Belgrave

Canadian band Belgrave got me hooked today (not that that’s such big news…) with their track ‘Six Minutes’. Making ‘artistic’ pop, Belgrave recently released their self-titled six track debut EP and, I should not forget to mention, they have already been compared to bands like The Smiths and Arcade Fire… Not bad right? ‘Six Minutes’ is from that debut EP and has been made available by Paper Garden Records’ Lovely Hearts Club. How to describe ‘Six Minutes’? Well, I think I can do that with just one word: Impressive!
We can’t wait to see these guys (and girl) live someday! Let’s just hope that they will cross the Atlantic to play on this side of the world…
- Front Stage Music

Canadian outfit, Belgrave, is blowing my mind with "Six Minutes," a huge chamber pop track just released via Lovely Hearts Club / Paper Garden Records. The song comes from the band's self-titled EP, and I'm scrambling to nab it quickly. Indie pop with huge, expansive sound is what you're going to get here. A fuzzy and understated synthesizer drone sits subtly underneath Trevor Boucher's stunning vocal delivery. I suppose the best adjective to describe my first run through of this track is, undoubtedly, moving. According to press releases, the band has developed quite a loyal fan base north of the border, garnering comparisons to The Smiths and Arcade Fire. Fitting, because French Horn player, Pietro Amato (Arcade Fire, Belle Orchestra) has infused quite a bit of influence here. Overall, this may be like comparing a high school running back to Barry Sanders, but if this track is any indication of where the ship goes next, we can expect some gorgeous, epic tunes from Belgrave down the road. Enjoy "Six Minutes" below, along with a crushing video performance of the track. A download of the self-titled EP is available now on iTunes, or go to the band's website for information on physical copies. - Citizen Dick

An unlikely grouping of children, the elderly and Montreal clothiers will be sorely disappointed if Belgrave’s upcoming EP is well received.

Singer Trevor Boucher, 25, would have to tell his elementary school classes he is leaving them for the limelight.

His cousin and violinist Catherine Cere would have to resign from her retirement home gig.

And his brother and keyboard-player Liam Boucher, 23, would have to forsake the catwalk and part-time modelling work.

Unfortunately for the young, the old and the fashionable, Belgrave — which also includes drummer Jonathan Powter and guitarist Michael Bufo — has the potential to be another break-out Montreal band.

All five had been involved in more casual projects, but last year they decided to stop dabbling and get serious.

“We were all in a bit of a transition state,” the younger Boucher said. “Everybody’s committed to doing this as much as they can.”

Despite having five musicians, Belgrave’s music is uncluttered and elegant. It’s a testament to Powter, Boucher says, who reins in excess when the music goes “here, there and everywhere.”

And it’s evident on Distance, which begins with a lethargic drum beat, the verses adorned only with guitar splashes and a few dissonant, tentative violin entries. Tokyo’s drive is smoothed over by long, legato violin lines, the keyboard an understated rhythmic presence enriching the harmonies with a gentle touch.

Though any Montreal band with a violinist invites comparisons to Arcade Fire, here it’s unwarranted.

For starters, Trevor is a stronger singer than either Arcade Fire vocalist, employing a pleasant baritone that sometimes strays into an able falsetto.

Also, there’s just the one violin, unlike the “orchestra” employed by that other band.

“I don’t think we sound very much like them,” Boucher says, unimpressed by the question.

But Belgrave is a very Montreal band. It’s named for Belgrave Ave., a west-end street below Notre Dame de Grace where Cere grew up.

The song Notre Dame points to the city’s Rue Notre Dame, a colourful street of community housing, tony antique stores, a stunningly dilapidated theatre, and the Green Spot — the gold standard in greasy spoon breakfasts.

The band is now in the studio, working with Sam Roberts’ producer Joseph Donovan on a six-track EP to be released early next year.

How do they cope with sometimes 18-hour days of repetition and drudgery?

“Food mostly,” Boucher said. “Once in a while we’ll wrestle.”

tony.spears@sunmedia.ca - Ottawa Sun

Perhaps the most fitting introduction to Belgrave comes at the very end of the Montreal quintet’s debut EP, in the final seconds of Six Minutes. Where other bands might milk every drip of drama from a surging crescendo, this one has the discipline to release its tension in a breathless burst. That less-is-more aesthetic defines each of the EP’s six tracks, from the staccato guitar in Heart Strings to Distance’s submarine bass and subtle martial percussion. The arty spirit behind the latter’s arrangement would be worth exploring further, but even at its most conventional, Belgrave has a taut sense of drama to balance its melodic economy. Production by Joseph Donovan (Sam Roberts, the Dears) and contributions by French horn player Pietro Amato (Arcade Fire, the Luyas) offer the blue-ribbon credentials this band deserves.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Podworthy: Distance
- Montreal Gazette

Belgrave and Juno award winning producer Joseph Donovan (Sam Roberts Band, The Dears) emerge from studio with a debut self-titled EP on May 27 at Montreal’s O Patro Vys.
Donovan first heard the sibling/cousin melee of musicians last March at a private function while their old basement recordings drew radio attention on Montreal’s CHOM 97.7. Jay Walker has since championed the band regularly on his Montreal Rocks segment in anticipation of their launch.
Juno winner Pietro Amato (The Luyas, Bell Orchestre, Arcade Fire) has helped fill out Belgrave’s indie-pop sound with his French horn genius.
Joseph Donovan will join the band on stage for a few tracks while the evening will be supported by The Mittenstrings - cousins of the Wainwright music clan. Tickets are $10. Doors open at 8:30pm. - Midnight Poutine

Boasting three cousins of the hardest working french horn player in Montreal indie rock: Pietro Amato (Torngat, Bell Orchestre, The Luyas, Arcade Fire). These young upstarts admittedly are indebted to his musical universe and work ethic. They also craft a decent pop song, full of the romance and drama of bands like Patrick Watson and The Dears. --Dan Seligman - Pop Montreal founder - Pop Montreal

Last night at La Sala Rossa in Montreal, Blue Skies Turn Black put on a show featuring two of Montreal’s finest; Receivers and [Belgrave]. Going into this one I was unsure of what to expect, having only had limited exposure to either band, but as I walked through the doors and saw the sea of people that had showed up for this one I knew I was in for something special.

As [Belgrave], a Montreal indie-rock band fronted by lead singer Trevor Boucher, made their way through their set I looked around the room and was sort of dumbfounded (and not just because it was a seated show at Sala Rossa). The crowd was made up of your average early 20s to mid 30s concert goers but there was a surprising amount of older people present as well. And when I say older I mean grey and balding older. It was definitely different than what I am used to, but since I am fond of the elderly (sometimes overly so) it made me feel quite content.

Anyways, back to the music. [Belgrave] are a pretty new band on the Montreal music radar but judging by the amount of fans they seemed to bring in and the tightness in their performance, it may not be long before we are hearing a lot more from these guys. Lead singer Trevor Boucher stood on the stage, hands clasped behind his back, as he sang his heart out, while the rest the band provided the backup music; generally a really easy on the ears mixture of guitar, keys, drums and violin. No frills, no gimmicks, just straight forward rock music with some impressive emotional value provided by violinist Catherine Cere and keyboardest Liam Boucher. The highlight of the set was undoubtedly “Notre Dame”, which lead singer, Trevor Boucher ended by adding “Go Habs, Go Habs Go” into the lyrics. The old and young alike stayed pretty reserved throughout the set, but erupted with applause at the end.

After a brief pause, Emilie Marzinotto and her band Receivers took the stage and began to play amid a dazzling light show provided by someone named Peter who apparently came a long way to set it up. While Marzinotto joked that she was on the verge of having a seizure, the lighting really added a certain ambiance to the performance that went perfectly with the moody tunes played by the band. The Visuals projected on a screen behind the band also greatly added to the ambiance, especially so when the band played the track from their latest 7? that they launched last night, entitled “Devotional”. For this song, the band teamed up with the M60 Film Festival, which had people send in their own 60 second videos that were inspired by the song. The resulting videos were mixed together and screened behind the band as they played the song. There was even a part that included footage from the Habs fan’s celebrations after their game 7 victory from Wednesday night. The band played their newer material of course, but also delved into their older stuff as well, playing the slow and sexy “Matinee” from their debut 2008 release, Consider The Ravens.

Throughout the set, lead singer and guitarist Emilie Marzinotto seemed to get overwhelmed by the outpouring of affecting from the crowd and it was nice to see a band that truly appreciates their fans. An all too quick ‘that’s it! goodnight!’ after the band played “Devotional” left nobody doubting that there would be more and sure enough, a few seconds after the band left the stage they were back for an encore of two songs including the catchy “You Only Live Twice”, another new one. Shortly after the show, the Montreal skies opened up and we got to witness a pretty impressive lightning storm. Talk about a night going from good to great! – Greg Lozoff

Editor's note: The supporting act 'Coral Red' has since changed their name to 'Belgrave'. - Meet You at the Show