The Jerry Cans – Aakuluk
This band from the north, the far North of Canada to be more specific, way far to the Far North, as told to me. The directions to Iqaluit, where the band is from, were when the band’s leader was asked he said, “drive from Toronto to Montreal, then turn left and keep going for 2,200 kilometres. Iqaluit is the capital of the Territory of Nunavut which is way far above the tree line and 20 minutes south of Arctic Circle by small plane, the nearest community is three days away by dog sled (two days by snowmobile). The language is Inuktitut, though only one of the band members is a Inuit, Nancy, the throat singer, the rest of them are Canadians who have lived in the Far North all their lives.
The name of the band comes from the fact that everyone has 2 or 3 jerry cans of gasoline in the back of their trucks (there are only 2 gas stations in the town), much travel is by snowmobile or dog sled. Now stop scratching your head and wondering if sound freezes as it leaves the warmth of a mouth into arctic air, it doesn’t, and they sing in both English and Inuktitut. Somewhere in there you started talking to yourself is what the hell does this have to do with music that is being reviewed in No Depression? Well is it music from Americans? Yes, so what if they are from cold beyond the compression of this Arizona resident. Do they sing in a language that makes it so we have no idea what they are saying? And is filled with more vowels than Carter has liver pills? And the songs have titles like “Qujannamiik” and “Namulimaaqsimavunga”! (those aren’t words typed by a stoned seal).
Then you start listening to the songs, and yes you don’t understand the words, most of the songs are sung in Inuktitut, and to make it more difficult there is a fair bit if Inuit throat singing as well as singing in a language I doubt many of us down here below the Arctic Circle understand. When you listen and the rhythms start coming through you begin to realize, oh, this is the maybe U2 or maybe The Chieftains or the The Real McKenzies. Oh! I recognize this, it is the same different music, Irish/Punk music just in some other language.
Where else are you going to get an Inuit throat singing accordionist that also sings back up vocals, Nancy Mike; Andrew Morrison lead vocals and guitar; Brendan Doherty bass and back-up vocals; Gina Burgess back-up vocals and violin; and Stephen Rigby on drums and back-up vocals. You also get deep throat breathing used as a percussion instrument, as well as something brand new and completely different. Wasn’t sure what to expect when it was laid on the table but it is sure interesting and opens up other roads to explore. Take a chance; to be honest I listened because of respect for the person who sent it to me and I’m glad he did. Thank you Richard. It recalls the opening up of the mind achieved when first heard of Paul Pena and Genghis Blues.