By Andrew King to make a record . It ’ s like , let ’ s do things that make it exciting for us . Period .”
Such an attitude would seem like a matter of course for one of Canada ’ s synth-based Pitchfork darlings and Polaris Prize shortlist staples , but not for Kerman and company – keyboardist Anthony Carone , guitarist Mike DeAngelis , bassist Nick Dika , and drummer Tim Oxford . Not for Arkells . This is the band that , with 2008 ’ s Jackson Square , brought the blue-collared ethos of Bruce Springsteen and Billy Joel back to Canadian rock radio and summer festival stages . It ’ s one they came by honestly as sons of Steeltown ( Hamilton , ON ) and students of their genre ’ s seminal acts – from The Beatles to the Boss to Neil Young – and close-to-contemporaries like Constantines and Wintersleep alike . It ’ s also one that made them prime candidates to be the new posterboys of honest and authentic rock and roll , always served straight , no chaser .
While they certainly didn ’ t shy away from exploring new sonic territory on their subsequent releases – 2011 ’ s Michigan Left and , to a further extent , 2014 ’ s High Noon – both were comfortably rooted in a similar aural aesthetic , and both achieved impressive domestic success . The widespread acclaim and multiple JUNOs only further affirmed the band ’ s place at the forefront of the still ongoing resurgence of no-bullshit rock music on Canadian airwaves . ( Call it Canrock 2.0 ?) In fact , thanks to High Noon singles “ Come to Light ” and the inescapably hooky “ Leather Jacket ,” Arkells were the most-played artist on Canadian alt-rock radio in 2015 .
So it might come as a surprise – or even a shock – to hear the frontman for one of rock ’ s flagbearing acts in this country distance himself from the genre , and even joke about its conservatism and abundance of clichés – “ You know , going to a cabin in the woods to make a record , or whatever ,” Kerman says with a chuckle . “ That kind of narrative when it comes to , like , band mythology , is just so boring to me .”
To be clear , his tone is always friendly and lighthearted . He ’ s not knocking anyone , nor is there ever an air of cynicism or contempt to his comments ; rather , it ’ s more like a candid conversation with your true-believing , record-store-scouring best friend about what ’ s new and exciting ; about the new sounds comprising her latest playlist – eclectic , often irreverent , always as far from stagnant as possible .
And making it just halfway into Morning Report ’ s opening track , “ Drake ’ s Dad ,” it feels like you ’ re giving such a playlist its first pass . Kerman ’ s cool-without-trying vocal swagger greets listeners with a welcome familiarity , but as other elements emerge over the drum machine loop – the percussive vocal samples , the symphonic strings , the gospel choir – it becomes clear that , yes , this is Arkells , but it ’ s not Jackson Square , or High Noon , or like they ’ ve ever been heard before .
Track one is an important consideration for any artist and any kind of release , to be sure , but especially so for such a diverse collection of songs , and one that , as a whole , strays considerably from the archetype established on earlier releases . Whereas lead-off tracks like “ Deadlines ” from Jackson Square or “ Book Club ” from Michigan Left were like sonic microcosms for the albums they launched – small samplers incorporating bits of everything one could expect over the course of the record – “ Drake ’ s Dad ” is different .
It does set the tone for the album , but not because it sounds much like anything that follows ; Morning Report is too musically diverse for that . Rather , it makes it clear that this is Arkells ’ most eclectic and innovative offering to date . By far .
Of the few similarities “ Drake ’ s Dad ” shares with the hip-hop bounce of lead single “ Private School ” or “ Hung Up ’ s ” apparent homage to Huey Lewis , how different it is from the rest of the album is the biggest .
“ It ’ s funny ; I remember Kanye saying something about , if he ’ d opened Yeezus with ‘ Blood on the Leaves ,’ people ’ s impression of that record would have been very different , and there ’ s a lot of truth to that . It ’ s a very beautiful , kind of classic Kanye song ,” Kerman says , delving into what informed the choice of “ Drake ’ s Dad ” as Morning Report ’ s first track . West opted instead for the one-two punch of “ On Sight ” and “ Black Skinhead ,” setting a more avant-garde and aggressive tone for the whirlwind of a record that followed .
“ I think he wanted people to work for
CANADIAN MUSICIAN • 35