Donovan Woods: Facebook | Twitter

After two years of silence since We Are An Empire My Dear, Halifax’s acclaimed group In-Flight Safety are getting loud. With a new album on the way (TBA), they’ve released a brand new single that is one of the many tracks they recorded that bring new life to the well-loved East Coast band.

The offering called “Destroy” is aptly titled, as it is reckless musical abandon, throwing caution to the power chords if you will. Floating vocals layer effortlessly over pressing drums and various melodious guitar parts that weave amongst each other in a tapestry of awesome. Watch for an album announcement in the coming months.

In-Flight Safety: Facebook | Web | Twitter

Photo by Robyn Jamieson

Welcome to the inaugural edition of Band On the Run, where bands embarking on tours tell us what their favourite Canadian album is to listen to while they’re on the road.

In this installment, we asked Vancouver indie rock band Rococode for their paragon pick. Upon the success of their debut record Guns, Sex & Glory the energetic group has been making waves all over Canada. Most recently they released a single that treads new  ground extremely well. Here’s what they have to say.

“It’s actually quite a novelty to be able to answer this question, because for the first time in 8 months, we are actually driving a van with a functioning stereo.   So… with great pleasure I declare Divine Fits – A Thing Called Divine Fits, our “go-to Canadian album” of Spring 2013. 

In case anyone out there is unfamiliar with it, this record is from band featuring the songwriting of Dan Boeckner (Handsome Furs and Wolf Parade) and Britt Daniel (Spoon).  Now you savvy readers out there are going to dispute the CanCon of this declaration, but I’m going to go ahead and classify this as a Canadian album because the Boeckner (Canadian) songs are racking up the majority of the plays in our Caravan.

There is a really stark contrast between the two writers on this album, which might interrupt the continuity, but it also provides some nice variety.  We just keep coming back to the Dan songs….  Personally, I find this a bit surprising, because historically I am not really a big fan of Handsome Furs or Wolf Parade while I can never get enough Spoon.  But in this context, songs like My Love is Real, Baby Gets Worse and For Your Heart are just dark and brooding and bangin and beautiful.

It’s served us in many situations thus far — drive thru fry orders, doing our hair, driving to the club post gig… you know… all that stuff we do every day.”

Listen to A Thing Called Divine Fits here

Catch Rococode on the run in these places:

March 28 – Hamilton, ON – Casbah
March 29 – Montreal, QC – Quai des brumes
March 30 – Ottawa, ON – Raw Sugar Cafe
April 18 – Winnipeg, MB – Park Theatre
April 24 – Regina, SK – Artful Dodger
April 25 – Calgary, AB – Broken City
April 26 – Edmonton, AB – The Artery
April 27 – Saskatoon, SK – Amigo’s

Rococode: Facebook | Web

Set to hit shelves April 16th on Headless Owl and (weewerk), the record begins very nostalgically with two songs both reminiscent of high school and summers of youth, referencing smoking hash before math class and those dots that get in your eyes when you stare at the sun for too long. Upon reading the tracklist of the album, you may notice they’re all types of people. The funniest is likely “Amateur Rappers” where Kom discusses the problems with cults and whipping out his diction, all to an energetic garage-rock beat. Though musically simply, “Wallflowers” is the album highlight because of its stellar love lyrics. “There’s something wrong with my hands, they should be holding you…When Lionel Richie wrote ‘Hello’ was it you he was looking for?…That spark in your eye shines like a shiny diamond in a shiny diamond ring, and like a crow don’t you know, I’m helpless around shiny things.” Need he say more?

The special brand of lyricism that comes with The Burning Hell  is matched by no other, which is makes each of his tracks entertaining. Kom’s deep voice matches equally well to reggae-tinged tracks as it does to Cohen-esque folk ballads to create a listening experience that will have you chuckling to yourself as you slowly play you air-clarinet.

Listen//DL  “Grown-Ups”

Download: Grown-Ups.m4a

Pre-order People here.

The Burning Hell: Facebook | Web

Canadian Tour Dates:
13.04. St. John’s – Rocket (w/Nick Ferrio)
23.04. Riverport – Confidence Lodge (w/ Klarka Weinwurm and Nick Ferrio)
24.04. Mt Stewart (PEI) – Trailside (w/Nick Ferrio)
25.04. Sackville – Legion (w/Nick Ferrio and Highest Order)
26.04. Fredericton – Capitol (w/The Floogs and Highest Order)
27.04. Halifax – Company House (w/Nick Ferrio and Mike O’Neill)
29.04. Toronto – Silver Dollar (w/Nick Ferrio and EONS)
30.04. Peterborough – Garnet (w/Nick Ferrio)
01.05. Ottawa – Raw Sugar (w/Nick Ferrio and Catriona Sturton)
02.05. Montreal – Casa del Popolo (w/Nick Ferrio and BW Brandes)

The record called Crosses and Planks comes along with a video project that will find the band releasing a video for each of the album’s thirteen tracks, the first of which has already been released. “Anchor and Swim” is extremely minimalistic, with only the soft but melodic strumming of a guitar and the soft hazy voice of Bonaparte. The video is similar in nature, using simple but effective video techniques to portray a feeling of nostalgia, both for the beautiful weather of summer and that special someone.

Koko Blue: Web

Old Haunts opens with “Ghosts”, a track that slowly eases from vocal serenade into full band sound, making good use of power chords and an uptempo beat. “Edge of the Ocean” continues with the most nostalgic feeling on the Ep, creating an image of a little town whose name you’re bound to forget as soon as you’ve passed through on a long highway drive, where the children are all leaving because there’s no reason to stay. Quiet Parade ventures back into its mellow roots with “How Come You Never Call” and “Feel Young”, one that becomes a call and answer about losing someone who used to be there, and the other a beautiful but haunting ballad about growing old.

The word that comes to mind most when I think of Quiet Parade is introspective. Each track on this short Ep is an exploration of something, whether it be a feeling or a memory, a single moment trapped in time. The music doesn’t tell a story, but it invites you in to experience it. Even better.Halifax’

The Ep Old Haunts is out via Acadian Embassy on March 12th. Stream it here.

Quiet Parade: Bandcamp

“I don’t know why babe, je ne sais quoi, I get these feelings I just can’t describe, some call it lonely, needing a friend, all I know is it never ends.”

The Vancouver band Octoberman fronted by Marc Morrissette has always appealed to me. Their music ranges from folk ballads to bluesy anthems, either way rewarding for the ears. The song “Laguardia” in particular has a way of pulling on heartstrings. We all feel alone sometimes even though we don’t “sais quoi”. Who knew a song about an airport could be so special.