metheus Bound

Here's out next interview, with Toronto's metheus Bound. Mix up some punk, funk, blues, and jazz and you'll have some idea of what mB brings to bear. The sound drifts between all those genres but always has a consistent feel. James Everett's smooth voice floats over light guitar riffs and funky but subtle basslines. Definitely worth checking out their latest release, Stirring the Insides. In the meantime, read our interview below!

Members/Instruments:

James Everett – Guitar/Voice
Ryan Boiselle – Guitar
Ben Miller – Bass
Chino DeVilla - Drums

Year Formed: 2006


1. Past: What is your musical background? What has led you to this point?

We were all students of Humber College’s jazz program. Ben, Ryan and myself have known each since day one and were great friends all through school. Though we all really enjoyed playing jazz it was the exposure to other music (world, fusion, funk) that really got us all excited. We came together around the music I write, but it still felt like it belonged to all of us in a sense. Everyone brings a lot to say musically through this band. Chino joined later and when we first played with him it was an instant “YES! Keep him”. He was the perfect last piece to the puzzle.

2. Present: Where are you at now in your career? What are you currently working on?

We’re now in a place where we’ve come together musically, are developing rapidly that way, and now are trying to pull our business sense along with us. Meeting with publicists and talking to other artists. We have some of our music in talks to be synced and are playing gigs trying to promote the album we released a few months ago (“Stirring the Insides” 2008). The big thing for us now that we have that bulk of work out and available is to continue to hit the fans with small packets of quality. We have an EP in the works and some videos we’ve been cooking up for ye ole YouTube.

3. Future: What’s coming up for you? Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

In 5 years we will have been touring and releasing more music. The audience for us is harder to build and reach, but they are loyal to the end and will hopefully stay with us for a lifetime. We’re not interested in huge explosive entrances because they usually equate to quick fizzle outs. We’re staying away from the big labels and trying to make a real “fan” base, not an “oh my god, I love that song!” base. Not that a big label is necessarily bad, but if it’s between being nobodies with a choice about what we do and somebodies without, we’re content to be nobodies. This isn’t reflective of a lack of ambition; we just won’t compromise the music. We are ridiculously excited when we hear about fans getting into the music and we are seriously invested in connecting with these people and growing them in numbers.

4. Where can people find more of your music?

Right now the album is on iTunes and CD Baby or you can listen to songs off it on our site (metheusbound.ca), our Myspace (myspace.com/metheusbound), or at Sonicbids (sonicbids.com/metheusbound). All our sites have one or two tracks different from each other, so you can actually hear quite a bit of us. We’re going to be posting new songs up on YouTube very soon so try searching metheus Bound next time you’re on it and you may catch a clip or two!

5. Anything you’d like to plug?

We’re doing a show on February 21st with a great band called Oceanship at Holy Joe’s in Toronto. Otherwise just keep your eyes to the site to see what’s coming up. We sell the album for $10 at shows, so that’s another perk of checking it us out. - twogroove.blogspot.com

metheus Bound releases their debut "Stirring the Insides"

"We play ALL styles, we don't have a genre" is probably one of the most common misconceptions bands have about themselves that ruins their opportunity at effective marketing. The fact is, usually a band DOES have a niche market, and by all means it pays to play to that audience A bands idea of them playing every genre usually just means sometimes they play fast, and sometimes the play slow: sometimes they tune to drop D, and sometimes they don't.

I was never told this about this album when it came in the mail. In fact it seemed like the group, metheus Bound (pronounced mee-thee-us, I know, I didn't get it either), had a fair idea of the people they were trying to reach. The package was good, the album looked good, and at 15 tracks I figure these guys are in it for the win (even if their name is kind of whack). But what I didn't expect was myself quoting that very phrase after my first listen through.

I mean not to cast shadow on the other virtues of the album (their debut, released as "Stirring the Insides"), but this record truly does borrow from all kinds of music, often times with a verifiable note of authenticity. I'm hearing heavy rock (reminiscent likely of songwriter James Everett's teenage years in the 90's), reggae (in probably something closer to a Bedouin Soundclash or Matisyahu format than true Marley style, but still tasty), samba (and in this they actually did bring in a latin percussionist), hip hop and some straight up furious funk (where Everett actually dubs the slab bass part). This would be enough on its own but it's all under-toned by their very own brand of what I will inadequately label 'indie-rock'. You would think a mishmash of this sort would be all-together incoherent, but there's actually a very comforting line of thought that seems to connect it all. It sounds like it all belongs in one place, and more importantly, isn't superfluous but backed by strong song writing by the whole group.

The tracks themselves leave memorable moments with a few pacing issues. To nit-pick I'll point out that the order, while connecting the songs to each other well probably could have come off a little stronger. WHATS BEEN DONE doesn't quite feel like a first track, and probably would have had more affect being put out after we had come to know metheus Bound a little better. ALL IN YOU however (the 'reggae' one) feels right at home anywhere and due to its easy repeatability might have made a stronger contender for front-line. That being said there is a consciousness to the order and around half way through a listen you start to feel like you're listening to a friend sharing the wider troubles of the world. All the tunes strike a note of honesty, and with content spanning from love and loss (the classic music motif) to religion, conformity and complacency you really feel after a few listens that you're slowly starting to understand this album, and in a way, these musicians better.

I guess what I like best about this album is just that. It's like a movie you really liked the first time, and yet every time you watch it you find something new you didn't notice any time before. Maybe those relationships we have with media are special because they're so akin to relationships with people. In that instance this album couldn't have a more perfect name for that analogy, "Stirring the Insides".

Though unlike my usual reviewing style, I've spent little time focusing on specific tracks here because since beginning to write on this album I've passed it off to a few friends and asked their thoughts. Oddly not ONE person had the same favourite song as another. This may be a unique occurrence in that it's one of the first time's I've reviewed a record I'd say had 'something for everyone'. In fact, I'm not sure I can decide a favourite myself but rather accept the album as a whole as a part of my new favourites collection.

As a debut release this is in my opinion an extremely strong foot in the door, especially given it was entirely self-produced. I truly look forward to watching the progress of this group and will be glad to be one of the few who got on the train early. You know, so later on I can do the whole "I told you so". It's petty, but what else are you left with when you spend all your time reviewing indie releases?
Anyhay, this is DG, over and out.

Don Gerald


Music - 8
Lyrics - 8.5
See them in the future? 9 (I hope)


H.M. - Aug 29th, 2008 - Haden Music

Metheus Bound – Stirring The Insides
2008
http://wildysworld.blogspot.com/

Toronto Indie Rock quartet Metheus Bound bring social conscience and an intellectual approach to songwriting to both stage and studio, as evidence by their debut album, 2008’s Stirring The Insides. With a title inspired by Zeus’ punishment of Prometheus for showing man how to use fire, Metheus Bound has more than a little to say about the power that the political and economic elite use against everyday people, and the power of art to hold back the night, as it were. Combine these high ideals with a melodic style drawing on influences from Jazz to Funk to Rock to lyric balladry, Metheus Bound will make you stop and listen.

Vocalist James Everett has a bit of crooner in his soul, and Metheus Bound has a highly refined, smooth jazz sound. Stirring The Insides opens with What’s Been Done, a vaguely funky jazz fusion piece at home in the late-1970s. Capture is melodic and smooth with a great vocal/harmony mix. Think For Yourself is very well written musically, but shows the ultimate paradox of political correctness, berating those who have chosen a philosophical, religious or political system based on consideration of positions for not thinking for themselves. Metheus Bound pulls in some great Chicago-style horns on songs like Stir and Life.

Jilt is one of my two favorite songs on the disc; sounding a bit like early Paul Simon stylistically. There’s a real minimalist bent here, and it marks a very human turn on the CD. Jilt is the ninth track on Stirring The Insides. Up until that point there is this highly smooth, jazz feel throughout the disc that is so slick and highly produced that it loses its human element. Jilt is a major turning point. Compassion For Pride is another benchmark song. This wonderfully dark and textured ballad with minimalist arrangement is the best song on the disc. Other highlights include Prince Afka, Ronda’s Turkish Prison and Stef’s Song.

Metheus Bound is very slick and professional on the jazz fusion material, but when James Everett breaks things down and lets his inner singer/songwriter come out the results are fabulous. The two sides battle for prominence on Stirring The Insides, with the fusion side having a highly marketable sound but lacking a real human element, whereas the singer/songwriter material is much more compelling. Stirring The Insides is an interesting listen. - Wildy's World