The Painters Visual Album - A Multimedia Kaleidoscope
If you know me, then you know that artistic collaboration across mediums is my bread and butter. Very few things get me hyped up like seeing the words “genre-bending” or “multi-media kaleidoscope” on an event poster, so you can bet that when I read those exact terms on the announcement for The Painters’ art film screening I was chomping at the bit to be there. The Painters LP is a 9 track album with a correlating anthology of video works created by artists across Canada and beyond. The twin screenings were hosted at the indescribably cool hybrid theater-bar-cafe Cinema Moderne, staying true to the spirit of indie-rock and the great tradition of the listening party. Coming in at just over 40 minutes, the album and its visuals are a brilliant, intense, vibrant journey through the psyches of each individual that took part in its creation.
Alex Bourque and Josh Boguski at The Painters Visual Album Launch at Cinema Moderne.
(Photo by erψn temp3st.)
The Painters, consisting of Alex Bourque, Josh Boguski, Michael Halls, and Alex Lavoie, have a really beautiful approach to their creative process. They’ve been together since 2015, living and working together in their apartment/DIY home studio, establishing the foundation for their collaborative, hands-on approach to music. Every aspect of their latest LP was written, recorded, and produced in their studio, a period of hermetic solitude that led to the development of what Josh Boguski declares as their “coming of age record.” The Painters LP really showcases the chameleonic nature of the band, with a multitude of sonic influences coming together to generate a cohesive journey through the minds of the artists. When discussing the production of the album, Alex Bourque describes it as an “insider experience” where all four members really leaned into their process and embraced the nature of their band wholeheartedly. “It’s like a cacophony of musical jokes, from a really sincere place” Josh tells me.
Photo by Tess Roby
That sincere playfulness is what I liked most about the LP/visual album. There was a pervasive feeling of pure happiness and nostalgia throughout the entire screening, and in the bar afterwards, when the band members were crowded with affection from the audience. It was really heartwarming to be amidst all that camaraderie and community, which is at the heart of the project. When I asked Alex and Josh about the band’s inspirations for creating a visual album I was given a very humble response:
“Most of the artists are people we already knew and were fans of. So many of our friends are amazing artists that we never get to collaborate with. We wanted to bridge the gap between mediums. It was mutually inspiring. People were fired up to work on the project, and it was gratifying for us to work with people we admire.”
Each song was assigned by the band, and the artists were given free reign to create their video work however they were inspired by the music. A drastic departure from the hands-on immersion of creating the music, Josh proclaimed the hands-off process of the video component “an exercise in letting go.” The end result was a wonderfully synchronistic collage of artistry and music, that possesses a sort of abstract narrative as it progresses. The video works interact with each other beautifully, pairing together style, theme, and meaning across the film. “We were taken aback by some of the parallels between the videos. It was completely unintentional how they paired up” explains Alex. It’s a charming example of like minded artists coming together in creative capacities. Honed over many years of practice and production, The Painters established their vision for this album and connected with friends, colleagues, and acquaintances that innately knew how to manifest that vision.
Photo by Tess Roby
In my opinion, it was a resounding success. As someone that usually prefers to listen to albums in full this was the perfect setting to experience a new release. It was a fun twist on the classic listening party that engaged all the senses and really compelled me to immerse myself into the music and visuals. Every video and song possesses their own energy, and I was particularly fond of Laura Jeffery’s ethereal dancing newspaper creatures for Can’t You Tell, and erψn temp3st’s charming claymation for Blinding Light. The final track, Rolling Thunder, culminates the film nicely alongside Studio Parc’s stellar visuals. All in all, it was a thrilling, strangely exhilarating experience, one that I fully believe encapsulates the raw magic possessed by The Painters and the artists. I don’t want to spoil too much, because I highly recommend you take the time to screen in for yourself at home, either by yourself or with some pals. Make some popcorn, dim the lights, and take it all in. I promise you, it’s well worth the time!
The Painters LP is available now on all platforms.
If you want to see more of The Painters, you can check them out on November 4, 2023 at Hemisphere Gauche for their album release party with guests Sunforager, Sarah Feldman, and DJ Big M.