Author Archives: Katelynn Dilday

A vinyl lovers guide to Metro-Van record shops

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Fun fact! I’ve only lived on the Lower Mainland for about 9 months. I moved to Burnaby from the Sunshine Coast to start my education here in BCIT’s Radio Arts program. While I miss my home on the Coast dearly, there are definitely some perks to living in the city. One of my favourite parts is just how many amazing record stores we have! 

I’ve been collecting vinyl records, CDs, and basically any other physical media for over 6 years now, and it’s been a total game changer to be able to just hop on a bus and go browse these giant stores filled with the newest releases whenever I want. Before I moved, I had to rely on the sole record store on the Coast. Don’t get me wrong, I love that shop to death, but their stock was fairly limited, and I had to commute over an hour just to check if they had the album I wanted. 

Here’s a list of just some of the awesome record shops I’ve visited since moving to the city!

Beat Street

Since the mid 90’s, this independent shop has sold not only records, but cds, cassettes, collectables of all kinds, and even art supplies for graffiti! They’ve moved locations 4 different times, but have sat at 439 West Hastings for over 20 years.

You may even recognize this shop as one of Nardwaur’s regular haunts. He’s hosted some iconic interviews with different celebrities, including Ed Sheeran and Tyler the Creator, at Beat Street!

Red Cat

Red Cat may be my favourite shop on this list. This bright red building is nestled between a consignment shop and a psychic medium at 4386 Main Street. To me, they offer the perfect amount of records. Just enough that I can comfortably browse through them all without getting overwhelmed by mountains of music to sift through.

Red Cat Records – Via their website

The shop was named after Buddy the cat, who “ruled the store” until 2006.

Neptoon

Walk about 10 minutes down the street from Red Cat, and you’ll find yourself at Neptoon Records, Vancouver’s oldest independent record shop. Since opening in 1981, it’s been a local favourite. Along with their huge catalogue of music, Neptoon also sells posters, accessories, and all sorts of other fun things! They’ve hosted events like album listening parties, fundraisers, and even full concerts in the shop. 

If the name sounds familiar to you, that’s no surprise. Like Beat Street, Neptoon has been the location of many a Nardwuar interview over the years. Most are held in the store’s basement, so who knows? Next time you’re buying your favourite artists’ new record, they might be right underneath your feet being interviewed by the Human Serviette himself!

Reasons to Live (honourable mention)

I know this is a list of Vancouver-based record stores, but I just couldn’t leave RTL out. Reasons to Live Books & Records lives tucked away just behind the iconic Molly’s Reach in Gibsons, BC. For the first 5 years of my record collecting, I would spend each day crafting elaborate plots to convince my mom to drive me out to Gibsons just so I could flip through their entire collection, just in case I found something I couldn’t live without (no pun intended.) 

(@reasonstolivebooks / Instagram)

Even if records aren’t your thing (if so, why are you even reading this article?) they have a huge collection of new and used books, t-shirts, stationery, and even quite a few bumper stickers. The staff are all so sweet, and it’s just such a vibrant slice of community for ‘Coasters and tourists alike. 

With online conglomerates like Amazon taking up so much of the physical music industry, it’s more important than ever to show independent record stores some love! Even if you aren’t a local, many of these shops have online stores where you can order directly from them. Check out their websites to learn more!

Album breakdown: Karaoke Alone (part 2)

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This article is the second part of a song-by-song breakdown of The Aubreys’ debut album, Karaoke Alone. If you’d like to catch up with my analysis of the first six songs, you can check it out here!

Album breakdown: Karaoke Alone (part 1)

Track Seven: Need to leave the theatre

This song opens up Karaoke Alone’s second act. A few simple lyrics echo over a dreamy, melodic instrumental. 

“I shouldn’t be here, but I gotta be. / I’m sorry that I ran away.”

Malcolm’s rich vocals have returned, drawing the listener back to the album’s titular track. This simple song almost acts as an interlude between the first and second halves of this album, weaving the 2 together into 1 final piece.

Track Eight: Face to Face

Similarly to Resale, I love this song, though I don’t have a whole lot to say about it in regards to the album as a whole. The lyrics continue with the themes of loneliness and lost relationships that are covered throughout, and I believe Karaoke Alone’s other songs just pull this off more successfully. However, I do love Finn’s vocals and the lead guitar on this track.

Track Nine: Twenty Two

Honestly, I can’t seem to make much sense of this song’s lyrics. As is common with The Aubreys, this song feels pretty personal to the writer and doesn’t leave many clues as to what it’s referencing. Though, according to a fan online, Finn had said at a concert that this song (which was unreleased at the time) was about the bus. This leads fans to speculate that the lyric “Twenty-two, another two, no energy” refers to both the 22 and 2 bus routes in downtown Vancouver.

Track Ten: Dog Behind

In my opinion, this is one of the most vulnerable songs on the album, both sonically and lyrically. With nothing but a stripped-back, acoustic guitar, Finn sings about the loss of a pet. While this song can be taken quite literally and still be filled with emotion, a whole new layer is added when you consider Karaoke Alone’s consistent themes of growing up, change, and the loneliness and uncertainty that often come with that. 

“Old red, turning grey. Wasn’t there to see it, wasn’t there to stay. / All dogs obey the law, and all dogs should leave their paws behind. / Old pain shifts away. Old enough to own it, still old enough to play. / All dogs get old enough, and all dogs don’t have the choice to stay.”

 Track Eleven: Blue

The second-to-last track on this album reminds me a lot of Finn and Malcolm’s previous band, Calpurnia. Specifically, their final single before disbanding, Cell. The fast-paced, grungey guitar, paired with Finn’s lead vocals, feels like somewhat of an homage to their early work.

Track Twelve: You’ll Have to Wait

This song is one of the best album-closers I’ve ever heard. It’s the longest song on the album, and for good reason. It slowly builds momentum over its 5-minute runtime, starting with Malcolm’s voice, as found in the album’s titular and middle tracks, repeating a simple lyric:

“Not today, you’ll have to wait.”

As he continues into the first verse, the pace begins to quicken, along with sharp bursts of drums. He then repeats the chorus a second time, as an upbeat baseline slowly creeps in underneath. The instrumental that has been slowly building now is richer and complex, yet continues to grow still. After nearly 40 seconds, it reaches a peak and begins to fade out.

Just as you think the song is coming to a close, Malcolm’s voice can be heard again. He echoes the same melody as the chorus, but with alternate lyrics.

“Today is great, today is so great.”

The song then explodes into a swirling finale of dreamlike instrumentals. This musical breakdown is easily the best 2 minutes of their discography so far. It sounds raw, colourful, and nothing short of perfect.

It feels like the ending to a coming-of-age story, which really is what Karaoke Alone is at its heart. Two teenagers growing into young men, learning to navigate life and all its challenges. It’s something universal and yet almost impossible to describe. I truly believe this song manages to capture that feeling, and the result is incredible.

While I hope my analysis has helped paint you a picture of this amazing piece of work, it truly comes together in a way that can only be experienced through hearing the music itself. You can listen to Karaoke Alone, as well as previous singles from The Aubreys below. I highly encourage checking it out (if my 3 page essay didn’t convince you already…)

Album breakdown: Karaoke Alone (part 1)

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On November 5th, 2021, Vancouver-based indie rock band The Aubreys released their debut album, Karaoke Alone. The duo, made up of Finn Wolfhard and Malcolm Craig, were only 18 and 19 (respectively) at the time of this release. This album is beyond impressive given their age. It’s packed with vulnerable lyrics and dreamy instrumentals that somehow feel both nostalgic and like something you’ve never heard before. 

Karaoke Alone tells a story that is simultaneously relatable to all and personal to their unique perspectives. It covers themes of anxiety, grief, uncertainty, and the slew of other complex emotions that come with adolescence. In short, it’s a coming of age record, but upon further analysis, it’s packed full of depth and maturity. 

The following is the result of my attempt to write a quick, 400 word breakdown of this Album. As you will soon find, I feel far too passionate about this piece of work to condense my thoughts any further, and it has instead become an absolute monster of an essay. Though it may be my magnum opus…

The Aubrey’s at Red Gate

(@millenniumkids__ / Instagram)

Track One: Same as You

I find that the best albums use the first two songs to really set the tone. Karaoke alone is no different. This track works perfectly as a short and sweet intro for the album as a whole before swiftly moving into the more upbeat title track.

Track Two: Karaoke alone

This song feels like a charcuterie board of all the best elements found later on in the album. It has a little bit of everything: Malcolm’s deep vocals, quirky instrumentals, and personal, descriptive lyrics. It’s a great setup for the rest of the album to come. The lyrics to this song depict driving, specifically driving alone. In an interview with Alternative Press, Finn said that this is meant to represent the recurring themes of growing up and finding independence and personal freedom referenced throughout the album.

Track Three: In the ground

To me, this song dives further into the themes of newfound independence that are touched on in the previous track. Finn’s vocals are youthful (almost whiney, some may say) and the lyrics are full of symbolism alluding to the feelings of anxiety and isolation that can pair with the excitement of finding your independence as a young adult. 

“Said all of my goodbyes, put my tears in a case. / Wrap my instincts in plastic, be the journey home. Got a book of matches, to strike while I’m home alone / I’m freaking out, ‘cause my young face is starting to frown”

Track Four: Kiss a cross

First of all, I absolutely love the keys in this song! They help to shape this childlike, fantasy feel that is further reinforced by its lyrics. While I can’t seem to make any concrete sense of the meaning behind this song, I still adore the visually descriptive lyrics. Not to mention Finn’s “WHOOP!” leading into the second verse.

Track Five: Resale

This was both the album’s first single and the first song by The Aubreys I ever heard. Because of that, it’ll always have a special place in my heart. That being said, I do feel like this is one of the weaker points in the album as a whole. As a standalone track, I think it’s great. I love the guitar solo after the first chorus, and I would recommend it for anyone looking to get into The Aubreys, but in my opinion, it’s a little basic compared to some of the other songs.

Track Six: I don’t bite

While it’s impossible for me to pick a single favourite song off of this album, I will say every time I hear the opening line to this track, my heart sinks in the best way. There’s just something so devastating about it that I can’t quite place. The lyrics discuss being mistreated in a relationship while feeling unable to speak up for yourself and instead shrinking yourself down to be more palatable.

“How many times did you lie to my face? Soap in my mouth, trying to wash out the taste / Okay my dear, you know I don’t mind, you know I can’t fight, you know I don’t bite.”

In the final repetition of the chorus, the narrative shifts, offering a bittersweet resolution before the song crescendos in a fantastic instrumental outro that sonically marks the end of the first half of this Album.

“Can’t be too honest, but I must. / You know I can fight, you know I can bite.”

The first six songs found on Karaoke Alone could easily exist as a stand-alone EP. In just twenty minutes, we’ve both lyrically and instrumentally ebbed and flowed through the many themes of this album, and the outro to I Don’t Bite feels like a strong conclusion. 

In part two of this article, I dive into Karaoke Alone’s latter half and explore how the two sides complement each other so well.

Album breakdown: Karaoke Alone (part 2)

 

Bucket: How being unserious can lead to some seriously great music!

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Vancouver is home to so many great musicians, but with such a vibrant scene, it can be easy for artists from other spots around BC to be overshadowed. I sat down with Finley Kinghorn of Nelson-based “indie pop-punk confusion” Bucket to hopefully shine a bit of a spotlight on some of the amazing talent coming from our interior.

Bucket was formed by 3 music students, all from different places around BC’s Kootenay region: singer and bassist Kael Koteles, drummer Reed Erickson, and lead guitarist Finley Kinghorn. According to Finley, when the three met, they immediately hit it off and have a great time making music together.

After playing shows together throughout Nelson and the broader Kootenay area, the trio put together their first official project. Dorm Room Demos. This half-hour EP contains 4 tracks, all of which, as the title would suggest, are demos recorded in Finley’s dorm room. 

Bucket’s unique, genre-blending style is apparent from the get-go, but they’ve done nothing but improve as they continue to develop their sound. Between the 3 of them, they have an eclectic list of musical inspirations, but Finley credits bands like Led Zeppelin and The Dirty Nil as his personal influences. “Classic rock’s where it started, it’s that meshed with a bit of pop punk. I love the kind of not serious attitude of it,” he says.

According to Finley, this not-so-serious tone has been an important factor when creating music.  “We take the band seriously,” he says, “but we kind of don’t want it to feel that way. It’s always been about having fun first.” Even the band’s name was chosen to reflect their easy-going nature. They wanted something short, fun, and easy to remember. Ergo: Bucket! 

2024 brought the release of “Live at the Royal.” Sticking with their established theme of literal titles, it’s a live album recorded at The Royal, a pub and music venue located in Nelson. This is the project that really sold me on Bucket. Their commitment to having fun, while also creating great music, shines through so clearly, and the love they have for performing is almost contagious. 

One of the highlights of this show is a bit of a hidden gem. A high-energy, punk rock cover of Jon Travolta’s Greased Lightnin’ from the classic movie musical, Grease. Unlike the other tracks on the album, it’s only available on YouTube, not streaming platforms. It’s campy, it’s catchy, and most importantly, it’s just plain fun!

So what’s up next for Bucket? Finley tells me the trio has been working on an album since September and they’re hoping to release it by the end of this month! 

“It’s called ‘this time we’re serious’ because this time…we’re serious,” he chuckled to me. So far, we’re three for three on the deadpan titles, and I’m totally here for it.

If you can’t get enough of Bucket and want to learn more about them, you can check out my recent article where FInley and I discuss the differences in Vancouver and Nelson’s music scenes. You can also listen to their featured episode of New Music Now on the Evolution Podcast Network!

What ever happened to Calpurnia?

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If you were following the indie rock scene sometime around 2018-19, chances are you’ve heard of the short-lived Vancouver band, Calpurnia. Thanks to the already massive fanbase of their frontman, Finn Wolfhard (Stranger Things, Andy Muschietti’s It) the band was successful right out of the gate. 

The quartet consisted of Finn Wolfhard (lead vocals, rhythm guitar,) Ayla Tesler-Mabe (lead guitar, vocals,) Jack Anderson (bass guitar,) and Malcolm Craig (drums.) Despite all four of them only being between the ages of 15-17, there was no doubt they were rockstars. 

Their debut single, City Boy, was released in March of 2018, and by July of the same year, they released their first and only EP, Scout. A month later, Calpurnia performed on an episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live to promote the project, and in January of 2019, they starred in the music video for Weezer’s cover of Take On Me. They were even set to play Lollapalooza that year, though their performance was canceled due to “scheduling issues,” according to the band.

Within their first year, they already had a successful EP, TV appearances, a tour, and a large, loyal fanbase under their belts. It looked like Calpurnia was headed for long-term success, and the world couldn’t wait to see what they would do next.

March of 2019 brought the release of their new single, Cell. In my opinion, Cell is one of their best songs. It sounds a lot more mature than the tracks on Scout (though I love those songs too, I promise!) and it showed some really promising growth for the band since their debut. Not to mention, it’s just plain catchy! Many fans, myself included, were super excited by this new release and waited eagerly for this new era of Calpurnia to begin.

We waited…

And waited some more…

Until November of that year, when Calpurnia’s disbandment was suddenly announced on their Instagram. The post was vaguely captioned, citing no real reason for the band’s abrupt end other than each member starting their own “fresh chapters” in life.

(@calpurniaofficial / Instagram)

Over 5 years later, we still don’t have a clear explanation as to why the band chose to split. Naturally, fans have a wide variety of theories, but with nothing ever confirmed, it looks like we may just have to keep guessing.

As for the “fresh chapters” for each bandmate, they all seem to be doing well in their own careers as musicians. Finn and Malcolm went on to start The Aubreys, a duo project, and released their first album, Karaoke Alone, in 2021. Finn is also set to release his first solo project next month. Jack has released a bunch of ambient tracks on Spotify and Bandcamp, and Ayla has released an EP, as well as collaborated with artists like Willow Smith. Her most recent single, Endless Summer, came out just last month.

The Aubreys live at Red Gate

(@millenniumkids__ / Instagram)

While the band remains inactive, their fan base is still alive and kicking. To this day, fans regularly leave comments on Calpurnia’s socials expressing their love for the band, how much they miss it, and begging for a reunion. If you ask me, I seriously doubt the band will be reuniting any time soon, and maybe that’s ok. Maybe it’s for the best that Calpurnia remains what it was, a nostalgic ode to its time. That being said, if they were to drop a record tomorrow, you know I’d be the first to pick it up.

Green Auto – A warm welcome to Vancouver’s DIY scene

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It’s about 6 pm on the evening of January 17th, and I’m about to complete my second loop around Pandora Street and Victoria Drive. Google Maps has been no help, and I’m growing more confused by the minute. Where the hell is this place??

“You looking for Green Auto?” Someone asks. Clearly my aimless wandering has made me stick out like a sore thumb.

“You’re gonna want to go up that way and loop around the back, that’s where everyone lines up.” My hero. I thank him for the directions and start making my way.

I was there to see Finn Wolfhard perform alongside Sharp Pins, Tom Henry, and The Private Eye. At this point, I had been to a few shows at Red Gate and Victory Square, but I was still pretty unfamiliar with Vancouver’s music scene. To be honest, I was a little intimidated. I was freshly 19, alone, and standing in line outside some mysterious venue with nothing but a private Instagram account to prove its legitimacy. However, all that apprehension washed away as soon as I got inside and was met with one of the coolest DIY spaces I’ve seen yet.

(@millenniumkids__ / Instagram)

So what is Green Auto? Well, for one, it lives up to its name. The DIY venue sits at 1822 Pandora St. and was converted from an auto parts garage, complete with industrial glass doors that can be folded up into the ceiling! They’ve described themselves as an ‘all-inclusive and accessible space for diverse creative talent and the people who support them’ and make it a point to remind us that ‘all are welcome.’ 

“We believe the arts should be supported and empowered. Our goal is to provide a stage where every voice is welcomed and celebrated. From emerging local talents to marginalized artists, everyone has a place here.”

-Green Auto Music, via YouTube.

Along with frequent performances from local and touring bands alike, Green Auto offers a monthly digital newsletter where you can find updates, photos from recent shows, exclusive interviews with artists, upcoming events, and more! They also post videos from their shows to their YouTube channel.

With the doors closed, the small space is easily packed. While this leads to a cozy, intimate atmosphere, like any small venue, it can feel overcrowded at times. Gorgeous, warm coloured lamps hang from the ceiling, which complement the cozy feel of the space, and all the staff I met were super friendly! 

As the room continued to fill, I began to feel increasingly like a canned sardine, but just before the music started, the garage doors were opened and the space was converted from an indoor to an outdoor venue just like that! While the fresh air and room to breathe were much appreciated, the mid-January weather was less than ideal. Even though it was a cold night, the energy was high, and as far as I could tell, everyone was having a great time! 

If you haven’t ever had the chance to visit Green Auto, I really think you should check it out. It’s such a unique slice of Vancouver’s scene, and the love put into what they do is reflected in every detail.