Easy Listening

I was back at the Burdock on Friday for an early show. It was a full house, mostly friends and family, for Donna Linklater and Kin Collective. Linklater opened the evening with a set of theatrical pop (Slash and Burn, Tough Guy, I Hear Voices). She sometimes injected a bit of operatic soprano into her singing. There was some feedback on her ukulele that she struggled to control.

Kin Collective is mostly a song-writing group and usually release their music and videos online. Tonight's live performance was a rare outing. They played adult contemporary songs including numbers from their EP (Broken, Time To Start Trying) as well as covers from Carol King and Civil Wars.

Given my recent experiences with fresh indie gems from Moscow Apartment and experimental but engaging music from CWC, I just couldn't get into tonight's music. Linklater should hook up with those women composers to explore her weird side. As for the writers of the Collective, they might need to reconnect with their younger selves and realize that as people get older, they sometimes use more words than necessary, while actually saying less.

Playful Noise

On Thursday, I was at the Burdock for New Music and Jazz, a show sponsored by the CWC (Canadian Women Composers Project). I was expecting some jazz, perhaps in the contemporary vein, but was rewarded with an evening of wonderful experimental music.

3 vocalists, Belinda Corpuz, Laura Swankey, and Lieke Van Der Voort did some beautiful harmonizing, especially on Tova Kardonne's Preposterous Locutions, her humorous exploration of the men you find at online dating sites. But they also made sounds like rivers (Juliet Palmer's Burble) and wind or bird calls (Corpuz's I Hear You). They were all composers with an interest in playing with words and the human voice. Joined by percussionist Germaine Liu, who sometimes acted like a mischievous foley (recreating river sounds with a bowl full of water), but more often played an impressionistic scientist evoking soundscapes with both conventional and unusual percussive props.

I've been attending mostly straight-forward shows lately, but tonight was a beautiful display of avant-garde, theatrical, and interesting music that was also auditory pleasing (as compared to this or this).

Make Don't Break

After a show at The Cameron House on Wednesday, I wandered up its namesake street. It was one of those small, side lanes I've walked by hundreds of times without venturing through. Some evidence remained of its old character, but new buildings and businesses have started to crowd in. Into one such spot, Maker Pizza, I went in for dinner.

This was a bustling joint but mostly for take-out. A procession of delivery staff came through during my time there, not only their own guy but also for a number of online food services. Luckily, there were a few communal tables for us few diners. Looking over the menu, I settled on a small Dani's Red and White Pesto ($16). This was a wonderful meal. You can either get the (sometimes overly) doughy slice at a typical cheap eats, or fresh and tasty (but possibly too thin) at a fancier pizzeria. At Maker, I got the best of both worlds. Thick and fragrant, soaked in aromatic toppings and cheese, with a pleasing oven-baked chew, it was a great pie. Maker Pizza has immediately placed itself near the top of my regular rotation.

From The Mouth Of Babes

On Wednesday, I went to the Cameron House for the last show of Moscow Apartment's March residency. It was a packed crowd, and given the youthfulness of both bands, full of teenagers. The opener was Fintan, a brother duo from Victoria. This 20-something outfit played emotional boy pop. That is, they write mostly variations of the love song with a little more depth than what's currently playing on the radio. Their covers of Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah (joined by a sister just off a plane from New Brunswick) and Bahamas' Lost In The Light illustrated the gap in their experience. But there was promise in their set.

Headliner Moscow Apartment is teen duo Pascale and Brighid, who haven't even finished high school. But from the first song Be You ("maybe I'm confused/I won't let myself be used by you"), there's a wonderful maturity to their song-craft. They also sang about topics including body image on Annie ("Get your hands off my body/Annie") and friendship on Half-way. Even their love songs were inspired, such as Francis and Isobel being actually an ode to a house plant. It was no surprise that new song Two-timer will be recorded in Nashville. Along with a $100K prize they recently won, the world is about to discover the preternatural talents of Moscow Apartment.

It's A Wash

After an afternoon matinee on Tuesday, I wanted to go to Manpuku but was convinced to try new Chinatown spot Awas Tea Noodle. This replaced a Jewish restaurant that sat next to venerable Swatow. In fact, I saw them finishing up renovations a few weeks ago.

So unfortunately, it felt like early days for Awas. The waitstaff was tentative, unsure, and inexperienced. I got a Taiwanese vegetarian noodle ($9.99) and a side-order of marinated bean curd leaf rolls ($2.50). The food was better though not particularly a stand-out. I missed out on their specialty which was the variety of tea offerings. I would come back to try that and for a quick bite (once they straighten out their service.) But I can't see this being either a destination restaurant or part of my regular rotation.

Definition of Boombastic Jazz

On a pleasant Sunday evening, after grabbing a quick bite, I went to an early show at The Burdock. The two openers, Canadian musicians based out of New York, did a combined set including playing and singing backup on each others' songs. May Cheung leaned toward folk-pop with songs like Hushed Forest, 2 Little Birds, and Go By The Water. Kari van der Kloot added Jazz compositions including Hide and Seek and Caution. The audience responded a little more warmly to Cheung's music, only because Kloot's songs were more complex. I've noticed that most Jazz composers seem to have a pathological aversion to writing a straight-forward melody. It was a complementary and interesting set for me. They ended with a cover of Sheryl Crow's Strong Enough.

The mixing of musical genre continued with headliner Maya Killtron. I've heard Maya before, singing with The Big Sound and Maylee Todd, and knew of her love of 90s R'n'B. But I didn't know she was also a violinist and composer. Tonight, she melded the two sides, enlisted the help of an all-women string quintet, and gave a varied set of "classical" R'n'B music, both covers and her own songs from her debut album Never Dance Alone. This 90s inspired release (Red Dress, Bad Decisions) had just come out on Friday. Unlike the typical swelling, lush but simple arrangements when strings are added as accompaniment to a pop song, when they are front and centre as the main band, the music was complex and layered. Killtron joined in on her violin now and then. But she mostly stuck to wowing the crowd with her big voice and range. She was also an engaging hostess with a natural banter that got several big laughs.

Many Chords

On Friday, I went to The Drake Underground for 2 artists from Montréal. First up was Ada Lea. Her emotional music and prose-like lyrics reminded me of the latest crop of singers like Soccer Mommy and Mitski. I much preferred her on the acoustic guitar where she played with more variety whereas it was mostly strumming on the electric.

The headliner was Emily Kahn (once known as Emily & Ogden). She had plenty of family in Toronto so a whole seated section was set aside for them. The rest of us stood milling near the stage. But standing was a bonus as Kahn's latest album had some rocking tunes. The first part of her set, perhaps atmospherically absorbing some of Montreal's current synth vibe, with her full band on synth, slow bass, and triggered drum samples reminded me of Milk & Bone. But during the solo interlude, Kahn that demonstrated she only needed her trusty harp (i.e., Ogden) to entranced the crowd with songs like Ten Thousand and What Happened. Her looping techniques were also unusual and included singing echo-y harmonies into her harp body. Her band finished off the night showing that they can also do anthemic numbers that got heads rocking with Kahn leaving her harp to do some dancing too. As an aside, I noticed that she required neither a stage nor an in-ear monitor.

Get Dirty

I was wandering down Dundas St. W on Sunday morning when I noticed that the BBQ place Smoke Signals has been replaced by a Mexican street food joint called La Chingada. Though this word has some iffy connotation slang-wise, the inside was bright and welcoming. A large street mural decorated one wall and earthen pots and painted clay plates adorned another. Looking over the one-page menu, I settled on the Queso Fundido ($12), a Veggie Huarache ($7) and a Planta Asado ($6) for dessert.

The fundido came as 3 corn tortillas wrapped in a paper with a small pan of gooey cheese blend. Now, it may be possible to make or buy your own cheese. But bless the hipster for their dedication to authenticity because the hand-made tortilla made the dish. Thick, fragrant, and with a nice chew, it was the perfect vehicle to transport all that cheese. The Huarache was also good. Like a larger, flat taco, the tortilla has been made slightly crispy, all the better to hold the toppings.

Unfortunately, the plantain dessert was a bit disappointing. The condensed milk and chocolate mix was good but the banana was somehow both simultaneously too soft and yet mealy. Despite this small mis-step, I shall make a return visit here. I've been avoiding the trendier Mexican joints as there are several alternatives in my area run by actual Latino families. But this place has some interesting offerings. One warning though, the portions are small for the price so Chingada would probably make a better brunch spot than dinner option.

Meet Cute

On Friday at lunch, I headed over to Crown Paradise at Sheppard and Birchmount to grab a few curry dishes to supplement dinner. With the cold weather, I haven't been to this hidden gem lately. But since it has no dine-in option, I thought that I would also stop off at Alanoor Afghan Kabob. But the latter was no more, replaced by the oddly named Meet Noodles (which seems to already have a few locations in Canada and US).

Inside this new Chinese noodle house, they've ripped up the club-like booths. The wall has been covered with a vaguely East Asian mural. I opted for the Chongqing noodles ($5.50) and a side-order of cold fungus ($3.50). It was one of the better soup I've had lately with a rich, creamy broth enliven with crunchy peanuts. The noodles had a nice chew and mouth-feel. The only downside was that similar to other Chinese noodle houses, the vegetarian option had a few measly bok-choy stems and green garnishes. So though I don't usually offer my opinion, I showed them a photo of the colourful and appetizing vegan noodle offered at now defunct Landing Noodles. The ingredients are cheap and they can add another $3-4 to the dish. A win-win for everyone.

Brunch Beat

I never understood the long line-up every week-end for brunch spot Aunties and Uncles at College and Lippincott. But when their next door neighbour Wrapido became a Filipino joint called BBs Diner, I decided to give the new competition a try.

On Sunday, I arrived just after the early hipster brunch rush and before the arrival of the Filipino after-church crowd. There was additional seating upstair but I was in the tiny downstair space. There was a booth and an 8-seat table sharing space with the kitchen. The latter was separated from the guests by the fiction of some Japanese screens. The staff (and crowd) was strictly young and hip.

Looking over the short menu, I chose the BB breakfast special with milkfish ($13). It was a delicious meal. The onion fried rice was fragrant and not too oily. The fish had just the right amount of saltiness. All in all, this was a tasty meal. I also liked that price was all-in. But BBs is a cash-only diner so make sure you have all the change you need.

Night Court

On Saturday, I went to the Mattamy Athletic Centre at Ryerson University for the Women's University Basketball Championship semi-final game between Ottawa and Laval. Formerly Maple Leaf Gardens, I haven't been inside the building since it closed. It was renovated and became both a Loblaw's and Ryerson's sports complex. I took the opportunity to walk around the facility. I was impressed that they have made full use of the space instead of merely gutting everything and only keeping the front façade like numerous Toronto renovations.

The game was an up-and-down affair. Laval was the better team with crisper passing and players who were willing to and also making shots. It was only a close game for Ottawa because Laval got into foul trouble throughout the night. Some Ottawa fans thought a ref was biased against their team near the tail-end of the game. True or not, Laval was more deserving of the win.

My Big Fat Greek Egging 2

Since my last visit to Aziza and College and Dovercourt, it has gotten more popular especially since the other brunch places on this block are defunct. So I dropped by on Saturday for a bite. There have been some improvements. First, the décor was more welcoming with a combination of diner booths and wooden tables. Second, the waitstaff was more solicitous. One waitress was particularly helpful to some visitors, recommending a better smoothie combination and a cheaper entrée option.

I opted again for a Greek omelette ($15.95) which has increased by $5. I liked the various ingredients including the fresh fruit and thick bread. But the execution was again pedestrian on the omelette and home fries. It was reasonably ok. But for 3x the price of Billy's Souvlaki just up the road at Bloor, I want a defter hand and better flavour.

Pop Princess

On Friday, I was at a show sponsored by local music festival Venus Fest which promotes "feminism in music". Given headliner's Ivy Mairi recent pop offerings, I was wondering if the typical seated set-up at The Burdock, though usually appreciated, would be a good fit. Tonight, they split the difference with half the room having chairs and the rest of us can move and dance.

Carmen Elle opened the evening. I was impressed with her solo material from a few weeks ago. With a trio including slinky bass, muscular drums, and even 3-part harmonies, her set was even more enjoyable. Her dry wit caused laughter with every between-song banter: from the irony of getting PMS on International Women's Day to a mock plea to Mairi to include her on some songs, given that half of the latter's band were members of Carmen Elle's group Diana.

With Ivy Mairi's folk music background, she opened with the introspective There Is A Thing from Nonbeliever, slightly changed to dream-pop. But the new EP was her foray into pop with drummer Kieran Adams, so most of her set was catchy 80s-inspire music. But her folk roots often peeked through (Prayer and Polarity) giving them lyrical depths not usually found in Top 40 songs. Taken inspiration from Feminism (not just women) in music, and musical suggestions from her activist mother, she entranced the sold-out audience with an old suffragette song called Bread and Roses. Her set ended with the dance banger Strange Love (easily a Top 10 or better if sung by a mainstream artist), and a cover of Donna Lewis' I Love You Always Forever. Mairi's band gave her music layers and oomph with Caitlin Woelfle-O'Brien (Blunt Chunks) being an almost co-singer and adding frequent background harmonies.

Work In Progress

On Thursday, I headed to The Burdock for a live show. By coincidence, all 3 performers chose to showcase relatively new songs. Although since I didn't know 2 of them, every song was new. First up was Raf Wilcot from Montréal. I liked his dreamy, shimmering piano chords and his prose-like lyrics though he could do a better job matching syllables to notes. I thought his bottom range was better so I was surprised he sang mostly in the upper register. His cover of Norah Jones' Don't Know Why was understated.

It was Synne Sanden's first time in Canada. But given the current chill, it probably wasn't much different from her native Norway. Her piano playing was more straightforward while her singing, a cross between Tori Amos and Olivia Merilahti (The Dø), was quite beautiful. From soft whispers to full-throated roar, with spiraling lyrics, songs like Imitation and I Rot filled the room.

L Con, at least for this show, was now a one-woman act. Lisa Conway has opted for manipulating samples, tracks, and drum machines along with her singing. Luckily, numbers such as Distance To The Moon and Forms of Space still thrilled in their layered catchiness. The latter actually got several shouts of approval when it ended. Conway also showcased several new tracks including a collaboration with The Magic and her own take on In The Air Tonight. But she didn't need all that synth work. L Con ended her set in the middle of the audience, accompanied by a simple cassette tape recorder, with an entrancing acoustic version of The Art of Staying Tough.