Feature & Reviews – Vol.2
Nassau—— The best deal in town
Getting a record deal is always a big challenge and quest for those who love to create music. A recording contract can not only elevate the status of an artist but it also allows them to access resources that may other wise be impossible on a personal level. Both points are equally important yet there exists a debate surrounding the issue of independence and we would like to know more about this from Nassau’s perspective.
Nassau from Toronto play a psychedelic pop, have been together since 2000 and have taken a proactive approach to their career when it comes to business. They produced and manufactured “A Fire in the Ashes” independently in 2002 and have landed gigs along side The Warlocks and The Brian Jonestown Massacre to name a few in order to promote the album. Many publications have reviewed their album, it has received rotation on CFNY, CBC’s Brave New Waves, a variety of community university stations and distribution was solidified through Sonic Union in Canada. A modest cult following resulted according to their efforts and financial resources over the years. As one can see, it is possible to achieve a certain amount of notoriety with the kraft that you love. However, how do you move to the next level?
A second set of tracks that would eventually frame the master recordings for a second album was recorded at The Green Door studios in April of 2006 in Toronto. The task at hand for the band was to market the master to various companies in order to access financial resources that would inevitably launch their career to a new level. Marketing the material was not an easy task especially when everyone else is also banging on the same doors. The financial status and political will of record companies beit it small or large also played a contributing factor in getting the deal they wanted. Although, such factors presented a very real set of circumstances, Nassau’s front man, Jon McCann remained positive and persistent.
Finding a record deal is one task and then finding a deal that is appropriate to creativity and business is another task. There are many complex issues concerning intellectual property law and the practicality of ever changing markets. Bridging this gap can be complicated both emotionally and financially. In fact, one of the biggest issues for Nassau have been access to funds for promotion, acquiring more gigs and ultimately gaining people to take the load off allowing more attention to spent on writing. These principles are important to the band and are relevant points to negotiate. McCann claims that, “quitting our day jobs would be amazing. Who wouldn’t want to do what they love full time.” Inevitably the deed was done and Nassau got what they wanted, a deal with Outside Music, an independent record label based in Toronto founded by Lloyd Nishimura who also represents Billy Bragg among others.
Enough about business. What will the follow up to “A Fire in Ashes” be like? McCann claims that, “it will focus more on our ambient psychedelic side of the pop music we create”. Many position Nassau with The Dandy Warhols when it comes to their pop side and others find associations with Pink Flyod. Personally, I am reminded of Ride or if syth’ed up Primal Scream. In the end Nassau presents a happy ending and we wait in anticipation to see where the band goes from here.
Album Reviews
Bernard Butler——“People Move On” (1998)
Born in London, Uk, Bernard Butler is most notorious for his artistic expression in Suede, as the lead singer. He has since formed The Tears with an old rival Brett Anderson, also the lead singer for Suede. Butler is also an accomplished music producer with credits for work with The Manic Street Preachers, The Libertines, Roy Orbison, The Tears and so on. The album “People Move On” however, is a richly textured body of work that is both tender and blistering. The guitars are often overlapped with hair standing strings, and long melodies. ‘Stay’, ‘and I am Tired’ are slow ballads loaded with strings, which are very beautiful, a Suede type. Apparently, Butler played all the instruments on this album, a process that was not only time consuming but only to be done once in a life time. This is different from the album “Friends and Lovers”. This album is an emotional escapade synonymous with all of Butler’s work past, present and hopefully, the future.
The City Lights——“Escape from Tomorrow Today” (2004)
The City Lights who hail from Sydney, Australia are an adventurous bunch from their vocals, style and sound. It is large, fun, and retro. This guitar band gives you garage and mod with a good twist. We are not quite sure why they have been hiding from the rest of the world for so long, when actually they are great competitors for The Vines, The Hives, Sloan and The Strokes. “You Stand Accused my Friend” has an explosive drum introduction to song obviously about some one who faces uncertain consequences. “What You Gonna Do”. the video for this song is pretty cool as well. Heaps are odd angle shots. Other good songs are: ‘New World Record’, ‘Every Single Day’, ‘Without You’, ‘So Here We Go Again’. There are obvious influences behind the music on this album such as The Jam, The Who, and The Clash. The Jam reference is the strongest. Also, the band has also toured with the likes of The Breeders, The Dirtbombs, The Music and Jet to name a few. At the end of the day this band really knows how to give it to us.
The Constantines——“Shine a Light” (2001)
On Subpop, the label that brought us grunge in the 1990s, The Constantines, write songs about life, love and change. They are from Guelph, Ontario are influenced by punk, loud guitars and perhaps a tiny bit of raggea. The sound is not extraordinary but it is all over the place, in a good way. There is no perfect formula. At times, there is an improve atmosphere where each instrument goes off on their own tangent. This is a technique associated with the jazz world. There is a soft side too, which should be explored even more. The following are the highlight songs from the album: ‘Shine a Light’,‘Nighttime Anytime (It’s Alright)’, ‘Young Lions’, ‘Poison’, ‘Scoundrel Babes’. Although, this is their second album, we hear that the third album also released on Subpop is even better. The band has toured all over north america and has showcased at North by North East, Montreal Pop and so forth. As you can see the Constantines are going places.
Muse——“Absolution” (2003)
Muse, a band from Teignmonth, Devon in the UK have been creating music since the early 1990s. In fact, the band were initially going to release work in the United States before the UK but creative differences between the band and Maverick lead to their departure back home. This is rather interesting since bands generally release in their home country and are then exported abroad. this seems to be the formula and is standing true in this case although, it could have taken an unconventional twist. “Absolution” released in 2003 in Europe has a classical cutting edge, which sets them a part from other acts such as Radiohead, Belasco and Bauhaus. It has a hard rock appeal with piano undertones. This type of sound is as grand as Wagner and an electric Rachmaninoff: ‘Apocalypse Please’ and ‘Time is Running Out’. Fans of Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake might be interested in ‘Black Out’, a slow dreamy songs and story about life’s beauty. This album was produced by Rich Costey (Rage Against the Machine) and through the grape vine, I’ve herd that Muse are colossal when performing live.
Nassau——“A Fire in the Ashes” (2004)
A FIRE IN THE ASHES, released to its many minions in 2004 on Broadcast Recordings employs remnants of the classics such as: The Who, Pink Flyod, and The Byrds. Modern day examples are: The Dandy Warhols, Jesus and the Marychain and my personal favourite, Ride. This album is eclectic in the sense that it can be defined as a guitar driven indie sound yet the pop melodies really belt out a dance frenzy similar to certain aspects of Morcheeba if the tunes were remixed with some heavy keys. Comparisons however, tend to position the band suggesting that this artist from Toronto needs to find their own sound OR alternatively, perhaps I, the reviewer needs to find a new brain free from the ills of socialization, media and toxic radio waves. In any case, after having said that, it doesn’t matter. I really like A Fire in the Ashes by Nassau, a band who has been creating since 2000 and have shared stages with the likes of Death from Above 1979, The Dirty Hearts, Brian Jonestown Massacre, The Warlocks and Dead Meadow to name a few.
The opening track ‘Hurdle the Sun’ with its crescendo in full force, catapults the listener into a frenzy rush to the front of the stadium. Then suddenly track two, ‘Falling Out’, a soothing melodic piece smacks you back into your seat with an equally powerful ambiance as to insinuate, “not so fast buster: just listen!”. ‘Sick Again’, stands out as the key track and interestingly enough the band’s website has a web exclusive remix encompassing a more electronic dance feel like Primal Scream, which I quite enjoy even more. In fact, I revisit the song quite frequently. Similarly, ‘A Battle for You’, track ten is just as catchy with lyrics about two individuals who cannot communicate or are on the verge of destruction. A Fire in the Ashes is an album full of drifting melodies, psychedelic episodes and has a real 60’s garage feel.
The album does have its ups and downs literally, in terms of continuity like any cliff hanger. One could call this a suspense filled thriller. If you find yourself at odds with this approach such as the quiet breaks, please develop some patients because the album is an entire composition which must be understood in the broader scheme of things. In other words, it must be herd from the beginning to the end and cannot be chopped up into bits like anything deserving from Pink Flyod. Understandably, we all need a quick fix from time to time and if this is absolutely necessary, then download these singles: ‘Melody Sees’, ‘Only Twilight’, ‘A Battle for You’ and ‘Channel Four’. They are sure to get your toes tapping as they are the focal pop tunes. In my opinion, the breaks or rather, the shoe gazer undertones are what provides the album with it’s NORTHERN SOUL, an ironic expression considering that Nassau hail from the great white north: Canada.
The Verve——“A Northern Soul” (1995)
From the 1990’s Manchester shoe gazer scene, “A Northern Soul” is the precursor to “Urban Hymns” by The Verve. This album like “Urban Hymns” is about the depths of human behavior and various coping mechanisms. It is a melancholic maze full of realities faced by many. The front man Richard Ashcroft, wears his heart on his sleeve and is explained very well lyrically. I like both albums but chose to write about “A Northern Soul” because it is the album of preference even in 2006.
The album starts with a slow guitar static song called ‘A New Decade’ about being alone with one’s thoughts and then jumps into one of the album’s most powerful dance tracks about failing to be born with a silver spoon: ‘This is Music’. Although the album hovers over the theme of trauma, it is relatively optimistic. ‘On Your Own’ is a slow acoustic track about the desire for love, compassion, and understanding. It may at first appear to loath elements of Nietzsche, the song is a quest to fill the void, which in essence, is looking for change. The most thought provoking song is called ‘Life’s an Ocean’, a song discussing the lack of feeling and how a quick fix, perhaps prozac seems to be the band aid solution, “I was buying some feelings from a vending machine”. All in all, the music is just as dramatic as the lyrical prose.
The music utilizes the most basic traditional form such as blues. It twists the form by adding heaps of reverb and distortion hence, the term psychedelia. It pushes the limits to a modern form with hammond synths and orchestral strings giving each song as real and warm dance feel. The guitars are there yet percussion tends to play the most important roll or it is evidently on the forefront when you strip away the vocals. As mentioned above, there are a few key tracks that are killer hits but for some reason I have difficulty listening to the album in parts. The beginning to the end is the best listening experience because it is a story about life’s long journey.
Mmhm Music Zine 
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