After 11 years of bringing you local reporting, the team behind the Vancouver Observer has moved on to Canada's National Observer. You can follow Vancouver culture reporting over there from now on. Thank you for all your support over the years!

Vancouver music release roundup - spring edition

This spring, Vancouver is rich with a fresh crop of music releases across all genres.

Vancouver music release roundup - spring edition

If you're a local artist, and would like to see your new release featured here, see the end to find out how to submit your music to us.

Title: 15 for Piano15 for Piano
Artist(s): Roger Admiral, piano; Howard Bashaw, composer
Genre: Contemporary Classical
Label: Centrediscs
Sample: Dazzle: The Kaleidoscope Returns
Notes: 

Howard Bashaw's set of 15 short piano pieces (sensibly entitled 15 for Piano), takes the piano apart bit by bit, but then moves on to deconstruct your powers of critical reasoning as well. His logic is inescapable even if his musical source material is obtuse. No matter. Pianist Roger Admiral tackles the technical challenges Bashaw has set before him with enough ferocity to validate the album's cover photo. -JH

Also, Roger Admiral performs Bashaw's 15 for Piano live in a CD Release Concert Pyatt Hall (next to the Orpheum) Wednesday, May 13 at Wednesday, May 13 at 7:30 PM.

 

Title: 665665 album artwork
Artist(s): Industrial Priest Overcoats (Trevor McEachran)
Genre: Industrial / Post-punk
Label: Self-released
Sample: Stream the full EP
Notes: 

665 isn’t IPO’s IPO. Long-time leader of the local no-fi scene, Trevor McEachran has posted much music to his Bandcamp page over the past four years or so. Something must have happened when he saw that starving pitbull on a short chain watching children play with a hubcap, because the Overcoats have never been so industrial. Only three tracks in length, but by far the most interesting material in his catalogue. Enjoy blasts of noisy synth, progressive drum programming, and frantic vocal work. -NL

 

Title: Campfires on the MoonCampfires on the Moon
Artist(s): Rodney DeCroo, acoustic guitar, lead vocals; Ida Nilsen, piano, harmonies; Mark Haney, double bass
Genre: Indie folk, chamber folk
Label: Tonic Records
Sample: Stupid Boy in a Stupid Town
Notes: 

If you missed the recent Fox Cabaret kick-off of Rodney DeCroo's cross-Canada tour, you also missed the release of his new album, Campfires on the Moon. Too bad. Decroo is well on his way to becoming a municipal treasure. His music is a marvel in its own right, but what makes this album so wonderful is how DeCroo deadpans his way through all those man-boy angst-ridden lyrics. His melodies are invariably monotone but the unexpected twists and turns he throws in coupled with his gloriously out-of-tune singing make DeCroo unique on many levels…

Perhaps "Young with You" will sum it up nicely enough:

"So please don’t say you’re sorry, 
I don’t need that from you, 
To be young is to be reckless, 
I’m glad I was young with you."

And "I was a stupid boy in an ugly town" is also a fine earworm if ever there were. -JH

 

Read More:

More in Music

Marcus King Band brings Southern Blues North of the border for the first time

This week Marcus King and his five-piece band played the Commodore Ballroom. It was the first time King had played in Vancouver and fans were ecstatic for his arrival. The venue was packed brimming...

"Voices Appeared" to silent Maid

Orlando Consort sets Dreyer's Saint Joan masterpiece to 15th century scores

Mt. St. Hille's pyroclastic gems

Veda Hille self-celebrates a life well-lived in idiosyncratic solo show "Little Volcano"
Speak up about this article on Facebook or Twitter. Do this by liking Vancouver Observer on Facebook or following us @Vanobserver on Twitter. We'd love to hear from you.