INTERVIEW: ELK

DAYDREAMING IN THE BACK OF A VAN
Article By Madison Foster

The boys in the Toronto and Niagara region band and garage rockers, Elk, officially released their sophomore album “Daydreams” on Tuesday, July 17^th. Their first full length with record label Indoor Shoes but second release with the label. Elk's 2011 EP “Balm Beach” had the honour of being the first 7” release from Indoor Shoes so needless to say the band (including members Kyle Connely, Ben Pokol, Michael Price and Josh Korody) was more than ready to get back to work with the label.

Although last Tuesday marked the actually release date for the new LP, London, ON was the town of choice of a pre-release party on June 28^th where show-goers could walk out with a copy of the album which was not available anywhere else. On that night before the band hit the stage to close off the show, they spent most of their time in the back of their tour van drinking beers and smoking cigarettes. I got the pleasure of joining them in the van and chatting with Price, Pokol, Connely and fill-in drummer Jordan Rutledge (as Korody was absent that night) who got thrown a few unsuspecting curve balls. (Sorry Jordan)

LCV EPISODE 3

"WHAT FEST?"
Posted by Brittknee Withikaye

Click through to watch the first run of LCV Episode 3 "What Fest" on Londonfuse

Feat. Grooves Band Profile w/ Twin Shadow, A Few Moments w/ Bruce Peninsula, Slacker Radio Presents Two Interviews, & Oh! Fest 2011 Montage

NXNE TEAM PHOTOS

Click through to kPod Media to see some team photos taken during out NXNE adventures.

INTERVIEW: LISTENER

Dan Smith and Christin Nelson of Listener

SO YOU WANT TO LEARN ABOUT TALK MUSIC?
Article By Madison Foster

While I was preparing for my interview with Listener I found a humorous piece of fan art spoofing the Marmite ad stating, “Either you love it or you hate it.” I found the particular drawing interesting because just like the yeasty British spread I could see how some people might love Listener while others dislike the band. Although I have yet to meet anyone who doesn't like Listener, if I do I will probably lose some respect for that person. In the end, love them or hate them, their own brand of music (the best way to describe it would be talk music) with Dan Smith's raw and powerful words over the purest form of rock music, achieved with drums, bass and guitar, is so unique and creative. Some might think that spoken word in music is basically hip-hop or rap but there does seem to be a difference. “With hip hop, you do a verse for awhile then there's a break for the chorus. There's a lot of patterns that you stay in,” explained Smith. “Vocally, for what we're doing, it could just be where ever it needs to go. Word wise, sometimes it could rhyme, sometimes it could not. Sometimes there are patterns, sometimes not. It's just spoken out.” Not wanting to be “avant gard” the band members say they like to stay away from genres as it allows them more freedom then what's expected from hip hop, poetry or rock.