Mip Power Trio

“Hard-working TO rock ‘n’ roll threesome have a spunky take on things, with lead guitar Mip the star of the show.” - Toronto Star

“Hard-working TO rock ‘n’ roll threesome have a spunky take on things, with lead guitar Mip the star of the show.” - Toronto Star

When I went out for a smoke I ended up talking to this dude who’s name I can’t recall but he was a nice enough guy and we talked about how he’d lost his job and was in between jobs and seemed kind of sad I think but who can really tell when it comes to strangers. And anyway he mentioned a few lines from a MIP song which was the band that was playing at the time and there was a moment of connection there because I too am drawn to MIP’s lyrics. And see I don’t really much care for lyrics or poetry or words in general but still I can identify with or at least enjoy the wordplay in Mip Power Trio. There’s a fashionable glut of banal “I. Me. You” sort of love lorn lyricism in most music I hear these days. And it gets disheartening after a time. Also I find many bands of fashion lean towards ponderous two chord swings, three chords at the most that occupy four to five minutes of your life and though novel or danceable at first become trite and irritating and ubiquitously disposable after a month on the indie charts. MIP’s songs are not of this ilk. Most of them roar to a halt after three minutes and feature a technical proficiency that staggers without sacrificing any emotional weight. Their repertoire manages to pull off that rare trick of being complex, grandiose, heartfelt, effortless and above all timeless. These songs are deeply rooted in the most classic of classic rocks which as we all know is like a stegosaurus because it tickles your booty-brain as much as your mind-brain. She sings with her guts out, shreds her guitar like it owes her money and writes words that stick. Sing it in the shower stick. Plus, MIP happens to be backed by the inhuman rhythm section of Greg & Shane who basically run clinics every time they play. Precise in ultimate service of the song rather than in service to precision. In short the MIP Power Trio is the best original performing band in Toronto that I am not in. Ahem. They are worth a look. Worth a cover if there ever is one. Oh they have an album out too called “Haggered & Bedraggled” which is a very nice documentation of how much they slay live. This show was their CD release party and they played the whole record front to back. It was great. That dude by the way had quoted a song called “Sweaters” which is largely about the overwhelming suffocation of menial retail work rendered cleverly and viscerally.

I give it… 53.7 out of a possible 58.12. - Johnny Awesome

By Vanessa Markov

While I can wholly appreciate female vocalists and musicians alike, I’ve just never had an easy time finding a female fronted band that I really enjoy. This changed when I started spending more time exploring Toronto’s indie scene, which is all but dominated by lady rockers of every shape, size, orientation, and denomination. With such a diverse selection, there’s no way in hell I couldn’t fall in love with some of these acts – and I did.

So since Hits ‘n Giggles is all about sharing the love, we’re going to dedicate a series to awesome female fronted (and some all female) bands, starting with The Mip Power Trio a.k.a. Greg Kowalczyk (bass), Jaash “Animal” Singh (drums), and Mip (guitar/vocals).

The first thing I noticed about Mip when we met a couple months ago before their set at Velvet Underground was her unbelievably high, happy energy. I honestly didn’t think this degree of happy existed outside of children’s television filming studios, but this woman is totally legit and nowhere near lame.

Mip is definitely among the most eccentric people I’ve ever met and it reflected very much in her music, which is neither typical nor is it wacky and rhythmless or overly artistic – at least for my taste. If I had to describe it I’d say it’s catchy, modern folk rock with just enough of Mip’s fun personality to create that completely homegrown one-of-a-kind sound.

Even their two covers, “White Rabbit” (Jefferson Airplane) and “Crazy On You” (Heart), are totally Mipped out and I love them. Seriously, nobody…nobody pulls off “White Rabbit” like Mip does!! Other highlights of the night included a super catchy original called “Bedraggled”, and bassist Greg’s infectious enthusiasm. - Hits n' Giggles

Sporting Canucks colours, in Vancouver's final hours of Stanley Cup play this season, singer and frontwoman Mip took breaks between songs to catch glimpses of the descent of her beloved team, updating the crowd on the score ("Still shitty") so they could look away from the upsetting activity broadcasted on the tube at the back of the bar and instead watch her band's set, where they found a healthy antidote.

Mip Power Trio is a fast paced, teeth clenching ride that fills your guts with excitement and a penchant for whiskey that's fueled not by a depressed longing for a coping mechanism, but a general will to raise your glass at a band that sings about good times and shrugs off the bad. - Truth Explosion Magazine

This accurately named Toronto group is led by commanding frontwoman Mip and play a thunderous yet quirky rock music with smart lyrics and dynamic arrangements. - NXNE Festival 2011

I then headed back east along Queen St. with no destination in mind, but I had some time to kill before the show I wanted to catch at 11:00 so I was looking for something a bit random.

Posted by Giovanny Caquias

10:00PM: I ended up at Velvet Underground where I caught most of a set by Mip and The Mip Power Trio (another Canadian band) who were blasting through a set of high-energy tunes that sucked me in and made me stay and watch. Mip and Co. had to also deal with the Stanely Cup factor (Mip herself was occasionally checking out the score on a nearby television, it wasn't good) but they still kept their vibe together and entertained those of us who were there to be entertained. By far the best part of their set was their closer, Stone Wall, which featured a profanity laced call and response bridge, and some great insight into what it is like to go to the wrong bar, with the wrong shirt on. - Culture Blues (Online)

By Sheila Wujek

Lots of bands have been called “energetic” or “passionate” or “fun” or “infectious”, face it there are as many descriptive platitudes as there are bands but to call mip any of these would be a sorry understatement of fact. Oh, she is all those things for sure BUT where other artists seem to wear those monikers like clothes, she seems to live and breath them. Take, for instance, her song Mosh Pit. It is an exhaustingly carefree look at how to mend a broken heart while having your face “buried in somebody’s armpit” and your “shirt soaked in other people’s sweat”. It is a joyful song that can’t help but bring a smile to your face and a jig to your step. I defy anyone to be in a bad mood after listening to this. No self-pity for this woman. Fun doesn’t half describe it.

These songs are well-written with sharp-witted lyrics and addictive melodies that are just quirky enough to make them stand out in sharp contrast to the stuff presently popular. The Martha and the Muffins-ish opener, Caught In Between, is a high-energy song that would sound great on the radio or live. The fuzzy guitars are reminiscent of Billy Talents Ian D’Sa but the vocals are pure Chrissie Hynde or Joan Jett. Then there is E. S. Waltz which is diametrically opposite of Mosh Pit. Where Mosh Pit has a countryish flair and a light-hearted, cheery melody, this song has an almost carnivalish off-balance melody that leaves you feeling slightly out of kilter. This is a much, much darker song about the perils of a long-distance relationship. This song plays with the theme of distance, both physical and emotional. The man of the song sends “her off at the airport” with a promise of visiting but “they both know he’s stuck in this town on part-time minimum wage”. The narrator gives him “a pencil to write her name but it won’t bridge the gap” of the ocean between them. It’s a smartly written song to say the least.

The production of this EP is also very nice, everything is well represented without dominating. The guitars are muscular when needed but also soft and delicate when the song needs them. mips vocals are never lost nor are they overpowering. And she does have a great voice, which reminded me at times of Sara Harmer or Issa (formerly Jane Siberry), for the rockier songs in her repertoire, something that is underrepresented in music today. This is a very easy EP to listen to, the production never intrudes on your experience with the songs. The songs themselves are easily accessible and easy to identify with. There is no cloying smarminess or self-pitying fake emo, rather these songs are honest and biting without the sarcasm or meanness that other artists try to pass off as real feelings.

Sweaters, the last song, talks about a retail salespersons daydreams and how in four weeks she’ll step on the bus and be gone on the adventure she’s craving. She doesn’t berate her fate working for a clothing store, instead she ironically focusses on how ill-suited she is for the job. In a less talented writers hands this song could have tanked but mip keeps it moving with a clear understanding of what her subject is. It reminded me a lot of some of Canada’s other great storytellers such as Willie P. Bennett, Garnett Rogers and his brother Stan, and Gordon Lightfoot. The ability to let a story tell itself without embellishment, cliches or false emotion is what mips has in common with the aforementioned artists. The songs sound effortless, uncomplicated without sounding simple, undemanding without sounding shallow. These are straightforward narratives that come from an astute observationists creative force. The simple pleasure mip took in writing these stories shines through making the songs intimate and sympathetic. This EP is a great start to a, hopefully, long and successful career.

You can find mip on MySpace and Twitter and she tells me that Caught In Between will soon be available on CDBaby so keep an eye on her MySpace page for that announcement.

Link: http://awmusic.ca/2010/03/22/mip-caught-in-between-ep/ - AWmusic.ca

By Jade Sperry

Contact: mipsmusic@gmail.com
My Space Site: http://www.myspace.com/mipsmusic

At 23, mip has performed at a variety of festivals, night clubs and cafes. She has shared the stage with 2 time Juno Award winner Alex Cuba and has toured in New York and Ontario as a back-up vocalist for blues rocker Rachelle Van Zanten (formerly of Painting Daisies). After reading that in her bio, I was intrigued with the music of mip who is very proud of her Smithers, BC, origins but lives in Toronto ON presently. I put the EP into the cd player and heard energetic, fun melodies with solid work on guitars and vocals throughout the 6 song EP. Mip's voice has a Melissa Etheridge-like edge to it and also has that husky and whiskey-soaked vocal chord quality that blues singers die for. The first song and EP title track “Caught In Between” is fun, fast and filled with high energy that is infectious to the listener. This could easily be a hit song. Well written and mixed it's delivered exactly the way it should be. “My Midnight” starts out slow and misleads you into believing its a forlorn song when suddenly the drums and bass hit the song in just the right place and the song changes pace effortlessly. That is a very effective way to make the listener change course with the band and enjoy the scenery. Great vocal work on every song with really well versed musicians. Overall this is a really good start on a career that could go in several directions and it depends on what mip wants to explore. I for one am looking forward to her next project.

Mip is playing a show on Wednesday March 31 at Rancho Relaxo in Toronto. - NxEW, Supernova, Jaded Photography

"mip - Caught in Between

LOCATION: Smithers
DATE OF CD: 2009
LABEL: Independent
Smart lyrics and strong melodies make this six-song EP worth hearing. She has worked as a back-up vocalist for Rachelle van Zanten and opened for Alex Cuba. A high energy three piece band that mostly rocks with a bit of a quirky edge." - BC Musician Magazine

"mip - Caught in Between

LOCATION: Smithers
DATE OF CD: 2009
LABEL: Independent
Smart lyrics and strong melodies make this six-song EP worth hearing. She has worked as a back-up vocalist for Rachelle van Zanten and opened for Alex Cuba. A high energy three piece band that mostly rocks with a bit of a quirky edge." - BC Musician Magazine

By Meghan Morrison

Webcast Appearance: October 5, 2010 | Artist Website

Mip is one of the most dynamic songwriters on the independent scene in Toronto; musically, she is always full of surprises. When I first saw her perform at The Painted Lady in the fall of 2009, I was immediately confused in the most exciting of ways. Clad in cheerful rainbowed patterns (I now know this to be the trademark Mip fashion), she performed aggressive, yet sweet, songs like “My Midnight” with a tornado-like voice. I find the contrast very compelling and even more remarkable in songs like “E.S. Waltz” (my Mip favourite) which are as haunting as they are vibrant. Completely in her element under the lights, she has a stage presence, conviction in her voice, and command over an audience that I envy as a fellow performing artist. - From Scratch: Meghan Morrison's Blog Page