Brothers of North

One genre of music I don’t quite understand is “Indie” rock. Don’t misread that, I’m not saying I don’t like it, I just don’t understand it. “Indie”, of course, stands for “independent”, and started a few decades ago by bands, well, basically being independent. They recorded the music themselves, distributed it themselves, etc. The part that confuses me is; if, say a heavy metal band, like the next Metallica, were to record and distribute music independently, they still wouldn’t be considered “indie” because they don’t have that sound that “indie” bands have; a sound that isn’t harsh and requires the main instruments of a rock band; guitar, drum, bass and vocals, maybe keyboards and other instruments if wanted. These bands don’t sound similar to each other, but they have something in common with their sound that keeps them indie. I guess a better way to describe my confusion is, when did “indie” become an actual sub-genre rather than just a title, and why when a band, such as Metric, becomes big and no longer distributes their own music, are they still considered “indie rock”?

Anyway, that ranting paragraph, which hopefully you didn’t read as negative, was my strange way of introducing this article, which is not on “indie rock” in general, but rather Greater Toronto Area rock outfit Brothers of North. One thing I do enjoy in indie rock bands in general are the bands that mix in a little something extra into their sound. Take the previously mentioned Metric, who has the indie rock sound but heavily mixes new wave influences in to their sound. Brothers of North, too, are not a basic indie rock band. They uniquely include influences of alternative rock, particularly that of such bands as Foo Fighters into their sound.

The band’s debut EP, Stolen Cars, starts off with About A Dog, a good slightly fast paced upbeat indie rocker with drums (played by Tom Mackay) and lead guitars (played by Joe Gallo) that just won’t let up until its listener can’t help but move with the music. The alternative influence doesn’t really start until the song 1990’s, which remains an upbeat sounding track but this time around, Pete Barnes’ bass guitar is more noticeable for more of the song and James Connolly’s rhythm guitar tone is a tad more driven.

Robbery does a unique job of maintaining that same upbeat sound on a song that could have easily been a gloomy, heavy and angry track. It isn’t until Useless Pages where the band shows some different emotion in their song writing. The song is mostly acoustic and though it still isn’t a melancholy track, it does have a lonely feeling to it, as acoustic songs tend to do. That is until the band kicks in toward the end of the song to end it off just right.

Another track that shows a good deal of alternative influence is Serious. Just like 1990’s, the music is a tad bit more driven and noticeable, but unlike 1990’s, this song is a slow and doesn’t have the upbeat feel that most of the album has had at this point. I find this song shows probably the best song writing capabilities by the band because it shows that they can definitely bust out of their element. The blues-bursting guitar solo ending is proof of that.

The EP ends with the longest of the six tracks. Oh My God is a mix of emotions. It starts off very low, and for the first time on the EP, the sound is somewhat of a down nature, giving a melancholy feel. The chorus of the song is very catchy and easy to sing along with. Though the song remains a less than upbeat track throughout, it does pick up with each verse, ending with drums bashing and guitars endlessly strumming. I think this was a well chosen song to end the EP based on how catchy it is, as well as its change of pace from the rest of the album.

Stolen Cars makes me wonder what else Brothers of North has in their arsenal and what the future holds. It is definitely an upbeat EP, a point at many points, but when the band broke out of their element and differentiated themselves from other indie rock bands, with songs such as 1990’s and Serious, the band showed true promise that they are far more than just another rock band.

ALBUM HIGHLIGHT


“1990’s” –­ At no other point on Stolen Cars do Brothers of North sound more comfortable playing together. This song sounds like it was written and recorded by seasoned professional indie musicians. It is a good beginner track for anyone to hear by them because it sums up their upbeat nature, their all around sound and it also shows the alternative influence that makes them more than just another indie band. - rock review phil

One genre of music I don’t quite understand is “Indie” rock. Don’t misread that, I’m not saying I don’t like it, I just don’t understand it. “Indie”, of course, stands for “independent”, and started a few decades ago by bands, well, basically being independent. They recorded the music themselves, distributed it themselves, etc. The part that confuses me is; if, say a heavy metal band, like the next Metallica, were to record and distribute music independently, they still wouldn’t be considered “indie” because they don’t have that sound that “indie” bands have; a sound that isn’t harsh and requires the main instruments of a rock band; guitar, drum, bass and vocals, maybe keyboards and other instruments if wanted. These bands don’t sound similar to each other, but they have something in common with their sound that keeps them indie. I guess a better way to describe my confusion is, when did “indie” become an actual sub-genre rather than just a title, and why when a band, such as Metric, becomes big and no longer distributes their own music, are they still considered “indie rock”?

Anyway, that ranting paragraph, which hopefully you didn’t read as negative, was my strange way of introducing this article, which is not on “indie rock” in general, but rather Greater Toronto Area rock outfit Brothers of North. One thing I do enjoy in indie rock bands in general are the bands that mix in a little something extra into their sound. Take the previously mentioned Metric, who has the indie rock sound but heavily mixes new wave influences in to their sound. Brothers of North, too, are not a basic indie rock band. They uniquely include influences of alternative rock, particularly that of such bands as Foo Fighters into their sound.

The band’s debut EP, Stolen Cars, starts off with About A Dog, a good slightly fast paced upbeat indie rocker with drums (played by Tom Mackay) and lead guitars (played by Joe Gallo) that just won’t let up until its listener can’t help but move with the music. The alternative influence doesn’t really start until the song 1990’s, which remains an upbeat sounding track but this time around, Pete Barnes’ bass guitar is more noticeable for more of the song and James Connolly’s rhythm guitar tone is a tad more driven.

Robbery does a unique job of maintaining that same upbeat sound on a song that could have easily been a gloomy, heavy and angry track. It isn’t until Useless Pages where the band shows some different emotion in their song writing. The song is mostly acoustic and though it still isn’t a melancholy track, it does have a lonely feeling to it, as acoustic songs tend to do. That is until the band kicks in toward the end of the song to end it off just right.

Another track that shows a good deal of alternative influence is Serious. Just like 1990’s, the music is a tad bit more driven and noticeable, but unlike 1990’s, this song is a slow and doesn’t have the upbeat feel that most of the album has had at this point. I find this song shows probably the best song writing capabilities by the band because it shows that they can definitely bust out of their element. The blues-bursting guitar solo ending is proof of that.

The EP ends with the longest of the six tracks. Oh My God is a mix of emotions. It starts off very low, and for the first time on the EP, the sound is somewhat of a down nature, giving a melancholy feel. The chorus of the song is very catchy and easy to sing along with. Though the song remains a less than upbeat track throughout, it does pick up with each verse, ending with drums bashing and guitars endlessly strumming. I think this was a well chosen song to end the EP based on how catchy it is, as well as its change of pace from the rest of the album.

Stolen Cars makes me wonder what else Brothers of North has in their arsenal and what the future holds. It is definitely an upbeat EP, a point at many points, but when the band broke out of their element and differentiated themselves from other indie rock bands, with songs such as 1990’s and Serious, the band showed true promise that they are far more than just another rock band.

ALBUM HIGHLIGHT


“1990’s” –­ At no other point on Stolen Cars do Brothers of North sound more comfortable playing together. This song sounds like it was written and recorded by seasoned professional indie musicians. It is a good beginner track for anyone to hear by them because it sums up their upbeat nature, their all around sound and it also shows the alternative influence that makes them more than just another indie band. - rock review phil

Leaving Toronto for Newfoundland has really re-opened my mind to listening to and consuming as much music as possible. I feel weird saying that, having been a promoter for the last seven or eight years, but seeing upwards of 20 acts a week really made it hard to get into it at home, hearing as much new stuff as I used to. Sure, I’d listen to bands for bookings–but when acts put out a new record, I never had the chance to truly absorb it the way I once would have.

But since I arrived here, I’ve been listening to bands like I did back in the day. One of the first bands I’ve been spending a lot of time with are Brothers of North, and I could sum up their debut EP in one word: WOW. This band really has limitless potential. Would I be remotely surprised if Brothers of North burst out to become one of the biggest indie-rock bands in Canada? Not at all. I knew they had it in them the second they opened up for the Cheap Speakers at the Horseshoe Tavern, and this EP re-affirms it in a huge way.

There has to be a certain amount of belief in your own band to record an EP like this. They’ve clearly spent considerable time (and expense) rehearsing and recording to make sure it sounds top notch. The vocals are gorgeous and are mixed exactly as they need to be at all times.

Take, for instance, the way the band closes out the last minute on “Robbery”–building up instrumentally and baiting the listener along, all the while expecting a massive vocal part to come back for the finish, only to eventually fade out and leave the listener wanting more. That is some next-level shit right there!

And well, “1990's” has that nostalgic-as-all-hell and addictive lyrical quality to it that begs for radio airplay and/or music video play. Although I must admit, they do have a pretty awesome Blue Jays reference in there that might render me completely unable to dislike the song. That said, I’m quite sure the song is brilliant.

I like to gamble on things. I like to gamble on shows, I like to gamble on bands, and I love to gamble on sports. Upon arriving in Newfoundland, I decided to check out their Proline system–what with the football season coming up. I was shocked to find out just how much more advanced it was then the repressive Ontario system. One of the things you can do is bet on teams who will win the Super Bowl. It’s called a Future Bet. If the Toronto music scene had such a bet, Pup, the Balconies, Dinosaur Bones, the Darcys, etc. would be the favourites. Brothers of North might be something like 80 x 1 to be Canada’s next big band. I’d drop a nice bet with those kind of odds. They have that much potential.

Catch Brothers of the North at the Handlebar on Saturday Sept 14th as a special guest of the Cheap Speakers at their video screening party. Also joining them on the bill are Sam Taylor & the East End Love and The Fires Of. Full details here: https://www.facebook.com/events/226456974178444/

Cheers,

Dan Wolovick - Dan Wolovick

A couple months ago, I caught the band Brothers of North at the Horseshoe Tavern. They were opening for the band I went to see and I had never really listened to them before that night. I’m glad I got to the show when I did, otherwise I’d be kicking myself for missing them.

The band put on a great live set full of catchy rock songs and I was eager to find out where I could get some of their music. I was able to listen to a few tracks off their new EP coming out later this month and I’m excited to hear the rest. In the meantime, go download (free or donation) their first single “1990’s” off the new EP. The band’s been getting more attention playing CMW (Canadian Music Week) and NXNE (North by North East) earlier this year, along with other popular venues in Toronto, so make sure you buy the Stolen Cars EP at their release party Friday, August 30th at the El Mocambo. Check them out on Facebook.
- Jo Hayward, OnlyReal Entertainment

Our wrap up article from 2012 is here and we are excited to be back in 2013 and to interview more bands to our Emerging Artist Spotlight Series. Today we focus on a band from Newmarket, Canada and their NXNE profile reads:

“Youthful, energetic, make you want to dance sound. A little bit of romance mixed in with some rockin’ solos. Driving bass and drums keep the feet moving.”

Here is what they had to say to us:



Hey Brothers of North, thanks for taking the time out to talk to us. Let’s start off with the obligatory introductions. Who’s in the band and what instrument does everyone rock?
BON: We’re a four piece band. James Connolly is vocals and plays rhythm guitar. Joe Gallo is lead guitar, Petey Barnes plays bass and Tom Mackay bangs away on the drums.

How about the history of the band, when did you get started and how did it happen?
BON: James (vocals & guitar) and Joe (lead guitar) grew up together in Aurora, Ontario and met Tom (drums) and Ed (bass) through mutual friends while in high school about 6 years ago. They decided to form a band after seeing each other at a party in 2012.

After playing through a song James and Joe had written, all four saw there was definitely something to pursue. After getting a show within a month through a friend, they put their noses to the grindstone and created and practiced 10 songs. Four days a week of writing and practicing was a blast and was just what they needed to kick start their great work ethic as a band.

After only a year playing shows in and around Toronto, Ed unfortunately decided to leave the band to pursuit other goals. During this time James, Tom and Joe worked hard on the EP and finding a new bass player. It wasn’t until one lucky day Joe met up with an old friend and found out his older brother had just finished school and had the itch to be in a band again. That older brother was Petey Barnes. Petey was a perfect fit for the band not only for his talents but for his personality and dedication to the band. The band has now never been stronger and rocking even harder then ever.

Who are some of your musical influences?
BON: We all come from different musical backgrounds there are a lot of bands we like and a lot of bands we get our musical influences from.

Tom: “Thats a hard question to answer there are so many bands out there that have inspired me to become a better drummer but some bands that first come to mind are August Burns Red, Texas in July and Animals as Leaders.”

Petey: “Classic Rock, Rock, Metal anything that moves you really, there are so many too choose from! Gotta love bands like Led Zeppelin, Hendrix, Rush, Alexisonfire, Tool… tough question!”

Joe: “We all share similarities of bands we love, I know Kings of Leon is one of them for James and I, if it wasn’t for them I’m not even sure if we would have even wanted to start a band! I love the Beatles though, Abbey Road has to be one of my favorite albums of all time, B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Foo Fighters, Kings of Leon, I could go all day listing musical influences.”

James: “Honestly, every band or artist that has written a song that’s made me go “God I wish I wrote that” is a musical influence to me. If I had to narrow it down to a few, I’d have to say Kings of Leon which is a big one for me, The Tragically Hip, and stuff like Led Zeppelin. But it’s all of us and our different influences that give us a unique sound, because I know Tom is probably influenced by some crazy German metal band called Skull F***, and I know for a fact that Joe has posters of Taylor Swift on his wall.”



Congratulations on being selected to play at North By Northeast, what does the opportunity mean to you?
BON: Joe: “NXNE is huge for us, being only a one-year-old band and already being accepted to NXNE feels like a huge goal we have achieved. We have made a lot of new friends from bands we have played with over the year and were honored to be able to join them during this amazing week.”



When and where is your NXNE gig? And more importantly, why do you suggest a music fan come and see your show instead of all the other choices available to them at that time?
BON: James: “So were playing at Tattoo Rock Parlour June 12 at 11:30 PM & the Hideout Thursday, June 13 at 1 AM. We can’t force fans to come see us play, but we can promise the ones that do that we will rock out and show NXNE why we deserve to be there. We have come a long way in one year and the most important thing to us is for the crowd to have a good time , rock out and listen to our music that we have worked so hard on.”



What’s it like being on stage? Do you get nervous or are you thriving on the adrenaline (or somewhere in between)?
BON: Tom: “Ya, there is always some nervousness before each show regardless or size we do but it disappears once we start playing and the adrenaline kicks in. I think the nervousness is what keeps us grounded, and not one of those bands with our heads up ou - terry makedon

Our wrap up article from 2012 is here and we are excited to be back in 2013 and to interview more bands to our Emerging Artist Spotlight Series. Today we focus on a band from Newmarket, Canada and their NXNE profile reads:

“Youthful, energetic, make you want to dance sound. A little bit of romance mixed in with some rockin’ solos. Driving bass and drums keep the feet moving.”

Here is what they had to say to us:



Hey Brothers of North, thanks for taking the time out to talk to us. Let’s start off with the obligatory introductions. Who’s in the band and what instrument does everyone rock?
BON: We’re a four piece band. James Connolly is vocals and plays rhythm guitar. Joe Gallo is lead guitar, Petey Barnes plays bass and Tom Mackay bangs away on the drums.

How about the history of the band, when did you get started and how did it happen?
BON: James (vocals & guitar) and Joe (lead guitar) grew up together in Aurora, Ontario and met Tom (drums) and Ed (bass) through mutual friends while in high school about 6 years ago. They decided to form a band after seeing each other at a party in 2012.

After playing through a song James and Joe had written, all four saw there was definitely something to pursue. After getting a show within a month through a friend, they put their noses to the grindstone and created and practiced 10 songs. Four days a week of writing and practicing was a blast and was just what they needed to kick start their great work ethic as a band.

After only a year playing shows in and around Toronto, Ed unfortunately decided to leave the band to pursuit other goals. During this time James, Tom and Joe worked hard on the EP and finding a new bass player. It wasn’t until one lucky day Joe met up with an old friend and found out his older brother had just finished school and had the itch to be in a band again. That older brother was Petey Barnes. Petey was a perfect fit for the band not only for his talents but for his personality and dedication to the band. The band has now never been stronger and rocking even harder then ever.

Who are some of your musical influences?
BON: We all come from different musical backgrounds there are a lot of bands we like and a lot of bands we get our musical influences from.

Tom: “Thats a hard question to answer there are so many bands out there that have inspired me to become a better drummer but some bands that first come to mind are August Burns Red, Texas in July and Animals as Leaders.”

Petey: “Classic Rock, Rock, Metal anything that moves you really, there are so many too choose from! Gotta love bands like Led Zeppelin, Hendrix, Rush, Alexisonfire, Tool… tough question!”

Joe: “We all share similarities of bands we love, I know Kings of Leon is one of them for James and I, if it wasn’t for them I’m not even sure if we would have even wanted to start a band! I love the Beatles though, Abbey Road has to be one of my favorite albums of all time, B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Foo Fighters, Kings of Leon, I could go all day listing musical influences.”

James: “Honestly, every band or artist that has written a song that’s made me go “God I wish I wrote that” is a musical influence to me. If I had to narrow it down to a few, I’d have to say Kings of Leon which is a big one for me, The Tragically Hip, and stuff like Led Zeppelin. But it’s all of us and our different influences that give us a unique sound, because I know Tom is probably influenced by some crazy German metal band called Skull F***, and I know for a fact that Joe has posters of Taylor Swift on his wall.”



Congratulations on being selected to play at North By Northeast, what does the opportunity mean to you?
BON: Joe: “NXNE is huge for us, being only a one-year-old band and already being accepted to NXNE feels like a huge goal we have achieved. We have made a lot of new friends from bands we have played with over the year and were honored to be able to join them during this amazing week.”



When and where is your NXNE gig? And more importantly, why do you suggest a music fan come and see your show instead of all the other choices available to them at that time?
BON: James: “So were playing at Tattoo Rock Parlour June 12 at 11:30 PM & the Hideout Thursday, June 13 at 1 AM. We can’t force fans to come see us play, but we can promise the ones that do that we will rock out and show NXNE why we deserve to be there. We have come a long way in one year and the most important thing to us is for the crowd to have a good time , rock out and listen to our music that we have worked so hard on.”



What’s it like being on stage? Do you get nervous or are you thriving on the adrenaline (or somewhere in between)?
BON: Tom: “Ya, there is always some nervousness before each show regardless or size we do but it disappears once we start playing and the adrenaline kicks in. I think the nervousness is what keeps us grounded, and not one of those bands with our heads up ou - terry makedon

Alright, so this post might be a little biased considering I am good friends with the sister to the drummer of this band (lost yet?) BUT I only post music that is worth listening to, and hell- Brothers of North are definitely worth it. Tom Mackay – (Drums) Ed Elyahky (Bass), Joe Gallo ( Lead Guitar) and James Connolly (Vocals/Guitar ) come together to create the 80's youth infused band Brothers of North, that is based here in Toronto- A Canadian band built on their musical influences and their suburban youth.

Brothers of North are very fresh to the Tornto music scene, but vibrant and hopeful, and I anticipate good things for this group of guys.

Check out their debut single “Good Health” and make sure you stop by the El Mocambo August 9th 12:00am to see these boys melt some hearts and kick some ass
- itsinthelinernotes