Toxic lakes, wellness clinics and mud-caked bodies: the cardinal direction of Ensign Broderick’s BloodCrush is a saline fever dream, calibrated to the cultish wraith waste vibes of California’s Imperial Valley. Inspired by pilgrimage, anti-war protests, Decca-era Stones and Smetana, BloodCrush is the first new collection from an artist who announced himself earlier in 2018 with four archival albums of wildly ambitious, hyper-referential art pop, a fraction of his forty years’ of recordings.

Pre-order BloodCrush on 180 gram vinyl or CD here. You can also pre-save on Spotify and Apple Music by following this link.

Tanya Tagaq’s stunning new book, Split Tooth, hits the shelves on Tuesday, September 25, but it’s already been added to his year’s Giller Prize long list. The long list was selected by a five-member jury made up of Canadian writer and journalist Kamal Al-Solaylee(Jury Chair); playwright Maxine Bailey, who is vice-president of advancement for the Toronto International Film Festival; American writer John Freeman; English novelist Philip Hensher and Canadian author Heather O’Neill.

“We were looking for books that were written in elevated, idiosyncratic, original prose that exhibited an exquisite command of the art of language, and unparalleled mastery of structure and storytelling,” the jury said in a statement. “We argued viciously over books, expounding on their merits. But when the battle was over, what remained left us in awe.”

Read the full list of nominees via the Toronto Star here.

The Six Shooter Records’ Webstore is offering a limited edition Split Tooth package that includes Split Tooth and seal skin bookmark made by Snowfly. Buy it here.

SECOND INSTALMENT OF JUNO AWARD-NOMINATED PROJECT DEALS 1950s BLUES BOPS, HELLFIRE GOSPELS AND SEXED-UP CUTS. 

LISTEN TO LEAD TRACK, HOWLIN’ WOLF’S “WHO’S BEEN TALKIN'” NOW.  

Itches, urges, dirges and scourges: welcome back to The Northern South. Whitehorse makes their return to the early days of electric blues with the second instalment of a project that melds original grooves and melodies with the duo’s steamy, swampy, squalling approach. There’s foreplay, foreboding, fever and Fenders — plenty of them — with cuts from Howlin’ Wolf, Willie Dixon, Jimmy Reed, Slim Harpo and more.

“Blues gave rock ‘n’ roll its nerve. It breaks, bends and distorts rules,” offers Melissa McClelland, one half of the duo. “This sense of abandon, emotional and musical urgency trickled into all forms of modern day music. There would be no Cardi B without Lucille Bogan. There would be no Tom Waits without Howlin’ Wolf and there would be no Stones without any of it.”

On opener “Who’s Been Talkin’” (1957), Luke Doucet serves up a hearty White Falcon slice of love and respect for Howlin’ Wolf and his right-hand man, guitar hero Hubert Sumlin, while melodica and Wurlitzer wind around the deft dance of the lyrics. “The nuance of simultaneously accepting responsibility and accusing a lover of doing him wrong was very subtle,” says Doucet. “It’s a rabbit hole of contrition.”

From there, Whitehorse gets loose and languid with a Jimmy Reed via J.J. Cale take on “Baby What You Want Me To Do” (1959). With a few Gretsch squelches for good measure, Whitehorse’s tribute to Reed’s laid-back minimalism and melody mastery moves along no faster than a Sunday morning.

An exercise in subtlety it is not: Whitehorse’s version of Slim Harpo’s “Baby, Scratch My Back” (1965) is a lap dance, an unapologetically erotic, red-hot take. With McClelland on lead vocals upending the original dynamic, Whitehorse’s version is one of female desire and pleasure. Less girls gone wild, more sexual intellectual.

Next up is “I Just Wanna Make Love To You” (1954), a Willie Dixon original given a Jon Spencer Blues Explosion-inspired treatment—McClelland’s idea. “It would be impossible to top Etta James’ steaming vocal, so I suggested we turn ourselves into a garage rock band, a little scrappier, punchier and live off the floor.”

From a turbulent, direful crackling rapture to a haunting, minor key requiem, The Northern South Vol. 2 goes further back in time with two traditional gospel blues selections, “John The Revelator” and “St. James Infirmary.” The latter features one of the EP’s highlights: a righteous noisescape outro from McClelland, played on Doucet’s Les Paul. “John the Revelator was an interesting song to delve into,” says McClelland. “We liked the intensity of the end of times bible story but we wanted it to tell a more current, relevant tale. With some new words, we touch on the end of days issues that feel pressing to us: global warming, the Trump presidency, consumerism, and religion itself.”

Both snapshot and slingshot,The Northern South Vol. 2 cycles back and careens forward, taking a twelve-bar trip through the chart-toppers of the era.  “These aren’t deep cuts, they are the Top 40, the pop hits of the blues world, what was happening at the time,” explains Doucet of the song selection process. “These songs spoke to the basics. They communicated simple truths and realities in ways that transcended boundaries.”

The Northern South Vol. 2 will be released January 18, 2019.

TRACK LISTING:

1. Who’s Been Talkin’ (Howlin’ Wolf)
2. Baby, What You Want Me to Do (Jimmy Reed)
3. John the Revelator (Traditional)
4. Baby, Scratch My Back (Slim Harpo)
5. I Just Wanna Make Love to You (Willie Dixon)
6. St. James Infirmary (Traditional)

Listen to the first single Who’s Been Talkin’ on Spotify below or click here to listen on your preferred streaming service.

LISTEN HERE

“There’s an abundance of strong material on the records, which feature glam tracks, new romantic-style synth-pop, string-enriched ballads, and straight-up rockers. His baritone is reminiscent of David Bowie, Scott Walker, Nick Cave, and, notably, Bryan Ferry, but has its own distinct flavor.” – Dangerous Minds

Since Ensign Broderick made his solo debut with Feast of Panthers in March, the Toronto-based pianist/composer has released three additional full-length albums, including Beauty Nor Ashes, Ranger and Only Love Remains. Only Love Remains, out today, is the fourth and final archival album to be released before a new album arrives this fall.

Interrelated and intertwined, these offerings explore concept and process. Only Love Remains, which delves deep into new wave and glam rock references and self-referential interpretations, hits the ground running with the acceleration of “Gasloud,” which hurtles into the funky R&B squiggle of the lush and louche romance of “Roomful of Flowers.”

Ensign Broderick has pointed to “Rough Bells,” as one of the quintessential tracks from the first forty years of his output, and as the dark bass gives way to sax-punctuated swagger, the vast panorama of Ensign Broderick’s influences, from opera to new wave, anime to runway couture, come sharply into focus. The song later appears as a stern and metallic instrumental scaffolding in “Four Bells X,” a reinterpretation that also epitomizes Ensign Broderick’s transmutational approach.

The artist’s tendency to remake songs is also on display in the valium-laced pace of “A Slow Drip,” which calms the breakneck glam of the original 1972 version, “Blinded By My Own Mascara,” found on the album Ranger. Only Love Remains also dips and swoops through rock boogie-woogie and proto emo balladry to conclude with “There A Train,” a languid, woozy and open-ended song that draws listeners back into the Ensign Broderick labyrinth.

Ensign Broderick’s aesthetic – high concept, high art and high fashion – has brought his music into the orbits of many noteworthy collaborators, from auteur filmmaker Guy Maddin to internationally renowned visual artist Kris Knight, and to Winnipeg’s New Music Festival, headlined by Philip Glass. Before launching a solo career, Ensign Broderick performed and recorded for decades in Toronto with a staggering number of artists, a list that includes Rush, Art Bergmann, Catherine Wheel and more.

Watch Ensign Broderick perform “Summer Snow,” from the album Feast of Panthers, live in Toronto.

ARTIST COMPENDIUM:

Dangerous Minds Q&A: In which Ensign Broderick discusses Hopalong Cassidy, Tapco mixers and building his first drum kit piece by piece. Read here.

Accidence Behind-the-Scenes: In which Guy Maddin and Ensign Broderick discuss balconies, dream sequences and eccentricity. Watch here.

Guide to Glam: In which Ensign Broderick loads up a playlist with Glam Rock’s influences and essentials. Listen here.

“Nary a year-and-a-half after launching Nunavut’s first indie label…and a mere six months after doubling down on their intentions with the launch of the first-ever Nunavut Music Week in Iqaluit last September, The Jerry Cans are indeed beginning to draw ears, eyes and music-industry attention to the remarkably vital music scene that exists in isolation in the Canadian north.” – The Toronto Star

Photo credit to Jen Squires.

Six Shooter is thrilled to welcome northern indie roots band The Jerry Cans and emerging Inuttitut pop songwriter Riit to the artist management roster.

The Jerry Cans made a splash at this year’s JUNO Awards in Vancouver, where the band was nominated for two awards and performed live on the telecast, in which they shared the stage with members of their Aakuluk Music family, the Iqaluit-based label they founded. With recent profiles in Buzzfeed, New Yorker and Today’s Parent, as well as three Western Canadian Music Award nominations, the band’s post-JUNO momentum continues to build. Stay tuned for new music from The Jerry Cans this summer. “We are so happy to be able to work with such open-minded, open-hearted people who have understood us coming from a place like no other,” says the band. “Six Shooter believes in music that changes the way people think and their roster reflects that. We are excited and humbled to be a part of it.”

Watch The Jerry Cans’ new live performance of “Paniarjuk,” filmed in Toronto courtesy of Massey Hall and shared via Buzzfeed, HERE.

THE JERRY CANS TOUR DATES

RANKIN INLET, NU: Solfest, June 16
KENORA, ON: Anicinaabe Park, June 21
PETERBOROUGH, ON: Peterborough MusicFest, July 1
MONTREAL, QC: Festival International de Jazz de Montreal, July 7
HINTON, AB: Wild Mountain Music Festival, July 13
OTTAWA, ON: Ottawa Bluesfest, July 15
QUEEN CHARLOTTE, BC: Edge of the World Festival, Aug 10
STOCKHOM, SE: Stockholms Kulturfestival, Aug 14
TORONTO, ON: Koerner Hall, Oct 4
 

Photo credit to Jen Squires.

Riit, originally from Pangnirtung, Nunavut, is a songwriter, throat singer and accordion player whose sound expands into the realms of indie/electro/synth pop. Riit’s music makes a unique and compelling contribution to the growing amount of radio-friendly music being made – but also now being heard – in Indigenous languages. Since the release of her debut EP last summer, Riit has been nominated for Best Radio Single (Indigenous Music Awards) and a WCMA. To add to young artist’s list of achievements, Riit is also the host of a brand new kids show, Anaana’s Tent, which offers Inuktitut-language, Sesame Street-style educational programming. Season One of Anaana’s Tent is currently airing on APTN. “I’m excited to start working with such great people at Six Shooter,” says Riit. “I’m grateful to have met people who believe in and support Inuktitut music.”

Helmed by Helen Britton, Six Shooter Management’s roster includes Tanya Tagaq, Whitehorse, Whitney Rose, Ensign Broderick, Rheostatics and The Dead South. Of these signings, Britton says, “We have been friends with The Jerry Cans and with Riit for some time. Following our time together in Iqaluit for Nunavut Music Week and subsequently the JUNOs, it became clear to us it was time to make it official.”
RIIT TOUR DATES

TORONTO, ON: The Dakota Tavern, June 20 w/ Josh Q
EDMONTON, AB: Interstellar Rodeo, July 20-22