What do you listen for in a song: do you cry out for a shredding guitar? Perhaps you're a sucker for a good beat? You could be a bass head or maybe it's vocals and lyrics that peak your ears? Myself, I'm a purist in almost every sense of the word. And while it's true that guitar players get the lion's share of the glory in Rock Music, for me what really makes a song wail – is a saxophone. Without the sax there'd be no Springsteen; we'd have no Seger. And we certainly wouldn't have Vancouver based nu-jazz funk-rock fusion Raincity.
The vigorous vibrato of lead vocalist Clare Twiddy is positively staggering, but as I mentioned above – I'm a purist, And for me, the clear standout in Raincity is the superfluous sax machine Kaylar Chan. Yes, I said ‘sax machine'; I'm not proud of the pun either. But in all seriousness: Kaylar could put Lisa Simpson to shame. She's not just a student of Jazz – but a master. More than anything else, Chan's instrumentation is a wonderful reminder of everything that Rock music used to be, as well as a beacon of hope for what it may yet become. The emotion pours through every note. With every bite of the reed, Chan's sax screams out her grand proclamation: “This is Rock n' Roll.”
‘Crazy' is rock music for jazz cats; it's jazz music for rockers. It simultaneously occupies both categories like some kind of musical Venn diagram. The video is nothing short of pageantry: it's a shining example of a band that understands the inherent power of visual content. The wardrobe, the sets, even the passer-by-extras all serve a purpose: there is no fat to trim here. As the band performs (each member behind a different hanging glass window,)you get the impression of watching a living art gallery. It's a metaphor, a way to visually represent the people who come and go in our lives. They pass by our window and we blindly throw open the curtains, fully prepared to let them look into the very essence of our soul. But like patrons in a museum, we can only hold their attention for so long. No sooner do we reveal ourselves for who we truly are, have they moved on to the next window down the line,
Sometimes you just have to crank up the stereo and scream. Let yourself experience that catharsis; that release of negativity in order to replenish your spirit. ‘Crazy' is exactly that: it's a musical purging of the mind and soul. A way for you to escape the trappings of the four walls around you and to completely let go of every pent up emotion – if only for a moment. Raincity is taking us back to the good old days of Classic Rock by reminding us that Jazz and Rock aren't opposing entities. Rather, they are just two sides of the same funk-fused jazz-rocked coin.
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I LOVE Raincity. Their energy is infectious, and their blend of jazz and rock is original, but it is done in a way that makes you question why it hasn’t been done before. Not sure there is anything more badass than a female lead rock and roll jazz band! You guys are killing it. Can’t wait to see what’s next for Raincity!
What a sweetheart you are Emily <3
JUST DISCOVERED THESE GUYS!! THEY ROCK!!!
I played the video before I started reading the blog and then with each passing line I was just going, “I KNOW RIGHT?!?!”
Love artists that can blend genres so smoothly like this! Great blend of jazz and rock.
Wow! Sensual Vocals and great musicianship! I love the subtle energy of this track! Makes you wanna dance and chill at the same time!
Thank you for such a lovely review Jordan! It means a lot to our band 🙂