Author: vish

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News Podcast

Ep. #194: Will Currie & The Country French

Will Currie & The Country French are a well-respected pop band from Waterloo, Ontario. Together since 2008, their latest album is a relatively sombre one called They Killed Us, which is available via File Under: Music and they’re playing Toronto’s Music Gallery on June 18 and Montreal’s Monument National on June 20. On assignment to write a forthcoming Music School segment for Exclaim! Magazine, I caught up with Will & The CF to discuss things like me sitting at a drum kit to stay out of photographer Dean Palmer’s way, an introductory jam/getting to know you conversation between myself on drums with only one free hand, Will on keys, and bassist Daniel MacPherson, the story behind Will’s jam space in Waterloo, this old house, musical education, the Beatles and Radiohead, Sloan and Rufus Wainwright, being left-handed and never playing guitar, his piano playing style, not being a country band, working with wood, a Korg SV-1, not being a gearhead, all about that Traynor bass, the concept behind They Killed Us and coming-of-age, jamming on “Philadelphia,” the song “No, Nothing,” and then the session was finished.

Related links: thecountryfrench.com exclaim.ca www.deanpalmer.ca vishkhanna.com

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Ep. #193: Angel Olsen

Angel Olsen is an evocative and true singer and songwriter who originally hails from Missouri but now calls North Carolina home. A frequent collaborator of Bonnie “Prince” Billy, as well as the Cairo Gang, Olsen emerged as a solo force with her 2010 debut EP, Strange Cacti and its 2012 full-length follow-up, Half Way Home. Her most recent album is Burn Your Fire for No Witness, which was widely hailed as a masterpiece and the best album of 2014 according to the A.V. Club. The record is available via Jagjaguwar and Olsen is playing select solo shows in Canada, including a NXNE appearance on June 20 in Toronto and Sappyfest in Sackville, New Brunswick on August 1. Here, Angel and I talk about how it’s funny to be called the best, lists and friendships, the year 2014, Dude Incredible by Shellac of North America, forming a band and playing solo, how band arrangements might impact deeply personal creations, working with Will Oldham and the Cairo Gang and leadership, other people’s annoying suggestions, what Burn Your Fire for No Witness might say about Angel’s 26th year, people’s fixation on darkness in her work even though there’s lightness in there, people should be able to sense her sense of humour, comedy jokes, two nuns and an orgasm, funny and mystifying lyrics, where the songs might come from, external perceptions and disappointing media coverage, podcasts are preferable, e-mail interviews too, nosy journalists, early music days for Angel, makeshift audio engineering, Skeeter Davis and the Davis Sisters, busking in St. Louis, early days working with Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy and Emmett Kelly, people might be popping off too soon, getting into film and filmmaking maybe, writing a book, the movie Paper Moon, the next album is shaping up in some ways, recording everyday, conversations at parties that are presumably about LeBron James, a possible Angel Olsen covers album, working on piano pieces for something, the use value in learning another person’s song, the Everly Brothers and singing like you talk, the song “Iota,” insecurity, and this was fun.

Related links: angelolsen.com vishkhanna.com

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Ep. #192: Marker Starling

Marker Starling is the moniker of Chris A. Cummings, an ambitious and gifted pop songwriter based in Toronto. Previously working under the name Mantler, Cummings has created a distinct body of work that treads the line between thoughtful melancholy and infectious joy. His new album as Marker Starling just came out this past March. It’s called Rosy Maze, it’s available via Tin Angel Records, and it’s prompted Marker Starling to play some shows, including one in Guelph on Thursday June 11 at Silence, as part of the 9 Years of Kazoo! celebrations. Here, Chris and I discuss living in the east end of Toronto, the frustrating housing market, working for the Toronto International Film Festival, Jem Cohen’s We Have an Anchor, Will Oldham and mystical connections, Mantler and Michael Mantler and Marker Starling, the letter M, the other Chris Cummings, stars on the rise, the Evan Solomon getting fired from CBC debacle, in-depth talks versus sound bytes, I can’t remember Amanda Lang’s name, depleting press outlets, doing well in Europe, things that influenced Rosy Maze, owning 5,000 vinyl records, listening not collecting, the Beatles mono vinyl reissues, the overall brightness within Rosy Maze, forthcoming Marker Starling records like the covers record I’m Willing, working with Lætitia Sadier, the song “Stormy,” learning languages via songs, another Marker Starling solo record of original songs is also ready to go and a band record is well under way too, parenting and creativity, the song “Husbands,” John Cassavetes, and that was it.

Related links: tinangelrecords.co.uk vishkhanna.com

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