A Tremendous Effort

When we sat down with The Sadies frontman Dallas Good in his local Queen Street watering hole, he had good reason to smile. His bands third CD, the aptly named Tremendous Efforts, had just been released to a unanimous critical thumbs-up. Publications ranging from The Globe and Mail to glossy American monthly Country had smothered it with raves.
"This is the first record where every review has been so positive," notes the lanky singer/guitarist. "That makes it easier to take constructive criticism."
He agrees with the scribes that this is the most ambitious and accomplished Sadies record yet. "I definitely think this is the most realized record we have done. In the past we have always worked under the clock and tried to get us much material to record as possible, with the idea of everyone contributing songwise. Here, a lot of the songs are a little longer, and theres more of a focus on what we havent done in the past. That is what we strived for, but of course it can be hit or miss. If youre going to experiment with your weaknesses, chances are pretty good youre going to fail. I guess I stuck my head out a little with this one. In the band, we are all best friends and we all write together, so I suppose were maturing stylistically."
Defining the signature sound of The Sadies has always been like trying to catch a greasy pig on speed. They can deliver fast and furious surf-guitar instrumentals, then throw in a hurtin honky-tonk ballad or bluegrass tune.
The closest Dallas will come to categorization is to say "The Sadies play traditional rock n roll and country and western music. We do not play country rock. We like to think our music is diverse, but only as much as our influences. We like the Byrds, not the Eagles."
The Sadies recorded Tremendous Efforts at the rural studio of Greg Keelor (who sings lead on "Loved On Look"), and all the members of Blue Rodeo added to the instrumentation. "It is definitely the most fun Ive had in the studio," says Dallas. "Having that studio help meant we could use things like pedal steel and Hammond organ through the record, and that added to our writing style."
They still worked feverishly, taking just six days to record. Once again, top American producer/engineer Steve Albini (Nirvana) worked his magic here. "He is like a little mad scientist that can fix anything. He may not like what you want, but he can definitely do it." Also guesting on the album are famed Canadian country band The Good Brothers. They include Bruce Good, father of Dallas and Travis, while Margaret, their mother, sings on the albums gorgeous closing duet, "Before I Wake." With a lineage like that, its no surprise the younger Goods ended up in music. Dallas praises his parents for their ongoing support, dating back to when they took him to see Iggy Pop at The Police Picnic when he was just eight!
The Sadies burst onto the Toronto club scene in the mid 90s, and soon grabbed fans with their fiery live performances. After a few personnel changes, theyve settled on a line-up comprising Dallas, older brother Travis Good (guitar, vocals) bassist Sean Dean and drummer Mike Belitsky.
Its a sad indictment of the Canadian music industry that they had to go to a U.S. independent label, Bloodshot, to get signed. "The only interest we ever got in Canada was from Kevin Komoda [former CBC radio host who was at a small label]," laments Dallas. Guess the major labels here were too busy signing banal post-grunge groups or fabricating teen-pop acts.
As a result, The Sadies are better known in Austin and Chicago than Edmonton and Calgary. "Id much rather be touring Canada than the U.S.. I always feel dislocated there," says Dallas. Getting busted for drug possession Stateside didnt help matters either.
Helping boost the image of The Sadies in both the U.S. and Europe has been their stints as the backing band for honkytonk queen Neko Case and veteran r n b singer Andre Williams. Now it is time for their close-up.

Tremendous Efforts is released on Outside Music. The Sadies (with members of Blue Rodeo as guests) play a CD release party at Teds Wrecking Yard on April 13.

CD Reviews

By Chris Twomey

Nick Cave & Bad Seeds
No More Shall We Part
Mute/Warner Music Canada

I can see the VH1 biography of Nick Cave now: wild man Aussie rocker, like Bon Scott with brains, storming across the planet with his band Birthday Party before they flamed out in 1983 in a tale spin of alcohol and heroin; immerses himself in the Bibles Old Testament to write his first novel; launches solo career; regains his sobriety, marries a Brazilian and starts a family. An ideal tale of a rocker venturing into the heart of darkness and fighting his way back again. Now it seems hes seeking commercial redemption to go with his personal one, as Cave has taken his Bad Seeds into one of pops holy shrines, Abbey Road Studios, to record their eleventh album, the first since since 1997s hymn-based The Boatmans Call. Still referencing confessional gospel music like Johnny Cash after a lost weekend bender, Cave has produced a mostly acoustic (piano, strings) collection of downer tunes that only here and there erupt with his past energy. Dont look for a cheery spring celebration from this former choir boy gone wrong, his joy is always wrapped in regret, even with an orchestra behind him.


Scannerfunk
Wave Of Light By Wave Of Light
Sulfur/Beggars Banquet/Select

For the first time Robin "Scanner" Rimbaud, the sampling Professor, manipulates his own voice! Rimbauds usual modus operandi is to create musical pieces from sounds and voices recorded off randomly found radio telephone transmissions. But to start his most accessible full-length release to date Rimbaud states "listen to my voice" as if to turn the voyeuristic focus of his project on himself for a change. Still, his last album, Lauwarm Instrumentals, was the one to concern memory and his own relationships, so maybe this new name adaptation announces a Scanner that is all about music as entertainment what a concept! Musically Wave Of Light... does not veer too far from his recent sleek techno-oriented productions with Simon Fisher Turner (SFT), including a wink and a nod to disco rhythm king Giorgio Moroder on "Automatic." Hip hop beats are also part of the new Scanner funk, downtempo and street nasty as a Schooly D groove in "Ice That Abandons Me" and "Red Stone Sun," but surrounded by elegiac strings as if Michael Nyman wrote funeral music for Biggie and Tupac. Leave it to Scanner to make the most serious light music going.


Talvin Singh
Ha
Universal Island Records

Talvin Singhs third full-length release is a welcome return to form after his recent primadonna-style solo classical tour which came to The Phoenix in December, strangely previewing none of this CD. The star session tabla player, who has played for Adrian Sherwood, Massive Attack and Bjork throughout the 90s, is primarily known for bringing Indian rhythms into drum n bass, producing dubby excursions like The Orb or Suns Of Arqa since his 1996 debut as Calcutta Cyber Cafe (Drum n Space). The next year he became the star of Indian-fusion as his London club night launched the scene-making compilation Anokha Soundz Of The Asian Underground on Island in 1997. Ha continues this cross-over of Indian percussion, strings and vocals with deep, dubby bass lines, lush synth ambiences and funky big beats ("Uphold"). The singing on this new one is particularly strong, balancing the classical lamentations of Ustad Sultan Khan with beautiful female lines and Goldies? favourite soulster Cleveland Watkiss (featured on the first single "The Beat Goes On").


Transglobal Underground
Yes Boss Food Corner
Ark 21/Mondo Rhythmica/Universal Music

On the same wavelength as Talvin Singh is the latest from Transglobal Underground, who have been mining the intersection of World percussion and dubby hip hop since their debut in 1993 (Dream Of 100 Nations on Nation Records). The opening track celebrates their love of percussion, as the djemba, the dhol, the tabla and others are name checked in the rhythm advance code named the "Drums Of Navarone." Notably Yes Boss Food Corner is their first full-length release without vocalist Natacha Atlas, whose solo career took off since their appearance here at Harbourfront in 1997. They still work together, most of Natachas third album Gedida, was produced by TGU, but it looks like she wont be touring with them again. So joining MC Coleridge and male lead Tuup is Doreen Thobekile Webster, as the group exchanges the Middle Eastern stylings of Atlas for Thobekiles wonderfully multi-tracked Afro chants in songs like "Spellbound" and "Bhimpalasi Warriors." And returning from sessions for their previous album Rejoice Rejoice, to stretch TGUs pan global sound eastward, is sitarist Sheema Mukherjee.

All the rage

by Kerry Doole

PATRIZIA: After beginning her musical career in rock, this Toronto singer discovered the power of opera after hearing MARIA CALLAS. Shes now fusing the two genres in highly original fashion. "I love the beauty of opera melody, but rock is the music of my generation. I want to revive opera, but make it accessible to everyone." Her debut single, "Rage," is actually based on a MOZART composition. The track was produced by KENNY MacLEAN, and its evocative video has been getting good play on Bravo. A full album is expected shortly.
DARUDE: Finland has been better known for producing hockey players than music stars, but this is starting to change. BOMFUNK MCS scored with dance smash "Freestyler," and now dance music producer Darude (real name Ville Virtanen) is breaking out. His single "Sandstorm" has been an international hit on both the club and singles charts (No. 1 in Canada), and follow-up "Feel The Beat" also did well. He recently toured Canada, and described these shows as "really rockin." The modest young star told Tandem that this global success has come as a major surprise. "Two years ago, I didnt even dream that Id become a prominent artist." He began by playing with sounds in his home studio, but now enjoys live performance. "You get to play your own stuff and see the reaction of the crowd instantly." Darudes debut album, Before The Storm (Popular) is an effective mix of up-tempo house and trance styles. While in town, he caught a hockey game, then jetted off to Miami for more gigs and the MIDEM music conference.
MADONNA: How tiresome and predictable the Material Girl has become. Of course she would team up with hubby Guy Ritchie on a violent new music video she knew would get banned and so drum up publicity for her current mediocre album. She has long used provocative videos to mask the banality of much of her music, and now she is desperately trying to appear cutting edge despite being a fortysomething mother. Dont be surprised if she teams up with EMINEM for a duet soon!
OSCARS: Great to see BOB DYLAN snare the Academy Award for Best Song recently for "Things Have Changed," from The Wonder Boys. This was actually a strong category, with other nominees including BJORK and RANDY NEWMAN. Thankfully, STING didnt win for his insipid Disney theme song. Bob even made sense with his victory speech, a rare occurrence in the past!
NEW RELEASES: This critics prize for best music from an original motion picture in 2001 may just go to The Center Of The World. The soundtrack album was produced by director WAYNE WANG (The Joy Luck Club), and he wisely chose music from the catalogue of the Six Degrees label. The suitably surreal and exotic sounds include material from BEBEL GILBERTO, ROBBIE ROBERTSON, LAIKA, SUBA, TRANSGLOBAL UNDERGROUND and JOE HENRY. A superb collection, and one that can easily be enjoyed, even if you missed the movie.
HARBOURFRONT: The free live roots music concerts held at Harbourfronts York Quay Centre every Sunday (2 -5) are always worth catching. BRENNA MacCRIMMONS ORKESTRA KEYIF will perform their fascinating world music hybrid (classic Turkish and contemporary New York styles) on April 8. The following Sunday, versatile singer/songwriter RICHARD KNECHTEL entertains with a family-oriented show. On April 22, Quebecois acts ENTOURLOUPE and NOROUET share the stage. Both play material rooted in Quebecois tradition, with Norouet also exploring multiple European styles.