Guest Edition #3
Welcome to a very special edition of the Quick Picks column.
For the next few weeks we will be bringing in some guest writers to helm this column and fill in for Matthew Belton. Fear not loyal followers, Matthew will return after taking some personal time away.
So far, we’ve had Napalmpom vocalist, PJ Lavergne and Saskatchewan singer/songwriter, Megan Nash come in to take over. For our third “Quick Picks Guest Edition,” we are very excited to welcome Cassia Hardy.
Cassia is the guitarist, vocalist, and founder of Wares whose 2020 album, Survival, was one of our favourite releases from that year. She is an incredible talent and extremely thoughtful person who has lifted Edmonton’s music scene up for over five years. Enjoy reading and listening to her four picks, and check out Sean Newton’s interview with her for our “Inside The Artists Studio” podcast.
Mitch Davis - Bear The Cold
Pushing in and out again
a heart can’t take the load,
but I could bear the cold
just set me free.
I cannot believe how good these songs sound. Everything in the right place. The shots in the second chorus? Air tight. The bass string bends? Bold. He played the damn things all by himself? Unreal, so sick. Pop music at it’s grooviest and most vibrant.
Consider: ‘What You Say’ , the sweet acoustic piano doubling the clav, then the horns come in. It makes me so excited to hear more, please and thanks Mitch.
JONCRO - “Sakura”
I think back to the day
when I had good reason to stay
when I felt your heartbeat
your lips like candy.
Mississauga DIY scene report: hyperfixate in a basement to this music. Heart stinging bitter parting builds to a gale by track’s end, the heavy cloud of Daniel G. Wilson and Kieran Christie’s guitar over Matt Mikuljan’s pounding upbeat.
Consider: The group’s previous single ‘Passa Passa’, goes hard as fuck, a band working together at maximum volume
Little Sprout - Fake Cake
Memory foam and pillow stuff
soft and safe I’ll warm you up
how can i make you
as comfortable as possible?
Disclosure: I shared a stage with Amie Gislason, Reese Patterson, and Sean Gordon in sunny Coast Salish territory, for Music Waste 2017. What I saw then was a master class in power pop dynamics. The sounds are still sweet and sharp, but years of refining have a massive pay-off in songcraft and fidelity.
Consider: “Laughing Stock”’s crucial synth feature from Jo Hirabayashi, elevates everything.
The Pink Noise - Economy of Love
In the market to make things right
when over a story
it was a street fight
Made it home safe
your brain thinks it’s ok
but it’s as bad as Rocky V.
Poised and pulsing rhythm, grinding guitars skulk around saw wave synths and Mark Sauner’s choice words. Production and some instrumentation handled by ex-amiskwaciy household name Garrett Johnson
Consider: Out of Step’s neon stop motion shimmer
- Cassia Hardy