Old English

Old English began as a solo project for Matt Henderson but this “accidental band” grew as Henderson “found himself missing the collaborative nature” that he was used to working with. Evolving into a collaboration with 15 other artists – the sound of the Old English will tug at your heartstrings and will remind you of The Stars and even Bran Van 3000.

“We’ve Been Here Before” is the first single off the band’s debut LP, Prose and Kahns, which has an early 2013 release date. You can hear Henderson’s excitement to share in his creation, the upbeat, pop-dance track is infectious and is expertly produced. Layers of beats, mellifluous backing vocals, dreamy synthesizers and horns are all intoxicating; perfectly capturing the story of past lovers rekindling an old flame.

Download the first single below, along with a remix of the same track by Allosaurus – both tracks are well worth your time. Now, all we have to do is wait for the full-length. (Independent) ~4/5 Stars - Stage Door Reviews

Matt Henderson, the man behind the “accidental band” that is Old English, has fairly deep roots with this blog. In fact, he was the first-ever submission that this blog got- so it’s nice to see that he’s still around, and what’s more, branching out.

Henderson put on shows with a guitar, a synth and a loop pedal, but his playing with numerous other musicians turned Old English into a band, one that can apparently feature up to 15 members.

The first LP as Old English, titled Prose and Kahns, will be available in 2013, and the album is sounding pretty good so far based on the first single release, “We’ve Been Here Before.”

What starts sounding like one type of song quickly morphs into something wholly unexpected, a song with so many layers it’s hard to dissect. Henderson has benefited greatly from the extra players and vocalists, and a later part of the song even features some fantastic trumpet player Ben Bowen.

You can grab this song (and a very well-done remix of the song by Allosaurus) from Bandcamp for the unbeatable price of free. - Gray Owl Point

Take a listen to Toronto band Old English’s 1st single “We’ve Been Here Before”. What started out as a solo project for Matt Henderson, turned into a full “accidental band”, as he dearly missed the sacred collaborative process that went into making music. If the unmistakably grand nature of this song is any indication, it was the right call for Matt to get up to 15 friends to help make something truly special. With synths, bells, whistles, horns, and pretty much every other imaginable sound making an appearance, this vast area of land that Old English set themselves to cover, is done with such elegant ease. What an incredible statement on a 1st single.

Look out for a debut LP in early 2013. - Handclap Movement

Ever had one of those days where precisely the right music fell into your ears at the right moment?

I have an ever-growing collection filled with incredible music I enjoy, but sometimes, that music arrives and is “like on arrival” until one day, bam! Connection. Resonance. Other times, it’s like the Music Fairy grins and drops a beat in the inbox. Old English’s new single, “We’ve Been Here Before” falls into that latter category. Lost between the ethers of Autumn fading too quickly for my liking and the uncertainties of Winter ahead, the dreamy rock tune slid neatly into my skull like the missing piece of a jigsaw puzzle found batted beneath the fridge by felines.

Picture it (or hear it, really): the breathy synths of Metric; the playful experimentation of Animal Talk; vestiges of the best of the 80s with a more mature hand at the helm. “We’ve Been Here Before” delivers all of this in one hook-laden package that feels ironically familiar, yet unique all the same. A very good omen of things to come on 2013's upcoming release, Prose and Kahns.

OTM was fortunate enough to grab vocalist/songwriter/’accidental band’ instigator Matt Henderson and guitarist Daniel Halyburton for a Q&A before an upcoming show at Clinton’s (Torontonians, take note and add to calendars here). Find out how precisely an “accidental band” is born, Saskatchewan’s band member thievery, and how amazing a dream-rock country club can be. - Open 'Til Midnight

I was skeptical about this song for the first twenty seconds or so. It's slow to start but what it's really doing is luring you in. Then the beat kicks in and the exceptionally pleasing-to-the-ear vocals start up and you're sunk. It's a 5-minute song and when it ended I was left thinking, "Wait, that's it? I need more of that!" So I've been listening to it on repeat for a few cycles and I'm ready for the rest of the album, for sure. How long will they make me wait? - Mumbles About Music

We’ve Been Here Before is the debut single from Old English, a Canadian project which actually came about by accident. Old English was originally going to be the name for Matt Henderson’s solo project, but years of playing in numerous bands meant that Matt started to miss the collaborative effort in the studio, and soon the people brought in to help contribute to Matt’s years of material ended up becoming full time members.

So now a collaborative band with fifteen members available at hand, Old English is now the result of Matt Henderson’s material shifted and converted into a sound which is bigger, louder, and better. With the amount of detail in We’ve Been Here Before, I can’t wait to hear more from Old English’s upcoming debut album Prose And Kahns, released early next year.

We’ve Been Here Before features a lot of instruments, from guitars to synths to bass to drums to everything made through a computer. As a result the instrumentation is one that’s packed with many layers, each one offering a new beat or riff that compliments the ever changing (much like the lineup, hurrr) sound that overall creates what becomes a very beautiful listen.

The entire track is a highlight but the two moments that stick out to me the most are when the female vocal accompanies the main vocal, it just sounds gorgeous. The other moment was the ending with the trumpet outro and the increased percussion alongside it, it worked surprisingly well and certainly capped off one of the best songs of the year.

Check out We’ve Been Here Before below and the remix by Allosaurus too. Old English’s debut album Prose And Kahns will be released in early 2013. - Elusive Little Comments

Matt Henderson says that Old English could be called an "accidental band". Originally he started work on what was to be his second solo album but it soon blossomed into a collective effort. Judging by the sound of new single 'We've Been Here Before' with its masterful blend of beats, melody and rich arrangements this is a very good thing. The album, 'Prose & Kahns is due early next year. - The Sound of Confusion

Who says there aren't happy accidents Mom! (I’m just kidding Mom if you’re reading this, I know I was hand-made in the USA under ideal conditions, at least that's what I've been led to believe.)

Sorry where was I? Oh right, Old English, self-proclaimed “accidental band” recently released their lead single and it’s a doozy. Opening with spacey-synths, this New-Wave tinted banger quickly builds to a gorgeous, and oh so catchy, crescendo.

Have a listen below to what began as a solo project consisting of a dud and his synth, guitar, and loop pedal, but quickly ballooned into a revolving 15-member band. Oh and be sure to check out the remix by Allosaurus, which just so happens to my most favorite badass dinosaur.

If you like what you hear, head over to bandcamp to score a free download and keep an eye out for the LP Prose and Kahns, which is expected to drop early next year. - Aesthetes Anonymous

So there’s this Toronto act called Old English. Originally began as a solo project by Matt Henderson, the band’s now become almost a collective in nature, with up to fifteen members at times. Their newest single “We’ve Been Here Before” is like a sweet, luscious dessert, sumptuous and savoury, filled with synthesizers, drums, horns, bells, and more. Check it out below. - New Music Michael

Don’t be fooled by the name, this is not your 40oz band. Old English is a Toronto based band that makes some smooth and meaningful music. ”We’ve Been Here Before” is an alternative-electro track that is a bit different than most. The keys, synths, and drums are smooth and not overbearing, which makes the track stand out.

Check the single out below as well as a remix of the track by Allosaurus. Oh, and the tracks below are free for download. So grab some good tunes. - Movements and Nonsense

Following up one of our favourite tracks of the past year – 2011 teaser single release “Lotteries & Tents” – The iM is proud to present the world premiere of “Farmer’s Tan”: the latest single from Toronto synth-heavy rock quartet OLD ENGLISH.

A departure from the lone track dream-pop/shoegaziness that has been permeating the internet thus far, “Farmer’s Tan” ramps things up a notch as a head-bob-inducing bass-heavy rock anthem that’s sure to get you out on the dance floor – check it out in our lovely player below.

No concrete drop date available yet for the debut release from OLD ENGLISH, but with both “Lotteries & Tents” and now “Farmer’s Tan” in the mix, it’s sure to be a quick iM favourite when it finally drops sometime in the next couple months.
- The Indie Machine

Although their debut single came out (according to their Bandcamp page) in early 2011, we’ve just come across Toronto’s Old English in recent weeks. Since that time, we haven’t been able to take Lotteries And Tents off repeat here at The iM. We’re confident you’ll understand why after just one listen below.

The electro-rock 5-piece are currently working on a debut album to be released in early 2012 and as soon as we know more, you’ll be the first to know. For more info on Old English, why not check them out over on Facebook. - The Indie Machine