I’m happy to report that the WP has a song out on a new compilation!
Writer and musician Rob Benvie has a new novel, Bleeding Light, out from the fine folks at Invisible Publishing. (They’re the same folks who published my book Wooden Stars: Innocent Gears, about the legendary but cursed Ottawa indie-rock band, back in 2013.)
Rob had the idea to compile a “soundtrack” to the novel, and kindly asked me to be involved. I was very flattered—and later, when I saw the other artists involved, even more so. Master tunesmiths (Marker Starling, TUNS), Gen X indie-CanCon icons (Sook-Yin Lee, Buck 65, Joel Plaskett) and beloved friends (Murray Lightburn, Charlotte Cornfield)… it’s truly great company to be in. I’m joined by my brother, the sublime drummer Nick Fraser, on my own contribution.
You can listen to the soundtrack on all platforms, or buy it here—all proceeds go to Encampment Support Network, an organization doing important work to protect the rights of homeless people in Toronto, a cause dear to my heart. And, of course, check out the book.
The state of pop
This summer, I’ve been spending time at a family cottage in the Eastern Townships and, as per tradition, listening to a Top 40 Vermont radio station and getting acquainted with the hits of the day. A strong contender, for the time being at least, for the bit hit of the summer is “Levitating,” by Dua Lipa feat. DaBaby.
I have mixed feelings about the song. I like the throwback disco vibe; it seems like a bit of a low-effort version of Daft Punk’s nostalgic iteration, but I’m a sucker for it all the same. Handclaps: again, a cheap move, but an effective one. DaBaby’s rap is a bit perfunctory—no really memorable lines or dazzling verbal dexterity. And I felt like I wanted just a little bit more to happen musically: a subtle chord change behind the melody, a bit of dynamics in the groove—just something. But following these reflections, I was woken up in the middle of the night with the song insistently looping in my head for hours as I lay unable to sleep, as if in a form of revenge for daring to question its catchiness. Does a pop song sticking in your head mean that it’s good? Not necessarily, but it means that it’s done its job.
The one thing that does jump out after a few listens is the unusual structure. The verse is catchy (if evocative, not to say derivative, of Shakira’s “Whenever, Wherever”), but it only occurs once! I don’t think I’ve heard a pop song that does that before. I’ve been told that song structure has been altered in the TikTok era, but I’ve never seen such a stark example of it. In theory, I like the idea of traditions being upended. In practice, it’s destabilizing. These are interesting times…
Some sad news
Joni Sadler, a beloved and crucial presence in the Montreal music community, passed away this spring of a sudden brain aneurysm at the age of 35. We were not close, but I always enjoyed our time together, working on various projects or just having a chat. You can read about her life and her importance to the community in this Ottawa Citizen profile. I did a brief tribute to her musical contributions on my monthly guest spot on CKUT-FM’s Free Kick show; you can listen to it by scrolling down to June 27, Hour 2 at this link. RIP Joni, you will be missed.