Brodie Moniker

Brodie Moniker – “Push Play DJ”
A Spill Exclusive Music Premiere

Regina based, fifteen-year music veteran Brodie Moniker (PandaCorn, Brain Sauce, Fancy Diamonds), is a truly musical diverse talent with sophisticated songwriting, artistic arrangements, and progressive-pop presentations. Brodie is set to release his debut album Nowhere Left to Ghost on March 25 through Extra Credibility Records. Spill Magazine is proud to premiere the first single “Push Play DJ”.

Polite, honest and aggressive, Moniker puts his entire being into every song, challenging listeners’ presumed ideas of modern rock, reminiscent of past and present sound masters with Frank Zappa arrangements, Brian Eno production, Nick Drake tone, Jack White blues, Trent Reznor edge and Gordie Johnson style.

Touring internationally with critically acclaimed artists like Jeff Straker, while producing and engineering breakthrough albums for artists like Megan Nash (PandaCorn), Moniker has honed his sound and developed his songwriting, melding his influences into a true sonic mosaic.

With songs like “Old Sandbox”, a blend of ambient soundscape, dirty electronic soundbites, ethereal vocals, angelic harp-inspired instrumentals with soaring saxophone and hand drums, to “Push Play DJ”, a straight ahead, blues rock tune with guitar and bass sounds bigger than the Canadian prairies provinces, Moniker’s debut album is the voice of a true musical savant.

Accompanied by Drake Mark (Lords Kitchner) on drums and Steve Leidal (Johnny 2 Fingers) on bass, Moniker is touring Midwestern Canada preparing the roads, Oregon Trail style, for his upcoming debut album tour.

More expansive than Saskatchewan’s living skies, this debut solo album promises a true musical journey, a mixed-genre compilation with eased delivery, ambient soundscape, poignant lyricism, huge guitar riffs and catchy melodies. - Spill Music

Show Review: Brodie Moniker (Dec. 10th, 2016)
The Club, as a part of the Saskatchewan Cultural Exchange Society, does a fine job of providing space for a variety of musical genres. When I attended a show there on December 10th I was treated to a veritable cornucopia: blues; prog-rock; psych; fusion; metal. It was amazing that all these sounds were coming from just one act on the bill, Brodie Moniker. - Runaway Pup

Regina, Canada's Brodie Moniker (PandaCorn, Brain Sauce, Fancy Diamonds) has shared the lead single "Push Play DJ" off his forthcoming debut album, Nowhere Left to Ghost, due out via Extra Credibility Records on March 4th. "Push Play DJ" is "a straight ahead, blues rock tune with guitar and bass sounds bigger than the Canadian prairies provinces." - Audio Grain

While guitar is his true tonal voice, there is an ease in his arrangements for all instruments, every part having its distinct natural voice while seamlessly blending within the entire composition. His production is sharp and clever with an impressively diverse tonal palate. Moniker’s musical and lyrical lines are subtly placed and wonderfully arranged, layered but never overdone, huge and quiet, fixed and exploring, catchy and cerebral. - Great Dark wonder

skatchewan-based artist Brodie Moniker will be releasing his first album Nowhere Left to Ghost on Mar. 4 at Amigos. Alongside Moniker, the bands Von Jumbo and TOAM will also be playing, guaranteeing a fun night for residents of Saskatoon and students alike.

As part of the music scene for more than 15 years, Monkier has put together various albums under different appellations — most recently, PandaCorn’s Synthesis of Opposites, as well as one of his first albums with a band called Brian Sauce.

“Once I mustered the personal power to do that, [centre on myself], I found myself surrounded by beautiful people who shared the same vision. Drake Mark, Steve Leidal and Orion Paradis wereBrodie Moniker - Supplied - Jeff Sawatsky integral to the recording of these songs,” Monkier said, in an email to the Sheaf.

Moniker describes his music as mixed genres — from rock to electronic, even to the blues.

“I’ve always had eclectic tastes. I don’t think that much has changed. I think what has changed is my worry about things fitting together and people understanding all my stylistic choices. Someday I hope to be able to put the heaviest, hardest, darkest metal, next to the folk and heartstring ballad and do both with reverie and the respect all music deserves,” Moniker said.

Growing up, Moniker never felt his attention was meant for sports but luckily was introduced to music later in school, which sparked his passion.

“When I was young I struggled with sports … that was a serious downer, especially in rural Saskatchewan, where a good part of your manhood is measured by your sporting. Then in a small middle school in southern Saskatchewan someone gave me a saxophone and said, ‘blow,’ and it was then that I found something I could be good at without risking my life,” Moniker said.

Often artists cite their place of birth as a source of inspiration — this is only partially true for Moniker.

“I believe you are a product of your surroundings, but ultimately I try to take in what the world has to offer and express things bigger than my prairie upbringings. I love this place, but it is not my entire world,” Moniker said.

Citing artists such as Captain Beefheart, Frank Zappa, Nick Drake and St. Vincent, Moniker finds artists who explore outside of the box to be an inspiration to him and his music.

“When I see someone doing something great, with a voice and expression that doesn’t remind me of anything past, present or future, then I’m inspired to traverse unexplored territory myself,” Moniker said.

In exploring his sound, Moniker even went on to discuss using less traditional ways of tuning.

“I often wonder if frequencies beyond our hearing are affecting us in ways, or the idea of ‘standard’ tuning not necessarily being harmonious with our environment. I think Joni Mitchell used to tune her guitar to the sounds of birds and waterfalls before she’d write — maybe I’ll do more of that sort of thing in the future,” Moniker said.

Describing music as its own language, Moniker feels music is important to help express emotions.

“There’s something that can be expressed there that words can’t touch. Arranging sounds is as old as any vocalization and can express a wide range of emotions,” Moniker said.

Round up a couple of friends and come out to the show — it will be a night filled with good food and drinks and of course, good music. - The Sheaf

Artistic diversity can be an elusive mistress. Natural diversity, the gift to seamlessly transition from genre to genre, to infuse individual ideas into a prescribed musical mold, is rare, a gift given from the muse of endless Inspiration. Regina based, fifteen-year music veteran Brodie Moniker (PandaCorn, Brain Sauce, Fancy Diamonds), is a truly diverse talent with sophisticated songwriting, artistic arrangements, and progressive-pop presentations. Comparisons with such as Frank Zappa and Father John Misty naturally crop up. Brodie celebrates the release of his debut self-produced/ engineered album Nowhere Left to Ghost featuring the third single “Even Birds Return”. - Cashbox Magazine