I sip my whiskey sour and listen to Living Hour

Living Hour – Seagull

Winnipeg had always been an evocative place name for me as a child. After watching “Around The World in 80 Days” I plotted my own trajectories across the globe, and there was something so beautiful about the name Winnipeg that it was on every route. I didn’t know much (or anything) about it to be honest. There was no internet in the early seventies and my mum had been buying a set of encyclopedias for us on subscription but money got too tight to mention around the “U” volume so we never did get V, W, X Y or Z. Imagine my surprise when I saw a Zebra for the first time.

Anyway, the redolent memories were awoken once again when Em Todd on Twitter pointed me in the direction of Winnipeg’s Living Hour and their beautiful song “Seagull” (Lefse Records). It was love at first listen. It’s an arresting, multi-layered, ballad – a majestic ocean wave breaking over you on a stormy day. It put me in mind of the best of Jefferson Airplane, maybe it’s the voice but it’s got that epic quality that makes you want to listen again and again. I’ve just seen that they’re recording a new album and even though I’ve only known about the band’s existence for a couple of days I’m super excited to hear what they will come up with.

I have also just seen that Winnipeg is the butt of some jokes in Canada, which I find a little depressing, although I still hope to make it there someday. Winnipeg has been called the Windy City but that is incorrect. It is the 12th windiest city in Canada. So there.