Vancouver BC’s trio WUT (Tracey Vath: bass, vocals, and additional guitar; Kaity McWhinney: guitar and vocals; Lauren Smith: drums and vocals) released the debut album, NOW, in 2020, accompanied by 10 DIY music videos. Mingling with the Thorns, their sophomore full-length album, came out August 23rd on HHBTM Records. ‘Mingling with the Thorns’ was created during two years of intermittent quarantines which caused Kaity McWhinney, Tracey Vath and Lauren Smith to write songs independently, and share their ideas through countless emails, dropbox folders, and google drives. This resulted in a collection of carefully crafted pop songs that reflect the bands mutual love for c86 jangle pop and early Flying Nun Records bands. McWhinney’s longtime friend and musical collaborator, Riley (Artsick, / Burnt Palms) joined WUT on the track “Your Feelings”, which pushes the band into the realms of garage rock with her raw and frenetic lead guitar. On a surface level, Mingling with the Thorns may seem fun and carefree. However, a dig deeper into the album’s lyrical content draws up themes that grapple with patriarchy and late stage capitalism; specifically the struggle to find personal autonomy within these social systems.

What They Say: “We filmed the video for Mingling with the Thorns on tour last summer when we stopped off at The Enchanted Forest in Revelstoke, BC. The Enchanted Forest is the former home of artist Doris Needham, who, in the 1950s, created the cement fairytale creatures you see in the video. Although it looks like we were alone in a deserted woodland, the park was actually super crowded! Each time we filmed a scene, there would be a small group of frazzled parents and whining children waiting for us to get it over with so they could walk by. I (Tracey) was in my absolute happy place, skipping around and sincerely admiring all the colourful critters while wearing my park ranger clothes, which was our outfit theme for the tour. I don’t know if it was the heat, the cost of admission, or the fact that kids just don’t seem to be excited by weird gnome statues these days, but the stress levels in that park were off the charts! I personally got so many dirty looks and nasty comments from other adults that, at one point, I ended up crying because I felt embarrassed for being so joyful and childlike.Thankfully, the rest of WUT came to the rescue to remind me that I never need to feel ashamed for being my authentic self and enjoying the hell out of a 1950s folk art paradise!“

 “This is a video for our first single Talking to Strangers from Mingling with the Thorns, released on HHBTM Records. The low-fi, casual feel is a result of not realizing that we were actually making a music video! We were staying at a house in Calgary, Alberta, while playing Sled Island, our favourite music festival. Kaity and I like to practice together before a show in order to calm our nerves. So we usually find a back room, van, or nearby park to quickly go over whatever songs we feel rusty about. That day, we were getting ready to play an outdoor show with our friends Kerkland Jerks, and so Kaity and I put on our album in order to play along while drinking coffee and killing time. Lauren took a few photos of us through the mirror on the wall, and we thought it was cute and funny how I was sitting in the background on the couch. So we decided to film the whole song, thinking we could put a clip of it on insta or something. Afterwards, we looked at it and thought hey, this could be a music video. So, I used my fantastic imovie editing skills, trying with all my might to hold back from adding a bunch of subtitles and transition effects. We spent just over two years writing the songs for Mingling with the Thorns, and we are so incredibly honored and grateful to be able to release it on vinyl through HHBTM Records.”

Their Mixtape:

Traceys picks:

Speed Reader – Groundhog Day (Live at Green Auto)

Green auto has been a fundamental part of Vancouver’s weirdo DIY scene. I’ve been many times when multiple shows are happening in different parts of the venue. In the summer, shows are mostly held outside, with a backdrop of Grouse mountain way beyond the shipping containers. I chose this video not only because I love this song and I love Speed Reader, but also because the Green Auto youtube channel is pretty fantastic. They do what I have dreamed of doing for a while now- they film live bands with a lofi camera (this one is filmed by photographer Ty Mcleod) and then edit it with the mix from the soundboard. Super nifty project, if you ask me!

Little Sprout – The Bees

Little Sprout is a band that I am never sure if they are still a band or not. But I always hope they are still a band because they are fantastic. Amie G is an absolute force. I chose this video because I love Sean’s animation. He is the drummer in Little Sprout and also plays drums in bananahaus, which is another band I am in. I hope and dream that one day he will tattoo his silly drawings on my body.

 

Be Afraid – Nothing Like Romance

This video by supergroup Be Afraid is one of my favourites because it’s not afraid to get silly. The setting is very Vancouver, and our jam space even makes a brief appearance. You can tell that they had a very precise plan for this video and they did whatever it took to make it come to life. For fans of Guy Fieri, boxed wine, and intergalactic gorillas.

Kaity’s Picks:

Dumb – Pull Me Up

Dumb is a rad Vancouver band that makes really cool music, I’m sure you’ll agree! Gal, who sings and plays guitar started a tape label called Mono Tapes with another top tier musician, Selina Crammond, who plays in another fantastic local band, Midnight News, which just release an amazing new tape on said label, and we had the pleasure of playing the release party for said tape, alongside other local favourites YEP and Maneater!

Chris-A-Riffic – Fresh Bruise

Amazing supporter of Vancouver music through his CITR radio show Parts Unknown! Chris has been a staple in the scene for decades, beloved by all, he is wonderful. If you look closely you will see the likes of other vancouver legends Devours, Apollo Ghosts, Future Star, B-lines, Shrouded Amps, and even our very own Tracey and Lauren. ♥️

Love Cuts – I Will Kiss Anyone

Kaity and Tracey’s first band with drummer Cheryl Carpenter, of SBDC and Ruffle. Love Cuts had a good run, releasing a self titled 7″ on Nominal Records as well as a few self released tapes and online recordings, spanning 2011- 2016ish. We did a bunch of fun ramshackle tours across America, played a ton of punk houses and stinky basements, and had a hell of a time!

Lauren’s Picks:

Modernettes – Barbra

I think this might be the best pop punk song to ever come out of Vancouver? Ramones-Esqe is my favourite genre so I have a bit of a bias. This one was released way back in 1980, five whole years before we built the SkyTrain, and the wooden roller coaster at the PNE! I would have loved to have gone to shows in Vancouver during this time, bands like the Modernettes, Dish-rags, and Pointed Sticks would have been so cool to see. This video seriously has the greatest hair flips from incredible ladypunk bass player, Mary Jo Kopechne, I hope you like them as much as I do!

Apollo Ghosts – Peace Motive

Okay this video is probably PG14 at least!  I made this one with my incredible friend Dan Loan who is a mega talent behind the camera. The Apollo Ghosts are like the greatest band going in Vancouver and are quick to lift folks up in our music community making it an honor to work with them for their beautiful song, Peace Motive. This video is honestly a little autobiographical which inspired this sentimental manager who left his post as a community mail carrier to ascend the ranks of management only to reflect on his departure from what matters most in life – sunshine and rock n roll.  Seriously there are a lot of guts and brains in this video and it was almost banned twice, check it out before it’s gone forever for being too gross!

KMVP – Build Something Else

Although KMVP has relocated operations to Nanaimo a short ferry ride away from Radical Vancouver, she made a lot of her music out of Vancouver’s Tenant and Labour, Anarchist and Land Defender communities.  This is one of my favourite songs from Kristjanne Vosper asking to build something else that won’t put into jeopardy our clean drinking water, indigenous people’s ways of life, and helps to keep cute orca families together.  Vancouver’s history of radical activism including direct action in opposition to ecological destruction + human oppression is pretty bad ass! Read about the Squamish five here or watch here.  #bombthepipeline

Cub – My Chinchilla

Pretty sure that the incredibly cool and kind Lisa Marr who fronted Cub back in 1991-1997 wrote this song about her actual pet chinchilla.  Gosh I would love to know the love of a chinchilla one day, they seem so soft and long lived and dang cute!  Kinda like CUB who we are big fangirls of, and whose music continues to be a super positive influence on WUT’s songwriting and friendship!  Did you know a Chinchilla lives for 20 years?

Mingling with the Thorns is out now via HHBTM Records. Look HERE for more information on WUT.