Christine Fellows 'Paper Anniversary' album

Christine Fellows is an Ontario native, but she finally settled in Winnipeg in the early 90's, and slowly began to make a name for herself in the city's burgeoning independent music scene. After passing through various bands and projects, Christine finally settled as a solo artist and has since won acclaim for her progressive brand of folk-pop. Paper Anniversary is her third solo full-length, and its piano-and-cello driven songs have the emotional pull that has the bright qualities of past kindred spirits like Syd Straw, Juliana Hatfield, and Rilo Kiley. Touches of glockenspiels, bells, and Casios add a certain forward-thinking panache to her breezy songs, with tunes like "Double Takes" and "We Two" even harkening to acts like Mum. The diversity of Paper Anniversary proves Fellows is a multi-talented musician who has the potential to override her current cult status into greater kudos. FCC: 4

Biography
For me, playing music is more an outlook than an act. I’ll use anything I can get my hands on to make the noise I need. Sometimes the best sounds come from broken things – toys or banjos or cheap electronics – or everyday noises we tend to take for granted, like traffic and rain and purring cats and the squeak of boots on snow at - 30 degrees.

I approach touring in much the same way. My favorite parts are impromptu cello recitals with tequila shots downed between movements of a Bach suite, playing badminton by the side of the highway while waiting out a traffic jam, and the hair on the back of my neck standing on end listening to a blind Portuguese Fado singer onstage at a folk festival workshop.

When I was a kid I collected fish heads. I coveted those fish heads, named them and kept them in ice cream pails under the porch. I don’t remember exactly what it was about them that I found so absorbing, but there is definitely a parallel to the way I approach music in there somewhere.

I wasn’t born in Winnipeg. I came on a lark and I’ve decided to stay. Yes, it’s a cold and ridiculous and difficult place to live. I’ll probably live here forever for exactly those reasons. This is where I write, this is where I’ve always written, and I love the musicians and writers and artists and dancers and filmmakers and weirdos I’ve met here.

I divide most of my time between puttering, procrastinating and obsessive workaholism, and I prefer to spend long stretches of time without changing out of my pyjamas or leaving the house. I’ve recorded three solo albums: 2 little birds (2000), The Last One Standing (2002) and Paper Anniversary (2005) and numerous scores for dance and tv and film and experimental video and what-have-you. I do most of my recording here at home. Although my favorite thing to do is to write songs, I collaborate with other artists a fair bit, too – I like a good conversation every once in awhile.

The CF live band may contain one or more of the following: Leanne Zacharias (cello), Barry Mirochnick (drums), Jason Tait (drums ‘n things), Jordy Walker (guitar), Shary Boyle (overhead projections), Greg Smith (bass), Ford Pier (guitar), Paul Aucoin (vibraphone) and the list just keeps on growing.

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Tracklisting

Christine Fellows - Paper Anniversary