The LoFi Mind

In numerology, the number 12 symbolizes someone who is charismatic, self-reliant, a fun-loving, and a good singer. It also represents the number of completion, forming a whole, perfect, harmonious unit.

That's pretty much sums up the 12-member collective The LoFi Mind, with their self described psychedelic DIY pop. It's a savvy meld of music genres modern and vintage, acoustic and electric, digital and analog.

Ryan Brohman, and Jesse Webber, who double as guitarists and front-men for several local bands, say The LoFi Mind began as a recording project.

"Because it was just the two of us, we did overdub after overdub after overdub," notes Brohman. "When it came to do it live, we had to throw a band together. So the first thing you know there's a dozen people involved," he says with a laugh.

"Sometimes we lose track and we almost need to take attendance," Webber adds with his own laugh. The LoFi Mind is like a revolving door of musicians who are also good friends, he says.

Think Broken Social Scene of Kitchener-Waterloo.

Comprised from a mega-talented combination of local musicians, The LoFi Mind lineup features Jesse Webber on vocals/guitar/ banjo, Ryan Brohman vocals/guitar/ kazoo, Craig McNair vocals/guitar, Nick Barkley keyboard, Danica Guenette, Emily Barkley and Wendy Tozer back-up vocals, Jack Drysdale Pender slide guitar/mandolin, Matthew Lima bass, Jenna Bridgie Hanson drums, Patrick Duxbury woodwinds, and Ben Rollo occasional guest drummer.

McNair says he got involved with Brohman and Webber when they were looking for someone to do three-part harmony. The band has recorded a few of McNair's original songs, including the Beatles inspired Some Sunny Day, and Honey Harbour, a powerful choral anthem dedicated to one of Ontario's favorite vacation spots in Muskoka.

The LoFi Mind's wide-ranging vocal strength echoes the rich textured harmonies of '70s icons The Partridge Family, The Cowsills, Beach Boys, or Crosby Nash Stills and Young cleverly mixed with the dynamic dozen's own lyrical whimsy and musical panache.

Each song has its own character, from Webber's Iggy Pop-like, Wishful Thinkin' to Brohman's swirling melodic sentiment Smoke, or the cheeky kazoo-accented love ditty A Matter of Time.

McNair says the band's song-writing process began with members bringing their songs to the table, but now the song creation process is more "band focused." Webber adds that sometimes he, Brohman, and McNair will "toy around" with a song idea, then work it out musically and lyrically with the rest of the group.

"With 12 people in a band, there are 12 people that can have 12 different ideas, which adds diversity. So that's exciting." he says.

Brohman says that The LoFi Mind is also very "hands-on," which means writing, recording, mixing and producing everything for The Lo-Fi Mind Vol. 1 themselves.

"We have very good friends who we love." says Brohman. "And I play the keys in that band so we have a recording studio in Heidelberg. And that's where we get things done."

He says The LoFi Mind has three EPs in the works.

"The LoFi Mind Vo.l 2 will feature a tight West Coast studio '70s kind of sound."

"I want to do an '80s record." says McNair.

"Well, that will be number 4 then." says Brohman, as the three front-men laugh in harmony.


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