Wheat Halo

Wheat Halo: Initiation Well
Billed as an indie alt folk-noir group, Wheat Halo consists of a few local heavy-hitters (Tanyss Nixi on vocals and guitars; Mitch Diesel on bass and guitar; Scott Lingley manning the drums; and both Lealand Grauwiler and Justin Perkins supplying guitar work) in addition to a truckload of guests. The resulting album Initiation Well is a fascinating mix of roots, rock and country, all imbued with grit and soul.

Nixi has one of those astonishing singing voices that sounds like how the sweet burn of a shot of whisky feels. It’s one of the qualities that gives Initiation Well an authentic, lived-in feel. The songs are not necessarily recorded live off the floor, but they feel like it. Tracks such as the murder ballad Annie E. Hance are filled with dread, suited for a midnight listen in a rickety saloon, while Black Friday is a scathing takedown of modern-day life.

The sound of Initiation Well is that of thumping acoustic guitars, oily pedal steel and crash-banging percussion, sold by Nixi’s intense delivery. Audio flourishes include accordion, horns, piano and background vocals, giving the songs a varied, welcome texture. - Edmonton Journal

“Tanyss Nixi may have been born and raised in a quaint Alberta town but that doesn’t mean she wasn’t exposed to the corporate blemishes that often dot the prairie landscape. From smokestacks to diesel trucks, fake tans to apathetic souls, Nixi’s latest album, Champion Of Lost Causes, doesn’t let anything escape criticism. "Refinery Row embodies the entire record’s premise, her lyrics constantly flashing before us those everyday images of cable television and things we really don’t need. "Showboat 2 Nowhere" dishes out the same sort of organic perspective, reminding us that even though we claim that we are individuals, we’re all part of a larger picture. But just as Nixi scrunches up her nose at those who fail to live in the moment, her beautiful voice and folk melodies remind us that changing the world really isn’t a lost cause.” (Independent) - Exclaim!

“Wavering somewhere between roots-rock, rave up and honky tonk, Edmonton’s Wildwood offers up a concise, 10-song debut that sounds like the members missed the last 25 years of country hokum… There’s a steely reserve hiding behind Nixi’s deceptively sweet voice, perfect for the cover of Kitty Wells’ proto-feminist anthem Honky Tonk Angels and her own Useless Torch, a song that would fit nicely in Margo Price or Whitney Rose’s set list. Highly recommended.” - Edmonton Journal