The Standstills: Moving Forward
Written by Jason Daniel Baker
Sunday, 12 July 2015 03:40
It was very fortunate that I caught scintillating Oshawa band The Standstills when they opened for Diemonds at the Hideout on Queen Street West in Toronto on May 8th for Canadian Music Week 2015.
With just singer/guitarist Jon Fox and hot drummer Renee Couture they contrasted with 5-piece Diemonds yet turned in a blistering set. The very skilled and vigorous Ms.Couture’s hard-hitting sounded like gunfire. Jon Fox added brilliant guitar-playing and vocals.
Renee Couture’s wild, untamed demeanor on stage softens when she is off of it. Polite and articulate she is very accommodating when she is dealing with fans and press. Just my luck I happened to be there backstage before they left. If I’d walked away without at least trying to get the raw info for a potential article for Uber Rock I would doubtless have regretted it.
You can readily draw favorable comparisons to the Black Keys not just because of the stripped-down approach. The drummer and singer/guitarist set-up could suggest a White Stripes-style act but the Standstills keep it much closer to a Delta blues vibe which is reborn in their sound. The tempo builds and shifts agreeably in each tune they play.
The musical magic they create has a mind of its own and inclusion of a bassist was tried with unsatisfactory results. “With how Jonny’s rig has developed over the years, sonically, there really is no room for bass, ha ha. We do however bring a harmonica player out with us when we can, for some tasty jams,” says Renee. Fox has the soul of poet and the lyrics he writes reflect that.
The two met while attending the highly regarded Music Industry Arts program at Fanshawe College in Western Ontario almost 8 years ago. It was considerably more than circumstances that drew and kept them together though those definitely played a role in their longstanding musical agreement. Their sound and the way they groove together in live performance show an uncommon symbiosis and resultant synergy reflective of their time together.
Fox crafts the tunes they record and perform. “As far as the music goes, Jonny is the songwriter and a lot of my inspiration comes from him. He writes entirely based on feeling (having no knowledge of music theory). So often, crazy time changes come up as a result of that and it challenges me as a drummer,” confides Renee.
Whatever the method, the result is highly appealing to those of us that have an afición for that kind of ‘Redneck Rock’ even when the musicians who interpret it are anything but crackers. With so much great material already released we can bank on, and look forward to, more in future.
The latest news for the Standstills is the release of their new EP produced by James Robertson and mixed by Eric Ratz. It goes on sale August 21st.
[Live photo by Kevin Michaud]
Get more info at: http://www.thestandstills.com
https://www.facebook.com/TheStandstills