Recording: Fiver

Artist: Fiver

Songs: Sick Gladiola + It Won't Be Long (And I'll Be Hating You) [Johnny Paycheck cover]

Recorded at Workman Arts, April 20, 2019.

Fiver - Sick Gladiola

Fiver - It Won't Be Long (And I'll Be Hating You)

Previewing the next phase of her Fiver project, Simone Schmidt unveiled both some new songs (although a few of the "new" tunes have been kickin' around for a little while) and a new set of collaborators, basically bringing in Special Costello's Jeremy Costello, Nick Dourado, and Bianca Palmer. This is a backing band where any of the members have the skills and charisma to grab the spotlight (and Costello, indeed, got a vocal spotlight of his own with the Johnny Paycheck song heard here) and slip seamlessly from smooth countrypolitan to wall-of-sound ballads to funky rolls. Although geographically separated, expect more to come from this new alignment.

[Meanwhile, Schmidt will be revisiting her Audible Songs from Rockwood material in a theatre-friendly format at the upcoming SummerWorks Festival. There will be five shows between August 10th and 18th, with tickets going on sale next week.]

Recording: Special Costello, Budi & Bonka

Artist: Special Costello, Budi & Bonka

Songs: unknown^*

Recorded at The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), April 16, 2018.

Special Costello with Budi & Bonka - unknown

Bonka with Special Costello & Budi - unknown

Budi with Special Costello & Bonka - unknown

Hot on the heels of manifesting as the backbone of Beverly Glenn-Copeland's Indigo Rising, three of the group's east-cost core reconvened at the Tranzac for this late afternoon gathering. A sort of round-robin approach to collaborative soundscape pop, Jeremy Costello, Nick Dourado (a.k.a. Budi), and Bianca Palmer (a.k.a. Bonka) each took turns backing the others as they sketched out their complementary musical ideas, the mellow hang-out-in-the-den kinda vibe suiting the material most excellently.

^* Does anyone know the titles to these? Please leave a comment!

Recording: Beverly Glenn-Copeland and Indigo Rising

Artist: Beverly Glenn-Copeland and Indigo Rising

Songs: Ever New + Sunset Village

Recorded at the Jam Factory, April 15, 2018.

Beverly Glenn-Copeland and Indigo Rising - Ever New

Beverly Glenn-Copeland and Indigo Rising - Sunset Village

On the heels of some recent re-issues, there has been a re-appraisal of sorts for Beverly Glenn-Copeland, who is perhaps as well remembered by a couple generations of Canadians as an occasional performer on Mr. Dressup as a Yorkville folkie-turned-synth-explorer. For his part, in an emotion-filled performance, Copeland confessed that while originally making his music he could sense that his true audience (and musical peers) were not yet born.

Fortunately, this crew, dominated by east coast soft-rockers Jeremy Costello, Nick Dourado, Bianca Palmer and Kurt Inder (plus local Thom Gill) has the tenderness and tenacity to bring Copeland's intricately-layered sounds to life and a love for the same sort of goopy showtune softness and electronic new-age textures that were resolutely unfashionable for so long, returning Glenn-Copeland to the cannon as an icon and influence. Filled with heatfelt spoken passages that stirred the audience as much as the songs, this felt like a special (and cathartic) night for audience and performer alike, and served as a reminder that new chapters, new partners and new songs could be just around the corner for any of us.