Air Marshal Landing

Collection of press during album release. - Auteur Research

Air Marshal Landing will surprise you…they write songs that are funny and sweet and infectious and smart and so much more. Vitamins isn’t a EP by a band with an innovative sound, it’s a trailer for what’s coming soon, hopefully to a bar near you. Keep an eye on these lads! Remember it all started by taking your Vitamins. ~Sammy - NewMusicTen.com

There’s something brewing north of the border…and it’s not Molson beer or the Blue Jays. Air Marshal Landing has one of those songs in “Dagger” that just grows on you. A catchy hook, a chorus that would have fans yelling in unison and some crafty musicianship all come together in a very fun track. - Indie Overdose

Uxbridge, Ontario’s Air Marshal Landing is comprised of Matt Simmonds (vocals, bass, keys), Cory Adrian (guitar, vocals), and Graham Drummond (drums, keys). The band found their way onto my radar after I caught their set during CMW and I’ve been looking forward to hearing some of those songs recorded ever since. Produced and mixed by Nygel Asselin (Half Moon Run), the trio released their latest EP, Vitamins, on June 19. There isn’t necessarily a lot of continuity within the EP as a whole, but this speaks to the experimentation the young band has employed as their sound continues to evolve.

Opening with “Already Dead,” there is an easy loping gait to the lilting vocals that is immediately appealing. The light-hearted blissful essence to the bouncing, jangly and upbeat guitar piqued my interest, especially as it serves as a backdrop against the almost existentialist and gruesome lyrics of being “already dead” due to “a knife through the heart, a shot to the head.” This feeds into second song “Dagger,” which maintains a similar quality with its effervescently catchy “whoa-oh’s.”

While these two tracks instantly catch the listener’s ear, I found “Meteor” to be the “sleeper” song on the album. It’s very different from the rest of the EP, and came up slowly, growing on me more and more with each subsequent listen. There’s an effortless, floating feeling to the vocals that is married with expansive, building instrumentals that border on epic. There are few things in life that can quiet my overactive brain, but with my eyes closed, this song succeeds at capturing my entire attention and carrying me away. The EP ends with the simple melody of the title track, “Vitamins.” It goes down easy with a little bit of a sunshiney quality, not unlike the sunshine vitamin (vitamin D) that it references.

While the dietary recommendation is typically to “take your vitamins,” this time I’m recommending you “listen to Vitamins.” The 5-track EP is a prelude to a full-length LP due out later this year; it can be streamed or purchased on a pay-what-you-choose basis through their Bandcamp. - Buying Shots For Bands [Chiara DiAngelo]

This EP from Uxbridge, Ont.-based Air Marshal Landing may not make you stronger or healthier, but it may well complete your day.

They keyword for this band is subtlety. The aim of the music isn’t to knock anyone over with a wall of sound. Instead, you may find yourself silently grooving, or you may depart with one of the many hooks of the album stuck in your head.

“Already Dead” is a lighthearted beginning to the EP. There’s a nice and subtle blend of guitar and bass augmented by lightly-tapped drums as the lead singer begins singing about how, “Scientifically we’re already dead.” My favourite few phrases: “I heard about the birds and bees/I learned that herbivores eat leaves/And we began as fish in the sea/That’s why I failed biology.”

The next song “Dagger” is as sharp as its name. There isn’t too much instrumentation which only serves to amplify the lyrics. The song reaches its emotional height as it reaches the chorus: “Is this your dagger or another’s?/ Is this your dagger that you wield?” The metaphor of harsh words as weapons is one that doesn’t seem to get old.

Although now that I think about it, “Eve’s Apple” may be a song twice as sharp as its predecessor. This song goes even more subtle, with groovy bass and sunny guitar chords. The first verse and chorus is also sung softly to accentuate the slightly venomous lyrics, such as “Do the scapegoats you gather help you sleep?” The second verse and chorus are a little louder to make the song even more interesting.

“Meteor” takes it a little easier, at least at first. It starts slow and melodic, with just an acoustic guitar and vocals (and some vocal harmonies). Eventually, it adds in other instruments and increases the volume to become a full-boded pop-rock number.

Finally, there’s the EP’s title track. It’s a heartwarming acoustic track, with simple lyrics about wanting to be with someone and reminiscing about the past. The song mentions vitamins several times, such as vitamin D and a magical vitamin that would make someone want to lose all of the arguments they’ve been in.

Vitamins isn’t a long EP by any means, but it’s a very satisfying one. Sometimes subtlety can be just as effective as blunt force. The EP is a name-your-price download from Bandcamp.

Top Track: “Daggers”

Rating: Proud Hoot (Really Good) + *swoop* - Grayowl Point [Michael Thomas]

June 19, 2012 - Today marks the anticipated online release of Air Marshal Landing’s sophomore EP, Vitamins. It’s been three years since the release of their first EP, The Industry, and the boys are now ready to showcase their evolving sound. Like Pink Floyd’s Meddle, The Beatles’s Revolver, and Bob Dylan’s Another Side of Bob Dylan, Vitamins is Air Marshal Landing’s transitional collection that offers us an aural taste of what a band sounds like as they enter the next chapter of their musical career.

To categorize Vitamins into one musical genre would be an aimless attempt, as each track contains its own unique character. The songs “Eve’s Apple” and “Meteor” clearly displays a wider range of intrumentation and a higher level of production, whereas “Vitamins” is unmethodical and natural. However,Vitamins is not necessarily a concept EP, and the band advises us to accept the songs as they are. It`s a collection of songs that the three loved to play, wanted to record, and eventually nestled into one EP. The band have also confirmed that Vitamins is the precursor to their debut full-length record that is set to be released at the end of 2012, so keep an eye out for that!

Vitamins couldn’t have come at a better time! It’s the perfect soundtrack to the sweet summer that awaits us!



Now, ladies and gents, read on as Matt Simmonds speaks to Wave Maker about Air Marshal Landing’s “I Didn’t Know I Was Pregnant” experience, their bonding over British rock, and the importance of taking our vitamins every day:

“Air Marshal Landing’s birth is like one of those stories you hear about a woman being pregnant without her knowing it until – BAM! – the baby is born! Cory and I had played music together all throughout our high school years, but despite our best efforts near the end of high school, we never formed a real band together. We wrote music and played as a duo (a little Simon & Garfunkle action) but never made a band. I met Graham at university through an on-campus church group. We played some music together. When school was over and summer came, Graham came to visit in Uxbridge. We jammed with Cory to some of our original tunes. Suddenly we had a 3-piece. And – BAM! – that was it, we were a band. We’ve never really given it a second thought since.

We all come from different musical backgrounds, but Cory and I initially bonded over a love for British rock. It’s the energy and British humour that we are drawn to, I think. We also all grew up in the church, so for better or worse, contemporary church music has probably had some impact on the way we think about song structure and harmony. I am classically trained on piano as well – again, for better or for worse.

The name our latest EP, ’Vitamins’, came from the fifth track of the EP by the same name. Once that song was written, it just seemed like a neat idea to use as the overall theme for the album. Vitamins the song is a bit of a love song. It basically suggests that stepping away from ‘yourself’ and giving to ‘another’ is what love is all about. And it’s a hard thing to do… to stop loving myself more than someone else. So, just like taking vitamins is a daily action, everyday I have to take another step in laying myself down.

If you`re thinking of checking out one of our lives shows, know that they`re a one-two punch of energy and joy! There is nothing the world that we like more than being on stage, and it should show. We really love it when everyone has a great time, so we try to help the cause.

We have a lot of shows coming up, including several in the great city of Toronto. We are also in the final stages of mixing our debut full-length record, which is slated for late 2012 release. There will be a single release for the album at some point this summer, we’re still in the planning stages for that.” - Wave Maker Magazine [Charmaine Santos]

June 19, 2012 - Today AIR MARSHAL LANDING released their “top secret SECRET project”, their second EP, Vitamins. Recorded in B.C. with Nygel Asselin (HALF MOON RUN), Vitamins is a great listen; it’s also a slight departure from their previous releases, focusing more on delicate harmonies and warm acoustic guitar. Those harmonies in particular are a definite strong point of the album, and they really have room to breathe with the softer material.

The album is up as a “Name Your Price” download on their Bandcamp – and for those with tight budgets, yes, “free” is a price, so you really have no excuse. I heartily recommend giving it a download, with standout tracks being Meteor and title track Vitamins. The moody, ethereal backup vocals on the former are really tasty, and a personal favourite part of the whole album.

Vitamins is just a taste of AIR MARSHAL LANDING to come, as they are also prepping a full-length release for the fall. The band isn’t only recorded material however, as they also put on a killer live show. With that said, is it any coincidence that they’ll be playing the next iM showcase on July 6th? No, no it is not. - The Indie Machine [Shawn Burgess]

For a while now I’ve been aware of Distant Cousins, a musical collective of several bands, most notably the Elwins. I finally got down to a DC-run show last night at the Piston and was exposed to a few new bands and one whose recording I had already reviewed....

...Then I saw Air Marshal Landing, a band based in Uxbridge, Ontario. Categorizing bands into a genre is always the bane of my existence, and this band made it even harder. Their first song of the set was quite melancholy, but the last song was so groovy and summery that I was at a loss for words.

The three-piece act was pretty crazy, and my favourite song of theirs started with drummer moving in front of his drum set and drumming on another member’s acoustic guitar. It was pretty cool, and it made for a good introduction that eventually exploded into a much louder song. You can hear some of their stuff via their website. - Grayowl Point [Michael Thomas]

From The Garrison I raced over to The Sister. With no streetcar in sight, I ended up running most of the way, making it in time to catch the last half of Air Marshal Landing’s set. A three-piece out of Uxbridge, Ontario, AML is quirky, rocky yet danceable, and just a lot of fun to listen to. Bassist/Singer Matt Simmonds has one of the most interesting voices that I’ve come across in recent memory, even taking on a Vampire Weekend-esque sound at times.

Their funky sound and the harmonic vocals of Simmonds and guitarist Cory Adrian encouraged the audience to sing and clap along. The band was really into crowd participation, and the audience seemed only too happy to oblige. It was definitely difficult to keep from at least tapping your feet. While they encountered some feedback, breaking up the sound, they powered through it and drummer Graham Drummond was able to take care of it. Proving himself to be even more multi-talented, Drummond then played guitar. With his brushes.

With a new album on the way, I’m predicting big things to come from this unit in the next little while, and I’ll be sure to catch their full set next time they are in town. | CD - Buying Shots For Bands [Chiara DiAngelo]

AIR MARSHAL LANDING

by Carrie Humphries
March 18 - 24, 2010

AIR MARSHAL LANDING From their gig alongside indie favourites Red Roses Black, the Waterloo-based rock 3 piece, Air Marshal Landing, are soaking up the shows and earning a reputable fan base ready to push them to the next level. Forming in only June 2008, Air Marshal Landing took the ground running, designing a set of solid Canadian pop-rock music - easy to set on repeat and even easier to want a copy. Noting Franz Ferdinand to Coldplay as some of their largest influences, Air Marshal Landing is the type of band that refuses to live in the norm but rather break the mold and create something fresh and new for today's music lovers. Says Cory, "I think one of the most important things to do to 'make it' as an indie artist nowadays, is to be as unique as possible, and then to put that unique sound in as many hands and ears as possible. We live in a day and age where there are thousands upon thousands of small artists trying to get recognized, and it's rising above the sea of artists and staking claim to a sound you can call your own that is going to get you recognized. Try to be a red fish in a sea of blue fish. Once you have that unique sound, you have to work even harder to have it heard by as many people as possible. In the end though, 'making it' as an Indie artist has very different meanings for different people. For some it means money, for some fame, and for some its the love of sharing your music and message with the people around you. I think the latter is where we stand as a band." With upcoming gigs panning out across the province for March and into the summer, Air Marshal Landing are enjoying the scene as it churns around them, being satisfied knowing their part of something they can really sink their teeth into. "The Waterloo community of artists is a very talented community," Cory says, "and there are a lot of venues and people within Waterloo that really help to nurture these bands and help them get heard." So get in on what everyone else already knows by plugging into Air Marshal Landing. "I think that we have a unique stage show because we are first and formost aware of the fact that we need a unique stage show. We're always trying to think of ways to make them better by using stage props, engaging the audience, playing well musically and leaving room for spontaneous interaction with ourselves and the environment around us," Cory explains. "That last point is really important because I believe that it is within that element, that we can showcase our personalities in hopes that the audience can get to know us, and relate to us, and really feel a connection." myspace.com/airmarshallanding - ECHO Weekly

By Jason Schneider

It will be a much different atmosphere this time compared to the last appearance Air Marshal Landing made at Maxwell’s Music House. That was on Nov. 30 when the trio took the crown in the venue’s hotly contested month-long Battle of the Bands. The deciding factor was surely AML’s performing chops and distinctive pop-rock songcraft, something they also successfully captured on their debut EP, The Industry, released last summer.
Now, with the momentum of their victory propelling them, the band is looking forward to an even more prosperous 2010. “We didn’t really get a chance to promote our EP very well when it came out, so just the fact that Maxwell’s put on such a great Battle of the Bands was beneficial to us,” says keyboardist/bassist/vocalist Matt Simmonds.
“We’d been in a few others, so it was really nice to win and be recognized for all the hard work we put into our music. We’ve already done a show with one of the other bands we met, Follow The Fleet, and I think we might have a couple more gigs as a result too. It was really a great experience overall.”
Simmonds and the other members are in fact currently finishing their post-secondary educations at the moment – Simmonds and drummer Graham Drummond at Western, and guitarist Cory Adrian at Waterloo. This sometimes gets in the way of mapping out the future of Air Marshal Landing, but Simmonds maintains that the band is a top priority for each of them.
“We try to play as much as possible, and we’re continually writing songs,” he says. “The hardest thing about being apart is trying plan out what we want to do, but we’ve definitely got enough material to take into the studio. We feel we’re unique in terms of what we’re able to do as a three-piece. It’s a sound that probably requires another guitar, but we write songs with our own capabilities in mind, which I think sets us apart.”
The influence of Brit-pop acts like Franz Ferdinand and Blur shines through most in Air Marshal Landing’s approach, both musically and lyrically. And even though Simmonds often plays keyboards on stage, that doesn’t mean he’s particularly fond of ballads. “I write my songs on piano mostly,” he says. “I feel like my style is actually pretty driving. My lyrics aren’t too mushy either.
“Like, the song Industry is mainly a response to how stagnant my life felt at the time I wrote it. It’s about embracing whatever my life has in store, even if I don’t really know what that is yet.”
If Simmonds and his band mates have their way, Air Marshal Landing will be the thing that takes up most of their time. Just so long as they make their parents happy by finishing their degrees. “It can get hard balancing the band with being a full-time student, and I tend to put music above my schoolwork,” Simmonds admits.
“That’s enough pressure, so getting to play Maxwell’s again without the pressure of competition is something we’re all looking forward to. It’ll be the first time that a Waterloo audience will be able to see us put on the kind of show that we really want to, and that should be a lot of fun.”
- The Record (Kitchener)

You probably haven’t heard of Air Marshal Landing yet.
But if the pop-rock trio, frenetically touring since the release of their debut EP last year, has anything to say about it –– you’ll be hearing lots about them soon.
“We say yes to almost every show we can play, and one by one develop relationships with people and fans,” Matt Simmonds, the group’s triple threat on keyboard, bass and vocals, says.
The young men of AML –– Simmonds, guitarist/vocalist Cory Adrian and drummer Graham Drummond –– formed the band back in June 2008. Simmonds and Adrian, high school friends, had been playing together for a while. But it wasn’t until they met Drummond here at Western that things clicked.
“We came together as one group with the same goals and passions,” Simmonds says. Right now, that goal is to make it in the tough and unforgiving music business. “We’ve invested too much into [this] for it to be just a hobby,” Drummond adds.
With a broad spectrum of musical influences, AML’s tight blend of piano and guitar-driven rock is both technically skilled and radio-friendly. The title track of the band’s London-recorded EP, The Industry –– you can give it a listen on their website, AirMarshalLanding.com –– exemplifies their unique sound and ability to balance catchy hooks with lush lyrical imagery.
Despite their talent and passion, Simmonds acknowledges it’s an uphill climb from being a local band to a legitimate success. “It’s just really hard to get your stuff heard in such a mass market of music,” he says.
For those hoping to see the men behind The Industry, check them out Thursday when they open for Bread Envy.
AML plays at the Richmond Tavern tonight at 9 p.m. No cover.
- Lauren Pelley, The Gazette - The Gazette