What In Your Fridge: Kellarissa

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      What’s In Your Fridge is where the Straight asks interesting Vancouverites about their life-changing concerts, favourite albums, and, most importantly, what’s sitting beside the Heinz ketchup in their custom-made Big Chill Retropolitan 20.6-cubic-foot refrigerators.

      On the grill

      Kellarissa

      Who are you

      Hi, I’m Kellarissa. My fourth album Voice Leading is out now on Mint Records. It’s not your typical pandemic record, although I started writing and recording it during the first lockdown (nobody knew how long it would go!). It’s a complicated album about queer female desire, self-compassion, existential dread, Paris nightclubs, and how we’re all enablers. I drew a lot of inspiration from a novel called Sphinx by Anne F. Garréta. It was mostly recorded at the Girls Rock Camp Fieldhouse and during a residency on Galiano Island (Leña Residency). The overarching theme is about following my voice, or conscience, and attempting to make peace with my demons.

      First concert

      My friend Lisa and I found out Sarah McLachlan was playing at Nat Bailey Stadium in 1996 so we got driven in from the suburbs. I remember asking someone how long the concert would take because the parent wanted to know when to pick us up. We were told it was a festival and that it would last like eight hours. Needless to say, we were a little under-prepared but got to see Emmylou Harris, Paula Cole, and Lisa Loeb, among others. It took me approximately 20 more years to realize I was a lesbian.

      Life-changing concert

      See above! But in 2011, in between Destroyer tours (I was doing backup vocals and keys) I bought myself a ticket to see Pulp in Hyde Park in London, not knowing if I’d even be in the U.K. or Europe at that time. It turns out I was, and got to see a dream-come-true gig when they reunited after a hiatus. I was more excited to see a band than I’d ever been and they didn’t disappoint. I and everyone around me knew the words to every song and the crowd moved and danced as one. As if seeing Pulp wasn’t amazing enough, Grace Jones was one of the opening acts. She changed outfits for every song.

      Top three records

      Pulp Different Class I was channel surfing and caught a live show of theirs on Much Music (F.E.E.L.I.N.G.C.A.L.L.E.D.L.I.V.E.) and although I didn’t know who they were I was entranced. I figured out who they were (pre-Google) and scrambled to find this album, then everything else they put out. Different Class has bangers like “Common People” and “Disco 2000” and it has stood the test of time with themes like class struggle, poverty, unrequited love, and general mischief.

      Nico Drama of Exile This is moody, hot-backing-band-with-a-Middle-Eastern vibe, ’80s Nico. Forget the twee stylings of “Chelsea Girl”. Nico sounds like a wailing goblin backed by angular synths and pulsating rhythms. I am not, however, a fan of covers for the most part, so I usually pretend “I’m Waiting for the Man” and “Heroes” aren’t on there, but they fit in well enough. The cover is frightening and dismaying and the layout was an inspiration for the Voice Leading cover.

      The Flying Lizards Fourth Wall As much as I love the first S/T Flying Lizards album, I’d pick this one most days because of jams like “New Voice” and “Hands 2 Take”. The music is a mashup of styles and vibes. I especially like the guitar stylings of Robert Fripp. It took me many years to get into Robert Fripp but this was my gateway and now I get it.

      All-time favourite video

      Siouxsie and the Banshees "Red Light" It’s so simple: red lights through Venetian blinds. Everyone looks super cool and Siouxsie is doing a jerky dance. I used a camera click sound in my song “After Hours” as an homage.

      What’s in your fridge

      Ponzu sauce. I use this for sautéing veggies, as well as in rice bowls where you need a little kick. You can get it in yuzu or lime flavour. I’m obsessed. It’s a condiment that I’m constantly running out of and replacing, which you can’t say about most of the bottles in my refrigerator door.

      Sauerkraut. I used to only buy the Hengstenberg brand in a can, but my local Polish deli proprietess informed me that it has been discontinued. I enjoyed eating it out of that can at room temperature when I first opened it. I’ve since had to settle on the Kühne brand at her suggestion and it’s actually pretty similar. I think Hengstenberg was a finer grate and thus gave way between my teeth more easily, but it all goes down the hatch with some perogies or something else potato-based. Sometimes I eat it on toast in the morning.

      Parmigiano Reggiano. I was going to say Cadbury Fruit & Nut Bar because I like cold chocolate, but I like cheese more. I used to work in a cheese shop and would consider myself somewhat of an expert. I always have a few types of cheese in the fridge, but I always have Reggiano. Accept no substitute (ie. Parmesan, Grana Padano, Pecorino Romano—unless your recipe specifically calls for those...). It keeps forever so I usually buy lots at a time. It makes a great snack too, especially when left to warm up just a little. I could live on pasta, and often do, so this will class up any dish.

      You can check out Kellarissa's Voice Leading here

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