B.U.M.P. TO A WHOLE NEW SOUND

Local band makes good on acronym

REBECA KUROPATWA

The rock music industry is an aggressive, mosh-pitted, guitar and drum-driven world. Female rockers are not yet a mainstay in the industry, but some are making their mark through sheer talent and fan demand.

One such local, female-led rock band is doing just that. B.U.M.P. singer, songwriter and keyboard player is the sexy, charismatic rock diva, Jewls Dengl. Dengl has the explosiveness of Joan Jett and the smooth savvy of Sheryl Crow. Her songs shout out a mix of raw honesty and sensuality, spinning the world on its head en route to an entirely new sound.

B.U.M.P.’s sound is classic hard rock with a funky modern frame and a decidedly subversive edge, a meltin- your-mouth meeting of Marianne Faithful and Green Day.

When B.U.M.P. first formed in 2000, the meaning behind their acronymic name was a mystery that fans sought to crack. Discovering what B.U.M.P. meant turned into a sort of a game, in which fans would e-mail the band with their guesses. At long last Dengl disclosed that there is no intended meaning behind the acronym “B.U.M.P.” She candidly explained that she simply “likes the dots.”

Dave Choquette is B.U.M.P.’s guitar player and back-up vocalist, while Mike (“Mucha”) Belandiuk plays bass, and John Huver plays the drums.

The band has opened for Britt Black, Danko Jones, Andrew W.K. and Treble Charger. They have performed during Canadian Music Week in Toronto, the Winnipeg Fringe Festival and the Minnedosa Classic Rock Festival. B.U.M.P. has been featured at the Pan-Am Games, and has been a finalist in the national Snow Jam and Supernova contests. B.U.M.P.’s onetwo punch of catchy lyrics and hard rock grooves has also won them several CD compilation spots.

Therapy, B.U.M.P.’s 2003 album, is available in select stores. Dengl says that the song “‘Little Voices” is about soul searching: “everyone — friends, family, and co-workers — has an idea of what you should be doing, and where you should be going. The song is about the little voices in your head, voices telling you what direction your life should be going in; but, sometimes no matter how much you think things out, you don’t end up with what you had planned.”

Dengl says the catchy “575” refers to “How much things had cost a few years ago, and how quickly prices have inflated. The idea was sparked from a day where everywhere I went, I was being charged $5.75: 2 MacDonald’s meals [cost] $5.75, heading down Highway 5 to Junction 75.”

Asked which are her favorite songs, Dengl says, “that all depends on the type of day or week I am having. I tend to prefer new material, as I haven’t heard it as often. If asked today, I’d say “Las Senzah,” a love song with a Latin dance feel — it brings a smile to my face (just the mood I’m in).”

“I’ve been compared to other female singers,” says Dengl, “such as Patti Smith, Concrete Blonde, Garbage, and Bif Naked. Who I am compared to depends on what genre you listen to. I don’t think we can be pigeonholed into a specific genre.”

Dengl says that each B.U.M.P. performance “has a unique quality. But the closest I’ve felt to being a rock star was playing at the Minnedosa Rock Festival in 2004. Hundreds of people surrounded the stage, at first not knowing who we were — but they ended up rocking out with us. I felt utter satisfaction — sharing my thoughts and being heard.”

The band hopes to put out a second album within the next year. B.U.M.P.’s upcoming live performances are Friday, July 21 at 10 p.m. at Jeffrey’s (1420 Henderson Highway) and Wednesday, July 26 at 8:30 p.m. at the Winnipeg Fringe Festival (Old Market Square). Keep an eye out for B.U.M.P. at www.bumprocks.com.