Trevor Sloan, Slow Leaves, and ALIAS
Trevor Sloan
The Fur of the Bulrush // Self Released
I have distinct memories of making collages in junior high school. The teacher would pull out a stack of ancient magazines and old National Geographic issues and pass out those weird-smelling glue sticks and tiny safety scissors that were too small for our hands. The weird thing is that I only recall making collages in Social Studies class, which should have been used for like… learning history or something?
I was looking at Trevor Sloan’s Instagram page and was really taken back by the collages that Sloan creates. It seems that when Sloan is not writing tunes that evoke nostalgic feelings within me (plenty of these feelings on The Fur of the Bulrush!), he is creating collages that… seem to do the same thing. It’s pretty friggin’ neat and I highly suggest checking them out while you listen to the album... There's a really cool one of a family gathered around an old home computer that I particularly enjoyed.
The album – what is there to say? Sonically speaking, the acoustic instruments and synths that comprise this release are beautifully mixed. Everyone loves albums where you can hear each instrument distinctly without one part overpowering any other, particularly in music as soft and light as Sloan’s. The backing vocals mix well with the main vocal lines, and when combined with the aforementioned instruments results in an ethereal touch to the music.
These songs are not straight-forward pop songs written in major keys; the music is quite complex in its simplicity. The structures are what really impress me: the first verse on the first track of the album, “The Feeling of Almost”, has an almost melancholic feel before the tension is released into a hopeful and uplifting chorus. The combination of these elements: the instruments, mixing, voice, and the structures of the songs (the way those vocals build at the end of “The Feeling of Almost”?… damn!), creates the nostalgic feel I mentioned earlier.
Speaking of nostalgia, the accompanying video for the first single off the album (“Cool as the Shade”, premiered by Cups N Cakes on August 6th of this year) is comprised fully of public-domain footage the 40s through to the 70s. The resulting product is a wonderfully grainy film that evokes nostalgic, end-of-summer vibes. Seeing as summer is coming to an end here in Calgary, this album has really hit me in a special place for the last two weeks that I’ve been enjoying it.
The album will have four singles: the first two, “Cool as the Shade” (mentioned above), and “Touch of Sorrow” have both been released (the second single dropped the same day as the album, September 10th). “Touch of Sorrow”, perhaps even moreso than “Cool as the Shade”, evokes these end-of-summer vibes: the first lyrics of the song literally touch on the subject. The third single, “Lit by Stars”, and the accompanying video will be released on October 8 of this year (friggin’ stoked, bud), and the last single and video for “The Feeling of Almost” will release four weeks later on November 5. This is a really cool schedule; we can re-visit this album every month for the next three months and just take it in. I’m really excited to see these new videos too!
As a person who plays in harder-rock bands and typically listens to hip-hop that’s mostly concerned about cocaine, codeine, and promethazine, The Fur of the Bulrush is a fantastic addition to my ever-growing repertoire of music and videos that I love to share with friends. There are melodies on this album that evoke a variety of other artists and musicians (nostalgic feels are abound on this album), but I feel no need to mention any of them – Trevor Sloan firmly stands his own ground among a sea of musicians, and this album is a testament to Sloan’s mastery of the craft. You really need to check this album out, or at very least watch the videos: you’ll want to listen to the album afterward.
- Alex Bennett
Slow Leaves
Holiday // Birthday Cake
Sunlight rays are shining. It’s a cool and calm morning. We finally had a nice rain last night after this heatwave we’ve been under. I sit in my garden easing into the morning with the most beautiful new album titled Holiday by Slow Leaves from Winnipeg, Manitoba. Harvested some herbs, picked some peas and beans while the heavenly guitar picking and voice of Grant Davidson serenaded me. It’s simply put... so delightful!!!
Slow Leaves has a natural and poetic style. It has an earthy rawness. It’s warm, dreamy, and oh so romantic! So many excellent tracks to choose from. I found it so hard to narrow down which are the best as they all offer something simple and sweet to enjoy. Doesn’t need filler. It’s full with enough goodness for everyone to enjoy! I danced in my garden to this album. So very freeing!!
“Love I Guess” sets the tone with its upbeat vibe and rhythm. Has a happy vibe though he sings of sad eyes and a hole in your heart. Maybe it’s a sad song but the that happy go lucky tempo strikes a chord in my heart as I happily harvest parsley.
“Holiday” was a fast favourite. Funny thing is Davidson’s voice reminds me of Lindsey Buckingham and Roy Orbison. Another funny thing is the National Lampoons Vacation song “Holiday Road” is actually a Lindsey Buckingham song that I have to play when we hit the road. That and the Go-Go’s “Vacation.” Now I must add “Holiday” by Slow Leaves to this summers holiday playlist! Let’s run away tonight! I found a new private camping spot by the river. C’mon It’ll be fun!
“About Your Love” is a gem of a song. It’s lyrically beautiful and has a super catchy chorus you’ll definitely sing along to. It’s very hopeful and romantic. I also have to give credit where it is due. Davidson writes, sings, and plays all his own material. I love seeing so much creative work come from one mind. That kinda thing is pretty hot!
Slow Leaves also has three other independently released albums you can check out under his name Grant Davidson and about six releases as Slow Leaves. Can't wait to check out the rest of his work, but in the meantime and in between time take in Holiday by Slow Leaves with your morning coffee, in your sacred space, and definitely the next time you hit the road!
Love Always,
Green Noreen
ALIAS
It's Not Funny So Stop Smilin' // Simone Records
At first listen, this EP sounded eerily familiar.
Not only, I’ve come to find out, because it’s content is rich in both the alien and “echoes of past decades,” but I had unknowingly heard Emmanuel Alias’ work before on the album DREAMWEAVER--an all time favourite of mine by Oji-Cree artist and absolute star Anachnid.
The striking similarity is in their world building; while DREAMWEAVER sonically captures a raw portrait of the intersections between urban and natural spaces, It's Not Funny So Stop Smilin' does so in outer space. Each fully unique, they transport the listener with their sweeping vibrations that I can only compare in complexity to soundscapes. Was that a loon’s call, or something else, crying out from a dark abyss?
ALIAS, a composer and multi-instrumentalist, seems to be in on the campy nature of that pondering. Every track reads as a balance of pleading and recollecting, sometimes both. On a more serious but related note, the artist cites dementia as one of the EP’s influences, which is subtly portrayed in expert fashion.
All six tracks pull influences from punk, ambient, and soaring psych-rock that seamlessly blend yesterday’s trends with today’s technology. Simple lyrics accompany catchy grooves and alternative sound, letting the listener vibrate, vacillate, and hallucinate in time with the music. In short, it’s a “dizzy novelty.”
The vocals are lyrically and literally cathartic; the confusion and trauma of that release is mirrored by dissonance, fuzz, and pollution to the very moment of overwhelmedness before being subverted by a precisely ambivalent guitar; ALIAS knows exactly what he’s doing. The solo at 2:20 on Kyra Collins!?! Unmatched.
It’s not funny, so stop smilin’, unless, of course, it’s about the joy of discovering this gem. How could you not?
- Chloe Lundrigan
