Snotty Nose Rez Kids, Frank Mighty’s Hotline, and The Exit Bags
Snotty Nose Rez Kids
Life After // Distorted Muse, Fontana North
Have you been asleep? Well then it’s time to wake up; Snotty Nose Rez Kids just dropped their fourth LP - Life After.
If you are unfamiliar with the duo then allow me to introduce them. SNRK is a Vancouver- based, first nation hip-hop group that consists of two members Young D and Yung Trybez. The two first connected in high school through their love of hip-hop. Since releasing their debut album. The Average Savage. in 2017 the two have had quite a run; being nominated for a JUNO Award and taking home the award for best hip-hop album at the Indigenous Music Awards in 2018.
Coming off the high of their earlier releases it was only right that the Rez Kids brought forth, in my opinion, their best project to date. The duo is overlooked in Canadian hip-hop, you hear of Houdini, Pressa, NorthsideBenji, WhyG, and more but why are these guys not mentioned in the conversation?
The group has broken traditional boundaries and made a sound unique to them while paying homage to hip-hop legends. The two remind me of popular Atlanta group Earthgang with the voice projection and vibes they give on their records. On the lyrical side, they have a skill that previous duos such as Mobb Deep and Outkast possessed. Their storytelling ability mixed with their flows and cadence is unmatched in Canadian hip-hop.
Upon first listen this sounds like a record straight out of New York. A very underground but professional-mainstream sound- If that makes sense. The opener “Grave Digger” sets up the braggadocious and extravagant lifestyle journey you are about to go through. “If I Die Tonight” compliments that track as a big slap to those who ever doubted the two; showing that they will reign rebellious on this music industry.
Singles like “No Jesus Piece” and “Uncle Rico” are bound to get the college kids going. If this was out when I was in school, we would have been screaming at the top of our lungs. These records go hard, and I mean, if you heard this in the club you’d be like: “Run that one back!” The flows hit and the pockets reached on these records are unlike anything I’ve heard in the past few years.
As we proceed, the two give us what we need. While hitting the nail on the head with their up- front very heavy rap album, the duo gives us a taste of their more creative songs. “Change” is a slower-paced song that is still bar heavy but is an easier listen. Most of the tracks you’re blasting, this one you could toss in your drive playlist and take in the words. This is a song I think could get anyone listening to the group. Another major highlight and probably my favourite from the album is “After Dark.” This melodic song is an all-around vibe and shows the diversity the two possess as songwriters. I like to see artists step outside their comfort zone and give us a taste of what they are truly capable of. Growth through music is important and would I someday like to see a more focused project around songs like these? I most certainly would.
If their next release was something more turned down yet structured well, melodic and poppy, I could see the duo gaining massive mainstream traction. As impressed as I am with the project as a whole, there is still growth to be had as artists for the two. Currently, they are on the right path and I for one cannot wait to see their next collection of work.
- Cameron Kilfoy
Frank Mighty’s Hotline
Whispersongs // Self Released
Frank Mighty is the alter ego of Toronto-based multi-instrumentalist John Traboulsi, and Whispersongs is his debut EP, released independently on October 27th. Whispersongs contains the soft instrumentals and emotion filled lyrics of a campfire song amidst a blowing wind. It’s a heartfelt indie rock album featuring the melodic vocals of Mighty and the gorgeous instrumentals through a talented ensemble brought on for the project.
Frank Mighty was born in Calgary, occasionally visiting the Middle East throughout his childhood – this instilled in him an appreciation for culture and a desire to explore. Frank left the west and headed east for Toronto, where he found himself trying to “inject everyday life with a splash of colour”. During this time he found inspiration for the project you hear before you today.
This great story makes for a great EP, recorded quietly in the wee hours of the morning in an attempt to not wake his roommates. This is where Whispersongs derives its title, in the hushed atmosphere of the album's recording. Frank’s quiet singing aids in the album's instrumentals, which share the mellow aesthetic.
This EP’s got a lot of soul and it provides us with a nibble of Frank Mighty’s Hotline, leaving us in a pavlovian state where we salivate for news of what’s to come. As the weather begins to cool around us and we drop into the sub zero temperatures, we will find ourselves in deep need of something warm for our ears, and I’m not talking about earmuffs.
Frank Mighty’s Hotline and his debut EP has my heart and my ears for months to come with its elegant blend of thoughtful lyricism and catchy tunes. For fans of the poppy and the indie, these six tracks are right up your alley.
- Brandon Kruze
The Exit Bags
Tower of Quiet // Self Released
Edmonton (amiskwaciy-wâskahikan) local Mike James wrangles a collection of emotions and existential dread into a brooding and epic debut, Tower of Quiet. Under the moniker The Exit Bags, James spent the last few years cultivating creativity out of the pain and existentialism that comes with millennial coming-of-age in the era of dread. Few towns are so good at harvesting sad boy music as YEG, and TOQ is no exception. In 2017 the Alberta sad boy scene was dominated by indie and emo, but in 2021 they've matured into the Lo-Fi shoegaze / post rock artist. I say this not to be reductive, but rather to acknowledge the inevitability of rock to evolve into new sub-genres during times of great upheaval. This is where millennial existential dread has brought sad boy music in 2021.
TOQ is a dance between extremes, but it takes its sweet time moving from the lows to highs and back again. It’s a patient approach that piggybacks off of post rock and ambient to build dread slowly to extreme heights. Effective and engrossing, you wonder how long the pain is going to build until you’re sure that the turmoil can’t grow any more brutal. Even when the climaxes build to the point that you feel truly bad for the drum kit, wondering how on earth the skins aren’t tearing, James assures us that he “tried to avoid histrionics.” He wanted to offer a “plain-faced” look at the “lowest of [his] depressive tendencies.” If you know depression, you know the authenticity of James’ musical representation thereof.
In terms of sonic direction, James does an impressive job of crafting unique and rich textures with a huge blend of sounds finding their way into the final product. It’s creative and rich production that is the bedrock of good shoegaze, but not only does he rise to the challenge of textural richness, he also brings some new and interesting tones to the table. It’s passionate work that clearly comes from a faithful and fervent purveyor of pedals. Novelty is not the strength of this album, sonic and emotional heft is. The Exit Bags have their finger on exactly where post rock is moving in our era of dread. Its tendencies toward slowcore exacerbates the depth of the doom and provides the perfect platform for drone and ambient to thrive and utterly overwhelm you with sound. TOQ’s approach is hardly even novel, but it feels urgent. Few genres speak to their respective cultural moments as well as post rock can, it feels ever malleable to changing cultural landscapes - but even then, few can fully tap the potential of its heft and dread. Such is no concern with The Exit Bags. Headphones on, joint in hand, you will be overwhelmed by the height of the Tower of Quiet.
- Clay Geddert
