(power)POP psychology

PHOTOS BY Graeme Houssin

Indie-pop group, housepanther’s Bailee Woods talks mental health as inspiration, songwriting as therapy and their upcoming album, Club Soda Blues.

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In the emoji plushie and knickknack-adorned apartment of Bailee Woods, her black cat CJ is never out of sight. CJ bounds from the couch to the windowsill in seconds flat before spinning herself around in Woods’ office chair with sheer momentum.

Woods is a perfect mirror for CJ. The creator and figurehead of Winnipeg-based power-pop band housepanther is a ball of energy, even when fighting off the flu. “I know that sometimes I can be a lot to handle for certain people, and I feel like people can kind of relate,” says Woods. “Or, they’re like, ‘whoa! You’re a lot.’”

housepanther, named in honour of CJ, records and performs with a rotating troupe of collaborators including Jeremy Smith of JayWood, Cory Sulyma of Two Crows for Comfort, Nick Mann, Ben Mak and Connor Yarish. “I wanted housepanther to be a collaborative thing so people could add their own creative touch to it,” says Woods.

Woods has previously played in bands including Spacebutt and Electric Sweater Pouch before performing her first solo show as housepanther in September 2017. Since then, housepanther has released three singles: “Rinse, Repeat,” “Train Station Floors” and “Can’t Believe They Killed Off Marissa Cooper.”

Woods’ music has a dreamy, ethereal quality to it, giving off a mood that walks the line between somber and content. It contrasts well with her grounded, brutally honest lyrics that deal with topics like mental illness, breakups, and online dating.

“I hope that [my music] can help other people out, essentially,” says Woods, “and make people feel like they’re not crazy for having emotions.”

Woods describes her music as ‘power-pop for the anxious peeps.’ Drawing inspiration from the grunge rock bands of her childhood and the ‘surf-y garage rock’ she fell in love with while in university, Woods says songwriting is her way of dealing with her own mental health issues. “It’s like, ‘okay, I’m feeling sad or pissed, I’m just going to sit down and write something out of it.’”

After months in the making, housepanther’s debut album Club Soda Blues is set for release on March 23. The 12-track album will feature all three singles alongside new works and songs only previously performed live.

“Pink Stucco Houses,” about the passing of a close family friend, and “Morning,” about a crazy, long breakup, are both songs deemed standouts by Woods with “Morning” typically being the closer in her live sets. “It feels like I’m reading something out of my diary,” says Woods. “That’s the song that’s most emotional on the album, the closest one to me I guess.”

Club Soda Blues’ release will be shared with R U S T O W L, another Winnipeg-based band releasing their debut self-titled EP, in a collaborative double-release show called Rustcat Bonfire at X-Cues Cafe & Lounge. It will feature performances by both housepanther and R U S T O W L as well as Cannon Bros. and Juniper Bush. “They’re all amazing people,” says Woods, “and I’m really excited to be a part of their release as well.”

Tickets for the housepanther and R U S T O W L release show are $10 at the door. For more information, follow @housepantherband on Instagram or like their page on at Facebook.com/housepantherWPG.