughts), which is named for the recording studio located above the Canada Boy Vinyl factory. A polarized follow-up to The Electric Revival’s previous full-length releases, Pirate Radio (2013) and Freaks (2015), Magnetic North showcases a dozen of the vitriolic band’s heavy yet heartfelt anthems.
“Limitations spark creativity. Necessity is the mother of invention. When you have Pro Tools you have limitless options, so you’re almost restricted by that,” Dillon surmises. “The whole idea of analog is that you have to perform and your editing is very minimal. You’re really in the moment and what’s happening on the spot is what’s being captured.”
Bottling The Electric Revival’s musical lightning presents a technical challenge in itself, but one that was facilitated by Magnetic North’s analog recording studio’s location directly above CBV, Canada’s only record pressing plant. Realizing this retro-fitted vision is an impressive accomplishment, and one that Dillon hopes will encourage other artists to take advantage of a purely analog recording experience in the future.
“It was fun watching all the moving parts,” Dillon confirms. “I actually cut all of the quarter-inch tape and spliced it back together; there were all of these tapes hanging down. It was like Abbey Road! Being able to do the whole album under one roof was incredible. Plus, the plant was sponsored by Big Rock, so they filled our fridge with beer every week.”
Magnetic North is available now.

Monday 8 August 2016

Winnipeg quartet Dead Ranch trots out the roadkill rock show

Dead Ranch is the sonic equivalent of “sprawling stoner rock vistas and pummeling prairie thunderstorms.”


by Christine Leonard
8 August 2016

Summer is the perfect time of year to relax around Winnipeg’s Dead Ranch. Prized for their sprawling stoner rock vistas and pummeling prairie thunderstorms, the gritty quartet has been beating up the tour circuit since the release of their stunning 2013 LP, Antler Royal. A visceral onslaught of rib-cracking riffs ensnared by sludgy inflections, Dead Ranch’s ominous skillset reads like the menu at a Roadkill Cafe. Breaking away from the fray to record their first new album in three years, guitarist/vocalist Chad Alsop and company enlisted gun-for-hire producer Jesse Gander (White Lung, Japandroids) to breathe life to their latest creation.
“We were always considering using our buddy Jesse again,” Alsop says. “We decided to fly him out to Winnipeg this time and recorded at Exchange District Studios. The album’s called Brumation, hopefully, it will be out in October, but we’ll see. We’re also going into the studio in September to do a split with a great noise-rock band from Halifax called Botfly. The split going to be released through Dwyer Records, and then, once the artwork by Kate Francis is done, we’re looking for a different label to support our new full-length.”
In addition to seeking fresh label representation, Alsop, along with drummer Ryley Divine and guitarist/vocalist Andre Cornejo, are adjusting to the addition of a new band member following the departure of bassist Steve Henderson. Despite being a recent addition to the rough-riding foursome, Dead Ranch’s incoming bassist/vocalist Alana Mercer (Chica Boom Boom, The Quiffs, The Blowholes, The Gunness) has a long history of kicking ass and taking names.
“I first encountered Alana when I was 16 or 17 and used to sneak into shows in Winnipeg, I saw her in this band called The Quiffs; just four girls playing the grossest most awesome punk ever and I was all ‘Holy shit!’ A few years down the line, I get to meet her and she turns out to be one of the coolest people and best musicians that I’ve met. Things weren’t really working out with our other bass player, that’s kind of the way it goes sometimes, and she asked if she could learn some of the riffs. She picked up on it so fast and now she’s a contributing writer. We were hoping to get someone to go on tour and she was like ‘Yeah, this is what I want to do and I really dig your music!’”
Picking up Dead Ranch’s trail where the staggering majesty of Antler Royal left off, the cacophonous tension of Brumation offers a glimpse inside the inner churnings of a band that has never shied away from the waking nightmare of existence.
“I think Brumation is an uglier, meaner album than Antler Royal, which has more eloquent, technical-sounding parts,” says Alsop. “The shit Andre and I were going through at the time is reflected in the music. It’s definitely a cathartic release. Dirtier and more distorted with lots of anti-chords that convey the sense that something ain’t quite right. The way Andre and I accent each other guitars, and Riley’s drumming too, just produces an uneasy mood. We recorded the songs a while ago, but couldn’t wait to play them live. It was eating us up inside!
“Continuing the animal themes: our first EP, Birds of Pray, referenced birds, Antler Royal [referenced] mammals, and so Brumation describes hibernation for reptiles — where they’re in a state of suspended animation, and then they thaw out, and they’re back. Kind of like how we’ve been inactive for a while, but look — we’re still here! We’ve got new stuff! We’re not dead!”
See Dead Ranch on their Western Canadian tour in August. They perform August 6th in Saskatoon at Amigo’s, August 8th in Edmonton at Filthy McNasty’s, August 13th in Vancouver at the Waldorf during Burger Fest, on August 17th in Siksika First Nation, on August 18th in Lethbridge at an “ask a punk” (secret) location, and on August 19th in Calgary at Distortion.

Tuesday 2 August 2016

Frankie McQueen - Interviewed by Christine Leonard-Cripps

The most lovable douche bags around

Frankie McQueen grabs attention & doesn’t let go



Primed to celebrate its fourth anniversary as a band, the local rockers behind Frankie McQueen represent the latest wave of Calgary musicians to take up the torch of reverb and rebellion. Its status as an up-and-comer to watch was cemented in 2009, when Frankie captured the “Rockstar” crown at a radio-sponsored battle of the bands and walked away $200,000 richer. There was a catch, however — these grand prize winnings are earmarked for recording studio expenses. But still, it’s a hell of an allocated shot in the arm for a group of greenhorns that cut their teeth on the Wednesday wing-night pub scene.

“Connor (Muth, drummer) and Kelly (O’Keefe, bassist) started the band back in high school,” reports vocalist-guitarist Scotty Charles. “They had been jamming and trying out singers for a while and knew about my singing and playing abilities from seeing me perform in various talent shows and with my band Fang. They were heavily influenced by the old Calgary indie and garage bands (such as) Telly; at the time, and Rob Eight from Telly was a youth pastor who got all those boys playing together.”

“We all loved Telly’s song ‘Frankie McQueen,’” he continues. “And we asked if we could use it as our name. They gave us the thumbs-up and by the end of our first gig together the crowd, at the Nova music showcase, was chanting ‘Frankie! Frankie!’ In that moment, we knew we had something worth pursuing.”

Continuing to build Frankie McQueen’s momentum and character along with founding members O’Keefe and Muth, Charles helped to bring guitarist Scott Giffin to the fold during the recording of its debut EP. A late-night brainstorming session that precipitated music lessons and a fast friendship, the addition of Giffin strengthened the band’s sound as well as its sense of purpose.

“Scott and I hit it off right from the get-go,” explains Charles. “We just started jamming and the hard rockin’ ideas haven’t stopped coming since. Even though we have rather different musical tastes and backgrounds, we all mesh together very well onstage. As guitarists, Scott and I tend to go back and forth a lot, whether we’re working on a sexy ballad, a big bluesy number or a ripping-fast metal song, eventually one of us will ignite out of a jam and create something that becomes a song. There’s really no designated driver in Frankie McQueen — too many assholes trying to backseat drive. I’ve found the best thing you can do in that situation is get them to drink more beer and then let ’em steer the ship for a while.”

With a second EP in the works, it appears Frankie McQueen’s ship is indeed due to come in again. Parlaying their new take on an old sound into indie gold, the organic psych-rock foursome is eager to immortalize the evolution of the Frankie McQueen sound — now with the aid of esteemed producer Graham Sharkey.
Prone to performing with his eyes shut — only to open them and find himself halfway through a set — Charles relishes the otherworldly experience of sharing his audio art in a live setting. In fact, the group is known to perform without a formal “set list,” opting to go with the flow, sometimes recording the order of songs after the fact to be presented in their “natural” order the next time. This talent may well be Frankie McQueen’s greatest asset, as it allows the intuitive quartet to present a moment while remaining present in the moment.

“When we’re onstage we know that it’s our time to shine,” Charles explains of his band’s alter ego. “Frankie McQueen is the kinda guy who rolls into a joint and immediately captures everyone’s attention and completely takes over. He’s a leader, not a follower. He’s a total badass. When I’m talking about Frankie McQueen the man, I’m talking about the most lovable douche bag on the planet.”

by Christine Leonard

Originally published December 16, 2010 in Fast Forward Magazine.