Zoon/Pottery
Zoon
Bleached Waves // Paper Bag
In the Ojibway language the word Zoongidéewin means bravery, courage, and The Bear Spirit. A name so suited for Hamilton based musician Daniel Monkman. He adopted the name… or did the name adopt him? Zoon’s new album Bleached Waves will be the best Indigenous album of 2020 in my opinion. If you need some Zen in your life... then you definitely need some Zoon! Think enlightenment. I also suggest headphones for the full effect. I felt like I had expanded my consciousness after experiencing this album. Nothing mind altering needed. His music truly is.
Growing up in Selkirk, Manitoba, he describes it as “one of the roughest places,” being victimized for your heritage and experiencing racism daily. Fast track to today as the world is awakening. There will be no tolerance for hate of any kind. It’s time for the healing to begin. Now imagine if you can, the damage those early years in Selkirk may do to a youth. It led him to cope with drugs and alcohol and some healing was needed. With spiritual guidance he learned from 12 step therapy, Monkman took his power back, stayed sober and pursued his passion for music. This passion was discovered while growing up in Brokenhead Ojibway Nation. He hopes to inspire people by his story and with his music. Let it be healing to you. And so it is.
“Vibrant Colours” is moving from start to finish. Bright bass line backed with a soothing vocals, and a far away dreamy guitar. “Memories slipping away” is reference to his experience watching his grandmother suffer from Dementia. Chris Chu assisted with post production on this one.
“Was and Always Will Be” blends the beauty of traditional Indigenous drumming and sounds from psychedelic guru’s Elephant Stone for the most harmonious of sounds. Sprinkled with Sitar and Om. Chanting ‘Yahweh’. This song is in honour of all living things. My favourite song on the album. Thank you.
The title track has a feeling of drifting and floating on waves with the ebb and flow of the tide. It was written in an improvisational style. Raw and natural. Let yourself decompress to this one. ”Help Me Understand” originated from a poem and morphed into this incredible track He spent some time in Victoria where he saw a significant homeless population. Questioning what trauma’s happened to these individuals to bring them to this point. No matter the reason it’s important to talk about. Healing the roots of trauma that caused , homelessness, addiction, and struggles with mental health. Why do they have to suffer when we live in such an abundant society? There is more than enough to go around. Love is the answer. Help not harm.
I was so completely captivated and moved by Bleached Waves by Zoongidéewin. It’s ethereal and spiritual. I feel lighter and peaceful from the experience. The world really needs to hear this album and feel the healing for themselves. Now go Zen out with some Zoon! Your soul will thank you.
Peace, Light, and Love to you all!
Green Noreen
Pottery
Welcome To Bobby’s Hotel // Partisan
After their acclaimed debut EP No. 1 quickly gained them the attention of music listeners world-wide, achieving major recognition from the gatekeepers of “cool” like Stereogum and Pitchfork, Montreal’s Pottery steamrolled into 2020 with tonnes of momentum. They quickly laced up, building off that momentum producing their first full-length Welcome To Bobby’s Motel.
The album is a snappy collection of groove based post-punk that commands its listener to move their body. From the get go Pottery foreshadow what to be expected throughout the album with its opening and title track. The track is a condensed offering of the elements that largely shape the album with moments of quick pace, psychedelic breakdowns and energetic guitar interplay. From that moment on, Pottery grip you in and don’t let go. “Hot Heater” builds off the opening track as vocalist Austin Boylan conjures his inner David Byrne chanting with an undoubted sass and whit.
The Montreal five piece are widely known for their energetic live performance and after a listen of this album it becomes evident why. Tracks “Bobby’s Forecast” and “NY Inn” show off the band’s ability to shape incredibly danceable and upbeat jams by utilizing complex rhythms and strong back beats.
While Pottery’s sound is largely forged out of their boundless energy and groove, Welcome to Bobby’s Motel proves the band is worth a lot more. Moments throughout “Down in the Dumps” and “Texas Drums Pt II” sell these post-punks ability to carve out proggy and outright psychedelic breakdowns, displaying a psych side to the band that is less seldomly shown on No. 1. The more balladic tracks “Reflection” and album closer “Hot Like Jungle” display a melancholic side to the band flaunting a more retro sound pushing the synth into the spotlight.
To Pottery, Bobby’s Motel does not encapsulate a specific person or place. For Pottery, Bobby is you. Bobby is me. Bobby is each of us. Our highs, our lows. Our love and hatred. The motel is our lives. The late nights and early mornings. Our daily lives and the times we break past every day monotony. Track by track this becomes clearer with each listen. Welcome To Bobby’s Motel is an extremely easy and enjoyable listen but first and foremost it is a lot of fun. Through and through the album maintains an energy and groove proving to be some of the most danceable guitar music to come out of Canada in a very long time.
- Kennedy Pawluk
