Federal Lights

"Solid debut by the Winnipeg band, that spice their Americana with lots of pop. Of course an Arcade Fire reference ("I See Love") is around"
3/5 Stars - RollingStone

Federal Lights second release and first LP, We Were Found in The Fog, came out in late August. Federal Lights started as Jean-Guy Roy’s solo recording project, he was eventually joined by David Pankratz of Quinzy, Rob Mitchell of The Attics and his wife, Jodi Roy. The band teamed up with Winnipeg vets Rusty Matyas and Cam Loeppky to produce We Were Found in The Fog. The result is a comforting, diverse collection of indie rock. The sound is polished, the lyrics precise. Album opener “Sharks” shows off Roy’s knack for storytelling and songwriting as does the title track.. “Reservation Girl” especially stands out, telling the story of somebody’s heart that’s been broken many times and who has lost their faith in love. Roy’s voice is timeless and blends perfectly with his wife’s Jodi (keyboard and vocals) throughout the album. “I See Love,” a catchy pop number that debuted at #1 on CBC radio and is making the rounds on local radio. This album is comforting, warm and from the heart. (Aporia, federallights.org) Martyna Turczynowicz - Stylus Magazine

I See Love — the lead single from Federal Lights’ debut album We Were Found In The Fog — is currently sitting at No. 9 in CBC Radio 3’s R3-30.

The song has been in top 10 of the Canadian indie music chart since it debuted at No. 1 on July 12.

Surprisingly, Jean-Guy Roy — the Winnipeg band’s frontman and founder — initially scrapped the song, only retrieving it when his wife/bandmate Jodi Roy protested.

“Jodi was like ‘Are, you crazy? That’s the best one I’ve heard yet’,” Roy says.

“After that, it came together super fast. I scrapped it in the morning and after Jodi said to keep working on it, we figured out the chorus, instrumentation, lyrics and everything within a half hour.

“We actually played it live that afternoon during an in-store at Into the Music.”

In addition to Jodi, everyone in Federal Lights — which also includes bassist Rob Mitchell and drummer David Pankratz — had creative input on We Were Found In The Fog.

“With Carbon (Federal Lights’ 2011 EP), Rob and myself just hashed out everything, wrote all the parts for everyone and did a lot of pre-production,” Roy says.

“This one, we kind of left it blank, so everyone could put their own input into the songs.

“Rob and I both suffer severely from “demo-itis” and with Carbon we found it hard to duplicate what we had previously done in pre-production. This time around we thought we’d leave the pre-production pretty blank and just have those aha! moments in the studio.”

Helping Federal Lights capture the Eureka effect was engineer Cam Loeppky (who recorded Carbon) and producer Rusty Matyas of Winnipeg band Imaginary Cities. He says Matyas is a natural in the studio.

“The way Rusty got me to relax behind the mic was unbelievable,” Matyas says.

“We’d spend hours and hours a day just recording. We’d have the take in the first three or four, but since we were having so much fun, we’d do a few more for the hell of it. Then you really start to relax and all of a sudden the fifth take is the best one.”

By Jared Story
Metro Winnipeg
- Metro

If you only listen to one song today, make it “I See Love” by Federal Lights (2013, from the album We Were Found in the Fog).
Federal lights is an indie folk/indie rock quartet from Winnipeg. Sometime in 2010, Jean-Guy Roy (guitar, vocals) set out to begin a solo basement recording project. Pronounce his surname the French way. “Wah”. Like Colorado Avalanche coach Patrick Roy. Not the English way like St. Louis Blues centerman Derek Roy. Before too long, Roy’s wife Jodi (keyboards, vocals, tuned percussion) got involved. A drummer and a bassist later, they were a full band. In the spring of 2012, they released a six-song EP called Carbon. In August of this year, they released their debut full-length record via the Toronto-based label Aporia Records.
Somehow, when I was looking around the interwebs for something else related to this blog, I happened upon today’s song, and it made me very happy.

I haven’t really had very much specific focus on Canadian bands this year, but this is the kind of thing that made me start writing year-end “favourite Canadian albums” and “favorite non-Canadian albums” a few years ago when I used to write a different blog.
To that end, this reminds me of a bunch of different Canadian stuff. While some other Federal Lights songs remind me of Dan Mangan, Roy sings a bit differently on this one. On this one, his singing sort of reminds me of Win Butler from The Arcade Fire. Jodi’s vocal’s remind me of the marvelous Kathryn Calder. At 2:44, Roy goes in yet another direction with his vocals. For a short bit, and especially the bit between 3:06 and 3:10, he reminds me quite a lot of Murray Lightburn from The Dears.

I’m sure that I could list off a few more Canadian bands that I’m reminded of, but that’s some pretty good company right there.

Those first 22 seconds of the song seem like the perfect thing for some major corporation to co-opt in an effort to make their product seem awesome. I’m surprised that it’s not in a McDonald’s commercial or an iPhone commercial. You know the ones. “More women use the iPhone to take ‘hot dog legs’ pictures at the beach than any other phone”. I simultaneously love it and hate it when I hear a song that I really like being used in a car commercial or a credit union commercial. I may or may not get into this discussion on a different day. I’ll just leave it at this: I won’t be surprised if I hear this in a car commercial, but I hope that I don’t. - This Is That Song

Jean-Guy Roy has always been a special musical talent. His last band, The Morning After, was an under-appreciated rock act that shoulda, coulda, woulda...
But shoulda, coulda and woulda never showed up, and the group imploded. Now, though, after a couple of years away from music and a couple more spent writing songs, Roy’s musical vision is being fully realized with his latest project, Federal Lights.
Comprised of Roy on guitar and vocals, his wife Jodi on keys, bassist Rob Mitchell and drummer David Pankratz, Federal Lights made big waves across the country this summer when the song I See Love, the first single from the band’s inaugural album, We Were Found in the Fog, debuted at No. 1 on the influential CBC Radio 3 chart.
Disarmingly emotional songs are Roy’s specialty, and Federal Lights brings them to dynamic fruition on the album, which was officially released on Aug. 27.
- See more at: http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/our-communities/column/Federal-Lights-set-to-shine-223183431.html#sthash.HAqoeft5.dpuf - Winnipeg Free Press

Federal Lights’ debut LP follows up last year’s Carbon EP and its sounds are bigger, with a more fleshed-out sound and a higher profile (it’s the band’s first for Toronto indie label Aporia). Singer/guitarist Jean-Guy Roy’s raspy yet subtle howl accompanies his working class hero/guy in love lyrics perfectly, especially when blended with the competent vocals of the rest of the group (all Winnipeg music vets from Quinzy and the Attics + producer Dana “Rusty” Matyas of Imaginary Cities). The diversity is there without compromising the overall sound, from super popper “I See Love” to Walkmen-esque “This Would Be A Fine Job To Retire From” and the brooding charm of “Sharks” - it all works as one piece or radio-ready singles. Between the producer’s clear ability to flesh things out and the chemistry the band has developed since its formation, this one’s a winner. - The Uniter

Walking into the West End Cultural Centre on Thursday night I didn’t see the usual open room full of staggered bodies waiting around for the bands to take to the stage. Rather, I saw coffee shop style seating throughout the venue and a stage that had lamps scattered throughout, giving the night an intimate and relaxed feel, almost as if I had been invited into the bands living room for the album release party of “We Were Found In The Fog” from Federal Lights.

After an opening set from producer and friend Rusty Matyas, Federal Lights took to the stage. As the band opened with the first track from the new album, the conversation of the crowd came to a slow halt. By the time lead singer Jean-Guy Roy sang the line “We go on” in the chorus, he had my full attention and the tone of the evening was set.

Having never seen Federal Lights before I was very impressed by the near perfect renditions of their songs and the way they can hold the audience’s attention – I did not say a word the whole set. I felt the band was strongest when all three members across the front harmonized, adding depth to the songs. It has been a long time since I have heard harmonies done this well live.

The band played songs from their EP as well as the new full length which led to an hour long set. Throughout the night Jean-Guy Roy thanked the crowd, full of friends and family, many times and came across as a very humble man, which was refreshing to see. As the set came to close they played their current single, I See Love, which saw Rusty Maytas standing in front of the stage leading the crowd in clapping, before ending with This Would Be A Fine Job To Retire From, a slower track that left the crowd wanting more. After a chant for one more song, the band returned to the stage to play exactly that. Before ending the evening with the title track from their Carbon EP, Jean-Guy Roy told the crowd that this was the last song they knew how to play.

Federal Lights Album Release Party was not a party, it was an intimate gathering of supporting friends, family, and fans alike.
- Logan's Broken Record Blog

Anything but Foggy
Federal Lights lay it all out for hometown crowd

Mon, 09/16/2013

It’s the kind of homecoming almost anyone could hope for: a night full of singing songs and telling stories in a room packed with your closest friends, family, and supportive community. It might not be a reasonable undertaking for most, but Federal Lights is most deserving and also has a lot to celebrate. They’re embarking on a touring stint in Europe, they have a great new album winning them fans, and they are just home from a successful Western Canadian tour. The reception that greeted them on Thursday night was grateful expression of the love that their city has for them and vice versa.

From the moment they took the stage, they were grinning profusely as they powered through the songs on their album with passion and precision. From the first bellowing ‘woah oh’ and charmingly retro, melodic synths; the band had the audience captivated and hanging on their every riff and word.

Federal Lights is a joy to watch live and a treat to hear live, as well: Jodi Roy’s sweet voice and skilled work on keys, Rob Mitchell’s rhythmically throbbing bass lines, David Pankratz’s metronomical drumming, and Jean-Guy Roy’s hearty and heartfelt vocals are all perfect compliments to eachother and make for a dynamic concert experience.

The band makes best use of its assets and plays to the strengths of its members which means that they always sound great in a super-polished public-radio-friendly way. They joke about the fact that Roy writes a country song for each record because he wants to be on CBC, but his passionate wails and stomping around stage keep things from feeling too clean and tidy. - The Rooster

Driven by Winnipeg singer/songwriter Jean-Guy
Roy’s clear, strong voice and hook-laden compositions, the full-length debut from indie rock band
Federal Lights displays a marked progression from
the band’s 2011 EP, Carbon. Bassist Rob Mitchell,
drummer David Pankratz and Roy’s wife, keyboardist/vocalist Jodi Roy offer
solid support and engineer Cam Loeppky and producer Rusty Matyas manage to give the album a bright, contemporary sound. The catchy melodies
and infectious hand-clapping rhythms of the album’s lead-off single, ‘I See
Love,’ are indicative of the album’s overall tone. Other highlights include the
intricate title track, the alt-country vibe of ‘Reservation Girl’ and the Wilcoinfl uenced Americana of ‘Skyline.’ Potent Prairie pop. – John Sharpe Performance: B+/Production: B+ - Scene Magazine

I SEE LOVE - SINGLE

Federal Lights
Indie pop gets extremely sentimental on Federal Lights’ new single, “I See Love”. The twee track is driven by the vocal interplay between frontman Jean-Guy Roy and his wife, Jodi, and it’s hard not to feel the love, especially during the shimmering glockenspiel-enhanced choruses. The single will appear on the band’s debut album, We Were Found In the Fog-available August 27 through Aporia Records. - New Canadian Music

Winnipeg's Jean-Guy Roy recently painted the cold, bare walls of his basement writing space a bright yellow — and that might just be the reason the debut album of his band, Federal Lights, has more brightness, precision and kick than their 2011 debut EP, Carbon. From the anthemic title track to the sweet first single, “I See Love,” to the reflective closer, “This Would Be a Fine Job to Retire From,” there’s a fireside warmth that runs through the group’s first full-length, and it's tinged with touches of darkness. “I find myself in a constant balancing act/struggle with being a father, a husband, an emergency response worker and also a working musician,” wrote Roy in a release. “I like to write about the things that make me uncomfortable.” — Jennifer Van Evra

- CBCMusic

Seven lucky songs debut on the chart this week including one all the way at number one. And two different songs make identical leaps heading to the top of the chart.

The R3-30 w/e July 12, 2013
30. Twin Library "Phantoms Run The Factory"
29. Aqua Alta "Polar"
28. Bear Mountain "Two Step"
27. Chris Kelly "Cold Feet"
26. The Matinee "L'Absinthe"
25. Leeroy Stagger "Cities On Fire"
24. Champion "No Love Enough"
23. Miesha & The Spanks "Please Don't Blow"
22. Hooded Fang "Graves"
21. Monomyth "Cigarette"
20. Besnard Lakes "The Spectre"
19. Young Galaxy "Fever"
18. We Are the City "Baptism"
17. Al Tuck "Asylum Square"
16. King Khan and the Shrines "Bite My Tongue"
15. Cold Warps "Don't Haunt Me, Ok?"
14. Human Human "Control"
13. Louise Burns "Emerald's Shatter"
12. Braids "In Kind"
11. Wind-Up Radio Sessions "Diane"
10. The Sadies "The First 5 Minutes"
9. Scientists of Sound "Statik Klingon"
8. Wildlife "One For The Body"
7. Austra "Home"
6. Fur Trade "Kids These Days"
5. The Crackling "Ashen"
4. Stella Ella Ola "Donna"
3. Fake Shark Real Zombie "Girls (feat. Steve Bays)"
2. The Gertrudes "All The Dollar Bills Sing Hallelujah"
1. Federal Lights "I See Love" - CBC Radio 3

Bounding with organic sound and musical chemistry, Federal Lights’ debut album, Carbon, mixes quietly eclectic and natural-feeling music with irresistibly interesting vocals.

Lead singer Jean-Guy Roy was first a member of Brit pop-influenced group The Morning After, who later disbanded in 2008. Jean-Guy Roy, however, could never be separated from his love of music and so used Federal Lights as an outlet for his creative energies. A new indie rock band was born, like most promising music, in his basement as a solo instrumentation and vocal bonanza. Together with drummer David Pankratz, bassist Rob Mitchell and wife and keyboardist/vocalist Jody Roy, the music grew and developed into a restless animal waiting to be unleashed upon the Manitoba stages. And so it was, tackling the Manitoba indie rock scene and becoming one of the most raved-about bands in the province.

Roy continued his basement jam sessions and eventually recorded some of his songs at Prairie Recording Co. These songs formed a compilation, his masterpiece, known to listeners as debut album, Carbon.

Federal Lights’ album Carbon has a unique combination of lo-fi, timidly electric instrumentals and organic, harmonizing vocals. The title track is a stellar example of the true effort and musical inclination pouring through this album. Carbon is music for a rainy day, but it’s also music to which you can get up and dance. - Beatroute

This is the stuff you put on an hour or two after all the guests have gone home and you want a soundtrack for being alone. Or abandoned. Winnipegger Jean-Guy Roy works some of the same ground tilled so productively over the years by Blue Rodeo’s Greg Keelor: quietly electric, emotionally unguarded, and so thick with regret, you’d need a hoe to cut through it. (From Carbon)

-John Sakamoto Toronto Star - Toronto Star

Winnipeg buzz band Federal Lights released their debut EP, Carbon, in July. After a few more festival dates, the band will be heading back into the studio to wrap recording on their first full length. Expected release date is February, 2013. - CBC Manitoba/Scene

Winnipeg’s Federal Lights possess what CBC describes as “glowing guitars” and “shimmering vocals,” but missing from their description is the true essence of passionate, yearning storytelling. There’s immense emotion in this indie folk band’s songs that orchestrate an internal feel of nostalgia. You feel for them when they sing of regrets and you root for them when they chase the dream. Their release Carbon is layered with beautiful, soul-bearing melodies and moans courtesy of founder Jean-Guy Roy. There’s something winded that Manitoba bands bring to the Canadian musical landscape in that performers such as Federal Lights can put the vastness of the country and life in general into perspective, so much so you can’t help but feel it inside yourself. It makes you both sadder and wiser in a way, as you realize your small positioning in this big wild life. A perfect band for those melancholy-laced days.
- Toronto Music Scene

Winnipeg’s Federal Lights possess what CBC describes as “glowing guitars” and “shimmering vocals,” but missing from their description is the true essence of passionate, yearning storytelling. There’s immense emotion in this indie folk band’s songs that orchestrate an internal feel of nostalgia. You feel for them when they sing of regrets and you root for them when they chase the dream. Their release Carbon is layered with beautiful, soul-bearing melodies and moans courtesy of founder Jean-Guy Roy. There’s something winded that Manitoba bands bring to the Canadian musical landscape in that performers such as Federal Lights can put the vastness of the country and life in general into perspective, so much so you can’t help but feel it inside yourself. It makes you both sadder and wiser in a way, as you realize your small positioning in this big wild life. A perfect band for those melancholy-laced days.
- Toronto Music Scene

"Winnipeg's Federal Lights are shining on Radio 3 with "I Don't Mind", a dreamy folk-pop strummer. From the album Carbon, the track is a mellow builder, with organs, acoustic waves and impassioned vocals crashing into a culmination of smokey sounds and sing-a-long choruses.

Sounds Like: Constantines, John K. Samson" - CBC Radio 3 - Steve Venegas

It's almost criminal how many stellar acts come out of Winnipeg. The Federal Lights is a band composed of some of this city's finest with members from Quinzy and The Attics playing along with husband and wife duo Jean-Guy and Jodi Roy. Their methodical brand of alt-rock demands to be heard live. - Mike Greene - CBC Manitoba Scene

Thursday night at the Waldorf hotel was the setting for this adventure which featured a trio of up and coming bands from the heart of the prairies. Federal Lights opened the night with a rousing first set, with frontman Jean-Guy Roy, entranced us with his thick, rugged indie-rock voice that soared over epic guitar riffs. Roy enlisted the support of Robert Mitchell (bass, songwriter), David Pankratz (drummer) and his wife Jodi Roy, who plays a mean glockenspiel and whose back-up vocals compliment his own quite nicely, to round out the sound. This band is still young and developing but play with such passion that they are hard to resist. - Rebekah Gusway - Vancouver Weekly

Thursday night at the Waldorf hotel was the setting for this adventure which featured a trio of up and coming bands from the heart of the prairies. Federal Lights opened the night with a rousing first set, with frontman Jean-Guy Roy, entranced us with his thick, rugged indie-rock voice that soared over epic guitar riffs. Roy enlisted the support of Robert Mitchell (bass, songwriter), David Pankratz (drummer) and his wife Jodi Roy, who plays a mean glockenspiel and whose back-up vocals compliment his own quite nicely, to round out the sound. This band is still young and developing but play with such passion that they are hard to resist. - Rebekah Gusway - Vancouver Weekly

Winnipeg’s Federal Lights did live up to the quote above. Absolutely loved the juxtaposition between the driving guitars and bass, and the perfect elegance of the keyboards. Even the band members are in congruence, the rugged guitarists and drummer in sharp contrast to the thin, tall blonde female on keys (further research indicates the frontman and keyboardist are married). At the end of their set, I described them as “sunuvabitch good”. That comment still stands. I made sure to grab an EP before I left. “Carbon”. $5. Might get a workout on the drive back to Edmonton on Thursday. - www.newmusicmichael.com

Like a supergroup of Winnipeggers, Federal Lights shine on Radio 3 with "I Woke Up", a charming harmonious indie-pop affair.

Featuring members from The Morning After, The Attics and Quinzy, the group takes elements from their previous endeavours to a new focal point, with glowing guitars, shimmering vocals and a slew of sparkling sonic accents that come together to form an incandescent experience that's both rousing and soothing all at once.
- CBC Radio 3

CMW pick: Federal Lights-Carbon


Winnipeg based alternative country band, Federal Lights are also stopping off in town during the CMW with their debut EP release, Carbon.

Carbon consists of 6 distinctive songs, which embrace the warm chemistry that each member of Federal Lights emits, while showcasing the variety of the sounds that they can craft.

I Woke Up is a fun alt country song, which features alluring harmonies from the very beginning. The layers of vocals and the intro of humming (It goes na-na-nas) stick in my head. I Don't Mind is a great folk song with soft acoustic strokes along with Jean-Guy Roy's smooth vocal. I adore how strong it escalates to the end despite the quieter start. On the other hands, Three Skies and Camera open up a different world of Federal Lights, which is a darker tune infused with starting of heavy bass and drum beats. The closing song, Carbon, is a strip-down tune, which you wanna listen to while putting on your big headphones and closing your eyes, so that you can enjoy every bit of the emotional hauling of Roy's propounding voice. I personally think Roy's voice is best utilized when reaching emotional climax. Click here to listen to their sample music via the Official website. - www.musicpsychos.com

CMW Review: Federal Lights


I jumped on a streetcar and headed to Rancho Relaxo to witness Winnipeg folk rock quartet, Federal Lights after the Archives' performance.

Starting off the set with a fun alter country tune, I Woke Up, Jean-Guy Roy was the centre of the attention from the very beginning as he showcased his substantial skill as a vocalist. Their song range varied from folk to heavier tunes, as they performed most of the songs from the latest album, Carbon primary. Their variety of sounds was like a cookie jar- No matter which piece I grabbed, it emitted a difference taste of the band, while I enjoyed each one of them. Maybe I am a little greedy bastard, aren't I?

What I enjoyed the most was Roy's hauling voice, which was best fit for songs like the title song, Carbon as he enabled to express emotions more as a song got escalated, which attracted more attentions from the audience. Sometimes it feel so good to be reminded that music is also a mean to express themselves, rather than having infectious tunes to dance.
- www.musicpsychos.com

WATCH: The buzz about Winnipeg indie pop band Federal Lights
Posted by Mykael Sopher, Winnipeg Music Writer | Thursday March 1, 2012


Jean-Guy Roy and Rob Mitchell of Federal Lights (Nicholas Friesen)

Local alt-rock act Federal Lights is riding pretty high right now. Yet, it took a few tries for the band to solidify its current lineup and release its debut EP, Carbon.

After getting hitched and taking a few years off to start a family, Jean-Guy Roy (ex-Morning After member) could no longer ignore the inscrutable urge to sit down and pen some new music.

Cobbling together some musicians, though, proved frustrating and ineffective, so Roy decided to take a stab at a solo effort.

"I wrote a bunch of songs by myself," Roy admits, "but I'm kind of leery of the solo thing since I enjoy making music with people. So my friend Rob (Mitchell) got involved."

Shortly after, the twosome holed up in the only room of Roy's house considered impervious to the distractions of domesticity: the cold storage room. In this makeshift pantry-turned-soundroom, the pair furiously wrote and recorded a fresh batch of demos, then brought this new material to Cam Loeppky at Prairie Recording Studio for the final touches. Roy's wife, keyboardist/vocalist Jodi Roy, and David Pankratz (of Quinzy fame) jumped on board, and the Federal Lights lineup was complete.

The end result was their band's debut EP, Carbon, a pithy six-song outing that's generated some healthy buzz owed mostly to the warm and natural feel to the songwriting (album opener "I Woke Up" is a pretty pop gem elevated by a delightfully irresistible vocal hook and is a bonafide must-hear.)

Up next for the quartet is Canadian Music Week in Toronto, where the opportunities to connect with music biz folk are ripe with promise. "We're hoping to develop some relationships with the industry - managers, publicists, booking agents," Roy confesses. "In other words, someone to help us get to the next level."

But once the potential housed throughout Carbon is heard, that shouldn't be too difficult for this up-and-coming Winnipeg band. - CBC Manitoba/Scene

WATCH: The buzz about Winnipeg indie pop band Federal Lights
Posted by Mykael Sopher, Winnipeg Music Writer | Thursday March 1, 2012


Jean-Guy Roy and Rob Mitchell of Federal Lights (Nicholas Friesen)

Local alt-rock act Federal Lights is riding pretty high right now. Yet, it took a few tries for the band to solidify its current lineup and release its debut EP, Carbon.

After getting hitched and taking a few years off to start a family, Jean-Guy Roy (ex-Morning After member) could no longer ignore the inscrutable urge to sit down and pen some new music.

Cobbling together some musicians, though, proved frustrating and ineffective, so Roy decided to take a stab at a solo effort.

"I wrote a bunch of songs by myself," Roy admits, "but I'm kind of leery of the solo thing since I enjoy making music with people. So my friend Rob (Mitchell) got involved."

Shortly after, the twosome holed up in the only room of Roy's house considered impervious to the distractions of domesticity: the cold storage room. In this makeshift pantry-turned-soundroom, the pair furiously wrote and recorded a fresh batch of demos, then brought this new material to Cam Loeppky at Prairie Recording Studio for the final touches. Roy's wife, keyboardist/vocalist Jodi Roy, and David Pankratz (of Quinzy fame) jumped on board, and the Federal Lights lineup was complete.

The end result was their band's debut EP, Carbon, a pithy six-song outing that's generated some healthy buzz owed mostly to the warm and natural feel to the songwriting (album opener "I Woke Up" is a pretty pop gem elevated by a delightfully irresistible vocal hook and is a bonafide must-hear.)

Up next for the quartet is Canadian Music Week in Toronto, where the opportunities to connect with music biz folk are ripe with promise. "We're hoping to develop some relationships with the industry - managers, publicists, booking agents," Roy confesses. "In other words, someone to help us get to the next level."

But once the potential housed throughout Carbon is heard, that shouldn't be too difficult for this up-and-coming Winnipeg band. - CBC Manitoba/Scene

4.5/5 Stars
Federal Lights
Carbon
(Independent)

www.federallights.org
When Jean-Guy Roy started Federal Lights a couple years ago, it was a solo effort, a way back into making music after the disbandment of his former band, The Morning After. Carbon contains more than one element, however, as Roy enlists the help of bassist Rob Mitchell, drummer David Pankratz and his wife, keyboardist/vocalist Jodi Roy. The result is a full-sounding and fantastic debut EP. On Camera, Mitchell’s steady bass and Roy’s gruff delivery achieve total synthesis, while the combination of happy-sounding keyboard and melancholic lyrics on I Woke Up totally works. Warm, atmospheric songs with big, memorable choruses, Carbon is pure organic chemistry.
– Jared Story - Uptown Magazine

Federal Lights
by Kaeleigh Ayre (Arts Reporter)


FEDERAL LIGHTS
Carbon
Label: Independent
4/5 Stars

Carbon, by Winnipeg’s Federal Lights, is a solid EP. The songs feature an eclectic mix of instrumentation and emotionality, making it a great listen.

I Woke Up kicks things off with a great round of raucous “na-na-nas.” What seems like an ode to the morning after a night of debauchery has Jean-Guy Roy exclaiming he’s “done it again,” with a chorus of “I’m not alright” and lamenting a headache. I’m a sucker for glockenspiel, so the use of the elementary school favourite throughout the EP is music to my ears. Just like we fought over who got to play this instrument in music class, my ears are fighting over which track is my favourite. I really dig I Don’t Mind’s powerful chorus with Roy’s perfectly gravelly voice and punch of organ. Weight Of Us Both has some beautiful piano that moves into a great build, and the song continues as an emotional instrumental for the rest of the track, which may just make it my favourite from the EP.
- Uniter

Basements, garages and lofts. These are the places where most people store old magazines, park their cars and hide all variety of contraband. These rooms exist on the periphery of your house and your consciousness, but it is in these places that a good deal of musical creation and production occurs.

Two weeks ago I wrote about the relationship between the visual arts and the spaces where they occur in all their various and splendid forms. But what about music?

Jean-Guy Roy, the main man behind local project Federal Lights, presents an interesting case in point. Federal Lights is based in Roy’s basement in the only available room.

“It’s basically enough room for one person to stand and one person to sit with all the gear in there,” says Roy. “And it’s really cold. It’s not very inviting.”

That’s because it’s a cold storage room, designed to store food, not people. While Roy uses the room mainly because it’s the only room in his house that’s not already being used, it turns out there are certain advantages to the space.

“It’s a horrible, horrible environment,” Roy says. “But it seems to be the perfect environment to keep focused and get things done.

“Basically Rob (Mitchell) and I would just lock ourselves in there with a case of beer or whatever and just give ‘er,” he continues. “There’s nothing else to do in there except get the job done and get out.”

The inhospitality of the space gives a sense of urgency to the musical operations within. In a practical sense at least, the cold storage room becomes a part of every Federal Lights song written, rehearsed or recorded there.

“It’s a lot of ‘That’s good enough’ and ‘That’ll work’ kind of thing,” Roy says. “There’s no perfection happening in that room and that’s kind of the nice thing about it.”

But the impact of this particular space on Roy’s music goes deeper yet. Beyond forcing him to wear slippers and stay focused, the room resonates, literally, on every track that Roy records there - an essence de storage froid, perhaps.

“There’s something about that room, especially with vocal tracks, with the way it’s set up and the lack of knowledge on our end to really know how to set up a room for recording things.”

Roy knows many friends with similar setups in their houses, but also says that many bands find completely separate spaces to practice away from the distractions and restrictions of their homes.

“Lots of bands I know rent rehearsal spaces in the city, and we used to do that in previous bands,” says Roy, whose former band The Morning After were a fixture on the Winnipeg scene in the mid ‘00s. “I love the separated, personal rehearsal space that you rent and you can go any time and you can setup however you like it and it can be as messy or as clean as you want it to be.”

Roy says looking after his kids makes it difficult to find time to get away to a rented studio, but these kinds of separate and yet personalized spaces are important to those who have them. - Uniter

"A chillingly good new local group"
- Nicholas Friesen - Uptown Magazine

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ONE TO WATCHSolo, but not aloneThe Morning After’s Jean-Guy Roy is back with Federal Lights, a not-so-solo solo project
BY: JARED STORY
8/09/2011 2:16 AM | COMMENTS (0)
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NICHOLAS FRIESEN ENLARGE IMAGE Federal Lights
Life after The Morning After. Formerly of the aforesaid Niverville rock band, Jean-Guy Roy is back with Federal Lights, a new solo project from the Winnipeg-based musician.

"I started it last August or September," Roy says. "The Morning After had ended about two years prior to that. I’m married, I had some kids and I was extremely busy with that kind of stuff, but after two years I had enough of not playing music, so I decided to try a few things with some old friends. I tried to rehash some stuff but nothing seemed to be working out. Trying to schedule with four or five guys wasn’t working, and a couple of my friends said, ‘Why don’t you just do something on your own?’"

Solo made sense for the 32-year-old family man, but Roy was hesitant to go it alone.

"I just picture the guy in the coffeehouse with the acoustic guitar. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but it didn’t feel like the step I wanted to take, so I bought a Mac," Roy says. "I can’t just sit in my house and play songs on an acoustic guitar and get my kicks, I need to develop things, and the only way that would happen is if I started recording and adding a full band to it. I used GarageBand software and way too many fake drums and keyboards, and just started plugging away at some songs I had been brewing for a while."

Enlisting the help of friend Rob Mitchell (ex-The Attics), Roy started recording demos. The duo set up shop in Roy’s basement — more specifically, a small cold storage room.

"That was the only space in my house that wasn’t consumed by kids toys," Roy says. "There’s room for one person to sit; the other has to stand and the rest is just gear. It’s fucking cold in there. I’ve got a vent but it just doesn’t hold heat. So we’d cram ourselves in, close the door and there’s only one thing you can do in that room and that’s work."

Roy also shared the small space with Imaginary Cities vocalist Marti Sarbit, who guests on Always on my Mind.

"Her voice is incredible," Roy says. "She had the one set of headphones, so all I could hear was her singing and I was blown away. I’ve heard her sing a bunch of times, but to be stuck in that one room with her, to listen to somebody so professional when it comes to their voice, it was pretty crazy."

Roy hopes to keep some of that cold-storage-room magic in the final mixes. Federal Lights is currently recording with Cam Loeppky at Prairie Recording Co. and looks to have an EP ready for a late October or early November release. In the meantime, check out www.facebook/federallights and see Federal Lights live on Sept. 9 at the Park Theatre as part of the venue’s sixth anniversary celebrations.
- Uptown Magazine

For the players in that scene,?NMW provides plenty of barrier-breaking opportunities; Federal Lights, a new project from singer/songwriter/guitar slinger Jean-Guy Roy (ex-Morning After), is just one band that has made its live debut at NMW.

"(The series) is great because as a new band you often find yourself struggling to get that first gig, with clubs wanting to book bands that draw and, being a new band, you may not know anyone else that’ll give you an opening slot," Roy says. "NMW’s purpose is for exactly these new bands."
- Uptown Magazine

The Morning After is a heady blend of Britpop, neo-psychedelia and North American indie rock. The Morning After's shows are high-energy, no-frills affairs distinguished by loads of energy and passion...Roy throws himself about the stage like a dervish and his otherworldly scream can curdle blood when a song reaches its crescendo...Carr, all shades and hair, comes alive with a presence not seen in a keyboard player since Bobby Wiseman trod the boards with Blue Rodeo.
- John Kendle, Editor of Uptown Magazine

Review from Uptown Magazine December. 8th/05

Reviewers Rating: A

The Morning After
The Morning After

"Oh man. Get ready for this one, people, because The Morning After is going to blow you away with a 10 song, 34 minute blast of straight forward rock'n'roll that will hit you so hard it will flatten your faux-hawk, straighten your flares and scrub your trendy tribal tattoos right off your skin. Yes, this album is that good-a no frills, classic rock rooted from a five piece, which, like the Hold Steady and the Marah, is a resounding call to arms for those who simply refuse to let rock'n'roll die without a fight. What's the secret? Nothing other than tight playing; beautifully raw, live production values and a fabulous singer/songwriter in the form of Jean-Guy Roy, a stumblebum looking dude whose wailing voice is the essence of primal scream passion. Picking a fave tune fromt hsi 10-pack is a difficult task, but for contrast's sake, why not try the rave-up Not Your Fault or the remarkably bittersweet, midtempo love/hate song Declaration of Codependence? ----JK"
- Uptown Magazine -John Kendle

"Over at the Zoo, what The Morning After lacked in onstage nudity it made up for with placenta jokes. TMA guitarist Jean-Guy Roy was equal parts pumped musician and pumped new dad because his baby girl had been born just the day before. Launching into a frenetic set chock full of mod-rock goodies, the four-piece was on top of its game. Pure energy poured from every guitar string, every key and every cymbal, and more tight sets like this will undoubtedly rocket The Morning After into next-big-thing territory." -Jen Zoratti UPTOWN 26/10/06 - Uptown Magazine

These Winnipeg mod rockers will shake up '60s styl...
These Winnipeg mod rockers will shake up '60s style. If you dig keyboards, catchy pop hooks and The Beatles, you won't go wrong here.
- www.chartattack.com

The Morning After

Independent

File Under: The wild night before.

These days everybody's got a gimmick. Everybody except The Morning After. Unless you think well-crafted, straight-up pop-rock is a gimmick. Because that's what you get on this strong 10-cut debut laced with jangly Beatlesque melodies and harmonies, Floydian moodiness and basslines, and passionately gritty vocals. Standouts: The wiry, hard-driving Not Your Fault and (I've gotta friend) and She Don't Like It; the punchy yet poppy Hauptbahnhof. -Darryl Sterdan * * * 1/2
- Winnipeg Sun

"The Morning After are of particular interest: the relatively new band is still in single digits in terms of live shows it has played in Winnipeg, but already the group shows promise of growing into an energetic live act . . .I encourage you to see the band on its own, before it is swept up into a furor of activity."

Kari D - Chart Magazine - Chart Magazine, Canada