By Jim Barber
An train in important self-examination coupled with a eager observer’s exposition of the human situation at road stage, gifted Toronto-based singer/songwriter/instrumentalist Vivienne Wilder’s new album Horrible Human is a musical panoply that seamlessly shifts moods, factors of view and setting for a memorable and evocative aural expertise.
There may be elegant literacy to the songcraft, each musically and lyrically, however Wilder’s proficiency with these two languages is belied by the scrappy, frenetic, straight-off-the-floor depth and intentionally low-fi ethos that permeates the manufacturing on Horrible Human. The discerning listener will undoubtedly be impressed by the pleasant precision within the taking part in, the advanced vocal characterizations, and total compositional efficacy of every of the report’s 11 tracks.
Oh, they usually’re additionally infectious, extremely listenable, and tremendous enjoyable too!
From the bodacious, brash and unavoidably badass opening monitor ‘Intercourse Machine,’ working alongside collaborator/producer Ian Docherty (Dwayne Gretzky, July Discuss) Horrible Human takes the listener by means of a solid of characters from Wilder’s personal life, from these round her, from fiction, and someplace in between. Every music is a narrative unto itself however at all times immersed in believability and actuality.
“I’m always writing and I used to be beginning to really feel like I used to be overdue to lastly report some stuff, after which as soon as I made a decision, I hung out curating my decisions of which songs match collectively in some type of probably coherent style,” stated Wilder, a local of Saskatchewan who’s a extremely schooled and extremely expert musician, with stints in symphonies, jazz ensembles, punk bands, and a variety of esoteric recording initiatives over the previous 15 years as a prolific, well-respected and far in demand member of the Toronto music scene.
“I’ve a sure voice in my writing in order that even when these songs had been written a few years aside, there can nonetheless be a by means of line connecting them as a result of it’s simply the best way my mind works. With this new report, for instance, I had possibly 20 potentialities that I delivered to Ian, who produced and engineered and combined the report, and we simply went with our intestine as to which of them we’d work on. Like, ‘this one feels proper to do right this moment.’ And the method was type of ruled by that. I simply determined to belief that, by following our emotions, it might work out.”
That ‘sure voice’ will be described in some ways. In her personal phrases, Wilder refers back to the present fashion of her music, notably on Horrible Human, as ‘Bubble Grunge.’
“I believe it’s humorous, nevertheless it’s an actual time period too. At the very least for this report it’s a great way of describing the arduous, edgier sounds sonically to it, but in addition that there’s an accessibility the place the melodic items and vocal hooks and stuff like that brings the ‘bubblegum’ side into it. And that’s form of just like the Nineties. I believe Smashing Pumpkins was like that and Courtney Love along with her extra glossier stuff. However on high of that the issues that they’re singing about are actually generally darkish and scary,” she stated.
A replay of her discography, from her 2012 self-titled, folk-centered debut EP, by means of the rock stylings of 2017’s Waking Up the Dinosaurs, the 2020 EP postromantic, by means of to 2022’s exceptionally uncooked and revelatory I Don’t Consider, bears witness to a real evolution of Wilder’s music creation prowess and the human/artist behind it. Horrible Human sees her exhibiting an effusive honesty and authenticity as she inhabits the ‘characters’ behind every music – particularly when that character is in complete, or partially, herself.
Vocally, once more, an evolution has taken place as expertise and confidence has reworked Wilder right into a extra dynamic singer who possesses a ragged class in tone, and theatricality of supply that’s, at occasions, fairly movie noir in nature.
“I don’t even sound like the identical individual to myself in any respect. I used to be fairly late within the sport as a songwriter and as a singer [she had been playing in bands as a popular bassist/background vocalist for hire for a number of years]. In order that 2012 EP was my first time singing result in something. I do know I’ve come a great distance since then, simply bodily with the ability to sing louder and venture my voice in several methods and attending to know my very own voice and accepting its flaws but in addition generally taking part in up these flaws, which is actually enjoyable, really,” Wilder defined.
“It’s additionally partially getting a number of assist from Ian too. He will probably be sitting there after we’re doing vocal takes and he’ll say, ‘I actually appreciated the route you went with this one. Let’s hold making an attempt that.’ I believe the suggestions forwards and backwards with one other individual that you just belief is actually useful. There’s a number of playfulness in the best way I’m doing the voices and in addition in the best way Ian’s taking part in with how he recorded them too.”
Musically, it’s arduous to flee the aforementioned intentionally unaffected vibe and unwavering uniqueness to every music. It’s a reminder of Wilder’s diversified musical pedigree, but in addition her penchant for the free-form nature of punk rock – one faculty of punk specifically. The masterfulness of the taking part in, the cleverness and misleading complexity of the lyrical storytelling, enveloped within the rawness of the efficiency makes one assume extra of the East Village NYC, CBGB’s, Blondie, Speaking Heads, Andy Warhol, Velvet Underground sound versus the uncooked, simplistic chaos of The Intercourse Pistols or The Damned. The poetic musings of the likes of Lou Reed and Patti Smith had been as boldly literate because the music was anarchic at occasions, however the observations of life, love, lust had been as compelling as they had been nihilistic. On this sense, Wilder’s work is far more Debbie Harry than it’s Johnny Rotten.
“I do love all of these Nineteen Seventies New York bands rather a lot. After I first began listening to these bands it was a really formative interval in my life, form of late highschool. And I don’t even know the way or why I found it, they should have been reissued on CD or one thing,” she stated, including that phrases have at all times been necessary to her compositions.
“I positively spent a number of time, probably an excessive amount of time, fidgeting with lyrics. And I’ve at all times loved that a part of somebody like Patti Smith. I’m not even the hugest fan of her music, however her ethos and the best way she talks about creativity and studying her poetry and understanding the entire story of her adventures within the early days of that scene – I really like that stuff.”
Artists of all sorts, and particularly songwriters, are recognized to make use of the inventive course of to unburden themselves from the ache of some historical wound, current heartbreak, redress a incorrect, or mirror on the results of a youthful (or not so youthful) indiscretion. It’s an opportunity to ‘get actual’ with themselves or put out on the planet as a cautionary story to those that hear the songs and take them to coronary heart.
And a number of this self-evaluation and occasional recrimination is going on with Wilder on this new album. Horrible Human relates again to a lot of what’s been talked about above however measured alongside a sliding scale of closeness to the autobiographical reality. Maybe in her worst moments, after a extremely dangerous day, Wilder might even see herself as a ‘horrible individual,’ however the songs on the album speak extra concerning the characters that populate them – a few of that are, sure, based mostly on her personal faults and foibles, some on these of individuals she is aware of, some utterly invented, or an amalgam thereof.
There’s a particular ‘fly on the wall’ really feel to among the compositions, as if we’re listening to personal ideas, witnessing personal deeds and experiencing the uncomfortableness that arises after we see somebody in ache, in unhappiness, or mired in remorse – or simply hungover and ruing a few misplaced selections from the night earlier than.
“After I seemed again on the songs that ended up being chosen for the report, I noticed that a number of them had been coming from a form of self-effacing place – the place I’m being extremely important of myself. Or had been occasions after I was exploring remorse or issues that I assumed had been errors and even simply arduous, arduous moments in life. So, I assume that’s what connects all of them. And curiously among the songs are in all probability written, no less than partially, possibly 10 years in the past or extra at this level. However they by no means discovered a house on one other report,” she stated.
“I believe as soon as I heard all of them collectively and actually checked out it, it’s like ‘okay, effectively it’s not precisely what I might describe as an total constructive feeling so far as the lyrics and tone go,’ however I believe it’s in the end constructive in that the songs are exploring these concepts and making an attempt to make sense of them in nearly a therapeutic, self-awareness means.”
Wilder does see the worth in utilizing her creativity – which is seemingly irrepressible, but targeted, schooled and dynamic – as a means of processing the world, the day-to-day challenges and joys of life, with a view to launch among the psychological and emotional shackles from her soul.
“I believe it was possibly Amanda Palmer who introduced up the notion that each artist is on this spectrum of 1 to 10, the place one is not any filter [on what they are saying through their art] and it is vitally confessional, the place I’m actually going to sing about one thing that occurred to me and that is the true story, versus somebody on the opposite finish of the spectrum the place it’s a extremely filtered, extremely processed aspect of the artwork, which I see as like excessive fantasy – writing utilizing characters and fictitious settings. A whole lot of rock and roll lyrics and punk lyrics and the entire grunge factor was folks externalizing all of the issues that you just’re feeling in actual time, and that was releasing for me,” she defined.
“Finally, for a lot of artists, together with me, even when I did have some filters on, the writing comes from a spot of your personal experiences and your personal perceptions about being alive and also you simply can’t assist it. I believe for this album I’m, on common, within the center the place some songs are actually me and a few of them are very a lot me singing in another person’s voice. However even there I believe it’s all nonetheless a part of this therapeutic concept of working by means of stuff. I additionally actually like that completely different folks can hearken to the identical music and get one thing completely completely different out of it.
“And in a means, I’ve discovered that it’s actually helped me. One thing that I now get pleasure from, since I’ve been doing this for some time I’ll discover that I nonetheless write about sure issues versus issues that I’ve moved on from. After I notice I’m writing about one thing repeatedly I’m like, ‘oh man, it’s actually time to let that go.’ It’s having the mirror of this course of obtainable to me to assist me discover my very own patterns and be capable of say, ‘come on, you’ve written about that sufficient. Let’s do one thing else now.’ So, it’s type of enjoyable and helpful in that means. And, actually, if these songs had been 100 per cent me, I don’t know if I might even have had the wherewithal to finish a report and get it out into the world.”
In addition to a tremendously gifted musician, performer and songwriter, Wilder additionally makes use of the car of visible artwork as one more type of self-expression, preferring the medium of collage. And, to paraphrase the legendary Canadian thinker Marshall McLuhan, there’s a message in that medium (or media!) that matches along with her songwriting philosophy of drawing from a broader palette of life experiences. Not solely do her remarkably vivid and highly effective collages assist soothe her restlessly inventive soul, however are additionally usually utilized in her album artwork.
“It’s form of a Frankenstein’s monster. I’ll draw in several references from different folks I do know, or possibly one thing I’m studying or one other music that I like or what’s on the information and piece issues collectively. I like all visible artwork, however I actually love doing collage for some motive. And I believe I type of use the identical logic a number of the time after I’m writing lyrics – that form of free affiliation factor, the place I’m pulling in concepts which will have come from a lot of completely different locations,” Wilder stated.
The partnership with Docherty led to certainly one of Wilder’s first co-writes on a solo album along with her producer, the music ‘Whole Mess,’ which does yeoman’s work manifesting the general vibe of the album.
“Ian got here up with the instrumental monitor for the music and [drummer] Adam Hindle [also of Dwayne Gretzky] helped out by making up these loopy drum beats that additionally knowledgeable what I ended up placing on lyrically and melodically. I occurred to have a lyric that I used to be already form of messing round with however wasn’t utterly happy with, however I appreciated the place issues had been going,” she stated.
“Then it simply snapped along with what Ian did. So, it was actually validating as a result of I’m actually pleased with how that music got here out and it positively wouldn’t have occurred if it had been simply me, in my typical setting, which is on my own in my room, making an attempt to do every part myself.”
‘Incorrect Hero’ is without doubt one of the strongest tracks on the album, largely due to the exceptionally evocative, stripped-down vocal efficiency from Wilder.
“Incorrect Hero is without doubt one of the oldest songs. I wrote it for a unique band initially a very long time in the past. On the time it was extra of an electronica type of factor. So, when that band ended the music type of languished, however I at all times cherished it, however on the similar time, I by no means felt good concerning the lyrics. It at all times felt unfinished. And it additionally by no means slot in with my solo band as a result of we didn’t have any synthesizers and it was largely like rock and punky stuff that we did, and it didn’t even match with the nation and folks stuff I do sometimes. There was simply nowhere I felt this music may dwell,” she stated.
“As soon as we determined to start out utilizing extra synthesizers within the dwell present, I noticed that now this music was doable, and since I already had a gentle spot for it, I ended up simply sitting down within the studio when Ian was enhancing the vocal take or one thing on one other music and simply completed the lyrics randomly actually rapidly. I used to be like, ‘oh, it’s accomplished. It solely took 10 years, nevertheless it’s lastly accomplished.’ I’m actually pleased with that one, and it’s very emotional for me to sing. Though it took such a protracted, ridiculous course of to get it accomplished, it’s possibly one of many easiest songs on the report.”
A equally lengthy journey lastly noticed the psychedelia-tinged ‘Rust Girl’ lastly fall into place.
“I actually needed to chisel away at that for some time. It went by means of many alternative variations earlier than this one. It was once extra of a punk music the place I used to be taking part in a reasonably quick strumming guitar half and that’s initially how we tried to do it within the studio, nevertheless it turned into what it’s now, which may be very synth heavy, with a lot of trippy soundscapes. Lyrically, it’s actually simply an exploration of being with somebody who is actually depressed.”
Distinction this with the Intercourse and the Metropolis-like inferences of ‘Take Out,’ which, relying on the mindset (and probably relationship standing) of the listener, can take one down some fascinating potential narrative pathways.
“That one is me with the filter totally at 10, so it’s not me. Everybody asks me why it’s referred to as ‘Take Out’ and I inform them it’s about somebody bringing takeout meals to their good friend’s home, cuz they received shit to speak about. However I’m actually not going to say way more about what it’s really about as a result of that’ll smash it. Generally I believe it’s enjoyable to jot down about one thing actually, actually particular, however change all of the phrases to cover what the story really is. Primarily, it’s about any person who’s making an attempt to get somebody again – however I’ll depart it there.”
‘Pure Born Quitter’ is one other one of many least autobiographical ones on Horrible Human (in response to the Palmer scale), however is completely apt for the bizarre, wacky, and wasteful world all of us at present share.
“That was one the place I got here up with the overly intelligent title first, based mostly on the [1990s Woody Harrelson/Juliette Lewis cult film] Pure Born Killers. And it was written out of frustration, in all probability from Fb. I strive to not spend an excessive amount of time on Fb anymore, so there was a time after I was weaning myself off as a result of it simply appeared like nothing good would occur to me if I spent a lot time there. However then I might break down and be curious and simply scroll and see what individuals are writing and seeing the paranoia and the bizarre tone that pervades there. That’s what actually received the music going. After which I introduced it some extra private particulars and a few oddly particular issues to make it extra relatable for me to sing,” Wilder stated.
“In order that one’s positively a few character. I’m really frightened as a result of I’m not positive folks will perceive that it’s a character and never me.”
What folks gained’t have to fret about is Vivienne wilder slowing down any time quickly. In addition to lining up gigs and doing press to advertise Horrible Human, she continues to work dates with a bunch of artists from throughout the musical spectrum, together with taking part in conventional upright bass within the Juno-nominated instrumental ensemble Catastrophe Pony, and repeatedly backing up folks artists Abigail Lapell and Jon Brooks, in addition to alt-rocker Joan Smith from Joan Smith and the Jane Does. She can also be within the bands Nic and the Narcs with Nichol Robertson, performs in a 2000s cowl act referred to as The 99s, and does a number of freelance company and studio work.
“A whole lot of it’s fairly random, however when studio stuff comes up, it’s beautiful. And I nonetheless get to do the odd classical music gig on the upright bass, which I really like,” she stated.
For extra data on Vivienne Wilder and Horrible Human, go to https://viviennewilder.com.
- Jim Barber is a veteran award-winning journalist and creator based mostly in Napanee, ON, who has been writing about music and musicians for greater than 30 years. In addition to his journalistic endeavours, he works as a communications and advertising specialist, and is an avid volunteer in his group. Contact him at jimbarberwritingservices@gmail.com.
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