 Keeping the 'Peg Rockin' in a Free World
Winnipeg has always had a healthy music community, but as the industry shifts from CDs to downloads, our musical community is under stress. How do you make enough money to live on if all your songs are available free to anyone with a computer? Winnipeg bands are a resourceful bunch, and they understand that to be successful you need to play live, sell off the stage and use your tunes to entice buyers and market yourselves. Lets help them out this fall. Buy a local band’s CD, get out and see a show, pick-up a T-shirt, button or sticker, or just buy the band a beer. Care and feeding of our local musical crop will reap future harvests of great music. Here are some of the best new releases.
Winnipeg has always had a healthy music community, but as the industry shifts from CDs to downloads, our musical community is under stress. How do you make enough money to live on if all your songs are available free to anyone with a computer? Winnipeg bands are a resourceful bunch, and they understand that to be successful you need to play live, sell off the stage and use your tunes to entice buyers and market yourselves. Lets help them out this fall. Buy a local band’s CD, get out and see a show, pick-up a T-shirt, button or sticker, or just buy the band a beer. Care and feeding of our local musical crop will reap future harvests of great music. Here are some of the best new releases. Hard Rocking Bands
Sick City - Nightlife
Winnipeg’s Sick City upholds the city’s well deserved reputation for churning out great rock bands. Check out the clips for “XX and XY”, or “In the Millions” with its Metallica-influenced grinding guitars on MARIA’s website (www.manitobamusic.com). Tin Foil Phoenix – Age of Vipers
Sonic Bloom/Tin Foil Phoenix has released their second album and it’s full of radio friendly singles that rock with intelligence and passion (www.tinfoilphoenix.com). Kelly Fairchild – Starland
Eighties big hair rock. If you like Bon Jovi, Poison or Mötley Crüe, Kelly Fairchild will have you head banging like it’s 1986. Goofy lyrics, but hey, its rock ‘n’ roll (www.kellyfairchild.com). Burnthe8track – Fear of Falling Skies
Intense, relentless and bruising Burnthe8track lives up to its name and incinerates any speaker foolish enough to attach itself to this bit of flaming rock (www.burnthe8track.com). Want more? Try Come Back Kid, Sons of York, Tele, Telepathic Butterflies, The Weakerthans or American Flamewhip. Singer-Songwriters
Christine Fellows – Paper Anniversary
Folk music with samples, loops and general weirdness topped off by Christine’s off-kilter voice and remarkable lyrics (www.chistinefellows.com). Ann Walton – Top of the Hill
With a voice that mumbles and stumbles along, bouncing off her piano lines, Ann reminds me of a female Tom Waits. Jazzy, yet seedy—it’s perfect (www.myspace.com/Annwalton). J.P. Hoe – The Live Beta Project
On tour with Jann Arden this summer, J.P. is a roots-pop singer with great songs and loads of pure talent (www.jphoe.com). More? Jacob and Lily, Jaylene Johnson, or Nathan. Urban and Funk
Grand Analog – Calligraffiti
Dirty beats and scrapping rhymes swamped in reverb, Grand Analog is progressive and as good as anything you’ll find south of the border (www.myspace.com/grandanalog). Moses Mayes – Second Ring
Groove masters Moses Mayes have been getting booties shaking in this town for like… ever, and this new record keeps the party happening. With big horns, poppin’ basslines and great vocalists, Moses Mayes delivers (www.mosesmayes.com). Blues
The Perpetrators – Tow Truck
Who hasn’t seen this band way past midnight after too many beers on a Saturday night? This record proves they sound even better sober. Buy this (www.perps.ca). Pop
Ash Koley – single, “Mary the Inventor”
Has released a demo with the catchiest bit of sugary pop this summer. It’s musically wild and wonderful, but also trippy and infectious (www.myspace.com/ashkoley). Easily Amused – Simple Stuff
Powerful pop from this touring machine. Try the single “When Your Gone” and you’ll be hooked by this act’s polish and style (www.easilyamused.com). Country
Romi Mayes – Sweet Something Steady
None of that New County crap here. This is country that is steeped in tradition, yet modern and gritty. It’s real and delicious (www.romimayes.com). Folk
The Wailin’ Jenny’s – Firecracker
Don’t tell me you haven’t bought this record yet! The Jenny’s are taking the world by storm and you need to support this Winnipeg trio with your cash. Catch ‘em live with your girlfriend and score big points (www.thewailinjennys.com). |
