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Horst
a, Art, Arts & Entertainment

Horst: Transcending the ages through colour photography

by Jack Neal on

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Horst Paul Bohrmann’s (Horst P. Horst) work has become recognized worldwide as some of the most forward-thinking endeavours in photography, and he is widely considered one of the most prolific fashion photographers of all time. Despite this recognition, not much is known about the man behind the lens. The superbly designed Horst: Photographer of Style exhibition, held at the McCord Museum, provides a spectacular glimpse into the wondrous transition from black and white to colour photography, while also shining light on the shadows of this enigmatic individual as well.

Born in 20th century Germany, Horst moved to Paris to pursue a career in architecture with Swiss architect, Le Corbusier. But upon meeting the ‘star-photographer’ of French Vogue, Baron George Hoyningen-Huene, he veered off into what became his absolute passion: Photography. This is where the exhibit begins.

The exhibit begins in a darkly lit room with the letters “H O R S T” in large, white capital letters printed in 3-D over a dark grey wall alongside a biography of Horst’s early life. A multitude of his black and white photographs of beautiful women taken during the 1930s for a Vogue cover are on the walls. The centre of the room is occupied by a floor-to-ceiling glass case showcasing six designer dresses worn by some of the models in the photographs. These images, taken in the 1930s, were some of the first high-fashion photographs ever taken, and appear immaculate from lighting to shadowing to poses.

The second part of the exhibit showcases Horst’s Surrealist work, also from the 1930s, with a handful of stunning black and white photos featuring women in bizarre positions, posing with sharp-edged, cube-based inanimate objects. In this part of the exhibit the viewer is introduced to Horst’s friendship with fellow artist Salvador Dalí—an artist who clearly influenced and inspired some of Horst’s more abstract work. Additionally, Horst’s work-life division becomes increasingly clear. This separation is enhanced by the exhibition’s inclusion of four Dalí-esque still lifes and dozens of Horst’s sketches cleverly compiled onto an iPad, which viewers can flick through at their own pleasure.

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The exhibit continues with a short black and white film that documents Horst at work, mid photo shoot. Afterwards the exhibit opens into a stark-white and high-ceiling gallery that dazzles with the vivid colours and bright clothes of the aforementioned Vogue covers. This stark contrast between this section of the gallery and the more dimmed atmosphere of the preceding sections brilliantly displays Horst’s transition to colour photography and the dazzling effects that the transition had on Horst’s work.

The initial black and white photos, the introduction of improved technology in the 1940s via the short film, and finally the incorporation of colour all blend together superbly and transport the viewer through time. In reality, a large majority of the brightly dazzling colour photos in the ‘modern’ part of the exhibit are from the 1930s, thus either emerging at the same time of or preceding some of the faded black and white photography at the beginning of the exhibit. Highlighting the impact that colour can have on photography in such a seemingly anachronistic way is the most interesting takeaway from this exhibit. With colour, the world can instantly appear more glamorous and modern, and conversely reveal how incorrect society’s romanticized and re-imagined visions of the past are. The exhibit brilliantly enhances this realization by transitioning from brightly coloured magazine covers into subdued–albeit nude–black and white photos that Horst took in the 1950s, a clever testament to the rather mind-shifting experience that this exhibition encapsulates.

Whether or not the exhibit was designed to foster this rather existential questioning, it is nevertheless a splendid conclusion to the show. Horst: Photographer of Style is an incredibly well thought-out and striking exhibit that showcases not only Horst’s own growth, but that of photography and art as well.

Horst: Photographer of Style is being presented at the McCord Museum (690 Sherbrooke Street West) until Sunday, August 23. Admission is $8.50.

best albums of 2015
a, Arts & Entertainment, Music

The best albums of 2015 (so far)

by Chris Lutes and Jack Neal on

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15. Jenny Hval – Apocalypse, Girl

Full of surprises, Jenny Hval’s fifth studio album delves into territory that her previous work had avoided entirely. It pushes boundaries, with noisy interludes and sharp melodies that are so well crafted it’s impossible to take all the musical arrangements in with one listen. It’s weird, wonderful, and one of the most intriguing and bizarre records released this year.

14. Sun Kil Moon – Universal Themes

Despite a couple of uneven songs and Sun Kil Moon’s (singer-songwriter Mark Kozelek) personal lyrical vendettas, there are ultimately more good things than bad to say about Universal Themes. Taking the stream-of-conscious lyrical conceit of 2014’s Benji a step further by not tying it to any specific theme, he muses on love, death, and insignificant encounters with strangers, resulting in a complicated portrait of an acerbic crank. The lack of focus is responsible for the album’s weaknesses, but also contributes to its strengths—the idea that his songs can go anywhere is a liberating one.

13. Jamie xx – In Colour

Jamie xx of The xx delivers the platonic ideal of uplifting ambient music: It’s unobtrusive at first, but worms its way into the consciousness through multiple listens. After a while, the songs become fully internalized and the listener is invariably in a better mood than before they pressed play. There’s something to be said for an album that accomplishes exactly what it sets out to do, even when its goals aren’t as lofty as one would hope.

12. Marina & the Diamonds – FROOT

While her previous two efforts were all over the place, Marina’s third studio album, FROOT is a much more focused and well-realized album filled with catchy 80s-inspired songs that are reminiscent of Madonna in her prime. The Welsh singer-songwriter finally accepts her slightly unconventional position within not only the music industry, but society in general: “All the other jewels around me astounded me at first / But I’m not cursed / I was just covered in dirt.” It’s hard to get more honest or hopeful than that.

11. Earl Sweatshirt – I Don’t Like Shit, I Don’t Go Outside

Shut-ins of the world, rejoice—Earl Sweatshirt’s delightfully bleak album is notable for how stridently out-of-step it is with what could be labelled as normal human behaviour. In a genre often characterized by excess and machismo, Sweatshirt delivers an album that clocks in at under 30 minutes and highlights his painful insecurity above anything else, resulting in one of the more unique rap albums of the modern era.

10. Bjork – Vulnicura

With her signature distorted vocals and electronic-infused production, Bjork’s ninth studio album is one of her strongest. While a hard record to get through with its magnitude of instrumentals and the sheer length of the songs, it’s a rewarding and intriguing listen. It skilfully both reveals all, but at the same time nothing, about the enigmatic person behind this work of art.

9. Jessica Pratt – On Your Own Love Again

“Peoples faces blend together / Like a watercolour you can’t remember,” whispers Los Angeles native, Jessica Pratt, in a voice instantly reminiscent of Kate Bush. In many ways, this one line holds more weight to it than many mainstream albums do in their entirety; however, On Your Own Love Again is teeming with excellent lyricism. The intricately produced songs, recorded in Pratt’s own living room—by herself—with nothing more than a few guitars, reflect the emotion perfectly, complimenting the sense of utter loneliness Pratt is delivering.

8. Father John Misty – I Love You, Honeybear

Father John Misty (Joshua Tillman) offers a beautifully-arranged cure to the hipster narcissism that often accompanies indie music with an album that's unabashedly sentimental and romantic. Even more impressive is Tillman's ability to put that romance in an us-against-the-world context that's equal parts naive and heroic.

7. Brandon Flowers – The Desired Effect

With a host of big-name producers, echoing drums, and synthesized-infused songs, Brandon Flowers delivered one of the most fully realized and ‘80s-sounding records in recent memory.The Desired Effect primarily concerns unreciprocated love but also tackles existential wonders, self-worth, and the issue of tradition vs. progression.

6. Kacey Musgraves – Pageant Material

With Pageant Material, her second studio album, Musgraves continues to do what she does best: Make simple songs about complicated people. On “This Town” she discusses the bored realities of small-town life: “Everybody got real happy when the grocery store got beer”; “Somebody To Love” provides one of the most poignant lines of the year: “We’re all tryna get to heaven / but not today”; whilst “Good Ol’ Boys Club” is a fun little dig at the music industry: “Favours for friends will get you in and get you far / When did it become about who you know and not about how good you are?” Pageant Material is an out-and-out country record that offers some of the best songwriting skills of the year.

5. Titus Andronicus – A Most Lamentable Tragedy

Titus Andronicus rebounds from its sophomore slump, Local Business, with a gloriously excessive triple-album about living with bipolar disorder. There is surprisingly little filler for such a long album—it clocks in at over 90 minutes— as frontman Patrick Stickles shrieks and mumbles through emotional turmoil. Somehow bridging a gap between metal and bar rock, the album lends a triumphant voice for the hordes of people who can't stand to get out of bed in the morning, let alone sing.

4. Sleater Kinney – No Cities To Love

Following a rather complicated band history, Sleater Kinney returned with their first release in 10 years, a record that reflected the ups and downs the group has experienced over the past decade. It’s an exploration of success, age, and the group’s journey, held together with massive drums, angsty guitars, and intricately produced songs. With each song and experience and story of its own, No Cities To Love is a fantastic record that was well worth the wait.

3. Kendrick Lamar – To Pimp A Butterfly

A densely packed, politically infused, and genre-bending album, To Pimp A Butterfly is the record that 2015 needs. It’s an unapologetic rage and unfiltered explosion of emotion; something that only gets better with repeated listens. Not since Kanye West’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy has there been such an honest, angsty, and conceptually sharp album. This could be one of the best albums of the decade, let alone the year.

2. Courtney Barnett – Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit

The debut studio album of Australian indie artist Courtney Barnett examines the simple things in life that everyone experiences but never pays attention to. On “Pedestrian At Best,” she faces the reality of being a disappointment when raised on a pedestal, “Dead Fox” discusses millennial confusion impeccably well, while album highlight “Depreston” discusses the heartbreaking realization that even a run-down house in the suburbs is too expensive for a young couple to purchase. It’s honest, intriguing, and one of the smartest and cleverly written debut albums released since Arcade Fire’s Funeral(2004).

1. Sufjan Stevens – Carrie & Lowell

The loss of innocence and realization of growing up is never easy, but it’s made even more difficult when life is full of personal hardships. Inspired by the death of his mother and various other relationship troubles that stemmed from that emotional void, Sufjan Stevens’ seventh studio album incorporates intricate yet understated instrumentals layered beneath his raw and troubled voice. Achingly beautiful, Carrie & Lowell is one of the most heartbreaking and distraught listens released this year.

best songs of 2015
a, Arts & Entertainment, Music

The best songs of 2015 (so far)

by Jack Neal on

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Here's our list of the best songs of 2015 so far:

15. Jessica Pratt – “Games That I Play”

“People’s faces blend together like a watercolour you can’t remember,” sings Jessica Pratt. It’s one of the most beautifully-crafted lines written this year, and holds more weight than the combination of the Los Angeles-native’s pop contemporaries’ best tracks. Pratt’s Kate Bush-esque vocals are delivered delicately over a gently strumming guitar, before the song switches up halfway through to an incredible ‘70s-remeniscent sound, beautifully complimenting the change in tone and increased frustration reflected in the lyrics: “Were you coming to me to tell me that you’re mine?” she asks her lover, before admitting that “this motion is sickening”. Achingly gorgeous, “Games That I Play” is an understated gem in a collection of meticulously-crafted songs.

14. Lana Del Rey – “Honeymoon”

Released during the height of the summer, “Honeymoon” is the first look at Lana Del Rey’s upcoming album of the same name. Hugely orchestral, it incorporates the aspects that she does so well: Bad boys, doomed relationships, and never-ending love. “We both know it’s not fashionable to love me,” she croons in an almost whisper over lavish strings; this stunning ‘50s blue-eyed soul-inspired song proves there are many reasons to do just that. It’s a slow-burning and tragically beautiful track that breaks through the simplistic familiarity of modern pop.

13. Jessie Ware – “Champagne Kisses”

“Who’s fault is this / That I’m crazy about you,” British soul singer Jessie Ware questions on the opening line of “Champagne Kisses.” While the majority of her second studio album, Tough Love, revolves around love, this song stands out in particular with its immaculate production, Ware’s soaring vocals, and the vulnerable lyrics. “All I want is your love,” she hopefully wishes, before admitting that, “This love is supreme / That’s why I always give in.”

12. Jamie xx – “Loud Places (ft. Romy)”

For British musician Jamie xx, his 2015 debut studio album In Colour succeeded primarily in perfecting minimalism. However, the single “Loud Places” breaks somewhat from that formula, with the smooth vocals of Romy layered beautifully over a meticulously well-crafted collection of instruments and pulsating beats. “I’ve been to loud places / to search for someone to be quiet with,” Romy sings, before her lonely voice is joined with choral background singers, echoing drums, and a fantastic climactic second half that is unlike anything else released this year.

11. Taylor Swift – “Style”

Like many of Taylor Swift’s tracks, it’s often easier to love-to-hate the lyrical themes—and even the artist—than to admire the musical talent underneath. But with a fantastic blend of pulsing guitar, echoing drums, and effortless vocals, there is no avoiding the fact that “Style” is one of Swift’s most accomplished and uplifting songs. By echoing the sound of the song’s parent album, 1989 (2014), Swift’s lyrical message seems to be almost prophetic: “We never go out of style,” she sings, and neither will this track.

10. Brandon Flowers – “Never Get You Right”

“They’ll never get you right,” warns Brandon Flowers (lead singer of The Killers), in a seemingly innocent but truthful critique of society’s lack of collective understanding. Combined with fantastic reverbed vocals and heavy bass and guitar, Flowers’ vocals soar effortlessly across a wide range of notes, conveying a real sense of wanting to lend a helping hand to those who feel misjudged. “Don’t give into the pressure,” he sadly proclaims, “It isn’t going to stop / Because the world goes on around you / Whether you like it or not.”

9. Rihanna, Kanye West & Paul McCartney – “FourFiveSeconds”

Though it is painfully easy to poke hole’s in Kanye West’s attempt at ‘singing,’ “FourFiveSeconds” is in fact one of the most original and unique tracks released this year. “I think I’ve had enough / Might get a little drunk,” sings Rihanna, before Kanye West chimes in with typical character: “Hold me back / I’m ‘bout to spaz.” The song reaches a climactic mid-section with Rihanna almost breaking down: “But I just can’t apologize / I hope you can understand,” before Paul McCartney’s guitar work creeps out from beneath the vocals, providing a gritty and unstructured listen.

8. Kacey Musgraves – “Biscuits”

“Mind your own biscuits and life will be gravy,” country singer-songwriter Kacey Musgraves sweetly sings over simple, banjo-infused instrumentation. It’s innocent enough, but the underlying message is nothing if not biting: “I burned my own damn finger poking someone else’s fire.” It’s a witty and finger-pointing critique of society’s obsession with finding the faults in others, when in reality, “We’ve all got dirty laundry hanging on the line.”

7. Florence + the Machine – “Third Eye”

Whilst Florence + the Machine’s 2015 album was, on the whole, meant to be a scaled back effort in comparison to her earlier work, “Third Eye” is a stunning accomplishment and a return to the over-the-top production and vocals that she does so well. “There’s a hole where your heart lies / And I can see it with my third eye,” she shrieks over a fantastic mesh of echoing drums, claps, piano, and guitar strums heavily reminiscent of Fleetwood Mac. But fear not: “Third Eye” is the most Florence + the Machine song that Florence + the Machine have ever made, and the standout track of How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful (2015) by a long shot.

6. Kendrick Lamar – “u”

In producing probably the most formally ambitious track on To Pimp A Butterfly (2015), Kendrick Lamar shows a level of vulnerability that would make even the most fearless artist uncomfortable. Using the framing device of drinking away his troubles in some remote hotel room, he recounts the ways he failed himself and others with an brazen level of specificity. The amount of blame he piles on himself comes through in his voice—hoarse as if it was his 50th take. The song is even better in the context of its counterpart, “i,” a triumphant ode to himself that shows what a fascinating contradiction his music can be.

5. Perfume Genius – “Fool”

Though any song from Perfume Genius’ (Mike Hadreas) new album, Too Bright (2014), could have made it onto this list, “Fool” stands out as his most accomplished and striking song yet. Beginning with ‘70 synths accompanied by snaps and clicks, the song progresses into a stunning mid-section in which it’s hard to decipher between Hadreas’ piercingly high vocals or a screaming guitar. But beneath the immaculate production, the lyrics proclaim a dark and unsettling truth: “I made your dress / I laid it out / On the couch you bought / That I picked out.”

4. Grimes – “Realiti”

Although just a demo that was initially not even meant to be released, Grimes’ latest track in anticipation for her new album, REALiTi (2015), is a stunning retro expedition into the loss of innocence while growing up. Discussing the reality of absolute bliss of childhood over pulsing synths and airy vocals, the former McGill student admits: “When we were young we used to live so close to it / And we were scared and we were beautiful.” Having since grown up, she has realized that “Every morning there’s mountains to climb,” but with the irresistibly catchy tune, it’s hard not to feel excited about living life for life itself.

3. Donnie Trumpet & the Social Experiment – “Sunday Candy”

In nearly four minutes off joyful, unbridled nostalgia, Chance the Rapper brings the best marriage of rap and soul since Kanye West’s first few albums. Connecting religion and family in a way that doesn’t feel hokey or forced, Chance sing-raps his way through an ode to the time he spent in church with his grandmother with a palpable sense of reverence and love. Jamila Woods’ soulful hook underscores these themes, and the track’s cacophonous production overflows with brassy energy, while also lending it a modern edge.

2. Sufjan Stevens – “Should Have Known Better”

It’s not until you lose someone that you properly appreciate and value everything they did for you and the impact they had on your life. On “Should Have Known Better,” the most heartbreaking song on a tear-jerking album, Sufjan Stevens faces this painful reality: He painfully admits, “I should have known better / I should have wrote a letter / Explaining what I feel / That empty feeling,” over a slowly growing multitude of instruments that blend and compliment each other, resulting in an understated but emotional epic final minute. “Don’t back down / Nothing can be changed,” he concludes, realizing that moving on is only possible with accepting the past, no matter how hard it might be. After all, “the past is still the past / A bridge to nowhere….”

1, Courtney Barnett – “Depreston”

One of the most understated yet encapsulating artists of the year, Courtney Barnett captures the very 21st-century notion of feeling out of place in the world around you and the desire to break free from it. “You say we should look out further / I guess it wouldn’t hurt us / We don’t have to be around all these coffee shops,” the 27-year-old Australian singer-songwriter hopefully sings to her partner, only to realize that the only place she can afford is a deceased estate needing to be knocked down and rebuilt. “It’s got a lovely garden / A garage for two cars to park in / Or a lot of room for storage if you’ve just got one,” she continues, but at the end of the day, “It’s [just] a Californian bungalow in a culd-e-sac.” “Depreston” is perhaps the most millennial song ever written.

Best films of 2015
a, Arts & Entertainment, Film and TV

The best films of 2015 (so far)

by Chris Lutes on

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Here's our list of the best films of 2015 so far:

15. Slow West

Though Western films have long become stale, a fresh spin on its familiar tropes comes out every few years to show the genre still has some life left in it. In this period piece, a young Scottish man sets across the American West to find his lost love. Though its themes of lost innocence and the harshness of the wild are certainly not new to the genre, its distinctive visuals and stylish framing prevent it from feeling stale.

14. Kingsman: The Secret Service

Embracing the inherent ridiculousness of the James Bond mythos, Kingsman merrily tears down the conventions of the spy genre as quickly as it builds them up. Equal parts loving homage and biting satire, it follows a British street kid as he enters the secret world of international espionage, full of gadgets and cartoonish villains. Though it is first and foremost a well-shot action film, it manages to throw in some sly commentary about class roles and expectations.

13. Spy

After playing a series of increasingly caustic characters, Melissa McCarthy is finally given a vehicle to show how great she is at giving an inherently sympathetic and human performance. Playing an inexperienced CIA agent thrust into a dangerous international conspiracy, the film subverts nearly every hyper-masculine spy cliche with zippy pacing and surprising pathos. Though Director Paul Feig has no idea how to dynamically shoot an action sequence, the hilarious performances by McCarthy, Rose Byrne, and Jason Statham make it hard to care too much.

12. Ex Machina

The latest in an ever-expanding list of films about the disappearing line between humanity and technology (see also: Transcendence, Chappie, The Machine), Ex Machina explores the emotional implications of artificial intelligence in this three-person character study. In it, a naive programmer is tasked with testing out his genius employer's latest project: A staggeringly lifelike robot. What follows is a tragic and engaging look at how much agency both humans and robots will have in a future where technology matures more quickly than people.

11. Nightingale

Fresh off his highly-praised portrayal of Martin Luther King Jr. in Selma, David Oyelowo gives another spellbinding performance as the only on-screen actor in Nightingale. Portraying a mentally-ill veteran of the Iraq war who slowly unravels after killing his mother, Oyelowo elevates the serviceable plot and filmmaking, bringing a level of realism that could have been drastically overplayed in the hands of a lesser actor.

10. Clouds of Sils Maria

A terrific, naturalistic performance from Kristen Stewart is the surprising highlight of a film about the fear of being replaced. The plot follows a middle-aged actress who returns to her roots to take a role in the play that made her famous 20 years ago. The film uses her preparation for the role as a meditation on the intersection of artifice and beauty, filtered through two fascinatingly fractured perspectives.

9. Buzzard

Despite a tonally uneven first third, this film eventually finds its footing in the story of Marty—a small-time scammer who flees a desk job at a bank after getting implicated in one of his cons. After eschewing its tethering, the film unfolds in all its unhinged glory by exploring what happens when an intense anger towards ‘the system’ lacks a healthy outlet.

8. Wild Tales

Linked together by nothing more than a twisted sense of old-testament retribution, Wild Tales tells six stories of how people react in the face of injustice. Bending genres from satire to morality play to domestic drama, the film possesses a streak of cheery nihilism and surrealism as its characters become increasingly fed up with the hand that fate has dealt them. The movie’s lack of willingness to let its characters off the hook for any infraction, no matter how small, results in a cathartic and hilarious experience.

7. Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief

The Church of Scientology poses numerous difficulties for would-be cinematographers. Famously litigious and image-obsessed, the Church sent a team of lawyers to try to prevent the release of this film. It didn’t work, but it’s easy to see why they tried–the film is a horrifying saga that gives a succinct and objective indictment of the pseudo-religion through simply revealing its history in a straightforward manner.

6. The Duke of Burgundy

Lacking any conventional plot, this film explores the romantic relationship between two entomologists and how the arbitrary boundaries they set for each other feed into a larger narrative of sexual politics. The film focuses on the coexistence of love and power and examines the relationship from different angles, be it intellectual, physical, emotional, or financial. All this unfolds within a beautifully dense cinematography and some of the most hypnotizing camerawork in recent memory.

5. Mad Max: Fury Road

In a world where movie-goers have started to tire from action sequels, the first sequel to the Mad Max franchise in 30 years, offers the perfect antidote. Putting forward a gleefully bizarre vision of an oil-deprived future that is always in motion, Director George Miller films what is essentially a two-hour car chase that never lets up it's deliriously kinetic spirit. Beneath the sheen of glossy chrome are some surprisingly cognizant object lessons on feminism and religious fervor.

4. Cobain: Montage of Heck

All too often, music documentaries fall into the trap of blatant hero-worship, or trying to affix a straightforward narrative to the lives of their subjects. Brett Morgan’s documentary on late Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain avoids this, both by revealing the deep humanity and pain at the center of Cobain’s psyche through extensive archival footage, and by using formal techniques seldom used in documentaries (animation, abstract montage) to get inside his head. The result is a level of even-handed insight that is sadly uncommon to the genre.

3. World of Tomorrow

How can a film that’s funny, terrifying, awe-inspiring, depressing, uplifting, wistful, smart, and poignant also be less than 20 minutes in length? Don Hertzfeldt’s World of Tomorrow answers that question with his abstractly animated vision of the future as seen through the eyes of a young girl. To give anything else away would spoil the fun.

2. Inside Out

After a few years of (relative) creative decline, Pixar Animation Studios is back with Inside Out, which follows anthropomorphic emotions through the mind of a young girl as she moves to a new town. What could have been a straightforward and enjoyable romp instead turns out to be a thoughtful meditation on the value of sadness as a means of connecting with others. It also boasts a structurally taut script and some of the most ambitious animation the studio has produced to date.

1. It Follows

In horror movies, sex and death have always been linked, but it has never been more explicit than It Follows. The film concerns a malicious supernatural entity passed from person to person through sex, centering around its latest potential victim—a young woman in the vein of classic slasher movie heroines. Delving much deeper than its surface-level STD metaphor suggests, It Follows examines what one sacrifices by becoming intimate with another person and the consequences that sex has on the psyche without ever feeling didactic or obvious.

Haunting and lyrical, it gives some of the year’s best location shooting, straddling the border between the decay of urban Detroit and its winding suburbs. The remarkably confident filmmaking is evident with its use of eerily slow 360 degree pans and an unsettling score, proving once again that some of the best cinema comes from genre films.

(Photos courtesy of redbrick.me, slashfilm.com, grantland.com, vashivisuals.com, tumblr.com)

Bahamas Afie Jurvenen
a, Arts & Entertainment, Music

Afie Jurvanen (Bahamas) talks indie music and the perplexity of the Canadian music scene

by Yufei Wang on

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At Osheaga, the sunny grounds were filled with a dazzling array of musical talents from a multitude of different sounds. Out of these, the easygoing and dreamy indie sound of Afie Jurvanen—the Toronto-native behind the stage name Bahamas—could be easily picked out. His newest album Bahamas is Afie (2014), is often described as a ‘breakup album.’ Rather than being heavy and melancholic, the album has a lighthearted dreamy sound thanks to its strong folk and 1960’s rock influences. Before the whirlwind frenzy of Osheaga, Jurvanen spoke with a wry sense of humour about his musical influences and what it’s like to be an indie musician.

McGill Tribune (MT): You’re one of the biggest up and coming names in the Canadian indie music industry. How does it feel to be playing at Osheaga, the biggest music festival in the country?

Afie Jurvanen (AJ): We’ve played here before, and always had a wonderful time. They have great catering—the seafood is awesome. Hopefully they have the same chef this year.

MT: So you toured with Jack Johnson and Wilco early last year. Can you describe what that was like? Do the people you tour with influence the way you think about your music?

AJ: I don’t think it changes anything musically in those particular examples, but they’re really wonderful people and I think that’s the most important thing. When you’re travelling, you gotta be around people that you like because you spend so much time together. I think that Jack in particular is involved with all kinds of good initiatives outside of music, and those are the types of things I care about too. I like to be around people that care about the same thing, you know?

MT: The harmonies between you and your backup singer are really good. Can you describe the relationship between you and the members of your backing band?

AJ: Well, yeah, I mean it’s not really that complicated. They’re just really talented and I’m in a lucky position to be in, to have a band that you trust and I’m really grateful. They’re just very great players. They have very strong musical intuition, and I think that’s the best skill to have, no matter what skill level you’re at. As long as you’re really listening, have the ability to play with people, to respond to people, to have that musical conversation, you’re in a good position.

MT: Since your debut album, your music has developed quite a lot. Can you describe what musical influences have played a part in the evolution of your music? Are there specific bands or genres of music that have pushed you to develop your sound?

AJ: I wouldn’t say that there’s one above all else. I think I like a lot of types of music. There was a period where I really loved country music a lot. There was another period where I really loved rock and roll music. These days I listen to mostly hip hop music and as far as contemporary music goes, that’s kind of the genre where all the exciting stuff is happening. The hip hop artists who are pushing the boundaries sound the most original to my ears, and that’s what’s jumping out at me. Even if it doesn’t sound like that on my albums, I think some of those ideas carry over.

MT: Can you elaborate on some of the influences on your more recent work?

AJ: Well, I do like the way hip hop uses different time signatures and [artists] basically do whatever they want. For example, the chorus can be faster than the verse, and they can have all different kinds of genres all mashing together. I like that idea, and I think it’s an idea that’s carried over when I was making Bahamas is Afie. I was also listening to a lot of Celtic music; there are certain scales they use, certain notes, certain hard and fast rules that I really liked. I thought it was really powerful sound and I tried to evoke some of those ideas on the guitar when I was playing.

MT: Could you tell us a bit about your songwriting process?

AJ: It’s not set in stone. It’s generally a product of playing the guitar. I don’t get a whole lot of time to do that when I’m on tour, but at the end each day, I get to play about an hour. It’s mostly just being at home and playing the guitar as much as possible. I usually play around three to four hours a day and something usually comes out of that. Sometimes it’s a really good idea, sometimes it’s something worth pursuing, and other times it’s not so great. But I always end up taking something away from it, whether or not I end up making a song out of it.

MT: I read somewhere you worked with Feist before you started working on your own music. Can you describe what that was like?

AJ: It was a wonderful experience. I got to travel all over the world, which was amazing. It was a very formative experience for me. Now I get to do the same thing and bring my band along. I’m lucky to kind of do the same kind of thing and I think it keeps it interesting

MT: Can you describe what the Canadian music industry was like when you first started out compared to what it is today? What’s changed, and what’s remained the same?

AJ: I don’t know too much about the Canadian music industry. The music business in Canada is quite small, since our population is quite small. I’m grateful I get to tour in Canada, but I don’t actually play that much in Canada. Ironically, I spend most of my time playing in America, and touring in Europe. We’re also playing in Australia in the fall. That’s a lucky position to be in, since it means we get to play in more shows. If I were to only play in Canada, I would only get to do something like 20 shows a year. But I think the Canadian music thing is great, people really support their own here. If you get momentum, people are always keen to jump on and support you.

MT: If you could tell yourself back when you started out one thing that you know now, what would it be?

AJ: I would say bring your wallet on stage and leave your passport in the dressing room.

Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for clarity.

Ultimate Painting Green LAnes
a, Arts & Entertainment

Album Review: Ultimate Painting – Green Lanes / Trouble in Mind

by Jack Neal on

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Evoking a sound reminiscent of the past is a style that many artists have attempted, and subsequently failed. For while it’s easy to try to replicate, for example, the ’80s through echoing drums, reverbed vocals, and synths, in essence the replication is only a heavily romanticized and nostalgic trip down an imagined memory lane.

British duo Ultimate Painting have avoided this trap on their latest album, Green Lanes. Despite heavy references to the ’60s and ’70s, the album embodies a timeless sound by avoiding the rigid boundaries of what is deemed era-defining musical characteristics; instead it creates something that is effortlessly undefinable. The hazy guitar progressions, rich melodies, and relaxed atmospherics evoke a late-summer, beach-side, lazy aesthetic. It’s music for the moment that still manages to sound like something that has been around for decades.

Opener “Kodiak” is somewhat reminiscent of the Velvet Underground, and third track “(I’ve Got the) Sanctioned Blues” hints at some Beatles influences. “Break the Chain” is a fantastic exploration in subdued drive-rock that could have easily made it onto the soundtrack for the 2014 film Boyhood, and “I Was Lost” has a supreme air of tranquility surrounding it.

“Paying the Price”—a slow song which includes the more-than-appropriate line, “There’s only so much you can take”—is one of the few tracks that seems out of place. Luckily, it is immediately followed by “Woken By Noises,” a striking departure from the album’s lazy state, providing a rather gritty and upbeat tune that channels both fellow British rocker Jamie T and the 1961 hit “Let’s Twist Again.”

It’s not all about the sound, though, as the album’s themes and lyrics more than rise to the occasion. Standout track “Sweet Chris” is a heartbreaking love-letter to a former partner: “I never see you anymore / I miss the little things you say and do / In my mind it’s alright / You’re still there in my heart.” It’s tragic, but undeniably beautiful.

Green Lanes is a methodical, cohesive piece of work that encompasses the ‘here-and-now’ attitude perfectly, never breaking pace once. While it could be seen as a purposely vintage-sounding record, the duo never sounds like they are trying to recreate anything. The beachy, sun-drenched production and personal lyrics make it anything but a rehash of a reimagined era.

Standout Tracks: “Sweet Chris,”“(I’ve Got the) Sanctioned Blues,” & “Break the Chain”

Mondial de la biere Beer Fest
a, Out on the Town, Student Life

Montreal’s 22nd annual Beer Fest brews up fun

by Morgane Ciot on

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The Mondial de la Bière took place from June 10-14 at the Palais des Congrès. The festival's name recalls global-level soccer competitions, but there's little in the way of contest here. The mandate of "Beer Fest"—as English-speakers refer—is to bring beer-related fun and knowledge to the Montreal community.

Beer Fest was founded in 1994 by three beer enthusiasts and MontreAlers, an English local home brewing club which opened almost 20 years ago. This is the 22nd installment of the Mondial, and this year it hosted 85 breweries, including names such as Belle Guele, St. Ambroise, Dublin's Pub, Helm, Boreale, and Dos Equis. Of the 85 breweries, half were Quebec-based microbreweries.

While many parts of the Palais des Congrès are over 100 years old, its vibe contrasted the rustic setup of Beer Fest. Facing out from the Palais, a dozen beer stands were off to the right, the wooded area spreads out to the left of them, and more seating and food trucks in the back. Beer-drinkers populated the seating areas in groups of two and three. The total walkable area was fairly small for a festival that serves 150,000 people. Back in 2011, the festival took place indoors, in a large conference-style room, and more breweries were on display each day. The current setup was more intimate and friendly.

The beer festival attracted two categories of people—those looking to drink and enjoy themselves, and those concerned with beer as an art-form. Artisanal beers are becoming trendy in cities around the world, and the Montreal craft beer scene is still relatively young. Given the growing demand for artisanal beers and the fact that the market isn't yet saturated means that the craft beer horizon seems relatively accommodating for newcomers. In the U.S., the number of entrants in the craft distillery market is doubling every three years; Canada, on the other hand, has more craft breweries than the U.S., per capita.

The festival offered 523 products, 475 of which were beers, and the rest of which were meads and ciders. Half of the beers had never before been presented at the festival, making for a great opportunity to taste something new or experimental for only $1.00 per 2 oz tasting coupon. At that rate, a pint is set at $8.00—a relatively affordable cost as far as artisanal tasting goes. This, in addition to the festival’s free admission, offered mass appeal.

Just as artisanally disposed, Beer Fest food is an attraction in its own right. There's smoked venison and beef, skewered bison and boar, sausages, and gourmet snacks like grilled cheeses, Bavarian pretzels, 50 different flavours of fudge and nougat, and ‘gastronomical popcorn.’

"It was really nice to be able to complement the beer with sausages and cheeses," Catherine Preston-Thomas, a 23-year-old young Beer Fest attendee.

Moreover, Warren Robinson, a recent McGill Engineering graduate, notes that Beer Fest brings together all walks of Montreal life.

"Beer Fest was awesome,” he said. “I got to hang out with all my co-workers, old and young and it was really fun because everyone was excited to be there no matter who it was."

For those interested in food and beverage festivals, the Mondial won't take place again for another year, but in the meantime, you can check out Oktoberfest des Quebecois in Repentigny, an off-island suburb of Montreal, from September 11-13—a festival which will surely quench beer and beef cravings alike.

CRi Osheaga 2015
a, Arts & Entertainment, Music

CRi looks at the present and the past

by Chris Lutes on

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Montreal-based duo CRi just passed another milestone for local artists: Performing at Osheaga. Comprised of Christophe Dubé and Ourielle Auvé (during live performances), the electronica group formed in 2013. Their sound is reminiscent of early James Blake, with clipped audio samples looping over synth beats and droning organs. There’s an inherent darkness to their music, but the most interesting part of their sound is the moments of levity that shine through. This becomes especially apparent in their live performances, where their inhibitions seem to fade away as they get lost in performing. Perhaps this is why, unlike many electronic musicians, the duo prefers the live stage over the studio.

“You can just be so close with the people in your music,” Dubé said. “When you produce music in the studio, it’s more abstract. It’s not like [the] real thing.”

 With a more explicit audience to tend to, the band has to adjust their performance to the feeling they get from the crowd. Through previous live performances, they’ve developed a keen sense of how they want their music to come across.

“[The goal is] to create an energy and a flow that you totally control,” Auvé explained. “In the beginning, it’s very calm and mystical, and the bass starts to push very hard and it’s more dance-y […] it’s a build up.”

They built this sound at the Université de Montréal’s digital music program, where they first met. After graduating, the duo further branched out into the growing community of Montreal-based electronic artists, but have yet to notice a regional fixation on one type of electronic music.

“Technically, it’s very helpful to study [digital music] at a university—all of the philosophy about how to make music, how to share your sound with people” Dubé said.“I think there is no Montreal electronic sound. It’s more like different people from different places in the world come to Montreal to make music.”

The fact that CRi’s sound isn’t limited to any sole subgenre of electronica is indicative of this. Although they admit to benefit from the influence of their peers, the band has also paradoxically been able to use their experience as a means of asserting their musical independence.

“You see people with different backgrounds and [it] kind of makes you go in your own direction,” Auvé said.

Pierre Kwenders
a, Arts & Entertainment, Music

Defining Pierre Kwenders

by Morgan Alexander on

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On stage, Pierre Kwenders is a firecracker. He moves non-stop—dancing to the rhythm of his set, laughing between verses, and engaging his guest performers in a three-way can-can. Yet in person, the energetic persona fades, and he is much more reserved.

“In real life I’m not Pierre Kwenders, I’m José Louis,” Kwenders stated behind thick, circular sunglasses. “On stage I’m freaking out and jumping around but in real life I’m a quiet guy.”

Kwenders was born in 1985 in Zaïre—now the Democratic Republic of the Congo—where he lived until immigrating to Canada at 16. Despite having now lived in Canada for 14 years without having yet returned to his home country, Kwenders maintains prominent links to his home, both on stage and off. When performing, he displays what he calls the “flag of the [Pierre Kwenders] PK Nation,” an emblem laden with Central African imagery.

“I was born when it was Zaïre and I really really like that flag,” Kwenders claimed. “Those two countries, [Angola and Zaïre], are part of the Bantu Empire, so I wanted to have that link between the flag and the idea of the Bantus.”

There’s a lot of people out there who just love music and they don’t care. I think we should just let people decide what they like.

Kwenders makes a conscious decision to blend different histories, regions, and sentiments in his songs in a way that makes people feel at ease.The process behind it is undeniably effortless, and can best be understood in Kwenders’ description of how he decides which language he should use for his lyrics (he performs in five languages in total).

“It’s natural, it [comes] when I hear a sound and that sound inspires me to sing in a specific language,” he explained. “For instance, in ‘African Dream,’ which has a lot of percussion, that reminded me of one of the languages in the Congo, which is Tshiluba.”

Despite performing in so many different languages and incorporating a myriad of different melodies—from Congolese Rumba to electro pop—in his music, the end product is designed to be approachable and unifying. Most of Kwenders’ songs focus lyrically on “love, happiness, peace, and some sadness,” but it’s not the lyrics that Kwenders wants to emphasize; rather, it’s the feeling a listener gets.

“[I] was listening to a lot of Michael Jackson and didn’t know a word of English, but I was feeling something out of it,” Kwenders remembered fondly of his childhood, a goal he tries to replicate as a musician. “If with my music I am able to make people feel the same way of when I was young listening to a foreign singer and not understanding a word […] then that’s the most important thing.”

Pierre Kwenders’ music, then, is worldly in nature: It pointedly draws on sounds from across the world and blends them into relatable songs for anyone listening. But, according to Kwenders, it is not ‘World Music’, and should certainly not be categorized as ‘World 2.0,’ a term used to classify popular music that originates in Africa. If he had to classify it at all, he would call it “afro-futurism.”

“The best way [to classify music] would be just to put everybody in the same category,” he explained. “There’s a lot of people out there who just love music and they don’t care. I think we should just let people decide what they like.”

Kwenders’ unifying sound is gaining traction in Canada—he was a shortlisted nominee for the Juno Award for World Music Album of the Year and a longlisted nominee for the 2015 Polaris Music Prize. For Kwenders, it’s less about the recognition the music brings and more about what the music creates—a screaming, energetic crowd at Osheaga, for instance. This raw commitment to the essence of music, combined with Kwenders’ clear talent as a writer and performer, should make him a household name.

“You have to find your own place, and find your own identity in the world,” Kwenders said. “Music is a sound, it’s what you do with an instrument, it’s what you play. Whatever sound comes out, it is still music.”

Lindi Ortega
a, Arts & Entertainment

Album Review: Lindi Ortega – Faded Gloryville / The Grand Tour Records

by Jack Neal on

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Full-fledged country music has historically been dominated by those native to the southern United States. In fact, only a handful of geographically ‘outsiders’ have successfully transitioned into the genre, the most prominent on the list being Shania Twain and Keith Urban. Canadian singer Lindi Ortega, with the release of her newest album, Faded Gloryville, shows that she may soon join that list.

After moving to Tennessee a number of years ago, the Toronto native has released a string of well-received studio albums that show her progression as a vocalist and songwriter. Faded Gloryville, maintains her well-crafted melodies, powerful songwriting skills, and signature vocals that initially established her as a prominent up-and-comer in country music. Opening track “Ashes” sets the scene for the rest of the album with themes of heartbreak, loneliness, and nods to the ever-fading glimmer of idealized small-town life. “You come to set my heart on fire / But then you just left it to burn,” she sighs, before hopefully begging her lover, “Please don’t leave me in the ashes of your memory.”

“Somebody Seen,”perhaps the most Dolly Parton-esque song in the album, deals with the sad realization that the person you love might not be ‘the one’ after all: “I’ve been spending all my nights on someone that just ain’t right.” Ortega then channels a more mature version of Taylor Swift vibe in “I Ain’t the Girl,” lyrically putting her lover in his place. Her most lyrically powerful track comes, however, from “Run-down Neighbourhood,” in which Ortega evokes a sense of wistfulness and living in the moment despite sad surroundings. “You can have some of my weed / If I can have your cigarette,” she humorously sings, before admitting, “Maybe we’re both a little messed up / but maybe that’s understood / So we’ll get messed up together in this run-down neighbourhood.”

Ortega’s striking vocals combined with her knack for storytelling is heavily reminiscent of the socially combative country music that arose with Parton in the mid 1970s, a possible byproduct of Ortega’s outsider status. Even when the love-focused songs in the middle of the album begin to drag, her voice soldiers on, floating above the country-infused instruments. Faded Gloryville provides a heavily refreshing and rewarding listen from an artist who is constantly evolving.

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