Off-Season Bonus: July Talk Returns!
Photo by Colin Medley
“What makes a rock record great?” Many would point to the rebellious spirit that spits in the face of authority, and though I deeply love that….I think there is something else that’s just as special. Music in general has this ability, but in the world of rock there is this unique ability to make people feel seen (and heard) by conveying emotions in a way that hits you square in the chest. At its best, rock music explores the multitudes of life; the anger, sadness, confusion, happiness, and euphoria we can all feel in this strange thing we call life.
I’m biased as fuck, but I feel like my friends of Canadian rock band July Talk have made unbelievably great records throughout their career; with their latest body of work potentially being their best yet. That record is called Remember Never Before, a collection of songs I’d describe as a storming anxiety attack that just needs a hug.
Honestly, I could spend days singing the praises of this band but rather than bore you with that, I’ll instead let you listen to this conversation I had with singers + multi-instrumentalists Peter Dreimanis and Leah Fay. Together we explore the multitudes of emotions that are conveyed throughout Remember Never Before. It’s always important for me to point this out when it happens: this talk is such a prime example of what this series is about, where we use art as a bridge to talk about the nuances and complexities of life. These people mean a lot to me and I hope you embrace them with open arms.
July Talk are currently touring Canada and will be touring the states throughout April, with the tour kicking off in Vermont at the Higher Ground on April 17th. I’ll be thrashing about like a lunatic at the April 20th show at Mercury Lounge, I absolutely better see you there. You can find full tour dates and ticket info over here.
After you hear the episode, be sure to check out July Talk’s track After This on the official New Exchange Playlist. Also, be sure to follow July Talk on Spotify, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Also, this is the image we discuss near the end of the episode.
