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You can’t catch a bus in Vancouver without tripping over a struggling indie musician trying to figure out how to turn the pain in their soul into 10,000 Spotify streams and a record deal…or even just a level of familiarity that means the Green Auto regulars are excited to see their name on the bill. We all start somewhere.
So, we’re collecting jams from local artists both small and not-so-small and giving them a spin each month. Maybe you’ll find your new favourite bop.
The Vidos — “The ICU”
Do you ever wish that your favourite ’90s pop-punk rockers could take on the issues of today with witty one-liners about apps like Bumble and Headspace? If yes (or if you’re even curious what that might sound like), you’ll want to check out three-piece the Vidos’ “The ICU”. A concoction that’s part Good Charlotte, part Weezer, and part Modern Baseball, the Vidos have addictive guitar work and smooth vocal stylings. As for the name, their Instagram bio says it was “supposed to be ‘The Vetos’, but we can’t spell”. Of course, that would also be grammatically incorrect.
Aversions — “Empty Century”
Aversions answers the question, “What if Interpol was Canadian and slightly more distorted?” Okay, it’s not that simple of a comparison, but Aversions does have the same marriage of hard drums, thumping bass, a baritone singer, and vocal effects that make said singer’s voice seem close and far away at certain points. You know what, no, it is that simple of a comparison. And that’s a good thing for the Vancouver rockers, as “Empty Century”, much like Interpol, kicks ass.
Steph Wall — “lime & coke”
Steph Wall calls her music “velvet alternative”—dubbing it a “fusion of surf, soul, indie rock, and Americana twang”. We’d probably scoff at that very specifically weird term if it didn’t happen to work quite well. Her new EP Tang! is a five-song breeding ground for at least a dozen different inspirations—you can hear everything from FKA Twigs (“start your engines!!!”) to Lord Huron (“the heart is a lonely hunter”). The indie folk track “lime & coke” combines Wall’s pitch-perfect voice and smooth guitar twang with some crushing lyrics to be a standout on the record.
BASTIAN — “Currents”
“Is this beyond repair or just out of reach?” asks metalcore quintet BASTIAN on its first song since a two-year hiatus caused by a life-threatening motorcycle wreck. “Currents” is a deep, dark plunge into heavy metal, yes, but it also has the band’s typical flourishes of melody that peek in and out of the darkness. BASTIAN’s upcoming EP, Impressions, out September 19, promises to detail its trials and tribulations as it reckons with a dark, tough past and moves forward.
Kylie V — “Distance”
When you can make the oldest of dogs (Straight senior editor Mike Usinger) learn a new trick (listening to music made this century), you know you’ve probably done something right. Last year, Usinger used both Alanis Morrisette and Phoebe Bridgers to describe the music of Kylie V. Those comparisons seem apt through their newest single, the irresistible “Distance”, which uses their versatile voice to set up what appears to be a wandering acoustic lullaby until the guitars pick up and the singer matches them beautifully. By the end, if you’re not tapping your feet, you may not have a soul.
Steph Clifford — “cocoon”
Another one-word title from an indie-folk songwriter, “cocoon” is the titular track off Clifford’s upcoming debut EP. You’d be forgiven if you just assumed that the Salmon Arm–based Clifford was a veteran of the province’s indie scene, though, as “cocoon” is an extremely polished and confident folk tune about lost love. Maybe that should be no surprise, given the album was produced by Leon Power (City and Colour, Frazey Ford), and recorded at Vancouver’s Afterlife Studios.
Pen Pal Aloha — “Radio”
Pen Pal Aloha is the kind of rock band that would be a whole whack of fun to see live. The charging guitars, wicked drumline, and easy-to-sing-along-with lyrics are a winning combination. Sounding like the Replacements if they were (a good amount) more punk, Pen Pal Aloha’s latest EP, Pacific, drives hard into fun indie rock that doesn’t take itself too seriously. “Radio”, in particular, is just an absolute jam that you’ll probably end up straining your vocal cords to. And hey, lucky you, you can see the three-piece rock out at Car Free Day on Commercial Drive on September 6.
Beau Wheeler — “Trans”
Beau Wheeler is nothing if not confident. The non-binary Vancouver singer’s website says they have a “set of pipes that would be the envy of Torch and Twang–era k.d. lang or a young Robert Plant.” Their newest single, “Trans”, is just as confident. Sparsely accompanied by minimalist keyboarding, an electronic beat, and a drum machine, Wheeler’s voice does the heavy lifting, moving up and down registers with ease. The lyrics aren’t exactly shy, either. “Hold up your hands/Don’t give a shit if they understand.”
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.straight.com ’
