Clara May/End Game
Clara May
Moth Picnic // Mangled Tapes
Moth Picnic is the debut album by singer and songwriter Clara May. May is an emergent musician born and raised in Edmonton, AB. We get an opportunity to get acquainted with an artist who has been learning music from a young age, both around the presence of her mother’s piano lessons and the work by her uncle Tim Rechner from Edmonton’s sKiN. Clara May’s Moth Picnic had a digital and cassette release through Mangled Tapes on August 1 st , 2020.
Moth Picnic brings together a set of songs recorded in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. All of the songs were recorded by Clara May on a borrowed Zoom stereo recorder with the D.I.Y. spirit that took advantage of accessible, handy tools like GarageBand for iPhone. Overall, the sound that Clara May offers in her debut album attempts to introduce us to her folksier influence, from acts like Leonard Cohen and Joni Mitchell – and more contemporarily, the indie sounds of a stripped-down Sidney Gish or the early acoustic work by Frankie Cosmos.
“Birdsong” kicks off the album with a quiet track led by a soothing set of guitar arpeggios, where we get to hear May’s voice come into conversation with the discreet demeanour of the instrumental as if she were whispering her lyrics over to a weeping guitar. By contrast, the second track “Edmonton” brings the energy of the album up to an anthem about Edmonton, Alberta contemplating all its idiosyncratic features – most fundamentally, a resolute love for Edmonton regardless of how troubled the city may feel. The energetic and catchy chorus releases “Edmonton” over to another slower track in “We’re Alone, We’re Not Lonely” – a track that takes all the energy from “Edmonton,” then contains it into a campfire looking after the hearth of the song and elevating in energy as the song ends. These first three tracks run seamlessly through one another as an introduction to the artist’s sound. By enlarge, most of the songs in the album are acoustic guitar pieces, much like the Cat Power-esque songs that one would find in the soundtrack for the 2007 movie Juno. However, we get some changes in instrumentality with “The Reincarnation Song” and “Hide” that decide to build the song out of banjo, which get at the folksier edge of May’s influence. And I would say that upon a couple of listens, “Edmonton” and “I Hate Endings” are stand-outs to me: “Edmonton,” for being an anthem to the city I live in; and “I Hate Endings,” for the ironically strong finisher track to the album with the lyrical energy of a mid-western pop-punk song much like in the early demos by Katie and Allison Crutchfield in their former project P.S. Eliot.
What Moth Picnic offers as introduction to Clara May is the groundwork and foundations in songwriting brought together by dynamic lyricism that reflect on Edmonton, her youth, and her own internal space. It is a struggle to do this type of work in music, especially when the particular avenue of acoustic guitar music seems to back artists into a creative corner. What is exciting about Clara May’s approach to the whole matter is that the instrumental aspect is only one building block of her compositional affinity, over which the lyrics bring a voice that is unique. And having made this initial acquaintance with Clara May, I am left with some anticipation for her future pursuits after the COVID-19 pandemic – particularly, I am left wondering if, much like artists like Sidney Gish and Frankie Cosmos, we are going to see a transition in Clara May’s music from these acoustic building blocks laid down in this debut, over to further instrumental edifications in the direction of indie-rock.
- Simone A. Medina Polo
End Game
Demo 2020 // Independent
End Game is a newer band in Calgary’s flourishing hardcore scene, and they are already firing on all cylinders! I had the pleasure of seeing End Game last year for Scoped Exposure’s two year celebration, and since that day I have been eager to hear music from them. Demo 2020 is here, and it is sweet! Thrash fueled riffs, dialed in drums, solid vocal performances, and soul quenching breakdowns are in store for its listeners! This demo only clocks in at just over eleven minutes, but it has a seemingly infinite replay value! End Game is the first band for bassist Remi and frontman Wolfgang, and it is no doubt an impressive start to their career! Spencer of Winnipeg’s Locked In and Western Canada’s beloved Scoped Exposure lays down some seriously speedy riffs for End Game, playing a big part in their crossover Thrash sound. Francis of Snakepit (and previously of Sellout) beats the drums for Demo 2020, and does a masterful job, but End Games new official drummer is Travis, who used to play in Toronto’s Nailbox.
I absolutely love when hardcore bands start off bodies of work with a riff heavy intro with a compilation of mosh calls, and the intro on this demo ranks as one of my favorites of the kind! Following the Intro track, comes the red hot social commentary banger titled “Above the Law”. This song touches on Police Brutality, and the energy of the song captivates the frustration lots of us feel about the endless injustices that are committed by police with no resolution. “Above the Law” features the first of two guest vocal spots on the Demo. Vancouver’s tallest mosher, Luka (Backbite, Groza) takes the first spot, and he delivers a vicious performance full of emotion! Track 3, “Hourglass”, starts off a bit slower with some chuggy riffs, but quickly gets back up to End Game speed. This song is about depression, and the feeling of being claustrophobic in your own skin. While still keeping with the darker lyrical themes, this song can also be a really fun listen! The last two songs carry lyrical themes of anger, specifically with fake friends and foes. “Fools Play” is the first of those two, and it blazes along with immense fury! If you have ever been betrayed by someone you trusted, you will find a connection with this track. Last but certainly not least is the rager, “No Mention”. This song features vocals from sex worker and original “bad bitch” Nikki, who lays down some serious smack talk that gives even more attitude to a mean track!
I know lots of people are ready to get back to live shows when it is safe to do so, and when that time comes, do not pass on a chance to see these guys live! In the meantime, there is multiple sets of theirs up on the Scoped Exposure YouTube channel to get you though this live show drought. I find there is no specific mood needed to enjoy this demo, no matter how you’re feeling beforehand, there is something here to make you feel better. That to me is one of the most important things a piece of music can do, and End Game delivered full force!
- Justin Olson
