ISSUE 15: February 2024

THUNDER QUEENS - FIGHTER

Embark on a sonic journey of revelation in motion with Thunder Queens, the London, Ontario-based trio of Violet Bruneel, Lola Hayman, and Clara Magnan. On their upcoming debut full-length album, Strike One, Thunder Queens deliver a blend of doom-tinged grunge, onyx-toned punk melodies, and searing multi-part harmonies - all while creating a mesmerizing sound that is uniquely their own.

The band are unafraid to be experimental and shapeshift, conjuring the playful vitality of Sheer Mag, ground shaking range of Black Sabbath, and the urgency of The Runaways. Their raw energy and poignant lyricism show a band that’s played together for over half a decade while still being on the cusp of earning a driver’s license. Over 11 tracks, each riff and lyric paint a vivid picture of a world they’re still discovering, from the gauzy bliss of a sun-drenched road trip to the urgency of our fractured political landscape. Thunder Queens fearlessly explore a spectrum of emotions and themes with the unmatched curiosity of youth and solidarity that comes from nurturing a foundation of sisterhood.

They have shared the lead single and video, “Fighter”, a track the band penned at the tender ages of 9 and 10. Tired of hearing all the ways their generation was failing, this song was a proclamation of their dedication to fighting for what they believe in. Now, on the brink of high school, Lola, Violet, and Clara remain just as committed to fighting for a just cause as they did then.

SKINNY DYCK - CAN’T CHANGE THE COLOUR OF YOUR EYES

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Resist the urge to laugh at Skinny Dyck - the playful performing artistic alias of Western Canadian artist Ryan Dyck (or don’t, that’s kind of the idea). If you do elect to chew down on the name, it’s likely that a familiar flavour profile comes about - which is to be expected given the traditional country associations. What began as a side project to his steel guitar-focused pursuits emerged as a principal form of expression. But inherent in the songwriting and production choices has always been a thread of something different. A careless recording mistake left unedited, a flippant lyrical bluff, or a single mic on the drums instead of 10 - “It reeks of creativity and originality not found in average country songs” (Americana Highways) and serves to set Skinny apart from the crowd.

Dyck has shared the new single, “Can’t Change The Colour Of Your Eyes”, a mid-tempo twang pulsator with muted shades of psychedelia. It seems representative of a small retreat from country music - an extended stay at the outdated lake cabin that leaves you wondering if you ever want to come back home.

“I have this guitar that’s setup in D and I kept playing the hook line from the song on it,” Dyck says. “It sounds better lower - closer to the ground, harder to tip over. Lyrically it’s a look in the mirror, which for me at this time was a wet blanket of enlightenment reminding that there are things about yourself that you likely can’t change - natured and nurtured - like your eyes.”

THE SECRET BEACH - 22/L.A. HAIRCUT/SUCKED INTO IT

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The Secret Beach is an ever-shifting group of musicians and co-conspirators orbiting around the songs and voice of Prairie-based songwriter Micah Erenberg. The band moniker – in the same vein as classic groups Guided By Voices, The Byrds, and Tame Impala – helpfully points out that a songwriter is not an island (or indeed, a beach) unto themselves, and the contributions from the involved parties go a long way in making this project what it is.

A retrospective view of life as a younger man, today’s single, "22", is a beautiful rendition of regret, as Erenberg infuses classic romantic tropes into a lamenting story about his relationship with the city of Winnipeg.

Erenberg calls the single, "A song about being young in a frozen, gentrifying shithole. Inspired by the infamous Simpsons’ 'Midnight RX' (season 16, episode 6), where a welcome to Winnipeg sign reads 'NOW ENTERING WINNIPEG. WE WERE BORN HERE, WHAT’S YOUR EXCUSE?'"

"I’d like to dedicate this one to some of Manitoba’s finest street performers," He continues, "Eric the Great, Blue McLeod and Curtis Falk. Frequenters of the Osborne Village strip. The last time I walked through that spot at night, there was no soul to be found. The live music spots were closed, some canned music played out into the street. Eric, Blue and Curtis had moved on to better spots, I guess. I still love that town...yeah, it’s a shithole, but it’s our shithole."

Helmed by meandering 12-string guitar and the lonesome wails of pedal steel, the song's nostalgic qualities are only enhanced by the video that accompanies it, which features a series of snowy, archival footage from the Manitoba Department of Tourism and Recreation.