Everlea
Kingston, Ontario, Canada | INDIE
Music
Press
Who?
Adorable emo-popsters Everlea — Justin Dube (vocals/guitar), Casey Shea (guitar/vocals), James Young (bass/vocals) and Brendan Soares (drums/vocals) — have been kicking up quite the underground fuss courtesy of their 2004 debut EP, Friends Hurt Friends. They're currently hard at work on their first album, due soon.
Sounds like?
"Dirty pop [laughs]. Rock 'n' roll with an aggressive but melodic pop sensibility." (Dube)
Why should I care?
Despite being signed to microscopic indie start-up Christy Ridge, the band still maintains a sizeable cult based largely on MySpace referrals, festival appearances, and good old-fashioned word of mouth. Friends Hurt Friends' anthemic tunes boast an abundance of ringing guitars, soaring choruses and yearbook-quote-worthy lyrics. The charging "Celia's Skin" has more razor-sharp hooks than Bob Izumi's tackle box, and the widescreen rock of "Over This" is tailor-made to make entire stadiums sway. Oh, and the ladies love 'em. Just stand around looking sensitive and tortured at one of their shows and you'll be swimming in phone numbers and friend requests in no time.
Useless trivia
They don't even have a full-length album out yet, but Everlea are already hot property, especially south of the border. Thanks to relentless touring and a few high-profile festival gigs, they've sold more copies of their debut EP in the States than they have in Canada, Europe and Asia combined. No doubt coming soon to a SPIN cover near you.
Check out "Celia's Skin" from Friends Hurt Friends (Christy Ridge, 2004).
- Extreme Music Series
On October 17th at Zaphod's Beeblebrox club in Ottawa, Ontario, I got to chill with Justin Dube (vocals, guitar) and Casey Shea (guitar, vocals) of the rock band Everlea. Their combination of catchy melody and indie rock is something not to be missed. These guys are super chill, so much in fact that when I asked to do an interview on the spot, they were down. Their Self-Titled album has been released through Glassnotes Records this past September and is causing a stir.
The best way to describe their music is: the feeling you get at 3 o'clock in the morning when you're driving you girlfriend home after a party and she's leaning on your shoulder the whole drive home. There's a sense of hope and tragedy about their music that is the reason I started listening (and the reason I keep on listening) to their music.
I don't understand why everyone doesn't know this band? They are just so talented and bring life to a somewhat dead genre. Just writing this makes me want to pop in their CD, and you know what... that's exactly what I'm going to do, and i suggest you do the same.
- Matt Murphy
POP ROCK: It is truly hard to classify Everlea. "Slipshod and Worse for Wear (Take Me Home)"features layer after layer of vocal harmony atop a folksy acoustic guitar. The very next solection, "Changes the Sex" is a much more standard pop rock affair, with singer Justin Dube's voice frequently drifting into a clear, airy falsetto. If anything, Dube's pipes are the main common thread between songs - most of them clock between three and four minutes, but they get there using everything from the most basic, radio playable formulas ("Cigarettes") to the quirkiest ideas imaginable ("Love Is a Trick"). What's amazing is that the record never loses its accessibility, no matter what weird instruments or atmospheres it may drift into. And even if the odd moments were to lose some listeners, there's always a regular old pop song around the corner. For example, the clasical acoustic guitars of "I Get Lost" soon gives way to the electified "Apromise We Don't Make Is a Promise WE Won't Break". The bizarre techno drums of "Pianette" turn into "The Way You Hate Me", a standard acoustic ballad with interesting lyrics. Everlea is the kind of band that can break into the mainstream, but also push it a bit - Exactly what modern music needs. - Robert VerBruggen
Everlea also comes from Kingston, Ontario, where they have been getting a great reputation as one of the area's most promising bands.
At IndieWeek Toronto 2005, Everlea was selected as best nonlocal band. And with good reason; these guys are tight. They've got the catchy hook down to a science, and they do it in a totally nontrite way, which is hard. - The Vault, Harrisburg PA
Listening to their 2004 EP, Friends Hurt Friends, there isn't much that could stop Everlea from breaking out, even to the extent of Sum 41 or A Simple Plan. - The Kingston Whig-Standard
This band had a surprising groove sound. Not like, funk, not like soul, just good solid music you can tap your foot to. That's the sound dreams are made of.
- truth.explosion.magazine
Discography
Friends Hurt Friends — Christy Ridge Records (2004)
EVERLEA - Glassnote Entertainment Group
(2008)
In Bedrooms and Basements - Christy Ridge Records (2010)
Photos
Bio
Formed in Kingston, Ontario by four High School friends, Everlea spent a few years developing their infectious sound, harnessing the power of their live show and gathering experiences that would make up the bulk of their material. Originally called Saucepan Heroes, "an unfortunate title" as they reminisce about it today, they lost the name, but kept the melodic sensibilities and heart-felt lyrics that have become a staple of lead singer Justin Dubé's writing style. "Each song starts as an idea," says Dubé, "then once I am excited about a certain part of it, I take it to demo in my basement, building the song structure around a drum machine before introducing it to the band." The band then learns the song together, morphing it into a textured three minute, cohesive piece.
Their first release came in 2004, the short playing EP "Friends Hurt Friends." The lyrical content is what would be expected from a young, genuine band that wears their hearts on their sleeves; honest, relatable tales of youthful innocence and heartbreak, the changes we all have to go through growing up. Combined with a live show that leverages the passionate vocal hooks of lead singer/rhythm guitarist Justin Dubé, the kinetic energy of lead guitarist Casey Shea, and the hard hitting fills from drummer Brendan Soares, you have a one-two punch that propelled the band to the forefront of Ontario's independent music scene.
High profile gigs at the 10th Anniversary S.C.E.N.E. Festival and Bedlam Society's 4-Year Anniversary Party helped them gain attention and exposure from media outlets including Boston-based music community PureVolume, Canadian college radio, and CIKR K-ROCK 105.7, which chose "Over This" as one of the "Best 105 Rock Songs of 2005." It was inevitable that showcases and awards from the region's best would follow; "Best Non-Local Band" Indie Week Toronto 2005, "National Pick" M.E.A.N.Y. Fest 2005, showcases at NXNE 2006, and the 10th Annual Millennium Music Conference 2006.
With the arrival of 2007 came a 16 track, self-titled release and a proud return to New York City's M.E.A.N.Y. Festival where they caught the eyes and ears of Glassnote Entertainment Group's A&R Executive, Diane Passage. They were signed to the newly founded independent record label soon thereafter, impressing all with their material, live show, and obsessive work ethic. A few months later they headed south to the blossoming music scene in Baltimore, Maryland to record their Glassnote/RED/Universal Distribution debut with producer Brian McTiernan (Thrice, Moneen, Senses Fail). Due out later this year, the album combines reissued material with new songs inspired by the band's crazy journey towards realizing what has been a life-long dream.
www.myspace.com/everlea
www.everlea.com
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