New music

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This article was published 04/05/2023 (1234 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

COUNTRY/ROOTS

Del Barber

Almanac (Acronym Records)

Del Barber’s been asked a lot about the title of his eighth and newest album. His answer usually alludes to The Old Farmer’s Almanac and how it’s a collection of information based on the past. While the future may be uncertain, says Barber, who lives and works with his partner and children on a family farm near Inglis, Man., we do know where we’ve been, so we can lean into what’s coming with at least some sense of certainty.

Viewed through that lens, Barber’s latest 12-song collection of breezy roots and country-inflected tunes is an accumulation of his experiences as a travelling musician, working farmer and full-time chronicler of life. Almanac is full of unique characters, sharp details and colourful tales, each subtly and expertly rendered by Barber and his road band of Ivan Burke (drums), Ryan Funk (bass/pedal steel) and Austin Parachoniak (guitar/mandolin). The easy, loping vibe here is deceptively gentle, belying the realities of the subject matter. There are songs about outlaw buddies who may have to kill each other (Jared), about his mother-in-law shooting a wolf (Bulls), about death and the meaning of male friendship (Me and Jim), and about the frustrations of farmers who can’t ship their grain (One Good Year).

They’re pretty songs but they don’t always depict bucolic scenes. It’s in Almanac’s most personal material, such as Still Got You, I Told You So, Maria and Flash in the Pan, that Barber writes and sings of the satisfaction and sense of grace that comes from working the land, doing your best and knowing who loves you. The album’s closer, a bluegrass romp called On My Way Out the Door, was written by Barber’s late father, Boyd, and serves as an apt farewell and tip of the cap. ★★★★ out of five

STREAM THESE: I Told You So, One Good Year, Jared

— John Kendle

POP

Tiësto

Drive (Atlantic Records)

As electronic dance music is heading to a hellscape of generic beats, veteran DJ Tiësto manages to claw in some fresh tunes on his seventh studio album, Drive.

The 12 tracks are a pleasant bag of old-school remixes, new collaborations and recent singles — not all floor-to-ceiling bangers, but a good enough proportion to keep the party going.

Lay Low is the latest single, a certified bop, which takes the catchier church choir vibe of a recent hit song (rhymes with “lowly”) and mixes it with a sinister autotune to great effect. 10:35 featuring Tate McRae needs no introduction, as the song with great bass is matched by the perfect vocals (apparently he recorded this at the Atlantis hotel in Dubai). Its companion piece on the record is The Motto with Ava Max, which blends the beat and the voice in a similar way, without coming close to sounding alike.

All Nighter is a good techno jam that is not quite old school, not quite new school, while Back Around with AR/CO is a dreamy, slow dance that gets under your skin. Chills (LA Hills) with A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie subverts expectations by alternating between EDM and trap on a solid beat, while the lively Bet My Dollar is heightened and anchored by Freya Ridings’ unique vocals.

Like a surprise flavour in the remix candy store, the Black Eyed Peas’ classic club anthem Pump It Louder is reworked with a deeper bass to great effect.

Tiësto hits and he doesn’t miss with this slew of body movers, but he’s probably best enjoyed al fresco at a club. ★★★1/2 out of five

STREAM THESE: Lay Low, The Motto

— Cristina Jaleru, The Associated Press

JAZZ

François Houle Genera Sextet

In Memoriam (Clean Feed)

There are times when affection and emotion are tangible in a jazz tribute album. This one is an extraordinary example of that comment. Vancouver based clarinetist and composer François Houle and his Genera Sextet are all musicians who were profoundly mentored and close friends with Ken Pickering, a huge presence in the west coast jazz scene until his death in August 2018.

As well as jazz Pickering had a love of the west coast and the spiritual roots there as he was Haida and Shuswap on his father’s side. He co-founded the Vancouver International Jazz Festival and was artistic director of the Coastal Jazz and Blues Society. He was beloved by the jazz community as having a contagious passion for the music and a beautifully generous spirit. Pickering’s widow is quoted in the album notes: “Ken’s untimely death was devastating and felt especially tragic for the members of Genera. This act of gratitude and love is a lasting tribute to a beautiful soul by this extraordinarily talented group of his dear friends. You may hear a tinge of nostalgia woven through these compositions here and there, but mostly you will hear the joy, humour and boundless love of the human spirit”.

I need say nothing more about the background of this album. The sextet has Houle on clarinet, Marco von Orelli on cornet/trumpet. Samuel Blaser on trombone, Benoît Delbecq on piano, Michael Bates on bass and Harris Eisenstadt on drums. Together they offer complex, empathic music without being simply “sad” or gloomy. Indeed there are quiet and meditative moments, but there is celebration and excitement throughout. Requiem ror KP is appropriately low key, but says “thank you” with every chorus. These are wonderful musicians, with Houle’s gorgeous tone on clarinet always a favourite of mine. Each member reflects Pickering’s widow’s comments. Chorale ends the album with a peaceful coda. Other tracks, like Ekphrasis, fly over a beautiful melody.

Pickering would be giving this album his full-on lovely smile. ★★★★★ out of five

STREAM THESE: Song L, Ekphrasis

— Keith Black

CLASSICAL

London Symphony Orchestra

Shostakovish: Symphonies Nos. 6 & 15 (LSO Live)

In this upcoming release by LSO Live, the London Symphony Orchestra led by Gianandrea Noseda performs two enigmatic Shostakovich symphonies demonstrating the depths and breadth of the Soviet-era composer. It’s also the latest addition to an ongoing series of LSO recordings that now includes Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 7, No. 8, No. 9 and No. 10, as part of a multi-year project ultimately to feature the entire set of works.

Symphony No. 6 in B minor, Op. 54 had originally been intended as a musical monument to Lenin, however while pleasing audience members during its Leningrad première in November 1939, it shocked critics for its individualistic leanings.

The musicians bring requisite gravitas to its unusual opening Largo, while the second movement Allegro bristles as a triple-time gallop to the finish line. Noseda ensures clarity throughout with its chiefly contrapuntal design pitting the soprano and bass registers of the orchestra against each other. The finale hailed by the composer himself as his “most successful finale” caps the work as a classically oriented sonata-rondo with crisp winds juxtaposed with bristling strings leading to an exuberant finish.

Symphony No. 15 in A minor, Op. 141 teems with snippets of musical quotes including one culled from Rossini’s iconic William Tell overture, as well as flashes of the composer’s idiosyncratic sardonic humour. The opening movement Allegro is bright and lively, with the letters of the name “Sascha” first poked out by the flute using German musical notation. The highly introspective Adagio ushers in sonorous brass with its plaintive theme introduced by a cello solo, followed by the driving Allegretto including bursts of brass. Last but not least is the Presto, replete with quotes from Wagner’s Annunciation of Death from his opera Die Walkure, the composer contemplating his own mortality while pouring his heart and soul into these bellowing works. ★★★★ out of five

STREAM THIS: Symphony No. 15 in A minor, Op. 141, Allegro

— Holly Harris