Beautiful Nothing

Every week, I get hundreds and hundreds of emails from artists asking me to listen to their stuff. Most I’d classify as pretty good, but occasionally, something exceptional comes through. This is one of those times.

This is Beautiful Nothing, a band from Burlington, Ontario, who have released not only a good song, but a cool video to go with it. The track will appear on their 2017 album, Sleep Walk, when it appears on March 10. Is this the next It band around here? - Alan Cross - A Journal of Musical Things

Canadian band Beautiful Nothing perform their single ‘The Unknown’ on The Morning Show - Global Television

Beautiful Nothing cite their influences as everything from Radiohead, to The Killers, to Depeche Mode. On previous releases like Finer Things, many of these pop and rock nuances are completely visible, and we’ve been waiting for them to tap into their love of new wave. Today Beautiful Nothing fans are going to be delighted as this Toronto fivesome dive into unknown territory with their fresh, eighties-tinged single The Unknown, which we’re excited to exclusively premiere the video for on AMBY.

Gearing up for the release of their new record Sleep Walk (scheduled for release in the New Year), The Unknown is a first taste of what the band has been working on as it serves as a shimmering slice of synth-pop.

In the moody and enticing film-clip, Beautiful Nothing wanted their first video from the forthcoming album to be a re-introduction to the band. James Feathe­rstone shared with us;

“A simple one shot­ performance video fi­lmed at a high frame ­rate for a slow-mo ef­fect, and low key lig­hting helped us achie­ve a bit of a dream l­ike atmosphere. This ­allowed us to present­ the band in a way we­ hadn’t done before. ­ We recruited our bud­dy Zak from Notion Bl­vd. to do the camera ­work and I took care ­of the sync and colou­r. The fact that we c­an produce most of ou­r own videos and phot­os really helps us st­ay focused to our vis­ion”.

When asked about the song’s lyrical themes of self-acceptance and exploration, Anthony Ludgate shared with AMBY;

“Lyrically the song r­epresents a stream of­ consciousness. When ­writing the lyrics, I­ was in an almost hyp­notic state just list­ening to the drums an­d bass of the song pl­ay over and over. Whe­n I put pen to paper,­ what came out were w­ords that at face val­ue didn’t have much l­iteral meaning, but w­hen analyzed, totally­ captured the vibe I ­was in, and could eve­n be traced back to w­hat was going on in m­y life at the time. I­ think the song’s rea­lly about digging dee­p into yourself and c­oming to an understan­ding of who you reall­y are, even if that m­eans exploring places­ you’d rather avoid.”­

Get familiar with The Unknown exclusively on AMBY and follow updates from Beautiful Nothing below. Beautiful Nothing is Sven Petrovic, Shane Ludgate, Luke Ludgate, James Featherstone, and Anthony Ludgate. - A Music Blog, Yea?

The band Beautiful Nothing performs in studio - Sirius XM

Burlington's Beautiful Nothing stop by the Y108 studio for a chat and we spin 2 tracks from their new record "Sleep Walk" - Y108

A couple years back, Beautiful Nothing attempted to launch their self-titled album into outer space in the video for "Stuck in Clouds," but the Toronto-based five-piece are now firmly rooted to the ground and ready to release a new LP this year.

Sleep Walk doesn't arrive until March 3, but Exclaim! is giving you the first look at the freshly finished video for album cut "Million Different Ways" right now. The clip was a band DIY project, with bassist James Featherstone thinking up the concept, directing, producing, editing and filming the whole thing.

"We were intrigued by the concept of Pandora's box from Greek mythology; a box containing all the evil's of the world and when opened, all that remains in the box is hope," Featherstone tells Exclaim!

"Throughout the video there's this subconscious connection between the male and female characters," he further explains. "Their spirits are very much intertwined and they only ever meet in their dreams. While the two characters treat Pandora's box quite differently, they are both impacted by each others decisions."

See that story get translated onto the screen by scrolling through the band's upcoming tour dates and watching the video for "Million Different Ways" below.

Tour dates:

01/20 Ottawa, ON – Café Dekcuf
01/21 Kingston, ON – The Mansion
02/11 Niagara Falls, ON – Hard Rock Café
02/17 Hamilton, ON – This Ain't Hollywood
03/03 Barrie, ON – Foxx Lounge
03/11 Toronto, ON – Baby G (album release show)
03/25 Montreal, QC – Bar Le Ritz
03/31 London, ON – Rum Runners - Exclaim!

CTV Live Interview and Performance - CTV

Toronto pop-rock crew Beautiful Nothing have unveiled a new video for "Highway to the Sky," and you can see it here on Exclaim.ca first.

The track carries a positive message of overcoming life's curveballs. "It's simply about realizing life is not always going to perfect and making that mental shift from 'This sucks' to 'it's all part of the journey and I'm drinking in the moments,'" said vocalist/keyboardist Anthony Ludgate in a recent press release.

The band is made up of Ludgate, his younger brother Shane and older bro Luke, plus long-time friends Sven Petrovic and James Featherstone. The new single "Highway to the Sky" sees them teaming up with some additional musical help from SayTalk.

As for the video, it's a bizarre one that sees the group toying with all sorts of odd abstract art. Ridiculous outfits, colourful lighting, visual effects, paint splatters and cats pack the new clip. And a special shout-out to the pizza costume.

Beautiful Nothing will be celebrating the video's launch with a gig at Toronto's Horseshoe Tavern on January 17. To get you pumped up for the show, check out the brand new video for "Highway to the Sky" below. - exclaim!

Every year there is an artist we end up coming across that absolutely blows us away with their musical prowess and ability to capitalize on their ongoing potential. This year, it was Beautiful Nothing's turn. Their debut album is an eclectic mix of songs radiating individualism and a prime example of their natural ability towards diversity and versatility. Each song has a captivating effect that shows the band has no bounds to their comfort zone and pumps out a soothing adrenaline effect to really get a groove on. Songs like "Highway To The Sky" and "If It Ever Came Down" showcase how fun the band can really be while songs like "Stuck In Clouds" and "Come Color Me" provide a compliment to the bands mature songwriting ability. There is literally something that everybody can enjoy when listening to this grand debut album from the band and really makes us look forward to what exciting possibilities this band still has to exhibit to us in the years to come!

Become a fan! - https://www.facebook.com/beautifulnothingofficial
Stream/Buy the album here! - http://beautifulnothing.bandcamp.com/album/beautiful-nothing - SoundSHOCK

Today (Tueday May 20th) culminates in the release of the debut, self-titled recording by Toronto-based Beautiful Nothing. Consisting of three brothers; Anthony Ludgate (lead vocals/keyboards), Luke Ludgate (guitars/keyboards), Shane Ludgate (drums/percussion) and their two friends, Sven Petrovic (guitar) and James Featherstone (bass) – the end result of months spent working away in a downtown Toronto loft crafting a record that recreates all the power and excitement of classic pop/rock yet utilizes modern studio technology to present a record that can be favourably compared current trendsetters like Cold Play or Radiohead.

Produced by Anthony Ludgate and Bill McDowell at Darren Magierowski’s Jukasa Studios located at the Ohsweken Indian Reserve, the band’s debut release balances melodic pop/rock melodies with some raucous rockers (“Everybody Got A Gun) and even includes some female lead vocals courtesy of Alicia Cameron who plays a role in the band’s live performance.

“We see ourselves as fresh blood, straddling the line between pop and dance music,” explained Anthony Ludgate just prior to Beautiful Nothing debuting their record last Saturday with a well-received performance to Toronto’s famed Horseshoe Tavern. “What really sells us is our live show. Our album is great but you really can’t comprehend what we’re all about until you see us live.”

Moulding their sound and performance over the past two years with a series of gigs at the Toronto club scene, Beautiful Nothing have been making all the right moves. A recent appearance at a Canadian Music Week concert at the Underground Garage generated turn-away crowds and the spicy video for their debut single “Come Colour Me” is already on heavy rotation on Much Loud and Aux TV.

“We understand that it is difficult to retail records so we are going heavy on social media,” noted Ludgate. “Instead of just one video, we are going to release six videos because, obviously, the more exposure we can create the more attention we can generate.”

Key radio stations like Toronto’s The Edge and Hamilton’s Y-108 plus key stations in Vancouver and Nanaimo are all ready reacting favourably to the band’s debut single and Ludgate announced that the band will be hitting the festival circuit this summer to bring their energetic live performance to the masses.

The Record:
BEAUTIFUL NOTHING (BKCI Entertainment/Universal)

Occasionally, very occasionally, a group or artist will emerge from the wannabe rabble with a release that just screams hit record! Toronto’s Beautiful Nothing is just such a band. Comprised of brothers Anthony Ludgate (vocals/keyboards), Luke Ludgate (guitar/keyboards) and Shane Ludgate (drums/percussion) plus Sven Petrovic (lead guitar) and James Featherstone (bass)and co-produced by Anthony Ludgate and Bill McDowell, Beautiful Nothing debut with 12 well-crafted pop/rock tracks that harken back to vintage classic rock bands while still maintaining a current recording edge.

Powered by Anthony Ludgate’s infectious vocals, Beautiful Nothing project a feel-good sound, driven by strong melodic numbers powered by strong lyrical hooks, and creative instrumental arrangements. From the pulsating raw energy of “Everybody Got A Gun” to the infectious layered harmonies that set off “Highway To The Sky” and “Stuck In Clouds”, both featuring a catchy rap segment and the effective use of female vocalist Alicia Cameron, Beautiful Nothing exhibit a knowledge of what sounds are current whilst at the same time also creating a tried and true pop/rock formula. It’s a sound that has been compared to early Colplay by some critics but I see them relating to The Killers or even early Collective Soul.

Their debut single “Come Color Me” checks off all those points with an engaging melody layered over a biting instrumental arrangement that’s already currying support from key national radio outlets and it seems to this listener that this album is at least six singles deep, creating a very impressive debut effort. - Music Express

Have a listen to this Toronto band that sometimes sound like they could have come out of the UK scene. Their debut album has been out since May, but this is a brand new video. And it’s a total DIY effort, too. - Alan Cross - A Journal of Musical Things

Beautiful Nothing

For the past 4 years, Burlington’s Beautiful Nothing has been making music but for the last few years more out of the spotlight. Anthony Ludgate (vocals), Shane Ludgate (drums), Luke Ludgate (guitar), Sven Petrovic (guitar/keyboards), James Featherstone (bass) were focusing on their latest recordings — moving into together into a repurposed industrial area space, Beautiful Nothing lived, rehearsed, wrote and recorded as a unit and they even used their living space for private parties to fund recording sessions (amidst the ping–pong tables and swing sets). After five years of parties and preparation however, Beautiful Nothing is serious about the release of their new disc this weekend.

“While experimenting musically since the beginnings of pre–teen friendships and family jams we’ve collaborated with a bunch of talented musicians — most recently this includes Alicia Cameron on vocals and Zach Scholtz on “sick flows”,” recalls Anthony Ludgate. “The more we collaborate the more we grow. The more we grow the more we figure it out – but figuring it out means something different for everyone. For us, figuring it out means getting closer to our primal instincts as musicians and as humans. The band has taken on various shapes but the constant has always been between myself, my two brothers and our two best friends.

“The last couple of years have been the most exciting years of our lives,” adds the singer. “We’ve lived through parties that should’ve killed us, jam houses that inspired us and music that united us. This new record is the outcome of it all. It’s really the absolute high of music that keeps it all moving and evolving. There’s never been a really legitimate pop/rock genre. It all either sounds too pop or too rock. I think we’ve established a serious middle ground between the essence of pop music and the raw energy of rock. With the current state of the band, it truly feels like a new beginning. We’ve had a few incarnations of Beautiful Nothing that have all taken on something new. I feel with this latest release we’ve arrived musically and have created something we can really stand behind.”

Recorded at Ohsweken’s Jukasa Studios with producer Darren Magierowski, Beautiful Nothing have never been more rocking or radio friendly and with a self–titled release the band re–introducing yourself to a hopeful larger audience.

“Jukasa Studios was a place of self–reflection for us,” notes Ludgate. “Darren was the perfect person to have coaching my vocal takes. There was a feeling of serenity that coaxed emotions I didn’t know existed. We wanted a big, raw and honest sound that Darren and Jukasa was able to deliver. Creating music is about making a connection. It is connections that mean something in this life. Connections through music are connections through the soul. As human beings, I think we should connect as much as possible. Connecting with larger audiences is one of the goals for this new record. Our music is for people looking for something other than straight–up rock or straight–up pop. I think we’re comfortably straddling the line between the two genres with just straight up good songs.”

With six music videos tentatively scheduled from this collection of songs — the first “Come Colour Me” is now on rotation on MuchLOUD and AUX TV — you can be a part of the band’s video for “Finer Things” for a flash dance scenario outside Jackson Square with the “Hamilton Dancing Guy” at the end of this month. But this weekend, Beautiful Nothing reintroduces themselves to the nation. The band that formed at Burlington’s Central High has come a long way to a nationally distributed label release but no matter how high this record takes them, Ludgate assures it’s their formative years that will keep them grounded.

“For this record, we signed to BKCI/Universal who offered us the best deal after being shopped around by Gerry Young and Bill McDowell of Current Management,” says Ludgate. “Hamilton’s authenticity, as well as recording in Ohsweken has been part of an awakening for us. We are currently Toronto based simply because that’s where the majority of our members reside and it’s also where we currently jam… but Hamilton and Burlington will always be home for us.

“Live shows have always been a platform for this band to really win over audiences,” adds Ludgate. “I feel like if someone hasn’t seen the band live they really can’t know what the band is all about. It’s safe to say that all eyes at the Casbah show will be glued to the stage and we’ve got a few surprises to ensure this happens.”

Beautiful Nothing plays this Friday May 23 at the Casbah with the Poobs, the Marlas, and A Vertigo Hallucination. Doors are at 9pm and $10 gets you in. Click on facebook.com/beautifulnothingofficial - The View - Hamilton

So, when I got an album this week by a band called Beautiful Nothing I was a bit concerned. What does the name mean? Would its ambiguity make it forgettable? What kind of music would a group called Beautiful Nothing perform? In a retail situation I may not have paid any mind at all. Generic names have a tendency to fall right out of my skull, though that might just be because of my age.

Turns out if you Google search the term Beautiful Nothing you get…this band. The first ten links are related to them and it reveals that they are actually brothers named Anthony, Luke and Shane Ludgate from somewhere in Southern Ontario. Well played, Ludgates. Well played. http://www.beautifulnothing.com/

Having bypassed my unwarranted bias of the band’s name I came to realize that this album is a massively entertaining slice of Power Pop and New Rock – while simultaneously being neither. I’ve been listening to music religiously for the better part of 40 years and I have to say that Beautiful Nothing has managed to defy both categorization and influence spotting. If they’ve been sipping the Pop Kool-Aid then I’m not familiar with their go-to influences (though I do hear some U2/Coldplayisms on “Stuck In the Clouds”).

The album fires on all cylinders with the first single, “Come Color Me“, a melange of ’80s brooding melodicism and a finger-popping bass hook courtesy James Featherstone reminiscent of local heroes Chalk Circle or even Breeding Ground. It’s unlike most of the remainder of the songs on the record.

From there, the album shoots upwards from here in terms of energy. “If It Ever Came Down” is a rocking pop classic in the making with real guitar breaks courtesy of Luke Ludgate and Sven Petrovic.

The band gets progressively heavier throughout the album with the brain eating gang anthem “Everybody Got A Gun”, the rap funk-meets-Blue Oyster Cult’s “Veterans of the Psychic Wars” feel to “Highway to the Sky”, the Swamp Rock channeled Alice In Chains harmonized “La La (a Time to Give)” and the frenetic paced staccato piano ditty “On and On”.

It’s Anthony Ludgate’s voice that stands front and centre and has a Feargal Sharkey range and elasticity about it (Google him – he was in The Undertones). Fortunately, Anthony can sing without Sharkey’s debilitating vibrato. Just check out the danceable earworm “Finer Things” (think Hedley meets Finger Eleven’s “Paralyzer”) – a song that’s screaming out to be the next single. He knows how to work dynamically, particularly on the jazzy Chris Isaac flavoured “Never Found What You’re Looking For” and “Tom’s Song”.

Finally, the production by Anthony Ludgate and Bill McDowell is first rate on this disc – well above indie band level. As it should be coming from the Universal Music machine. Here’s hoping the band’s name doesn’t get them lost in the shuffle of media image and hyperbolic WOW! However, the upshot is that by not calling themselves Ludgate (or how about Fludgate?), the group won’t suffer a Jonas Brothers-like identity crisis down the line if members decide to go their own way one day. Well played, again, Ludgates. Well played. - Jaimie Vernon - What's In A Name

Anyone missing good real alternative rock lately? You know the kind that gives off a 80’s vibe but still very much is rock with a mellow classic twist. ‘The Unknown’ the new single from the Canadian group Beautiful Nothing hits the nail right on the head for just that. The song is 4:09 minuets long with smooth guitar, pumping bass, hard hitting drums, and subtle, yet present keys in the background. With retro sounding vocals, sweet harmonies, and lyrics that speak of getting out of society before being just another “unknown”, as they put it, in the endless cycle of life. The Beautiful Nothing definitely portraits a true indie vibe and picture, quite literally in their video that was posted earlier today, with the microphone coming out from the ceiling, and surrounded by smoke jamming out. Classic. The song is taken from their upcoming album, “Sleep Walk”, coming out in 2017. The music is great but they almost sound like they are following in the footsteps of Muse or Arctic Monkeys. However, they have plenty of their own originality and style. Guess we just have to wait for the album. - Bloggaz With Attitude

Beautiful Nothing is bold, powerful, and as infectious as the STDs which people across the world are preparing to reveal to their partners now that Valentine’s Day is over.

Beautiful Nothing know how to pen a badass pop-rock tune, and this self-titled album is crammed full of them; whether you’re talking about Come Color Me‘s seductive invitations, If It Ever Came Down‘s fuck-you funkiness, Highway to the Sky‘s razor-sharp guitars, the in-your-face desperation of Finer Things, the fervent bass pulse that drives Never Found What You’re Looking For, or the peaceful echoes and acoustic guitars which open the epic Stuck In Clouds, this band make it crystal clear that they know their shit. That’s only half the album, by the way! Come festival season, you can bet that Beautiful Nothing will be greeted by plenty of waving hands, raised voices, and rapturous applause. They deserve it.

Although the vocals occasionally feel more affected than authentic, it’s barely worth pointing out; overall, Beautiful Nothing rocks hard and will stick in your brain like an ice pick. A great, varied, and well-executed job.

TMMP RATING: 91% - The Musical Melting Pot

Occasionally, very occasionally, a group or artist will emerge from the wannabe rabble with a release that just screams hit record! Toronto’s Beautiful Nothing is just such a band. Comprised of brothers Anthony Ludgate (vocals/keyboards), Luke Ludgate (guitar/keyboards) and Shane Ludgate (drums/percussion) plus Sven Petrovic (lead guitar) and James Featherstone (bass)and co-produced by Anthony Ludgate and Bill McDowell, Beautiful Nothing debut with 12 well-crafted pop/rock tracks that harken back to vintage classic rock bands while still maintaining a current recording edge.

Powered by Anthony Ludgate’s infectious vocals, Beautiful Nothing project a feel-good sound, driven by strong melodic numbers powered by strong lyrical hooks, and creative instrumental arrangements. From the pulsating raw energy of “Everybody Got A Gun” to the infectious layered harmonies that set off “Highway To The Sky” and “Stuck In Clouds”, both featuring a catchy rap segment and the effective use of female vocalist Alicia Cameron, Beautiful Nothing exhibit a knowledge of what sounds are current whilst at the same time also creating a tried and true pop/rock formula. It’s a sound that has been compared to early Colplay by some critics but I see them relating to The Killers or even early Collective Soul.

Their debut single “Come Color Me” checks off all those points with an engaging melody layered over a biting instrumental arrangement that’s already currying support from key national radio outlets and it seems to this listener that this album is at least six singles deep, creating a very impressive debut effort. - Music Express

The Toronto alternative band that is known as Beautiful Nothing have debuted the music video for their new single “Come Color Me”. The band have been playing together since their high school days, however, have just decided to come out with their debut album on May 20th. It will be interesting to see that the group has crafted after all of this time of playing together and we are predicting it to be nothing short of spectacular. Not only is their single “Come Color Me” amazing but the videography isn’t too shabby to top it off. Beautiful Nothing went on to release the video through AUX and plan to release their album through BKCI/Universal. Enjoy watching the video for “Come Color Me” above and make sure to check back for the release of Beautiful Nothing’s debut album on May 20th. - Brightside Network Media

Beautiful Nothing is here to tell you paying yer dues never goes outa style. Even while they tended their social media obligations, the five guys in the band also kept up a steady pace playing the Toronto rock circuit just about wherever someone would let them, all the while working on the sound ‘neath the steely gaze of the T.Dot’s notoriously picky audiences. Also, industry savvy ones like Current Management’s Gerry Young, who knows a good thing when he hears one and knows what to do with it. Which brings us to the altrock quintet’s first single release, “Come Colour Me,” freshly in the hands of Canadian radio this week, with the accompanying video serviced to MuchMusic and MTV Canada.

“Come Colour Me” is a feisty thing, primo springtime guitar pop, hitting a sweet spot somewhere between school of early Coldplay and the West Coast big guitar sound exemplified by Yukon Blonde. Beautiful Nothing's self-titled debut CD is set for release May 20, 2014 on Jeff Burns' BKCI label, distributed by Universal Music Canada. Plans are underway for a number of live dates in southern Ontario following the release of the CD. A CD release party in Toronto, featuring a live performance by the band, is also in the cards, with the date and location TBA. Beautiful Nothing is Anthony Ludgate (vocals/keyboard), James Featherstone, (bass), Luke Ludgate (guitar/keyboard), Shane Ludgate (drums/percussion/piano) and Sven Petrovic (guitar). - CASHBOX Magazine, Canada

Toronto’s Beautiful Nothing have been playing music together since their high school days, but are just about to release their self-titled, self-described first “serious” album on May 20 via BKCI/Universal.

The band will be in playing in Toronto for CMW on May 10 at the Underground Garage, and their album release show will happen May 17 at the Horseshoe Tavern. Check out the video for “Come Color Me” below. - AuxTV

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50n17-NI1Is - CP24

The Edge Airplay - 102.1 The Edge