Northcote
Folk-rock singer-songwriter Matt Goud (aka Northcote) has really settled into Victoria. After moving here three years ago with his girlfriend, who is studying at UVic, Goud has found his West Coast folk voice. His latest album under his musical moniker Northcote was released May 7 on Black Box Recordings.
“This album is a summation of the first three years here,” he says from a downtown coffee shop on a sunny spring day.
Goud wrote the albums 12 songs in the passenger seat of his Dodge minivan, parked beside the ocean at Clover Point.
The West Coast has a strong influence on Goud, who is originally from small-town Saskatchewan and formerly played guitar and provided vocals for Christian post-hardcore band Means as recently as 2008.
“The change felt natural until I started touring,” says Goud. “I sort of expected mosh pits and crowd surfing at the coffee shops, and then I realized that people weren’t having the same reaction to my new music.”
For this album, Goud says he tried to get out of his head. “I tried to get not so brainy. I feel like my last two albums I was trying to be heady.” And although it’s not a topical album, lyrics are solidly based in the anxieties of being a 20-something in the modern, media saturated world. Even with the anxieties comes a hopeful, even positive, uplifting tone.
The album is produced by Colin Stewart (Yukon Blonde, Dan Mangan, Kathryn Calder, The Cave Singers) and was recorded at The Hive Studios in Burnaby over a 15-day period last October.
And although Northcote is a solo project featuring Goud’s new folk sensibilities and songwriting, the album is far from a solo offering — the team of musicians backing him up include Kathryn Calder (The New Pornographers), Blake Enemark (Snoqualmie, formerly of We Are the City), Marek Tyler, Brennan Saul and Oliver Clements (Aidan Knight), along with a slew of other backup vocalists.
While some songs have an undeniable Bryan Adams or Bruce Springsteen-esque pop-rock anthem feel, it’s not a bad thing. Those are the kinds of songs we all love to sing along to, and Goud’s new set would be a lot of fun around the campfire — simple-enough guitar, strong vocal melodies, fun harmonies and wide appeal.
Check out Northcote’s self-titled CD release concert, 7pm, Sat., May 25 at Lucky Bar featuring Himalayan Bear.
War of the Eagles
Kaleidoscope Theatre takes over Fort Rodd Hill and Fisgard Lighthouse National Historic Sites of Canada for the world premiere of War of the Eagles, adapted and directed by Roderick Glanville, based on the novel by Eric Walters.
The site-specific production, the first created by Kaleidoscope in recent memory, transports the audience back to 1941 when the world was at war.
Public performances are Sat., May 25 and Sun., May 26 (11am and 2pm). Tickets are available at rmts.bc.ca or 250-386-6121. M
Spot Prawn Festival
The inaugural Victoria Spot Prawn Festival takes over the Carshop building at the historic Roundhouse development in Vic West Sun., May 26 (11am-5pm).
Celebrate the sweet flavour of local sustainable seafood and join chefs, seafood suppliers and food lovers for a delicious, free family-friendly event. M
