With a turnaround time that would daunt most college radio stations, but is par for the course in the big leagues with major players like Radio Congo, we came up with episode 5. A majestic palace of sophistry, loving communication, and dialogue. Our guests this week were Ken Vandermark, the acclaimed saxophonist whose name you might recognize from Powerhouse Sound and The Flying Luttenbachers; Amber Goodwyn, the publisher of Canada’s, nay North America’s best smut zine, Lickety Split; and finally, the beloved Claude Bernier, logistics master and jack of all trades with the Suoni per il Popolo festival, who came in to the studio to chat us up, and deliver exclusive Suoni sounds recorded over the course of the festival from Vic Chestnutt and The Sun Ra Arkestra, live at Sala Rossa.

This Episode’s Songs…

Leon Ware Rockin’ You Eternally, The Velvelettes Je Veux Crier (My Foolish Heart Keeps Hanging on a Memory), Di Melo A vida seus métodos diz calma, The Sun Ra Arkestra Excerpt (Live at Sala Rossa), Vic Chestnutt Excerpt (Live at Sala Rossa), Marcia Hines You Gotta Let Go, Sadina I Want That Boy

 

 Episode 5: Pansaxual Digressions and Nocturnal Omissions: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Woah. Well, Square Quotes took our sweet, precious time delivering this, a snapshot of a week or so in the life of a gaggle of Montrealers… First, Sasha Kleinplatz, a Montreal dancer, choreographer and organizer who recently put on a dance event called Piss In the Pool at the dilapidated Bain St. Michel went head-to-head with ABS; after that, we spoke to Billy Mavreas, the garrulous and lovable mensch who runs the Monastiraki Curiosity Shop, and is also a cartoonist who’s recently published a graphic novel called Inside Outside Overlap, published by Timeless Books. It’s all about dream logic, the murk, and a recent experience at the Helen Pitt Gallery in Vancouver, BC, where he participated in their Workaday series; and finally, Jenny Craig, the hostess and curator of the monthly Greasy Goose salon series discussed the business of talking about things here in Montreal, and let us listen in as local cosmologist Mark Slutsky spoke about ESP. Music? Yep, music again - Art Ensemble of Chicago, Manfred Krug, Mavreas’ The Fudge, Ben E. King, and The Soft Boys. All for you, by us.

 

 Episode 4: Too Much Too Late [1:18:11m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

On episode three of Square Quotes we talk with Alex Moskos of electronic-jam-duo Thames / circuit-twisted pop trio the Unireverse. Afterward we enlist his help in channeling the spirit of afro-futurist jazz artist Sun Ra.

Then Jack Oatmon of the Montreal Mirror stops by to give us the lowdown on Ivan Smagghe’s health issues and he manages to squeeze in an interview with Andy Butler of NYC’s post-disco group Hercules & Love Affair.

Later on we check in with Phil Elverum, of Mt. Eerie, just before his appearance at the Suoni per il Popolo festival. We play some songs too, like “I Comma Zimba” by Abdullah, the militant Motown musician and “Moliendo Cafe” performed by twelve-piece Romanian brass band Fanfare Ciocărlia. We also get heavy with Pilooski, who channels the high priestess of soul Nina Simone.

 

 Episode 3: The Sun (Ra) Also Rises [56:02m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

In Episode 2 of Square Quotes, we continue with our extended coverage of the Suoni per il Popolo festival, taking place at Casa del Popolo and Sala Rosa through the month of June. We interviewed artist and musician Grant Hart formerly of Husker Du, now solo; and local sculptor, musician and the Rum Tum Tiger of the Mile End, Nader Hassan.

Besides those in-depth portraits, we also managed to find time to get three sheets to the wind, pick some songs to play, and stop by the Montreal launch of Adam Gollner’s new book on fruit obsessives, “The Fruit Hunters,” where he told us all about how he came to encounter the lady fruit.

Plenty of songs, too: as we make a house call with Lord Kitchener’s “Dr. Kitch,” get warm and fuzzy with The Feelies, and let the plebes love it with forgotten girl group The Cake.

 

 Episode 2: Naders of the Hart [56:07m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

In this inaugural episode of Square Quotes, hosts Alexander Buckiewicz-Smith and Jay Watts III fumble their way through two interviews, while producer Ali Rahman wonders what exactly it is that he’s got himself in to.

The two guests, gracious and forgiving to a fault, were Montrealer Sam Shalabi and Jon Fall Ryan of Brooklyn’s electronic noise-improv sextet, Excepter, both of which will be performing in Montreal as part of the Suoni per il Popolo festival.

The episode features contributions from both interviewed artists, as well as three selections of music picked by the hosts in their quest for obscurantist internet supremacy. Thrill to the sounds of “Guzar Jaye Din,” a Bollywood song from the film “Annadata;” get girl crazy with Chuck Jackson as he exalts the fairer sex in “Girls, Girls, Girls;” and smother yourself in sentimental kitsch with the Portuguesed-American Jeanette as she runs us through “Porque Te Vas.”

More episodes to come, as ABS and JW3 find their footing, and producer Ali continues fretting.

 

 Episode 1: The Oud Couple [41:00m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download