A Northern Chorus

A Northern Chorus's third CD has a wind-swept quality about it -- atmospheric, layered, chilly, enveloping. In short, it's an acquired taste.

But if you're in the mood for rock meditations, "Bitter Hands Resign" may well be your cup of Zen. The Ontario-based ensemble specializes in mood pieces that are meticulously arranged and dotted with subtle variations in tone and color, all contributing to a peculiar ebb and flow. The instrumentation alone is distinctive enough to catch your ear: guitars, cello, piano, organ, bass and percussion. But what consistently stands out, albeit often in the subtlest of ways, are the sonic weaves that tie one tune to the next, almost seamlessly at times.

If the sextet has any commercial ambitions, it's not letting on. Each of the album's eight songs is long enough to discourage airplay. The lyrics, which range from the poetic to the ponderous, aren't exactly radio-friendly, either. Just scan the opening lines to "Costa Del Sol," a ballad that inspired the album's title: "Please direct your eyes to the trembling skies, to the trembling skies / And catch every glimpse in all your words, in all your conjured chords / As sure as bitter hands resign, the past will be seen in new light, cast upon old words that you thought you'd lost in the fire." Get the picture?

Not every lyric appears torn from the band's own book of revelations, though. "Winterize," which concerns the death of pop tunesmith Elliott Smith, brings the CD to a haunting close.

- Mike Joyce - Washington Post

When chaos strikes, people often seek some semblance of structure—church, a clean house, etc. Ontario’s A Northern Chorus looks for order in music. Meticulously ethereal, the band’s third album contrasts with the existential tumult that lies within (“I want to know who’s in charge of this show? Whose plans are these?”). Cushioned by organ, piano and cello, the songs drink deep, as Heinlein would say. Perhaps best of all, ANC is partially funded by the Canadian government, making us long even more for their foreign, carefully crafted world. - HARP Magazine

New City Chicago

Canada's A Northern Chorus has done admirable things with "Bitter Hands Resign" (Sonic Unyon). The band transformed its inspirations into something completely fresh and new--think "The Bends"-era Radiohead meets everything ever released on Barsuk meets the old catalogue from Up Records. The vocal harmonies make the record enjoyable outright--they're almost constant, never overbearing, never boring, and the guitar echoes in the background only remind us of the presence of other instruments. A Northern Chorus uses its share of cellos, pianos and organs, but at its core, the band's space-like guitar and secret-whisper percussion banks against its bass foundation and lets the vocals take the wheel. In a way, it's exactly what you'd ask of a band like this--A Northern Chorus never over-stretches, and it always ends the songs where it promises, right where they should end, moments after the big buildups and vocal crescendos. Is it depressing? What the hell do you think?

- Tom Lynch - New City Chicago

Exclaim! Magazine

With its delicate instrumentation and ample musicians, the songs found on the attention-grabbing Spirit Flags were strong, but there was the feeling they were still finding their way. That should all delightfully change with Bitter, as the songs showcase an energised and confident band at the top of their heart-melting best. The glorious noise of “Subject & Matter” sets the stage, as it rollicks back and forth between sweet floating vocals, cello, strong, fuzzy bursts of ringing guitar and crashing cymbals. This back and forth is prominent but it never tires. Particularly uplifting and strong is “Costa Del Sol,” with its breathy harmonies and perfect haze of guitars never overpowering the delicate strings. Bitter won’t just put A Northern Chorus on the map, it’ll help take them over the world one dream at a time.

-Chris Whibbs - Exclaim Magazine

The Coast

Known as a hotbed for quality underground acts, Hamilton is arguably the home of some of the finest musicians in the country. A Northern Chorus, staples in the steel city scene, are renowned as one of the most underrated Canadian bands, but their new album should bring some attention to the veteran rockers. Recorded, produced and mixed by pianist/organist Graham Walsh, Bitter Hands Resign, the band’s third wistful, dreamy masterpiece is exactly what it needs to shine a light upon its musical mastery. ANC has finally emerged from its shell, taking a more passionate intellectual stance than on previous recordings. Vocalists Stu Livingstone, Pete Hall and Alex McMaster weave their respective ways through the band’s epics, providing everything from ample three-part harmonies to thoughtful solo muses, allowing for a more complete aural experience. Musically, A Northern Chorus’s careful, slowcore design tears a page from the book of In-Flight Safety, at times resembling Minnesotan Sub Pop rockers Low, with a touch of Coldplay and electronica-less modern Radiohead for good measure. The album kicks off with the melancholic ballad “The Shepherd and The Chauffeur,” and carefully sifts through eight colourful, weighty tracks, highlighted by the atmospheric “Costa Del Sol.” Concluding with the melodic “Winterize,” the song’s finale epitomizes the album: It begins with a lull and builds to a climax before veering off into a bridge and fading into oblivion. Despite the sparse number of tracks, Bitter Hands Resign clocks in around the 50-minute mark and is a complete musical experience, leaving little to be desired upon its completion.

- Jon Bruhm - The Coast