NXNE is just around the corner, and with it comes a slew of live music to check out.  One of our top picks of the week would certainly be Wildlife.

Hailing from Toronto, Wildlife deliver a sound that is loaded with the hook-laced infectiousness of pop music with a more heavy punk-propelled sound.  Not exactly an easy package to describe, but it’s been winning them praise and fans.  Their first release, Strike Hard, Young Diamond firmly established them in the indie scene and their new album …On The Heart is sure to find its way into yours.

We managed to track down Dean Povinsky, lead vocalist and guitarist for Wildlife, during CMW and fire off a few “getting to know you questions” before he rushed off to rock the masses yet again.

If you could recruit anyone to direct a music video for you (Go wild! Let’s pretend you’re not footing the bill), who would you choose and what song would you want them to tackle?

Dean: Dang. I’m giving the lamest and most obvious answers. Wes Anderson. All the way. Or Michael Mann.

 

The great debate of our lives: who would win, ninjas or pirates? More importantly, why?

Dean: I didn’t realize this was a debate. How the FUCK would pirates ever be able to beat ninjas?? Everything is explained at www.realultimatepower.net. Pirates are cool, but come on…

 

The music industry can be daunting at best. What keeps you going in a world flooded with talent, each person or group jockeying for listeners and airplay?

Dean: The fact that I don’t really care about all that. It seems like a cheesy answer, and I didn’t really want to answer that but it’s true. People should know that. We want people to listen, but the reason they will listen is because we aren’t making music that has been altered to fit somewhere. It’s honest.

 

Your first concert: who was it, and how old were you? More importantly, how was it?

Dean: Elton John and Billy Joel: The Piano Man Tour. I was about 12 and it was my first big rock concert. My parents took me and it was super cool.

 

The best music-related film ever made?

Dean: Hedwig and the Angry Inch. Hands down.

 

The world is ending in ten minutes. You can listen to one and only one song before the world ends. What song do you go out on?

Dean: Man you guys have a lot of music-related ultimatums! “Change Gonna Come” by Sam Cooke.

 

*laugh* Yeah, I’m a little evil like that, although I think that last songs reveal a lot about a person. Last one, no ultimatum: what can we look forward to from you in 2013?

Dean: We’re playing at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean!

 

Yes!  Thanks, Dean!

For those of you looking to catch Wildlife in a non-aquatic setting, allow me to point to their show June 14th at Mod Club.  And while you’re learning more about the band at their official site, why not grab your copy of their latest album for summertime blasting on the speakers?

Full details of NXNE at their site.