CD Review of Columbia - Join Our Ride

Columbia – Join Our Ride
CD Review by Jade Sperry

Columbia is a band who is heavily influcened by the British sound of the mid to late 1990's. But one important difference is that they make this sound their own. Hailing from Vancouver BC, the band members are Kevin Schallie taking on vocals, Richard Jacquard on lead guitars, Jason Tait on rhythm guitars and Jacques Rossouw on bass. Kevin and Richard were the prinicipal members who wrote and produced the music on this CD with help from fellow musician Dom Coletta on drums. Jason and Jacques have been in the band for just over a year.

Join Our Ride was released in May 2009, but they are now picking up steam as far as having a following. Currently, they hold the #1 and #2 spots on Supernova.com's Top 10 songs with “Everything (What You Always Wanted)” at #1 and “10 Out of 10” at #2. Not bad for a local band that is currently on the verge of a tour in Canada and the USA, has just signed a distribution deal with Thorny Bleeder Records to release the CD world wide at the beginning of 2010.

The CD starts out with “Join Our Ride” which has heavy, full guitars and killer vocals. This is a song that has a really good melody and very catchy hooks throughout the song. Musically it's very positive, happy, come and join us kind of song. Lyrically its about sunshine and getting the inside track on something. A 4 beat song with simple chords, it's effective in the overall sound and doesn't focus on one particular instrament. “Mistake” is a slower, bluesy song that talks about making mistakes, why we do these things, and offers comfort to someone who's made a mistake in life. This song has really good changes, a bridge and middle eight with searing guitars by Richard. Powerful vocals and guitars make this song a gem amoung the diamonds. “Motor Ride” begins strong and is very catchy musically. Kevin's vocals fit the music perfectly and the guitar work is particularly effective for the whole sound of the song. The rhythm guitars and drums are balanced to fit in with the lead guitar work. Lyrically its just about going for a ride while talking about life. We all do this at points in our daily lives. “Sunday Morning” is a slower song talking about the past and where it has lead you into your present life. I find that it's a coming of age song of sorts with lead and acoustic guitar work by both Kevin and Richard that is sad but positive at the same time. Things will be better around the corner as time passes by. “No One Said” is a power ballad at its best. Solid vocals, guitar work and the overall feel of the song is sad but positive in it's outcome. Musically solid and lyrically interesting, this is a song that really stands out from the others on this CD for this writer. I find that the message of this song is positive in that people need each other no matter what. We need human contact. “My Conscience” is clearly inspired by British popstars Oasis and has loops reminescent of The Beatles. Powerful guitars and lyrics combine to make this very psychedelic but also sad in its delivery. One second in time can change so many things in your life; your direction or career choice and your relationships. Solid and well played. “10 Out of 10” is a fun, positive and upbeat song about the opposite sex. Whether you take someone home or just have a great conversation alone with one other person, it's about one on one contact. The guitars and vocals dominate this song. Halfway through the song, it slows right down and gets a bit dirty before plunging back into the guitar work by Richard with Kevin coming back in with vocals that hint at something more fun (wink wink nudge nudge). “Ya Ya Ya” is a song that starts the back end of the CD by building towards a good end musically. Slow but direct in it's meaning, this song tells you that “it's alright”. Musically I am reminded of Oasis but also Blur and maybe some Radiohead in its sound and in how mature the melody is. “Take Me” is easily the standout track for this writer on the CD. Starting slow with acoustic guitars, it talks about a person coming into your life and how you thank a higher power that you've met them, and also talks of timing and luck. Time changes you slowly, and life is an element of luck. Well constructed with hooks and middle eights, I particularly like the message in this song but also how well the melody flows in and out with the guitars and vocals. “Everything (What You Always Wanted)” is another strong ballad with outstanding vocal and guitar work. Basically a song about a beautiful woman, this song can be understood by anyone from anywhere. It could be just as easily be about a man if you're a woman. An interchangeable song lyrically, it has melodies that are very easy on the ears, like a good beer going down on a really hot summer day. “Bring It Down” ends this CD in a powerful and strong way. Musically well constructed and lyrically about a relationship in turmoil, its surprisingly upbeat for its content. The guitar work by Richard is exciting and makes me want to get up and dance around my condominium, which generally never happens unless I am inspired to do so.

At the end of the day, all current band members of Columbia are heading in a direction that only the lucky and the brave venture to. This CD is very promising, and I can only say one thing: Watch out world, the new British sound movement is in Canada!

Columbia plays on Thursday September 17 at The Venue (formally The Plaza Club on Granville). This show is also a CD release party for Red City Breakout as well as featuring Fighting for Ithica and Bridges Out.

You can find the band on their various sites which include:

http://www.myspace.com/columbiaband
http://www.supernova.com/columbiaband
http://www.columbiaband.com
http://www.reverbnation.com/columbiamusic
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Columbia/8668179095?ref=mf
http://twitter.com/columbiatheband

Bend Sinister Reflects on the Peak Performance Project

After taking part in five days of the Peak Performance Project, Vancouver's Bend Sinister has alot to say about it. However, according to Music BC:

"The PEAK Performance Project is a seven-year, $5.29 million contest open to all musicians in British Columbia. The project was created by 100.5 The PEAK and Music BC to develop BC based emerging artists.

Every year, twenty finalists from BC will receive an intensive, one week training program in the music business, live performance, songwriting, marketing and promotion. Artists will benefit from mentorships from some of the music industry’s top professionals and performers. All of these artists will have the chance to perform live in Vancouver on the PEAK Performance Stage.

Of these twenty artists, five will receive professional demos to be released under the project. From these, the top three will be crowned as the PEAK Performers of the year and will share $275,000 in cash for career development."

This is a much needed infusion of cash into BC music given that the BC Government appears ready to drastically cut arts funding to help pay for the Olympics.

Anyway, Bend Sinister has been blogging their experience at the Peak Performance Project:

"Here we are, the Great White North, or perhaps it's just a bit cold. It’s great to kick it out in the wilderness with 20 bands cause all of a sudden tight jeans become more of an inconvenience than a fashion statement. We showed up after a day of work, a little late, just in time for the orientation and then we unloaded our gear in the dark. We all took some time to get oriented and then settled in to some chip and pop meet and greets at the main hang area. It will be great to get to know everyone over the week and after a day of interesting workshops we’re gonna be playing our showcase tonight. Joseph got back from Europe yesterday so we haven’t rehearsed for over 5 weeks. I think it will be interesting to say the least.

Love Dan of Bend Sinister"

. You can read Parts 1-3 of their postings here and Parts 4 & 5 here. They've even managed to snag some video of one of their performances there:



You can read blog posts from many of the artists at http://www.peakperformanceproject.com/.

The 20 BC artists competing in the peak perforamce project are:

Adaline – Vancouver, BC
Adrian Glynn – Vancouver, BC
Alexandria Maillot – Courtenay, BC
Ben Sigston – Vancouver, BC
Bend Sinister – Vancouver, BC
Bodhi Jones – Vancouver, BC
Danny Echo – Burnaby, BC
Familia – Maple Ridge, BC
Freeflow - Vancouver, BC
Garrett Kato – Port Coquitlam, BC
Jackson Cook – Kelowna, BC
Kuba Oms – Victoria, BC
Run The Red Light – Vancouver, BC
Sweetheart - Vancouver, BC
TÉA - Vancouver, BC
The Left - Langley, BC
The Painted Birds - Vancouver, BC
TV Heart Attack - Vancouver, BC
Wassabi Collective - Nelson, BC
We Are The City - Kelowna, BC

Music BC Calls on Performers, fans to Protest Arts Funding Cuts

Music B.C. is calling on it's members to take action to protest severe cuts to the arts planned by the province. In terms of music the organization says that the cuts could mean a 100% cut to MusicBC and a $100,000 travel assistance program and $40,000 in support for the Western Canadian Music Awards (WCMAs).

There are two ways we are asking for your support:

1.If you are a performer - On Saturday August 29th, as a show of solidarity, we are asking all artists to perform 50% of a piece, and tell the audience why you stopped.

2.You can also send a letter, and keep sending letters, talking about the impact of proposed funding cuts on your community by writing to pertinent elected officials. Office addresses on each elected official’s web pages (emails below). Make sure these arrive by August 26th at the latest to have an impact on this decision.

Arts - Minister Kevin Krueger - [email protected]
Premier Gordon Campbell - [email protected]
Minister of Finance Colin Hansen [email protected]

We ask your support in taking the message to your local MLA - if at all possible, in a face-to-face meeting. Clearly these funding issues affect many arts organizations in the province. To get more information on your local MLA, you can go to http://www.leg.bc.ca/MLA.

You can read the full Call to Action and other suggested steps at http://www.musicbc.org/?p=1342.

As a side note I understand that there is a deep and ongoing recession, however the province seems to have no trouble in continually finding additional funds for the Olympics so certainly the province can find the funds to maintain its other existing programs and services - right? I mean it would be especially irresponsible to cut the arts because "for every dollar invested in the arts, the province gets back $1.38 in taxes" (source).