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McGill, News

Première Moisson has served its dernier croissant

by Delphine Polidori on

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Redpath Café opened its doors on Sept. 3 after Quebec-based café and bakery chain Première Moisson failed to renew its lease at the end of the 2018-19 academic year. Canadian chain Toi Moi et Café will serve coffee and baked goods at the new venue, alongside Bento Sushi and Mandy’s salads.

Staff working at the previous Première Moisson location were offered the option to return to the new café in September. Meagan Toohey, who has been working in the Redpath-McLennan building for the past four years, shared her enthusiasm for the cafeteria’s new services.

“We [prepare all our products] in the kitchen each morning so [they’re] all fresh every day,” Toohey said. “We have a lot more fruits, [so the café is] not full of sugary stuff. We have a lot of snacks […] and there are a lot more drink options. Plus, we have the sushi place, which is very popular right now. And the coffee is also a lot cheaper than in the past.”

The Quesada and Bento Sushi locations in the Bronfman Building shut down in April 2018, due to construction on the first and second floors of the building. The work is intended to provide facilities for the Bensadoun School of Retail Management, such as classrooms, office and meeting rooms, and study areas. 

Food and Dining Services informed The McGill Tribune that these renovations, scheduled to end in Nov. 2019, will only include new academic spaces. Quesada has another location in Carrefour Sherbrooke, and Bento Sushi has several outlets across McGill’s campus and residences.

Many students have not yet had the chance to visit the new café in the Redpath basement. Elijah Wenzel, U4 Arts, has yet to form an opinion about the new additions.

“I do think the food is still alright and they still have coffee and tea, which is really what I want the most,” Wenzel said. “They’re still getting set up [….] I was told that soon they’ll have a better menu that shows really what they have […] so I’ll reserve some judgement until they’re really up and running. I [also] think the [pricing] is maybe a little lower, which I appreciate.”

In Jan. 2019, the Tribune conducted an informal survey, which found that only 29 of 314 respondents wanted Première Moisson to remain in the Redpath-McLennan library. However, now that Première Moisson has vacated Redpath, some students have expressed favourable opinions toward the café.

“I thought that Première Moisson was kind of expensive, but at least we had different options in terms of sandwiches or salads,” Clara Sedzro, U2 Arts, said. “I kind of miss Première Moisson. They also had more vegetarian sandwich options.”

Wenzel disagrees that Première Moisson was overpriced.

“I liked [Première Moisson],” Wenzel said. “I know some people thought it was kind of expensive, but I always thought it was a nice place to come down and get a cup of tea or coffee. […] I mostly miss the seats by the window because I really liked sitting there and looking out onto Lower Field.”

Research Briefs, Science & Technology

Hippocampus research introduces a new understanding of stress

by Sophia Gorbounov on

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In Aug. 2019, a team led by McGill professor and researcher Tak Pan Wong published a new study about the hippocampus and its ability to retain memories of stressful experiences. Published in the Journal for Neuroscience, the study detailed new connections to mental disorders such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. By exposing mice to social stress in the form of physical threats from other mice, Wong and his team found that negative memory traces were left on the hippocampus, the part of the brain primarily responsible for memory and spatial recognition.

In an interview with The McGill Tribune, Wong explained that the inspiration for the study was the growing interest in understanding the biological mechanisms underlying sensitivity to stress. Researchers originally predicted that increased sensitivity to stress—known to negatively impact learning and memory—was related to reduced hippocampal function.

“Surprisingly, using MRIs [magnetic resonance imaging] to compare [the] hippocampal volume[s] of mice that [were] either susceptible or resilient to stress revealed a bigger hippocampus in susceptible mice,” Wong said.

The hippocampus is a part of the brain located under the cerebral cortex in the medial temporal lobe. It plays a central role in long-term memory formation and spatial recognition, though the study focused only on the former. The hippocampus is thought to record memories of negative events, which leads to the activation of a group of neurons called engrams. The study found that mice that are genetically more sensitive to stressful environments experienced the overactivation of certain engrams in the hippocampus and were more likely to exhibit depressive and aversive behaviours, namely social avoidance.  

Wong explained that, though spatial orientation and recognition of the outside environment were likely not directly affected by exposure to social stress, the entire hippocampal region was put under distress. A 2018 paper showed that when put in a stressful situation, the neurons in the hippocampus responsible for getting an accurate image of one’s outside environment register poorly, influencing the long-term memory and reactivation when placed back in the same situation. The group of neurons for this place field are thus a lot less responsive when activated by stressful experiences. 

“These findings suggest the presence of distinct populations of neurons for accurate encoding of spatial information and fear memory,” Wong said.

New knowledge on the effect of traumatic memories on the hippocampus can offer new insights on the role that memory plays in people with depressive disorders. Depression is known to have cognitive symptoms such as difficulty concentrating, forgetfulness, and memory loss. In the study, repeated exposure to social stress in some mice led to overactivation in certain parts of the hippocampus, causing depressive behaviours like social avoidance. This is also a common symptom for those with depression or post-traumatic stress, as there is a fear of being judged or criticised. In his research, Wong found that activating engrams led to increased avoidance behaviours, while deactivating engrams reduced these behaviours, thus demonstrating a relationship between an overactive engram and depressive symptoms. 

Moving forward, Wong is interested in exploring whether functional changes to place cells may somehow also be related to stress sensitivity. 

Though the study demonstrated the results of stress exposure in mice, the mental and social abilities of humans are more complex. People experience, respond, and manifest stress in different and more subtle ways. Nonetheless, the study opens a new path for depression research and is a cornerstone to future studies regarding memory formation and depressive disorders.

Features

Signed and sealed

by Nina Russell on

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As soon as she heard the allegations, University of Windsor Law professor Julie Macfarlane felt as though she had to speak up. In 2013, Macfarlane learned of a fellow professor who had allegedly pursued predatory relationships with certain groups of students while alienating others. Yet, it wasn’t until early 2015 that the professor was terminated from his position at the university.

Student Life

The value of working a summer service job

by Sophia White on

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For most, the quintessential image of summer calls to mind beach getaways and backyard barbeques, not washing dishes or consoling cranky customers from behind a cash register. By the end of a long school year, students are more than ready to embrace the summer vacation mindset and relax, but the months ahead provide the perfect opportunity to land a part-time job. As a small fish in a big university pond, it is common for students to feel pressured to score a resume-boosting internship, so many feel as though they have failed when they work in retail or service instead.

Internships can provide students with valuable work experience in the professional world, but paid positions are hard to come by in Quebec. Meanwhile, jobs in retail and service are a guaranteed way to earn an income, and they equip students with valuable work skills, building character, and fostering a strong work ethic.

Kirsten Wesselow (BA ‘19) recently graduated and is now working full-time, but she worked service jobs during previous university summers. Wesselow worked as a cook and counterperson two summers ago, as a cashier at La Diperie during Fall 2017, and had another cashier gig last summer.

“I applied to internships every summer, but the only one that ever worked out fell through because of a housing issue,” Wesselow said in an interview with //The McGill Tribune//. “I definitely felt pressured to have an internship and often felt ashamed or like I had failed by working a service job instead. It was especially relevant when all my friends in town for the summer had internships or 9–5 jobs, and I almost never saw them. They often tried to convince me to come hang out with them after a very tiring work day versus them making time for me on one of my rare days off, which made me feel like they did not see my job as real work.”

As students, it can be easy to compare our experiences and feel the need to measure up to peers. Service jobs are likely not students’ ultimate career goal or even their first choice of work, but earning money is crucial for many to help pay for tuition and living expenses.

Philippe Masson, U4 Arts, went home to Maryland for the summer and worked as a camp counselor at a neighbourhood pool during the week and at a bakery on the weekends. In his spare time, he sold pastries at a local farmers market and ran his own neighbourhood landscaping business. Masson worked an internship two summers ago for a Seattle-based startup, but felt that the experience was isolating and boring because he was working from home and staring at a computer screen all day.

“The sales skills at the bakery are applicable skills,” Masson said. “I really enjoy working for the bakery because I get to learn a lot about French cuisine and pastries, as well as interact with customers and improve my sales skills. I wish I could have had a paid internship or something more resume-building rather than working as a camp counselor because it’s not really what I’m interested in doing, but I like working multiple jobs because it’s always different and I can rotate my focuses.”

Customer service skills are a major asset for students entering the professional workforce. Oftentimes, customers are rude, impatient, and demanding, so service employees have to be quick to resolve conflicts without losing any potential business. Service jobs require patience, effective communication, and resourcefulness. There’s something to be said for working long, tiring shifts with few breaks to sit down or catch a breath. Service jobs shouldn’t be seen as a failure, but rather an honourable foray into the workforce.

Arts & Entertainment

Stuff we liked this summer

by Jonathan Giammaria, Joey Caplan, Abeer Almahdi on

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With classes already in full swing, the season for carefree media consumption has come and gone. From here on out, reading will be mandatory and any TV-watching will be tinged with guilt and anxiety as readings pile up and assignments loom. For the remaining few days of add-drop, however, here’s some stuff that we at the Tribune liked this summer.    

TV Show: Euphoria

Nicholas Raffoul 

Premiering on June 16th on HBO, Euphoria follows the trials and tribulations of a group of students navigating relationships, mental health struggles, drug abuse, and body image issues. The remarkable cast includes Zendaya, Hunter Schafer, and model Barbie Ferreira who star as uniquely exceptional yet relatable small-town teens. The show tackles its often sensitive subject matter with empathy and tact. Filled with much-coveted outfits, hazy fever dreams, and dazzling makeup, Euphoria is a heartfelt and theatrical spin on the coming-of-age narrative.

Album: Cuz I Love You by Lizzo 

Abeer Almahdi 

Lizzo’s third studio album, Cuz I Love You, dropped triumphantly on April 19. Lizzo’s bold persona, mesmerizing vocals, flute solos, and upbeat lyrics undoubtedly defined the summer season. The track “Truth Hurts” will go down in history as one of 2019’s most iconic summer anthems, hitting the number one spot on Billboard Music’s top 100. “Tempo,” featuring the legendary Missy Elliott, is also an amazing collaboration between two iconic vocalists. The album is an unapologetic manifestation of self-love and confidence that is meaningful and fun in equal measure. As a plus-size Black woman, Lizzo decares her space, thrives in it, and ensures that everyone joins her.  

Book: The Overstory

Jonathan Giammaria 

With The Overstory, Richard Powers joins a canon of media and literature begging us to stop killing our planet. With the creative liberty that fiction allows, Powers makes trees his novel’s protagonists and conceptualizes them as the resilient backbone of our natural world. Powers paints trees as benevolent and mythical creatures, alive not only in a technical sense but also as active participants in nature, interwoven with each other but also with all life that extends past the boundaries of forests or jungles. By structuring a narrative around non-human characters, The Overstory challenges the hierarchical assumptions of the relationship between humans and the natural world, scorning our view of an environment meant to be consumed or commercialized. The Overstory is a thoughtful celebration of a towering presence we’ve learned to ignore in our concrete and steel urbanity. 

Podcast: Why Won’t You Date Me? by Nicole Byer 

Abeer Almahdi 

Nicole Byer says she’s been single for decades, so, in a podcast, she attempts to find the reason behind her unlucky track record. Host of Netflix’s original series Nailed It, where home bakers without any professional training attempt to make gourmet pastries, Byer has already won over audiences with her audacious humour. Why Won’t You Date Me? discusses important subjects concerning sex and love: Commitment issues, polyamory, fatphobia, dating apps, and long distance to name a few. Alongside an impressive list of guests, such as Jameela Jamil from The Good Place, comedian Zainab Johnson, drag queen Eureka O’Hara, and plus-size model Tess Holliday, Byer investigates modern romance thoroughly and with a sense of humour. Why Won’t You Date Me? is a positive, witty, and hilarious exploration of the challenges of navigating love.  

Movie: The Art of Self Defence

Joey Caplan

The Art of Self Defence, directed by Riley Stearns and starring Jesse Eisenberg, might seem, at first, to quite ordinary: Just another tale of finding inner strength following trauma through martial arts. As the film progresses, however, the rug is slowly pulled out from under the audience, and what started off as a generic narrative quickly becomes a sinister tale of madness and revenge, rife with entertaining characters and shockingly dark humour. Eisenberg may play the same character in every movie, but, give him a good director and you will be too engrossed to notice.

News, The Tribune Explains

Tribune Explains: Campus Construction

by Leanne Young on

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To better understand seemingly never-ending construction on campus, The McGill Tribune delved into McGill’s various ongoing projects.

What structures and buildings will be affected?

There are a handful of projects that will take place within the next few years. Some of the more prominent projects include the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) Building (to be finished December 2019), the Leacock Terrace (December 2020), the reconstruction of the main road (Winter 2020), and the Macdonald-Stewart Building (late 2021), which also houses the Schulich Library. Other projects that may also affect the day-to-day routines of staff and students include renovations on the Stewart Biology Building, Macdonald Engineering Building, Macdonald-Harrington Building, Education Building, the Bronfman Building and the Lyman Duff Medical Building.

Why are there so many projects taking place?

McGill is home to some of the oldest buildings in Montreal, and many of them are in need of major upgrades. For instance, the Schulich library will undergo significant and essential structural repairs and major internal upgrades, which includes the stabilization of the stone structure and the installation of a new HVAC system. Campus-dwellers may also notice an increase in projects taking place due to a recent increase in funding from the provincial and federal governments. This has allowed McGill to increase its projects budget from $80 million to $130 million per year.

Are there updates on the SSMU Building’s status?

Fabrice Labeau, Deputy Provost (Student Life and Learning), confirmed in a recent institution-wide email that the building is estimated to be finished by December 2019 (originally August 2019). As many student clubs and services were previously housed in the University Centre, SSMU officials, such as SSMU VP Student Life Billy Kawasaki, are working to schedule spaces for the new academic year.

“During the fall semester, we will continue to work together with McGill to find space for student groups elsewhere on campus,” Kawasaki said. “ We [will] offer support and insurance to student groups holding off-campus events […and] will continue to collaborate closely with McGill in order to accommodate bookings as much as we can.”

What’s happening with campus libraries, and where can I study?

The Schulich library will be closed for renovations for the next two years. When the work is completed, the library will include more spaces for studying and working, improved accessibility, restored exterior masonry, a new HVAC system, and an expanded number of washrooms. In addition to these features, McGill is working to ensure there are available study spaces for students on campus during this closure. Vincent Campbell Allaire, communications associate from the McGill Media Relations Office, is working to move 700 desks from Schulich library to McLennan-Redpath.

 “Over the months of July and August, the Library has been relocating the Schulich student study desks (approximately 700 seats) to the McLennan-Redpath Complex,” Campbell Allaire said. “The bulk of the desks will be located in a new study area on the second floor of the Redpath Library Building and on the second floor of McLennan.”

What new opportunities should students be looking out for this fall?

In addition to the new desks, the McLennan-Redpath complex will now be open 24 hours a day for the entire academic year. Furthermore, the Schulich Collection, which comprises 160,000 books, has been moved to the Redpath library basement. The Schulich reserve collection has also been moved to the main floor of McLennan in the Humanities and Social Sciences Library Self-Serve Reserves Room for quick retrieval.

Soccer, Sports

What the summer offseason looks like for McGill student athletes

by Théo Farineau on

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For most McGill students, summer is a much needed break from school, stress, and Montreal construction. For some varsity athletes, however, the summer offseason does not mean that they can enjoy their family and home. The McGill Tribune sat down with three McGill student athletes to discuss their summer experiences and whether they were able to take some well-deserved rest during this time. 

Though the fall sports season does not start until the end of August, McGill athlete practice and train all summer long. Santiago Sandoval, a third-year goalkeeper for the men’s soccer team from Bogota, Colombia explained that players are expected to train and play all summer so that they are in shape and ready to go when preseason camps begin in August.

“I practice two or three times a week with my club team, plus a game on the weekend,” Sandoval said. “I also go train by myself a couple of times [per week].” 

The Martlets basketball team had a more intense summer preparation: They had to attend a rigorous five-week mini-camp. 

“We had three practices a day: A team one, an individual shooting one, and a fitness session,” second-year point guard Delphine Robitaille said. 

This offseason training is crucial for student athletes given how quickly their exhausting competitive seasons get. 

“Our first tournament is [in] the third week of September,” Julie Tian, a third-year badminton player, said. “It comes really fast.” 

Even if the Martlets basketball team’s regular season doesn’t start until October, players are expected to maintain peak fitness year-round, which can make it difficult to enjoy the city or to travel during the summer. However, having time off from classes and studying allows athletes to let off some steam. 

“During the school year, the stress is more intense because we need to keep up good grades and balance school and sports at the same time,” Sandoval said. 

According to Tian, athletes are always thinking about staying fit, but the summer gives athletes the chance to be inventive and mix other sports into their routine. Tian likes to go rock climbing and tries to spare time for volleyball while Montreal is not frozen over. 

“Occasionally, I will play other sports with friends,” Santiago said. “But only for fun and not in an organized league.”

Being a varsity athlete adds greatly to the workload that the students face. Preseason camps can make it difficult to keep up with a summer course, and deferring an exam to the end of August, which is often the busiest time of the year for fall sports, is rarely an option.  

“I’m probably going to have to take an extra semester to get my grades up,” Tian said. 

Each athlete agreed that, although time-consuming, their varsity experiences will benefit them in the end. Robitaille, a transfer from the University of Central Florida, believes these experiences promotes hard work and an organized schedule.

“I know people that graduated in medicine and played sports for five years at McGill,” Robitaille said. “There’s always a way to get where you want to be.” 

Being a student athlete, even with its drawbacks, forces players to be on top of their responsibilities. But, it also forces them to make a choice about what they prioritize over the summer months. 

 

Martlet holding a gavel illustration
McGill, News

Governance 101: An introduction to McGill’s governing bodies

by Nina Russell on

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STUDENTS’ SOCIETY OF MCGILL UNIVERSITY (SSMU)

What it does:

SSMU is responsible for supervising undergraduate clubs and extracurricular activities, managing and ensuring the sustainability of long-term operations such as Gerts’, advocating for student interests in the McGill Senate, and assisting in planning social events such as Frosh. SSMU is led by seven student executives who are elected at the end of every academic year. Legislative Council, which is composed of SSMU executives who sit with 30 other councillors who represent faculties and extracurricular clubs, determines policy directions. Any councillor can propose a motion, which Council then votes on and may become legislation. Additionally, several of the 30 councillors deliberate McGill policies at Senate meetings. Seven students, predominantly from the Faculty of Law, make up the Judicial Board, which ensures that SSMU adheres to its constitution. Undergraduate students can directly influence SSMU by attending its General Assemblies and voting in online referenda, both of which are held once every semester. 

Recent Events:

SSMU is currently entangled in an ongoing battle for a Fall Reading Week, which Deputy Provost (Student Life and Learning) Fabrice Labeau said might be possible as soon as Fall 2020. At the 2018 Fall Referendum, members of SSMU approved funding for the Gendered and Sexual Violence Policy (GSVP), which provides resources for sexual violence response training for SSMU executives and half the members of all SSMU clubs. SSMU remains without a home, although the University Centre is set to re-open in December 2019 after construction for asbestos removal, a new HVAC system, and additional restrooms is completed. 

POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS’ SOCIETY (PGSS)

What it does: 

PGSS representatives are elected by graduate students and postdoctorate fellows, and meet once a month to discuss and vote on new policies. To fulfill its mandate, which includes improving the quality of life for postgraduates by providing accessible social events, the PGSS executives plan events such as workshops and cocktail parties, many of which take place in their headquarters at Thomson House. Additionally, the society liaises with other governing bodies at McGill and beyond.

Recent Events:

To amplify PGSS’s voice on the provincial stage, former External Affairs Officer Hocine Slimani advocated for joining the Quebec Student Union (QSU), which advocates for student interests at the provincial level. PGSS members debated the merits of joining the QSU at an October 2018 meeting, and amended a motion to pose a referendum question on the subject to allow an unaffiliated external body to study the student federation.

BOARD OF GOVERNORS (BoG)

What it does:

The McGill BoG acts as the final authority over all of the university’s academic and financial affairs. Two student representatives sit on the 25-person board, with the rest of the seats belonging to other stakeholders. Composed of nine standing committees, including the Finance Committee and the Committee to Advise on Matters of Social Responsibility(CAMSR), the BoG is responsible for the maintenance of daily activities at McGill. They are scheduled to hold five regular meetings over the upcoming academic year. Meetings include a closed portion followed by a public session open to all members of the university. 

Recent Events: 

In April 2019, Board Members Darin Barney and Derek Nystrom resigned over their anticipation that the BoG will decide against divesting from fossil fuels. Despite the McGill Senate’s voting overwhelmingly in favour of divestment, the BoG has yet to make a final decision, but will release a report in Dec. 2019. The Board also shut down a proposal to make BoG committee meetings more accessible to members who are not a part of specific committees at an April meeting, but will consider the question of student representation on subcommittees in the coming months. 

MCGILL SENATE

What it does:

The Senate is mandated to govern academic policies such as the development of curricula and requirements for degrees and diplomas. It also takes on a broader role at McGill by managing the university’s libraries and administering Student Services. The Senate is comprised of nine standing committees, which include the Senate Steering Committee and the Committee on Libraries. The Senate meets on a monthly basis, during which standing committees deliver reports and senators vote on policies and nominations.

Recent Events:

After McGill missed the Jan. 1 provincial deadline for an updated sexual violence policy, the Senate approved a revised Policy Against Sexual Violence at its March meeting. While the revised policy includes improvements such as a centralized reporting procedure and new online sexual violence awareness and prevention training, the policy does not place an outright ban on professor-student relationships, a decision that remains a source of controversy.

Montreal, News

Quebec to ban marijuana products that ‘appeal to minors’

by Prisca Tang on

More in Montreal:

In a statement released July 24, the Québec government proposed banning the sale of sweet cannabis edibles that ‘appeal to minors,’ including ice cream, brownies, and candy. The move is a response to one of the federal government’s main campaign promises, which involves the legalization of edibles and other topical products that is set to come into effect Oct. 17.  

The statement criticized federal cannabis regulations for failing to minimize the risks to public health, especially to minors.

“Quebec is taking the necessary steps to reduce the consumption of cannabis that appeals to young people,” the statement reads. “The aim is to minimise the risk of accidental intoxication and health risks associated with products containing high concentrations of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).”

The bill represents a pattern of the Québec government attempting to weaken restrictions on cannabis use as the federal government loosens them. In Dec. 2018, the provincial government brought forward a bill that proposed raising the legal age for recreational cannabis consumption to 21, though the bill was abandoned in May 2019. The government also proposed  a ban on smoking cannabis in public places, but determined that this regulation would be too difficult to enforce. 

The new provincial regulations would only target edibles that appeal to minors. The sale of cannabis-infused butters and oils will remain legal, but will need to follow a series of new guidelines: A package of solid edibles will not be allowed to contain more than ten mg of THC, while liquid cannabis edibles will be limited to five mg of THC per package, five mg less than the federal limit. Cannabis skin, hair, and nail creams will also be banned.

Moreover, the same set of regulations will also restrict additives that could alter the smell or flavour of cannabis products. This means that edibles such as cannabis-infused hot sauce and other similar products may not be permitted for sale in Quebec. 

While the federal government’s new laws have been met with excitement by many, researchers have discovered concerning implications regarding the new legislation. Adolescent cannabis use has been linked to an increased risk of depression and suicidal behaviour in young adulthood, according to a team of scientists at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC) and McGill, who work in collaboration with the University of Oxford and Rutgers University-Camden.

“This meta-analysis shows that cannabis consumption in adolescence is associated with [an] increased risk of developing major depression in young adulthood and suicidality, especially suicidal ideation,” the study reads. “The effect size is modest, but considering that 20.9 per cent of adolescents in the United States report monthly use of cannabis and 7 per cent of US high school seniors are daily or near daily users, the consequences of cannabis use during adolescence are magnified in young adulthood.”

Gabriel Aboutboul, a U4 Psychology student at McGill and a member of Canadian Students for Sensible Drug Policy, is skeptical of  Quebec’s proposed ban.

“Banning cannabis sweets will likely lead them into the black market, which is a diversion from a priority set by the Cannabis Council of Canada,” Aboutboul said. “[If edibles are packaged in a] bland and opaque container, children will be less enticed.”

In the first quarter of 2019, Statistics Canada’s National Cannabis Survey found that cannabis use had spiked, with 18 per cent of Canadians reporting cannabis use within the last three months. While the jump can mostly be attributed to increased consumption among men and adults aged 35–63, the number of new users has also increased, particularly among those over 45 years old.

However, Aboutboul still thinks that updates to the regulations will be necessary as time goes on and more data is collected.

“As cities and countries around the globe shift cannabis to a legal status there will be more data to investigate [which will allow] the most informed decision regarding the safety of minors from cannabis sweets,” Aboutboul said.

Arts & Entertainment, Music

In conversation with Kid Smoko

by Noah Simon on

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Starting a band is easy—the difficult part is standing out. That’s a main concern for Kid Smoko, a New Jersey band who closed out the final Friday of McGill’s Open Air Pub (OAP). With irresistible songs and energy to spare, Kid Smoko forces audiences to pay attention. And much like their enigmatic name, their sound is hard to pin down. 

“We’re post-genre,” said Michael Burke, one of the band’s two vocalists and a founding member. “I just wanted to make a Soundcloud band […] Like Lil Uzi [Vert] vocals over indie beats.” 

Listening to their music is very much the rollercoaster that this description suggests. Since their 2018 album Not Your Son up until their newest single, “Tommy Boy,” out next week, Kid Smoko has been displaying their versatility at every turn. Jumping from song to song, listeners will be able to identify a wide variety of musical styles, ranging from hip hop and indie pop to punk and various forms of electronic music, often all within the same track.  

“That’s just what we like,” says guitarist Sam Berkley. Each member— including Declan Martins (guitar), Matt Salort (vocals), and Michael Ferranti (producer/engineer and the only McGill student of the group)—lists some of their diverse inspirations: Vampire Weekend, The Strokes, Gorillaz, Joji, Playboi Carti, Brockhampton, and Odd Future.

“Beyond just the music, [this mix of influences] represents who we are as people: Just different guys with different interests,” Burke said. “Our music is a direct reflection of who we are, and we believe people can connect to that […] Listening to us is like you’re becoming our friend.” 

As a project, Kid Smoko feels like a long-running inside joke that fans slowly start to understand the more they listen. Their lack of self-seriousness and their contagious energy create a space for listeners to be comfortable and let loose. The band describes their live performances as an emotional outlet and opportunity to go crazy, a participatory experience. 

But it’s not all fun and games. In the end, Kid Smoko simply makes fantastic songs. They mix their variety of aesthetics with catchy pop melodies, grand guitar solos, and sticky, stand-out production, all of which contribute to their unique charm. And, as the group’s sound grows and evolves, so do the members themselves, as they begin to interrogate the music they make and listen to.

Despite Kid Smoko’s breezy persona, the musicians are always cognizant of the wider implications of the music they create, rising to every challenge as a means of self-expression. 

“We’re doing this for ourselves. I want this to be my livelihood,” Michael Ferranti said.

 

Kid Smoko can be found on all streaming services  

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