Low Level Flight

There’s something oddly appealing about Low Level Flight. I’m not sure whether it’s the way they manage to create a palatable brand of stadium pop-rock, or the way they can write a soothing yet uplifting hook, and take it into the atmosphere with keening guitars and energetic backing vocals.



‘Cash Machine’ is almost deceptive in its streetwise indie-rock lyricism, although the intro is a dreamy affair that ties the song into the album nicely. Here, the vocals are much more downcast and lower in pitch than in other songs, and the drumming is much more forwards in the mix, however the treble-strong guitar and almost ethereal yet sing-along backing vocals stop this from getting too hard and rocky. You’d think that ‘Exit’ would be a slice of poppy post-punk to put them up there with Interpol, in its dark and dense, cymbal heavy mood, and the downcast chorus. An instrumental section with tense reverberating guitars and heavy piano chords add to this, but there’s once again a pop atmosphere throughout, and the follower ‘Raining Castles’ is more 80s era U2 than anything else. Still very much a monochrome mood here, but the guitar riffs are much more minimal and melodic than before with lilting, almost singalong tones, and the chorus and the tremolo buildup just cries out for a stadium audience and a shimmering lightshow.

By the time we hit ‘Quiet Rage’, Low Level Flight are firmly entrenched in morose yet accessible pop. Personally, I prefer this side of them, similar to the first two tracks in its brooding Interpol style, with solid rhythms and crystalline yet weighty mixing rather than their more Coldplay/Edge moments. So this and its dark follower ‘Bloody Knuckles’ are definitely on my better side, although the lyrics of the latter put me on edge despite the great instrumentation that caps pretty much everything else on the album. ‘Tsk Tsk’ is hard on its heels in many respects, with a much stronger energy, but doesn’t feel quite as crafted, although of all the tracks, it’s this one with its fiery chorus (where the band finally let loose) that I would probably most like to see live. So the tedious sub-Springsteen via Snow Patrol balladry of ‘Brooklyn Radio’ is a real letdown, with cloying lyrics and an instrumental side that borders on soporific.

‘Your Name Here’ is an odd hybrid of the previous Interpol with a semi-acoustic twang and poppy eloquence in the lyrics that bring to mind Saves The Day, albeit with an unnecessary “woah-oh-oh” moment after the chorus that undermines the moments of quality. ‘Cast Diversion’ is much better, with an almost New Order feel to it in the bassy drive and added energy. ‘Floor’ has a superb opening riff, let down by a sub-par indie rock style skank rhythm.

To finish, the melancholy stadium rock returns with title track ‘Through These Walls’. A heartfelt vocal delivery, backed up with atmospheric guitar and hauntingly immense percussion, ensures that the attention that waned in the past couple of songs returns for one last stretch, and there is a sense of gratification in the slow-burn buildups, albeit one hampered by the trite pre-chorus that never quite gets going, and so delays the chorus a bit. However, it does no doubt save the album from fizzling out.



If you like Interpol, White Lies and Chapel Club, I would hazard a guess at saying you’d find appeal in ‘Through These Walls’. Low Level Flight have here a phantom pop rock that holds large potential. - AAA Music UK

There is a refreshing air of ‘Lack of Bullshit’ about these Toronto based lads and this album – produced by Gus Van Go – powers along with some really keenly crafted power-pop/Indie/rock.

‘Cash Machine’ has a jaunty bounce to it and fine guitars and tears along at lightspeed in the break while ‘Quiet Rage’ has the rhythmic intensity to carry a festival crowd to paroxysms of delight.
‘Bloody Knuckles’ carries the melody through well and there is a brooding side to ‘Your Name Here’ that that darkens and intensifies the band’s tone.

They are, to an extent, in Muse/Coldplay/Athlete territory here but there is enough individual talent and songwriting ability to set them apart somewhat , especially with a number like ‘Brooklyn Radio’ or the captivating ‘Floor’.

Very well worth checking out. - "Music-News.com UK"

It’s been a while since we’ve heard from Low Level Flight, who have flown fairly under the radar since the release of their debut album ‘Urgency’ in 2007, so it’s fair to say that big things were expected from their eagerly anticipated sophomore album. Already armed with two top 40 singles and an ever-growing base of admirers, Low Level Flight’s next helping, ‘Through These Walls’, looks set to add more fans to their collection, with catchy indie-pop melodies that ooze with sass and confidence.

‘Cash Machine’ is the perfect opening and defines the fun and quirky tone of the whole album, and don’t be surprised if instant sing-a-longs ‘Exit’ (which is available to download for free on the band’s website – result!) and ‘Tsk Tsk’ are on repeat all day.

Okay, maybe it’s not quite the breakthrough masterpiece we’d hoped for, but Low Level Flight have definitely set the bar high for their next serving. At times it’s is a bit generic, and sure, a few of the songs sound a little like they’ve been thrown in just to pad the album out a bit, but the good tracks undeniably make up for the mediocre.

7/10

Standout tracks: Exit, Cash Machine, Raining Castles.

For fans of: We Are Scientists, The Courteeners, White Lies - "Bring The Noise UK"

Most musicians debase their art. Realizing it or not, they forget that the essence of great music stems from being honest to one person: themselves. Bastardizing their sound in an effort to appeal, garner attention of fit in, they demean the one thing that defines them.

Toronto-based quartet Low Level Flight (LLF) aren't about to pander to anyone. With eyes solidly set on reaching their destiny through sincerity and fortitude, they've seen what's behind the facade. And wisely turned their backs.

Since 2006, this band of hook-laden independent rockers have been carving a fresh path thanks to a common vision, an inimitable sound and some fiendishly fetching music. It's an accomplishment highlighted by their latest work, sophomore opus Through These Walls (Brave Rekords).

Initially conceived by Malcolm as a means of moving beyond the solo material and world of facetious pop he had grown distasteful of, LLF's debut effort Urgency (2007) found him pairing up with like-minded visionaries in Carter, Rooke, Merenick and original bassist Shaun Noronha. Eventually bringing Emeny into the fold after Noronha moved on to a quiet family life, Low Level Flight was primed for the melodic fight.

“I wanted something that sat better with me,” Malcolm notes about his venture into a more collaborative medium. “We're working together; feeding off of one another. We have sincerity, be it with messages in our lyrics, the images we use to represent ourselves or the sounds we deliver. Every bit of this band is real.”

A bountifully enticing affair, Urgency saw Low Level Flight amalgamate primary influences such as the lilting, atmospheric flare of Interpol and Muse's almost symphonic indie rock delivery into an entirely unique overture. Ravenously embraced, the album garnered no less than three Top 10 videos and two Top 40 singles whilst bringing their music across the United States, Canada and even an extensive tour of India.

Signing on with the country's revered Time Music, in conjunction with Bombay Rock Association and via sponsors including Rolling Stone India, Jim Beam, Hard Rock Cafe and the Canadian government, LLF brought their peerless sound to the likes of Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore and Delhi, an experience Malcolm and crew revel in.

“It was incredible,” he exults. “Seeing how a country so different from your own can be so excited for the music you've created is amazing. During our tour of India, we also saw our first single/video hit Number One on MTV, while breaking attendance records at multiple Hard Rock Cafe venues was a shock.”

Still, as Urgency was composed by Malcolm almost entirely before the band's lineup was solidified, the quintet was clearly keen to pursue a more collective—and therefore unified—voice/work.

The results of those efforts are immediately evident on Through These Walls, a virulent display of cohesiveness, stability, resounding rhythms and anthemic prowess. Penned in their rehearsal hall over the course of two years, the band worked diligently at ensuring their innate ability to commingle brawny ability with captivating harmonies and melodies isn't just represented on Through These Walls. It's epitomized.

“Writing comes for us rather quickly because we all bring our own sound to the table and it's incredibly complimentary,” Malcolm notes sincerely. “Urgency was great but I felt there could have been a more pointed direction. Some songs were heavy, some were melodic and others were dance rock. It's tricky but it did offer us cool and unique stance. Through These Walls has a more persevering sound because its influences are streamlining through the members of the band.”

“It's not like we have hard feelings about our past but this is a new band,” beams Merenick, confident about LLF's growing fortitude. “We've evolved into this fresh sound that we're proud of. The last album was great but Through These Walls is new in so many ways. It's definitely a new chapter in the band. We've evolved for the better. From the continuous sound—like a band, not professionally-written pop/rock—through to the actual performances on record, the feeling is organic; genuine.”

Tapping the expertise of revered producer Gus Van Go (The Still, Priestess, The Trews) in order to document Through These Walls ensured LLF's purest vision was captured only after it was nurtured and provoked. Utilizing his wealth of experience and a devout interest in creating the best possible songs, Van Go brought out unheralded creativity from the band while also offering unique perspectives on overall approach.

At that, Through These Walls is striking onslaught of honed vision, unadulterated precision and—most importantly—guileless relation. Melding personal experience with insightful learnings, everything from the occasional interpersonal, philosophical musing to hard sagas are relayed on this divinely direct affair. Refusing to rest on the laurels of typicality, tracks including cold war-influenced “Quiet Rage” and “Exit” (documenting how starving countries have been eschewed/ignored by more powerful nations) ensure Through These Walls is impacting, powerful and compelling.

“We're not happy-go-lucky songwriters,” Malcolm maintains. “We're not gonna lie to you with, 'baby baby' songs. People may try to put things out of sight and mind but we won't let you get away with it. The title track is about a written by an inmate on Death Row for that matter. It's unnerving but it's real life.”

Fundamentally, while Urgency established Low Level Flight, thanks to allied—and vested—interest, Through These Walls exudes deeper passion and cemented ingenuity; a tighter unit and greater drive live. It proclaims LLF as an enduring, dedicated band thriving from their musical lifeblood. Moreover, it affirms their dominance, independence and stability via fortitude, dedication and relentlessly fetching tunes.

“As much as we like to survive—eat and pay rent—there's nothing like seeing someone connect with your music live,” Malcolm concludes. “That's what makes it all worthwhile. Respect is like a massive boulder you have gain parts of. We're chipping away at it, gaining more and more with our performances and songwriting. Through These Walls is what's gonna give us our biggest piece of that rock.” - Mateo Magazine

Forget the irony of the inaugural Canadian Idol winner forming a band, songwriter/performer Ryan Malcolm is allowing to stay true to his musical vision. We wouldn’t expect anything less. Delivering a killer package of euphoric alt-rock anthems, spirited energy, and post-punk rhythms, fronted by a vocalist of undeniable star quality giving it his all (mooning the crowd included) A sound that’s dynamic and intoxicatingly tuneful.

http://lonelyvagabond.com/wpmu/2009/12/10/low-level-flight-supermarket/

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Other Lonely Vanabond post:

on LLF MySpace profile (http://www.myspace.com/lowlevelflight) - 10 Dec 2009 12:36

That was a great set at the Supermarket. Ryan Malcolm and Low Level Flight are allowing to stay true to themselves. We wouldn’t expect anything less. Delivering a killer package of euphoric alt-rock anthems, spirited energy, and post-punk rhythms, led by a vocalist of undeniable star quality giving it his all. Dynamic and intoxicatingly tuneful.

- Lonely Vagabond (Exclaim!)

Local unit Low Level Flight assumed the unenviable position of warming up the hardcore roomful of fanatical PFM aficionados with their mellow brand of indie pop but - thanks to the energetic persistence and dynamic vocals of front-man Ryan Malcolm, they more than survived.

http://exclaim.ca/musicreviews/generalreview.aspx?csid1=128&csid2=33&fid1=35229 - By: Eric Thom, Exclaim!

It's obvious that Low Level Flight has been spending some good time writing new songs because the set they played was weighted heavily with new material. Whenever they played a song from their debut album Urgency, a large portion of the crowd could be heard singing along, but for me it was the new songs that really stood out. They were a little heavier rock, with more guitar hooks, and (at least, from what I heard) better vocal melodies. Typically songs get better as bands perform them over time, so if this was the first outing of some of these songs, it sounds like their next album will be a significant step forward.

http://www.petenema.com/article.php/low_level_flight-0901 - Pete Nema

A former Canadian Idol winner fronting a canon of catchy hooks, surging rhythms, and arena-ready riffs, like a well-oiled rock machine rising with intensity. The driving force is Ryan Malcolm, equally dynamic and charming, carving a niche of his own as a magnetic stage presence. With just the right dose of pop sensibility and Brit-inflected swagger, the high-energy of their live-show will bring the audience along for the ride.

http://lonelyvagabond.com/wpmu/2009/01/30/low-level-flight-tattoo-rock-parlour/ - Lonely Vagabond (Exclaim!)

Low Level Flight
By Gary Steele

Blender catches up with Ryan Malcolm, front man of Canadian Indie band – Low Level Flight.

Read on as Ryan spills the beans on Low Level Flight,
their new record Urgency as well as himself...
Published on Jun 29, 2009


Blender catches up with Ryan Malcolm, front man of Canadian Indie band –
Low Level Flight. Read on as Ryan spills the beans on Low Level Flight,
their new record Urgency as well as himself...

Blender: Tell us about the making of this new record called Urgency. What were
some of the themes that were kept in mind for exploring purposes?
Ryan: The new record, is much heavier than the first. We have been writing for
almost a year while touring so we have grown not only as a band but as artists.
The themes for the music are dark.

Blender: Who would you guys love to perform or record with, past or present?
Ryan: There are so many bands we respect and love. To name a few,
Muse, Coldplay, Bloc Party, Nirvana.

Blender: Who are the best bands that Low Level Flight has toured with so far and
why?
Ryan: The best bands we have toured with, would have to be Finger
11, Bon Jovi and Sam Roberts

Blender: What have the last couple of months been like for you guys?
Ryan: The last couple months have been insane, with all the travelling, festivals
and recording...it has been the best part of my career to date.

Blender: After so many gigs, studio sessions and songwriting binges, how
has Low Level Flight changed as musicians?
Ryan: We have not changed as musicians, but we have become more focused as
artists.

Blender: To date, what is Low Level Flight's proudest accomplishment both on
and off stage?
Ryan: Proudest moment – would be having our first show and release in India.
Proudest moment off stage would for me be Playing Juhu Beach in an impromptu
show.

Blender: Do you get bombarded on the streets by fans or if not fans then old
people?
Ryan: People come up to us yes, old and young (Laughs)

Blender: I remember you guys whining about no great sex in India (correct me if
I'm wrong), but Is Low Level Flight's life a whirl of sex and drugs and rock & roll?
Ryan: (Laughs) no we are not into drugs or the typical Rock &Roll lifestyle. I'm
not sure who complained (laughs)....But the women we met in India we amazing,
classy and gorgeous.

Blender: If Low Level Flight is not on stage or in the studios, then what is means
of Chilling out?
Ryan: Chilling out for us would be grabbing a case of beer, and sitting on a patio
doing absolutely nothing. Phones off etc

Blender: Is there anything Low Level Flight would like to say to all the Low Level
Flight loyalists all over the world?
Ryan: We just want to say, to all of our new and old fans...Thank you so much for
your support and we will see you in a city or town or village near you soon! - Blender (India)

Canadian Dreams

Pallavi Jassi Posted: Apr 09, 2009 at 0225 hrs

A Canadian rock band, Low Level Flight, is on a trip across India, mixing their original songs with covers like Sex on
fire by Kings of Leon. After performing in Mumbai, Pune and Bangalore, as part of Jim Beam tour, they were at the
city’s F Bar on Sunday. “The crowd is not familiar with our music here which is why we put in some covers,” says the
vocalist Ryan Malcolm.
Formed three years ago, the band even opened for the ever popular Bon Jovi last year. Although their musical
influences include bands like Coldplay and a lot of European rock, Bollywood too seems to have made an impact.

“Bollywood is awesome, specially all that dancing,” says the guitarist James Rooke, who along with other members is
working on a Bollywood theme for one of their videos. “We are looking at collaborating with an Indian pop artist and
having some Hindi vocals blend with our song. We will also have some typical Bollywood dance in it and maybe a
Shah Rukh Khan cameo too,” says a hopeful Rooke. Well, Bollywood is all about dreams. - ExpressIndia.com