Paper Lions

Canada is consistently full of surprises. My favorite band of the twelve years (Arcade Fire) hails from Montreal. Drake has been repping the Toronto hip-hop scene for a decade now. Grimes (Vancouver) is totally changing the way we look at avant-pop in the 2010s. And considering You Forgot It In People is one of my fave records ever, you know we have love at Baeble for the (potentially permanently) on hiatus Broken Social Scene. And now Canada has another new export that you need to know immediately, Paper Lions.

With a little Passion Pit, a little Walk the Moon, and a hell of a lot of energy, Paper Lions are bringing exuberant dance pop straight from the Great White North. The Prince Edward Island natives just dropped their latest music video, "Believer," and it's as solid an introduction as these upcoming pop-rockers could ask for from an American audience who maybe hasn't been exposed to their tunes yet. And if you can watch this video without wanting to be in that crowd dancing to those slinky beats, you're missing out.

Paper Lions are going to have more tunes dropping in the weeks ahead in advance of their new record, Full Colour, which is due out sometime this Spring. And if the tunes keep up this level of quality, they're going to stay on our radar as a young pop act to watch and you can guarantee we'll put them on yours. - Baeble Music

Canada’s impeccably talented indie pop quintet, Paper Lions, return to the music scene with their latest album, Full Colour – a rousing and sentimental musical endeavor that fuses ‘80s pop trademarks with compelling sonic textures influenced by their gorgeous hometown of Charlottetowne, Prince Edward Island, Canada.

One of the key elements of the group’s musical armament appear in the form of distinct and subtle soundscapes layered throughout, paired with catchy melodies and driving percussive rhythms. These breathtaking instances often evolve from the clutches of silence into musical soliloquies enhanced by the band’s musical chemistry and lyrical prowess, yet imbued with a confidence that fills these spaces with undeniable charm and energy.


Among them, “Best Out of You” and “End of July” encapsulate the musical mantra of the band’s new album: wistful aspirations packaged alongside arena-ready tunes teeming with power, but also focusing on the conclusion of one stage in life to make room for another. A key example of which finds itself in full force within the opening forty-five seconds of “Best Out of You” – a mesmerizing bloom of summer-tinged synesthesia that accompanies the listener through lithe guitar figures as they learn “that an ending is near.”

The foreboding statement presents a moment of tension before the music kicks into full swing, with a simple backbeat from the drum set and the beautiful guitar lines providing a steady emotional foundation as words and phrases alternate between all-too-relatable inquiries relevant to the risks associated with love (“Can we be lovers without the wire?”), as well as the internal longing for when “we were younger and full of fire.” The past often looks appealing in hindsight, but also deviates focus from the present.

Which is exactly why the “End of July” feels and sounds like a suitable companion piece to the sobering and emotional content of “Best Out of You.” Both tracks focus on the concept of waiting and harboring desires that will not come to pass, but for the “End of July” the band tangles the listener in harrowing hypotheticals (“If you ever come back/Ever come back to me/Will you come back to me?”), drowning within the somber reverb of shifting piano chords, and boldly closes off with a moody saxophone solo that rivals that of the uptempo sax jam of m83’s “Midnight City” – standing on its own two feet with pride and zeal.

Rarely do indie pop and rock combine in such a seamless manner and still manage to strike an emotional and rhythmic chord in a way that feels refreshing and invigorating, so do yourself favor and immerse yourself in the brilliant musical spectrum of Paper Lions’ masterful ability to charm your heart and your ears simultaneously. - When The Gramophone Rings

Canadian indie rockers Paper Lions have been on a hot streak of late. Last year the band’s 2007 video for “Travelling” suddenly went massively viral and it has opened all kinds of doors for Paper Lions. They now stand poised for a huge mainstream breakthrough and they are most definitely ready as their new set of songs from Full Colour, releasing this April, is jam packed with arena-sized pop nuggets that could easily see some major chart success. Perfectly fittingly, Paper Lions titles their new single “Believer” and fills the tune with soaring harmonies declaring that they “want to believe”. So do we because we still need our pop heroes.

Paper Lions tells PopMatters that “‘Believer’ is the beginning of something new for our band. We knew from the early stages of writing this album that we wanted to communicate something bigger with our music and make a bolder statement than we had in the past. It wasn’t until after writing ‘Believer’ that we felt like we were maybe onto something different. This song helped guide the vision for the entire album. We also wanted to make music that would not only be exciting to listen to, but also exciting to perform and experience live. I think that’s what the music video really helps to capture. A brighter version of who the band has always been.” - PopMatters

Canada’s catchiest indie electronic band, Paper Lions, has just released the latest single off of their upcoming full-length album, titled Full Colour. Boasting a wide array of sonic pleasures, the single titled My Number, is due to put Canadian indie rock / electronic on the map.

Hailing from the small city of Charlottetown, PEI, the group has been making waves in the north American indie community. The new single is no exception to their A1 song writing ability, and I have a feeling that the best is yet to come! Take a listen below, and don’t forget to grab that free download for the car. - Salacious Sound

FRIDAY - The Little Red Umbrella is pretty obsessed with Paper Lions. They're one of the very first names we search for in any festival program — and they were first band mentioned in our emails to each other when their name popped up on the schedule for NXNE 2012. Whether the catchy PEI indie rockers are live in Bellwoods, or just near there, or in a sweaty club, Paper Lions have a subtle intensity and charismatic presence.

So, naturally we couldn’t miss them playing the Young Lions Music Club showcase at the El Mocambo. And with an energetic midnight set, they showed us once again they're one of our favourite acts to see live. - The Little Red Umbrella

FRIDAY - The Little Red Umbrella is pretty obsessed with Paper Lions. They're one of the very first names we search for in any festival program — and they were first band mentioned in our emails to each other when their name popped up on the schedule for NXNE 2012. Whether the catchy PEI indie rockers are live in Bellwoods, or just near there, or in a sweaty club, Paper Lions have a subtle intensity and charismatic presence.

So, naturally we couldn’t miss them playing the Young Lions Music Club showcase at the El Mocambo. And with an energetic midnight set, they showed us once again they're one of our favourite acts to see live. - The Little Red Umbrella

These are tough times for bands and record labels alike, and you don't need some industry expert to tell you that album sales aren't nearly as profitable as they once were. Despite the decline, Prince Edward Island pop rockers Paper Lions are evidently a little baffled that they haven't received any money from their label for their 2010 EP Trophies.

The album was released through MB3 Records (the record label division of the management/publicity company the MuseBox) and distributed through EMI.

In a post on Paper Lions'official website, they write, "We have yet to see a paycheque for a single record sold by them. If you bought our record on Amazon or iTunes, or even at a record store, we didn't get that money. We don't know why. We don't know if it's being held somewhere, or if it's been spent.

"We asked ourselves, what do we do now? Hire a lawyer? That would cost a lot of money and take a lot of time. Ultimately, we just want people to hear the music. And in reality, this experience has given us an excuse to do something we've wanted to do for a long time."

"So we've decided to give Trophies away in exchange for your email address. And we feel pretty good about it."

So yes, the band have opted to give the record away for free, since they own the masters. You can download it from the widget embedded below.

Confusingly, the Paper Lions' original post didn't single out the label by name, and our original review of the album listed the label as Common Law Records. In a post on Reddit, the band clarified that Common Law Records was simply a bank account created for tax purposes (to keep performance income and record sales separate), and that that the label was indeed MB3.

However, this story has a happy ending, since Paper Lions revealed that the MuseBox has now contacted them and that the band will get any money that they're owed. The confusion reportedly stemmed from staff changeover and the closure of the label's Canadian offices.

Paper Lions' upcoming tour schedule is below, and the Trophies
download is at the bottom of the page. - Exclaim.ca

These are tough times for bands and record labels alike, and you don't need some industry expert to tell you that album sales aren't nearly as profitable as they once were. Despite the decline, Prince Edward Island pop rockers Paper Lions are evidently a little baffled that they haven't received any money from their label for their 2010 EP Trophies.

The album was released through MB3 Records (the record label division of the management/publicity company the MuseBox) and distributed through EMI.

In a post on Paper Lions'official website, they write, "We have yet to see a paycheque for a single record sold by them. If you bought our record on Amazon or iTunes, or even at a record store, we didn't get that money. We don't know why. We don't know if it's being held somewhere, or if it's been spent.

"We asked ourselves, what do we do now? Hire a lawyer? That would cost a lot of money and take a lot of time. Ultimately, we just want people to hear the music. And in reality, this experience has given us an excuse to do something we've wanted to do for a long time."

"So we've decided to give Trophies away in exchange for your email address. And we feel pretty good about it."

So yes, the band have opted to give the record away for free, since they own the masters. You can download it from the widget embedded below.

Confusingly, the Paper Lions' original post didn't single out the label by name, and our original review of the album listed the label as Common Law Records. In a post on Reddit, the band clarified that Common Law Records was simply a bank account created for tax purposes (to keep performance income and record sales separate), and that that the label was indeed MB3.

However, this story has a happy ending, since Paper Lions revealed that the MuseBox has now contacted them and that the band will get any money that they're owed. The confusion reportedly stemmed from staff changeover and the closure of the label's Canadian offices.

Paper Lions' upcoming tour schedule is below, and the Trophies
download is at the bottom of the page. - Exclaim.ca

Hailing from PEI, indie popsters (and semi-professional oyster shuckers) Paper Lions are returning with a new acoustic EP titled At Long Creek, which you can stream right now at Exclaim.ca.

The six-song collection of tunes features four new tracks, as well as reinterpretations of a pair of previously released Paper Lions songs. It will be officially released on June 16 as a free download on the band's website and coincides with an acoustic set at the upcoming NXNE in Toronto.

The collection of folk pop tunes also precedes the band's forthcoming as-yet-untitled debut LP, which is slated to arrive in September.

While we await more details for Paper Lions' debut album, check out their upcoming tour dates below and take a listen to their brand new acoustic EP At Long Creek at the bottom of the page. - Exclaim.ca

Hailing from PEI, indie popsters (and semi-professional oyster shuckers) Paper Lions are returning with a new acoustic EP titled At Long Creek, which you can stream right now at Exclaim.ca.

The six-song collection of tunes features four new tracks, as well as reinterpretations of a pair of previously released Paper Lions songs. It will be officially released on June 16 as a free download on the band's website and coincides with an acoustic set at the upcoming NXNE in Toronto.

The collection of folk pop tunes also precedes the band's forthcoming as-yet-untitled debut LP, which is slated to arrive in September.

While we await more details for Paper Lions' debut album, check out their upcoming tour dates below and take a listen to their brand new acoustic EP At Long Creek at the bottom of the page. - Exclaim.ca

A music video by a P.E.I. band passed one million views, suddenly exploding in popularity after years of moderate success on YouTube.
Paper Lions released the Travelling video in February 2007, and in four years it had 50,000 views.

"And then it started jumping by 5,000 a day and then it started jumping by 10,000 a day," said drummer David Cyrus MacDonald. "We're getting views in Kuwait, we're getting views in Darfour. We're getting views in Germany, Australia, all over the place … When you start thinking about your music touching that amount of people on a regular basis, it kind of makes my jaw drop a little bit."

There are few Canadian artists who have hit the million-view plateau with a music video. Well-known groups such as Great Big Sea, Sam Roberts and The Tragically Hip have not managed it.

"[It's] pretty incredible. I mean, that's such a massive amount of views," said singer John MacPhee. "As far as how the video broke, we still don't really know."

Starts on CBC Radio 3

CBC News asked web developer Dave Cormier to try to solve that mystery. Cormier said it appears to have started with a well-placed spot on CBC Radio 3 in October, followed by the free online release of Paper Lions latest album in December. A few Facebook shares and YouTube
recommendations later the video was on its way to online stardom.

At its root however, said Cormier, the success had nothing to do with any of that.

"The biggest point of this is that the band's really good," said Cormier.
"The music's really great, so everyone who came really liked it and really told all their friends."

The popularity of the video has prompted companies to pay to link their ads to the band, adding to the Paper Lions' bottom line. It's also led to enquiries about the band touring internationally.

"We also have been getting offers to tour Australia and Germany," said MacDonald. "This is just something that gives those people more confidence to want to make those offers."

The band plans to celebrate with what they're calling a Million Views Party at Hunters in Charlottetown Saturday night. After that will come the more difficult task of replicating the success of Travelling with their new songs. - CBC.ca

A music video by a P.E.I. band passed one million views, suddenly exploding in popularity after years of moderate success on YouTube.
Paper Lions released the Travelling video in February 2007, and in four years it had 50,000 views.

"And then it started jumping by 5,000 a day and then it started jumping by 10,000 a day," said drummer David Cyrus MacDonald. "We're getting views in Kuwait, we're getting views in Darfour. We're getting views in Germany, Australia, all over the place … When you start thinking about your music touching that amount of people on a regular basis, it kind of makes my jaw drop a little bit."

There are few Canadian artists who have hit the million-view plateau with a music video. Well-known groups such as Great Big Sea, Sam Roberts and The Tragically Hip have not managed it.

"[It's] pretty incredible. I mean, that's such a massive amount of views," said singer John MacPhee. "As far as how the video broke, we still don't really know."

Starts on CBC Radio 3

CBC News asked web developer Dave Cormier to try to solve that mystery. Cormier said it appears to have started with a well-placed spot on CBC Radio 3 in October, followed by the free online release of Paper Lions latest album in December. A few Facebook shares and YouTube
recommendations later the video was on its way to online stardom.

At its root however, said Cormier, the success had nothing to do with any of that.

"The biggest point of this is that the band's really good," said Cormier.
"The music's really great, so everyone who came really liked it and really told all their friends."

The popularity of the video has prompted companies to pay to link their ads to the band, adding to the Paper Lions' bottom line. It's also led to enquiries about the band touring internationally.

"We also have been getting offers to tour Australia and Germany," said MacDonald. "This is just something that gives those people more confidence to want to make those offers."

The band plans to celebrate with what they're calling a Million Views Party at Hunters in Charlottetown Saturday night. After that will come the more difficult task of replicating the success of Travelling with their new songs. - CBC.ca

Welcome to Day 3 of our Green Couch Sessions series. In case you missed our introduction to them on Monday, GCS are video productions of one song played acoustically by a band from Vancouver or touring
though. They are produced by music nerds like ourselves, and friends of ours, who just want to make these tiny documentary-esque clips to contribute to the Vancouver music scene, and they are awesome!

Today I present to you: Paper Lions, from Charlottetown, PEI. We had the chance to meet them on their Oyster Shucking Tour in the fall, and they have a beautiful song Sandcastles that I’m so glad got recorded in the beautiful and historic Waterfront Station building. - The Province

Welcome to Day 3 of our Green Couch Sessions series. In case you missed our introduction to them on Monday, GCS are video productions of one song played acoustically by a band from Vancouver or touring
though. They are produced by music nerds like ourselves, and friends of ours, who just want to make these tiny documentary-esque clips to contribute to the Vancouver music scene, and they are awesome!

Today I present to you: Paper Lions, from Charlottetown, PEI. We had the chance to meet them on their Oyster Shucking Tour in the fall, and they have a beautiful song Sandcastles that I’m so glad got recorded in the beautiful and historic Waterfront Station building. - The Province

Good things continue to happen for Paper Lions.

The Charlottetown-based indie band, consisting of frontman/guitarist John MacPhee, drummer David Cyrus MacDonald, guitarist Colin Buchanan and bass guitarist Rob MacPhee, emerged from the recording studio this past Sunday after a month-long session with legendary producer Howard Redekopp. They were in Vancouver to lay down tracks for their newest album, which will be released in the fall.
"Working with Howard has been a really cool experience. We knew that he was good, but after working with him directly on this project, we've gotten to see that he's a great producer, a great guy with a great sense of what's going to work best for us as a band," says John MacPhee, during a recent telephone interview.

With the recording finished, they headed back east to attend the 2012 ECMAs in Moncton, where they have been nominated for three awards (entertainer of the year, song of the year and songwriter of the year).
"It's the second straight year we have had three ECMA nominations," says John, adding that the nods and the band's upcoming CD are an investment in its future.

But what's different about the new album is how it's funded. When band members started the project, they realized they weren't going to have the full amount of money needed to record the record properly.

"For the past year we've been planning on it, raising the money - $20,000 independently. But we knew we needed the extra $10,000 to finish it off," says John.

Not knowing what to do, they put their heads together to think how they could raise the last bit of the money.

"We decided to turn to crowd funding, which other bands we know have been doing lately and getting good responses. So we ended up going with Indigogo," says MacPhee, who's asking Prince Edward Islanders who are interested to support the project by making a contribution on the fundraising website. (www.indiegogo.com).

As of press time, $5,645 had been raised.

"A great amount of support has come in for us. It's been really encouraging, especially when we were in British Columbia doing the recording and seeing the contributions coming in," says MacPhee.
The cool thing about the campaign is that people will get something for their contribution.

"For instance, for a $5 contribution you'll get an advance copy of the record. For a donation of $75, you'll get a B-side package, all the basement demos and recordings, plus a limited edition T-shirt as well as an advanced copy of the signed record," he says.

Anyone who would like more details can check out the website, http://paperlions.com.

It's the latest project for the band that has a history of rising above its circumstances. Over a year ago the band signed up with a publicity company to release its last album together. However, 18 months later, the band hadn't seen any money from the sale of Trophies. After considering different options, the band members realized what they really just wanted to do was get the music out.

"So it seemed like a great opportunity to give the record away for free," says John.

About a month ago, band members wrote a letter to their fans who had already purchased the record, explaining the situation and put it on the website. Somehow the story ended up on the front page of Reddit, the popular user-generated website. The response was incredible.

"Our website crashed after getting 130,000 hits in a day and a half. And Trophies was downloaded over 12,000 times in about two days," says MacPhee.

It was more then he could ever have hoped for.

"It was a great thing for the band and it absolutely got the music out there." - The Guardian

Good things continue to happen for Paper Lions.

The Charlottetown-based indie band, consisting of frontman/guitarist John MacPhee, drummer David Cyrus MacDonald, guitarist Colin Buchanan and bass guitarist Rob MacPhee, emerged from the recording studio this past Sunday after a month-long session with legendary producer Howard Redekopp. They were in Vancouver to lay down tracks for their newest album, which will be released in the fall.
"Working with Howard has been a really cool experience. We knew that he was good, but after working with him directly on this project, we've gotten to see that he's a great producer, a great guy with a great sense of what's going to work best for us as a band," says John MacPhee, during a recent telephone interview.

With the recording finished, they headed back east to attend the 2012 ECMAs in Moncton, where they have been nominated for three awards (entertainer of the year, song of the year and songwriter of the year).
"It's the second straight year we have had three ECMA nominations," says John, adding that the nods and the band's upcoming CD are an investment in its future.

But what's different about the new album is how it's funded. When band members started the project, they realized they weren't going to have the full amount of money needed to record the record properly.

"For the past year we've been planning on it, raising the money - $20,000 independently. But we knew we needed the extra $10,000 to finish it off," says John.

Not knowing what to do, they put their heads together to think how they could raise the last bit of the money.

"We decided to turn to crowd funding, which other bands we know have been doing lately and getting good responses. So we ended up going with Indigogo," says MacPhee, who's asking Prince Edward Islanders who are interested to support the project by making a contribution on the fundraising website. (www.indiegogo.com).

As of press time, $5,645 had been raised.

"A great amount of support has come in for us. It's been really encouraging, especially when we were in British Columbia doing the recording and seeing the contributions coming in," says MacPhee.
The cool thing about the campaign is that people will get something for their contribution.

"For instance, for a $5 contribution you'll get an advance copy of the record. For a donation of $75, you'll get a B-side package, all the basement demos and recordings, plus a limited edition T-shirt as well as an advanced copy of the signed record," he says.

Anyone who would like more details can check out the website, http://paperlions.com.

It's the latest project for the band that has a history of rising above its circumstances. Over a year ago the band signed up with a publicity company to release its last album together. However, 18 months later, the band hadn't seen any money from the sale of Trophies. After considering different options, the band members realized what they really just wanted to do was get the music out.

"So it seemed like a great opportunity to give the record away for free," says John.

About a month ago, band members wrote a letter to their fans who had already purchased the record, explaining the situation and put it on the website. Somehow the story ended up on the front page of Reddit, the popular user-generated website. The response was incredible.

"Our website crashed after getting 130,000 hits in a day and a half. And Trophies was downloaded over 12,000 times in about two days," says MacPhee.

It was more then he could ever have hoped for.

"It was a great thing for the band and it absolutely got the music out there." - The Guardian

NXNE: DAY !!! (June 14)

Words by Emer Schlosser, photos by Eric McBain

Luck certainly is cyclical. After a miserable day on Friday, Saturday took a huge turn for the better as we saw banging act after banging act. The night began at 8pm at the El Mocambo where, considering the early time, an unusually large crowd had gathered to see…


Band #1: Paper Lions

Hands down my favourite band of the festival! The momentum built up gradually with the band members staggering their entrances, drawing their audience in, and then it was full steam ahead. Though the pace of the songs varied, their energy never wavered. Solid rock (with a little –abilly) and pop, these boys from PEI put on a tremendous show. The Paper Lions incorporated a sense of humour, a clear joy of playing, a washboard tie, and had great chemistry among band members. Also, they had the best, if not the most creative, drum solo I’ve ever witnessed. These boys are the “whole package.” Keep an eye on them as they’re sure to go far. Don’t fret if you missed them this weekend, they have a bunch more shows coming up across Canada this summer: June 17 in Toronto at the Horseshoe, June 27 in Fredericton, New Brunswick at The Capitol, June 28 in Saint John, New Brunswick at Elwoods, July 1 in Spruce Grove, Alberta at Spruce Grove Park, August 3 in Granville, Nova Scotia at Granville Green Amphitheatre, and August 6 in Truro, Nova Scotia at Marigold Cultural Centre. [For more into go to paperlionsmusic.com.]

- Inside E Canada

“What a show…The music was great but the entertainment value was down-right priceless…(with) a crowd eating out of their hands…their act draws and locks eyes to the stage." - Kent Aiken, The Xaverian Weekly, St. Francis Xavier University - The Xaverian Weekly

Paper Lions @ El Mocambo
Monday June 16, 2008 @ 10:00 AM
By: ChartAttack.com Staff


Band: Paper Lions
Hometown: Charlottetown, PEI
Venue: El Mocambo
Date: June 14, 2008
Reporter: Cameron Gordon
BACKGROUND/COMPOSITION:
Armed with charm, swagger and skills to pay the bills, the Paper Lions look to kick off another east coast renaissance with their peppy brand of likable indie rock.

Grade: 92

Comment: The considerable crowd that the Paper Lions drew for an 8:00 p.m. timeslot was no fluke — these cats have all the earmarks of a breakout sensation. Similar in style and sound to Tokyo Police Club, the band’s learned stage show was a sight to behold and they most certainly came through in the clutch in what will hopefully become a watershed moment in their young career.

Achievement of Rock 'n' Roll Expectations
80-100: Exceeds skill and knowledge expectations, i.e. rocked us so hard we peed our pants.

Oral And Visual Communication

Practice makes perfect and the Paper Lions are certainly heading in the right direction. Their stage show was tight, engaging and enjoyable and even if you’re not a fan of their lively pop/rock blend, there is no denying the band have an unspeakable charisma that most outfits work a lifetime to develop. Their comfort and poise on stage just made sense on so many levels.


Musical Analysis

The Paper Lions’ songs play out nicely in the live setting and with plenty of singalong choruses and clappy tempos, the music had a definite immediacy for even the most ignorant onlooker. It also helped that each and every tune was presented with high energy and plenty of smiles, which made the experience all that much more engaging.


Other Skills And Areas Of Interest

Drummer David Cyrus MacDonald is a complete and utter badass on the skins. He was a definite focal point for much of the performance, whether it was working his way through a drum solo with only his bare hands or doubling up with two pairs of drum sticks. Even when the two guitarists tumbled into the crowd for a walkabout, all eyes kept on the timekeeper, hoping for another winning display of dexterity.



- ChartAttack.com

NXNE: DAY !!! (June 14)

Words by Emer Schlosser, photos by Eric McBain

Luck certainly is cyclical. After a miserable day on Friday, Saturday took a huge turn for the better as we saw banging act after banging act. The night began at 8pm at the El Mocambo where, considering the early time, an unusually large crowd had gathered to see…


Band #1: Paper Lions

Hands down my favourite band of the festival! The momentum built up gradually with the band members staggering their entrances, drawing their audience in, and then it was full steam ahead. Though the pace of the songs varied, their energy never wavered. Solid rock (with a little –abilly) and pop, these boys from PEI put on a tremendous show. The Paper Lions incorporated a sense of humour, a clear joy of playing, a washboard tie, and had great chemistry among band members. Also, they had the best, if not the most creative, drum solo I’ve ever witnessed. These boys are the “whole package.” Keep an eye on them as they’re sure to go far. Don’t fret if you missed them this weekend, they have a bunch more shows coming up across Canada this summer: June 17 in Toronto at the Horseshoe, June 27 in Fredericton, New Brunswick at The Capitol, June 28 in Saint John, New Brunswick at Elwoods, July 1 in Spruce Grove, Alberta at Spruce Grove Park, August 3 in Granville, Nova Scotia at Granville Green Amphitheatre, and August 6 in Truro, Nova Scotia at Marigold Cultural Centre. [For more into go to paperlionsmusic.com.]

- Inside E Canada

Paper Lions
El Mocambo
Saturday June 14th, 8:00 pm

Leave it to a bunch of boys from Prince Edward Island to show Torontonians how to throw a show. Indie rock quartet Paper Lions did just that at El Mocambo as they brought the house down. Formerly known as the Chucky Danger Band, Paper Lions gave their old songs a hard facelift as they opened with the previously mellow “One Thousand Voices” and turned it into an epic theatrical melody. Guitarist Colin Buchanan thrilled the crowd with screeching sound effects but the real highlight of the song was drummer David Cyrus MacDonald. The rest of the band departed the stage midway through the tune as MacDonald busted out a drum solo, which included bongo drums and four drum sticks – two in each hand. The other members of the band rejoined MacDonald and, perhaps feeling left out on the fun, also grabbed some drum sticks and started beating the hell out of his kit. The audience was quite packed and loudly clapped along to the bass drum beat and gave a roaring applause after each song finished, as if the concert was already over when it really was just beginning. Buchanan also delighted the crowd with his mandolin skills on “The Sheriff” but not to be outdone, vocalist/guitarist John MacPhee dropped his acoustic guitar in favour of a tambourine at times, perhaps the only tambourine solo during the festival. Their catchy, simple choruses, consisting of “ohs” and “whoas” made it quite easy for the audience to sing along to, even if they had never heard the band before. During Paper Lions’ final song, “Strawberry Man,” the band took it up yet another notch and really let loose. Buchanan and MacPhee jumped into the audience and headed as far as they could, leaving bassist Rob MacPhee (John’s brother) and MacDonald alone on stage to carry out the rhythm. There must be something in the potatoes in P.E.I. because Paper Lions left the audience in amazement, delivering one of the best shows of the North By Northeast festival.

–Jon Brazeau

- spillmagazine.com

"...the lucky few that wandered over to the unenviable Hot Topic stage, at the other end of the T-Bird field, were treated to a performance by Prince Edward Island's [Paper Lions] a ... quartet playing its first Warped gig. Sounding like Franz Ferdinand and moving like the Talking Heads, this group put on a real show, complete with fantastic tunes and stage presence, and enough charisma to draw more than 300 fans by the end of its too-short time on-stage. Watching the act's members grin like unabashed idiots, you couldn't help but feel that their kind of magic was the true reason to go to Warped–the off chance that you might discover something great." - Elaine Corden
- The Georgia Strait

Paper Lions
El Mocambo
Saturday June 14th, 8:00 pm

Leave it to a bunch of boys from Prince Edward Island to show Torontonians how to throw a show. Indie rock quartet Paper Lions did just that at El Mocambo as they brought the house down. Formerly known as the Chucky Danger Band, Paper Lions gave their old songs a hard facelift as they opened with the previously mellow “One Thousand Voices” and turned it into an epic theatrical melody. Guitarist Colin Buchanan thrilled the crowd with screeching sound effects but the real highlight of the song was drummer David Cyrus MacDonald. The rest of the band departed the stage midway through the tune as MacDonald busted out a drum solo, which included bongo drums and four drum sticks – two in each hand. The other members of the band rejoined MacDonald and, perhaps feeling left out on the fun, also grabbed some drum sticks and started beating the hell out of his kit. The audience was quite packed and loudly clapped along to the bass drum beat and gave a roaring applause after each song finished, as if the concert was already over when it really was just beginning. Buchanan also delighted the crowd with his mandolin skills on “The Sheriff” but not to be outdone, vocalist/guitarist John MacPhee dropped his acoustic guitar in favour of a tambourine at times, perhaps the only tambourine solo during the festival. Their catchy, simple choruses, consisting of “ohs” and “whoas” made it quite easy for the audience to sing along to, even if they had never heard the band before. During Paper Lions’ final song, “Strawberry Man,” the band took it up yet another notch and really let loose. Buchanan and MacPhee jumped into the audience and headed as far as they could, leaving bassist Rob MacPhee (John’s brother) and MacDonald alone on stage to carry out the rhythm. There must be something in the potatoes in P.E.I. because Paper Lions left the audience in amazement, delivering one of the best shows of the North By Northeast festival.

–Jon Brazeau

- spillmagazine.com

Before deciding on my schedule for the day, I had a quick listen to Paper Lions, who I'll admit, I judged solely based on their band name (in a good way). "Paper Lions" sounds like the kind of band I'd enjoy listening to, and my instincts turned out to be correct. Thankfully I saw the band post-February 2008 name change, cause if they'd been listed under their original name ("Chucky Danger Band") I may not have followed through with checking out their set. Isn't Paper Lions a way cooler name?

Despite the early call time (2:30pm at the TD Stage), there was a considerable crowd of fans out for Paper Lions' set, notably a large group draped in a Prince Edward Island provincial flag. There's something about east coasters and their provincial flags - they love flaunting them (we saw Nova Scotian flags out for Wintersleep as well!). I couldn't even tell you what Ontario's creed/flag looks like. Literally couldn't pick it out of a lineup. Hmm.

Let me just say that singer/guitarist John MacPhee's voice is incredible. Absolutely note perfect and unwavering in its strength. He was givin' er for the entire set, and his brother Rob MacPhee (on bass) and guitarist Colin Buchanan provided accompanying harmonies. Throughout I was focused on how beautiful these harmonies were - and at the precise moment that I thought it couldn't get any more perfectly tuned, they broke out the ultimate harmony: a cover of Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody - you know the part ("is this the real life...is this just fantasy? caught in a landslide...no escape from reality..."). It was breathtaking!

Then there was the epic, nearly ten minute long monster jam (I wish I knew the name!) and another strong vocal jam that had drummer David Cyrus MacDonald hop onto the bongos while guitarist Colin Buchanan took over drumming duties for a bit. Can't wait to hear more from this band - singer Rob mentioned that the band was hoping to pop into the studio this fall to record some new songs, some of which they previewed for the VFest crowd.

Now whenever you're talkin about Prince Edward Island (which, let's face it, should be more often), you'll have something besides Anne Of Green Gables and fingerling potatoes to talk about!
- Muchmusic.com Blog Review

"Formerly known as Chucky Danger, these four scruffy young roustabouts boast enough technical prowess to weave all the folk, dance and punk influences they please into their searing indie-rock stylings.
When these guys showed up onstage all wearing ties, I should have known they meant business. Paper Lions are cracking musicians, marrying catchy, shout-along pop with madcap showmanship. These guys have been nominated for multiple ECMAs; it's only a matter of time before the rest of the country starts to notice.
If there's one thing Paper Lions can do, it's work a stage. There were andclaps, "hey!"s, looping pedals, guitarists playing the cymbals with their headstocks, hand drumming on a kit, rock kicks, and a drum solo that used four sticks at once. That was just during the first song. These dudes could have just bowed and left right there, and it still would have been the set of the evening. Thankfully, they stuck around.
At their most raucous, the band kicked out some deft, angular post-punk jams perfectly suited to guitar-beating and microphone-dashing. Their sky-high skill level allowed them to take some gleefully high-wire risks — like breaking into a few bars of "Bohemian Rhapsody" in the middle of one of their songs, cooing in four-part a capella harmony and then ripping out the heavy riffs. They later pulled out the barbershop harmonies on a mid-set foray into the middle of the crowd, strumming guitars and mandolins and demanding sing-alongs on an indelible "la-da-da" chorus.
They can sing, they can write songs, they can pull off a bitchin' Queen cover with all the technical panache it requires, and they can get a tuckered-out 1:30 a.m. crowd moving, clapping, and singing in three-part harmony with no effort at all. Those of you who went home in the blizzard to sleep or shovel your driveways have no idea what you missed." - Natalia Manzocco, March 8, 2008

- ChartAttack.com

“Talent, personality, originality, and timing. [Paper Lions] have the vocal harmonies and garage rock guitar riffs that will take the music industry by storm.” - Andreanne Sasseville, Talent Development/Programming Coordination, Sirius Canada - Andreanne Sasseville

Here are the highest ranked acts from CMW 2008:

1. Tropics — 97
2. (tie) Down With Webster — 95
2. (tie) Socalled — 95
3. (tie) Maybe Smith — 94
3. (tie) Plants & Animals — 94
4. Woodhands — 93
5. (tie) Les Breastfeeders — 92
5. (tie) The Creepshow — 92
5. (tie) PAPER LIONS — 92
6. (tie) The Dunes — 91
6. (tie) Slim Twig — 91
- ChartAttack.com

“What a show…The music was great but the entertainment value was down-right priceless…(with) a crowd eating out of their hands…their act draws and locks eyes to the stage." - Kent Aiken, The Xaverian Weekly, St. Francis Xavier University - The Xaverian Weekly

"Stellar band you've never heard of -- [Paper Lions] from P.E.I., whose gig demonstrated phenomenal musicianship, showmanship and energy. Think The Police (classic era) on speed." - Heath McCoy, The Calgary Herald
- The Calgary Herald

Most of the musical events taking place Friday night, like Swingology’s La Vie en Rose Valentine’s Day dance at the Lord Nelson Hotel or Soho Ghetto’s heart-shaped show at the Carleton, celebrate a mature, adult form of romantic love.

But many of the songs to be sung by P.E.I. indie pop band Paper Lions at the Marquee Ballroom on V-Day hark back more to that time when your mom would pick up a box of cardboard hearts at the drugstore bearing pictures of your favourite cartoon characters to hand out to all your fellow students.

The Charlottetown quartet performs with Mardeen and Monomyth, just two weeks after earning six Music P.E.I. Awards for its latest album, My Friends, an assembly of coming-of-age tales set to cunningly constructed melodies, kind of like a modern Island version of the Kinks’ Village Green Preservation Society.

The band didn’t have anything quite so lofty in mind when they started to come up with the songs they’d record with Vancouver producer Howard Redekopp (Tegan & Sara, the New Pornographers). But when you’ve been in a band for a long time, you try to make your output match your ambitions.

“We didn’t set out to make a concept album, but we knew we wanted a cohesive lyrical theme throughout the songs to tie it all together,” explains singer and guitarist John MacPhee.

“And as we began the writing process, over a year before My Friends came out, what came up organically in conversation was reminiscing about stories from our youth.

“Our bassist, Rob, is my brother, and our guitarist, Colin (Buchanan), was our next-door neighbour growing up, and we went to high school with our drummer, Dave (Cyrus MacDonald). We realized we had a wealth of stories from those years with a shared perspective, but also our own unique individual perspectives that we could tap into.”

Those stories became songs on My Friends, but Paper Lions are nothing if not imaginative and took extra steps to ensure their work would be more evocative.

“We’d take a day trip to some memorable location, like an old family ski cabin back in the woods, so we’d go there with our guitars and write for the afternoon, or go down to the old water mill at the bottom of Polly Hill in Belfast, or over to our old school or the church,” says MacPhee.

“Just going to these different locations would spark memories and stories, and just that alone was a really rewarding process. But encapsulating them in song was even more so, I would say.”

The results generate memories of family vacations taken to visit relatives you couldn’t relate to in the song Philadelphia, and sun-soaked Saturdays at Brackley Beach in Sandcastles.

Delivered with the sugar-fuelled rush of a raspberry slushie, Paper Lions’ latest songs are the perfect antidote to the kind of mid-winter blues Valentine’s Day is meant to dispel.

“I think we need to go on a trip; we’re getting a little too excited about summer,” laughs MacPhee, who says that after this weekend, Paper Lions go into a period of hibernation while preparing for their next release on their new label, Fountain Pop Records.

“Life is wonderfully busy right now, and for us, we’re deep into writing the next record,” he says, although for now plans to widen Fountain Pop’s roster past themselves have yet to materialize.

“We’re very interested in pursuing other bands. We’re just not sure of the timing at this point. Beyond that, we’re not 100 per cent sure what’s going to happen.

“Part of us would love to create a platform to help launch other East Coast bands that we love, but we also recognize that it’s not something that we’d want to go into half-heartedly. We’d want to put our best foot forward and devote a lot of time and energy to whatever project we decided to work with.”

Tickets for Paper Lions, with Mardeens and Monomyth, at the Marquee Ballroom, are $15 in advance at Bubba Ray’s Sports Bar or via etixnow.ca, or $20 day of show.

For more info, visit paperlions.com. - Chronicle Herald

It can be a whirlwind of an experience, going from having a small fanbase over the course of a few years to having thousands of new ones overnight. And that is exactly what happened to Canadian quartet, Paper Lions, who experienced the full force of the Internet when their video for 2007's "Traveling" went viral in recent months.

Now, the band is ready to release their second LP, My Friends, on August 20 via Fountain Pop Records, and we're excited to premiere a rad track from it: "Philadelphia"!

After listening to Paper Lions, it becomes clear just how infectious their signature indie pop sound is. PL manages to create a tune both mellow and beautiful, instantly evoking the breezy feeling of youth and summer.

"Philadelphia" chronicles growing up in the same place and the routines that come with it, however the band makes routine sound refreshing by blending heavy guitars with smooth voices, captivating the listener until the song's conclusion.

Take a listen for yourself below and don't forget to pick up My Friends on August 20!

Did we mention that the song is also downloadable?! You know what to do...
- See more at: http://filtermagazine.com/index.php/media/entry/listen_paper_lions_brings_us_philadelphia_filter_premiere/#sthash.s3XLp5XZ.dpuf - Filter

Listening to My Friends, it’s hard to believe P.E.I.’s Paper Lions haven’t stumbled into the mainstream—or at least a few TV commercials. With a knack for that clean-cut breed of indie-pop that typically populates movie previews and Prius ads, the four-piece is remarkably easy to like. Their latest release, which comes on the heels of last year’s At Long Creek acoustic EP, is simple and direct; neither the songwriting nor production try to do too much, and the album is the better for it. While the best of the 10-track collection is borrowed from At Long Creek—opener “Bodies in the Winter” and the album’s infectious pseudo-title track “My Friend” are gems given the full-band treatment—new additions like “Pull Me In” earn their own stripes. Frontman John MacPhee’s lyrics offer a suitable match to the album’s sonic simplicity, recalling childhood adventures, young love, and a pledge to “throw away my Genesis, caught up with you.” Hence, My Friends is a remarkably youthful-sounding album, not for a lack of maturity, but for its wide-eyed innocence and endearing simplicity. Enjoy it on your own terms while you can—before it’s used to sell you toothpaste. - The Grid TO

If there's one thing you can say with certainty about Paper Lions, it's that they're dedicated. Since their beginning in the P.E.I. music scene in the early 2000s, the Beatles-inspired four-piece have worked their way up from forgettable club band to one of the best live acts in the country. It's hard to think of a pop group any tighter than the MacPhee brothers and company, let alone one as fully in command of their instruments. Starting things off with the Fleet Foxes-esque harmonies of "Philadelphia," the band played standout hits from their previous albums, primarily last year's At Long Creek EP, stopping only occasionally to compliment the crowd and play samples from their upcoming full-length. Culminating with the yacht rock-inspired "My Friend," singer John MacPhee bounded from the stage with mic in hand, weaving through the sparse crowd as he sang before back tracking for the band's explosive finale. Almost ten years into their career, tonight's performance felt like Paper Lions were finally maturing into a band worth more than their hype. - Exclaim Magazine

It can be a whirlwind of an experience, going from having a small fanbase over the course of a few years to having thousands of new ones overnight. And that is exactly what happened to Canadian quartet, Paper Lions, who experienced the full force of the Internet when their video for 2007's "Traveling" went viral in recent months.

Now, the band is ready to release their second LP, My Friends, on August 20 via Fountain Pop Records, and we're excited to premiere a rad track from it: "Philadelphia"!

After listening to Paper Lions, it becomes clear just how infectious their signature indie pop sound is. PL manages to create a tune both mellow and beautiful, instantly evoking the breezy feeling of youth and summer.

"Philadelphia" chronicles growing up in the same place and the routines that come with it, however the band makes routine sound refreshing by blending heavy guitars with smooth voices, captivating the listener until the song's conclusion.

Take a listen for yourself below and don't forget to pick up My Friends on August 20!
- See more at: http://filtermagazine.com/index.php/media/entry/listen_paper_lions_brings_us_philadelphia_filter_premiere/#sthash.XP6P2Suc.dpuf - Filter Magazine

If there's one thing you can say with certainty about Paper Lions, it's that they're dedicated. Since their beginning in the P.E.I. music scene in the early 2000s, the Beatles-inspired four-piece have worked their way up from forgettable club band to one of the best live acts in the country. It's hard to think of a pop group any tighter than the MacPhee brothers and company, let alone one as fully in command of their instruments. Starting things off with the Fleet Foxes-esque harmonies of "Philadelphia," the band played standout hits from their previous albums, primarily last year's At Long Creek EP, stopping only occasionally to compliment the crowd and play samples from their upcoming full-length. Culminating with the yacht rock-inspired "My Friend," singer John MacPhee bounded from the stage with mic in hand, weaving through the sparse crowd as he sang before back tracking for the band's explosive finale. Almost ten years into their career, tonight's performance felt like Paper Lions were finally maturing into a band worth more than their hype. - Exclaim Magazine

Listening to My Friends, it’s hard to believe P.E.I.’s Paper Lions haven’t stumbled into the mainstream—or at least a few TV commercials. With a knack for that clean-cut breed of indie-pop that typically populates movie previews and Prius ads, the four-piece is remarkably easy to like. Their latest release, which comes on the heels of last year’s At Long Creek acoustic EP, is simple and direct; neither the songwriting nor production try to do too much, and the album is the better for it. While the best of the 10-track collection is borrowed from At Long Creek—opener “Bodies in the Winter” and the album’s infectious pseudo-title track “My Friend” are gems given the full-band treatment—new additions like “Pull Me In” earn their own stripes. Frontman John MacPhee’s lyrics offer a suitable match to the album’s sonic simplicity, recalling childhood adventures, young love, and a pledge to “throw away my Genesis, caught up with you.” Hence, My Friends is a remarkably youthful-sounding album, not for a lack of maturity, but for its wide-eyed innocence and endearing simplicity. Enjoy it on your own terms while you can—before it’s used to sell you toothpaste. - The Grid TO

Canadian indie rock four piece Paper Lions are today releasing their stunning, brand new video for ‘My Friend’.

Preparing to take Australia by storm with a run of East Coast tour dates, starting with an appearance at the famous Woodford Folk Festival, they’ll then pop by Brisbane and make their way down the coast via Sydney, swinging by Melbourne and then finally wrapping up their visit in Canberra.

Since forming, the lads from the small Canadian Province have written a fairy tale of success including worldwide tours and online accolades.


Having recently released their sophomore full-length album, My Friends, recorded with producer Howard Redekopp (Tegan and Sara, The New Pornographers, Mother Mother) be sure to catch them in action when they visit Australia early next year. - Tone Deaf

Paper Lions left no room for fillers. The 10 tracks could standalone as singles with addictive choruses. It’s no wonder these guys can get the naturally singing along at shows, even more so than Said the Whale. At every listen, they invite you to take part. They want you to be their friend and build sandcastles. They open up about past loves in the slower and more acoustic “Ghostwriters” and we say goodbye with “My Friends are Leaving.” - Ride The Tempo

An opening song called "Bodies in the Winter," you'd think that Paper Lions were a haunting troupe that waxed poetic about the darker side of the snowy season.

That assumption couldn't be farther from the truth: Paper Lions' tunes are nearly entirely major chords with upbeat vocals, breakneck drum work by David Cyrus Macdonald and a power-pop sensibility, with some traces of Arkells and Vampire Weekend. The quartet, hailing from Charlottetown, PEI, have been a presence in the Canadian indie rock scene for nearly a decade, including their stint as the Chucky Danger Band, and their long-time connectivity showed through their impeccable vocal harmonies. This was most notable on the intro to "Philadelphia," the lead single from last year's My Friends LP; while the lyrics were simple and on-the-nose, reminiscing about a family vacation, the harmonized intro was captivating, and segued into a nice, catchy tune.

Paper Lions' music is charming and inoffensive, with a smart pop sensibility that endeared the growing crowd. While the music was occasionally too saccharine, late-set highlight "Strawberry Man," from their self-titled 2008 record, merged their great harmonies with in-your-face riffs and a jammy breakdown that infused new life (and a bit of edge) into the tune. - Exclaim!