5 things to know about Woe by Becky Ninkovic
Credit to Author: Stuart Derdeyn| Date: Thu, 22 Aug 2019 18:00:16 +0000
Woe | Paper Bag Records
When You Say Party! We Say Die! drummer Devon Clifford collapsed on stage in Vancouver in 2010 the punk/dance band were rising stars. After Clifford died from the brain hemorrhage he suffered, the closely-knit band called it quits. Singer Becky Ninkovic felt the loss of her friend profoundly. The press release accompanying the album says she “found herself deep in a mental health crisis triggered by trauma and grief.”
Her debut solo release, Woe, is a collection of 10 tunes that have been in the making for a long time.
From dealing with losses to becoming a parent, the songs on the record weren’t really produced with an album release as the goal. But music has a way of healing and artists have a need to share, so now the album is available to all to enjoy. It’s a very different ride than her earlier band’s work and neither partying or passing appear to have any part in the process.
Here are five things know about Woe:
1: In the Beginning. The opening tune is a deeply moody song with an undulating, sparse beat and whispery, chanted vocal that paints a clear sense of meditation in the lyrics such as Now we lay/Aware of our bodies/Knowledge on our tongue/Awake in the darkness. So, yeah, not exactly a feel good piece but one that fans of later period Siouxsie and the Banshees will certainly appreciate.
2: Therapeutic verses. From declaring that ‘I will not carry your pain anymore’ (The Carrier) to ‘I’m the one you called when no one was at home’ (So Low) and others, there is a true sense of pain pervading the material. You can hear her working through it in each tune as the stark arrangements and big open atmosphere of the production sort of leaves you with the impression that you are listening to someone’s inner thoughts. Very effective and pretty much perfect melancholy rainy day music.
3: The Drums. The song that sounds the most like her old band is this mutant funk groove with its staggered verses and made-for-group singalong chorus. There are some very cool synth drops and a child’s voice that turn up at the end of the song. The next song, Happy Healthy, is a call-and-response between Ninkovic and, presumably her daughter, that has been given an ambient studio sheen.
4: Nordic vibe. About halfway through the record, it occurs that this could fit in nicely with artists such as Bjork, Samaris and other female vocalists with a penchant for Spartan soundscapes and testimonial lyrics. Yes, you could call it more mature pop and there is nothing wrong with that. The video for The Carrier also reinforces the artier side of what the artist is into. It’s a very cool piece.
5: Playing live. Ninkovic is not only back in the business of making and releasing music, she is also getting back into live performing. Her Facebook page says that the Becky Ninkovic Debut Album Release Party! takes place Aug. 24, 8 p.m. at 100 Braid Studios in New Westminster.
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