NÜNAVIERZG

Half Moon Run

“I'm going to be cheeky here and pick one band […] Half Moon Run - potentially one of the most important bands debuting an album this year. It's progressive without being pretentious.” Ben Lovett, Mumford & Sons, in NME on Oct 3rd, 2012

Full Circle

Half Moon Run is a talented young band from Ottawa, Ontario and Comox, British Columbia. It was in a practice studio situated in Montreal’s Mile-End district, through the hardships of time constraints and flat-lined bank accounts, that the trio bonded and created their unique sound, fusing together the restless elements of indie, pop and folk with beautiful rhythmic harmonies, delicate guitar lines and a hint of warm electronica.

Unofferable

Armed with solid training and raw talent, they mix and combine their different musical backgrounds. Their complex arrangements, inspired by both classical and modern composers, are particularly striking to hear and see during their live shows. Devon Portielje’s remarkable voice is beautifully backed up by Connor Molander and Dylan Phillips. Phillips often plays drums and keys simultaneously as Molander and Portielje shuffle between guitar, keys, samplers, and percussion folky three-part harmonies hold down moody, psychedelic arrangements and electronic-infused soundscapes. They have recently welcomed a 4th member on stage, multi-instrumentalist Isaac Symonds, who adds his voice as well as playing guitar, keyboards and percussions.

Call Me In The Afternoon

Currently in the home stretch of an 18 month international tour alongside artists such as Mumford & Sons, Metric, Pat Watson and Of Monsters and Men, the international buzz has hit fever pitch, with Half Moon Run being deemed one of the "Top Bands To See" at SXSW 2013 and performing this summer at Glastonbury, Lollapalooza and Reading festivals. Half Moon Run's debut album Dark Eyes, originally released in Canada by Indica Records in March 2012, has been picked up by Glassnote Entertainment Group who will oversee the global release of DARK EYES in 2013.

Nerve

The album will be launched in France on June 17th through Polydor records, in the United States on July 23rd on Glassnote Records and July 1st in the UK, on Communion/Island Records, and the rest of Europe on Universal.

No More Losing War

(Thanx to Indica Records. :-))

ACHTZEHN

Last week, after having taught the topic 'growing up in Canada' for two weeks, I asked my 7th graders to draw a mindmap about Canada. Result: Canada is all about Robin from HIMYM, and 'everyone loves Nickelback'. The latter is a result of the textbook authors' desperate attempts to create semi-authentic material...but hey, WAIT! Canada has a little more to offer.

The Rural Alberta Advantage's band name pretty much sums up what they are about, and listening to them does give you an idea of what growing up - and living - in Canada might actually feel like. And that's best summed up in a quote from their myspace page:

"The Rural Alberta Advantage play indie-rock folk songs about hometowns and heartbreak, born out of images from growing up in Central and Northern Alberta. They sing about summers in the Rockies and winters on the farm, ice breakups in the spring time and the oil boom’s charm, the mine workers on compressed, the equally depressed, the city’s slow growth and the country’s wild rose, but mostly the songs just try to embrace the advantage of growing up in Alberta."

And mostly the songs have a unique quality to them that had me listening to them for a few hours on repeat. They're not your typical folk band, but have some pretty much straightforward stuff as well. And they excel in the art of speed changes (?) and surprising songwriting. The band have released two albums so far, Hometowns and Departing.

Frank, AB
is about a landslide. Listen to it and wait for the end - the vocals are heartbreakingly beautiful.

Four night rider
is about passion - and the raw energy of it. Great.

The ballad of the RAA
And all these things will pass
It's the good ones that will last
And right here what we've had
Is a good thing, it will last.

I just noticed I could post almost every single one of their songs. I won't. Only two more:

Don't haunt this place
a break up song that has all all the ups and downs in it. And still a positive vibe.

and finally (the only song from Departing so far)
Tornado '87 - once again about a tragedy. And still - amazing. That's the one that got me hooked, btw. Thanks, Geri! :) I doubt my 7th graders will be able to grasp the greatness of this band - I learned Justin Bieber is Canadian. Well. Fair enough. It's not all about Nickelback.

DOUZE

First my deepest apologies for making my début on this blog only now... The reasons are uninteresting and definitely not fitting on this music blog.

So who gave me the little kick to finally write something down?

The Paper Lions! Never heard of them before! Me neither! I just stumbled over a video of them via Facebook via YouTube (our happy social media!Yeah!). For once those seem to be of good use!

I listened to a couple of their songs tonight and they just fit to my current mood: spring has finally arrived, the warmth is resting on my skin and the birds are replacing my alarm clock in the morning!



A few words about that band: they are Canadian! Hurray! I spent a few months in that awesome country and I am pleased to post a few more bands in the near future from there.

For today I think Paper Lions represent the country well.

And for a little touch of humour here another video from the band:



A plus +