The Lost Chord

The Lost Chord's latest 8 song release, NOSTALGIA, is 100% Grade A, Rock & Roll. We
hear people call themselves rock artists everyday, but few give it to us in a pure form,
without elements that qualify it as alternative rock. A far cry from the often tawdry space
of today's Top 40 rock radio, The Lost Chord gives us a deeper exploration into the
yesteryear's of the genre when bands like REO Speedwagon, The Police, and Chicago
were running things. But, don't make the mistake of assuming they're some kind of
"throwback" rock band either, because you'd totally miss the point. NOSTALGIA isn't just
about channeling the creativity of classic rock bands, it's about showing us how awesome
The Lost Chords band is.

Of all the great songs here, my favorite track has to be MUSE. Besides the fact that it
bears the same name as my podcast show (The Miews), this song is a perfect example of
what the 'Chords' are all about. The songwriting here is top notch, and the Toronto band
swings each guitar riff like an Excalibur sword slashing every note with precision. The
rhythm section blends well with the organs and vocals, while the bass and drums keep
the timing in pocket. This song is an ace in the hole, and I don't see how anybody with an
ear for great rock and blues music would disagree with me.

Other incredible songs that stood out to me, personally, include: WHY, NOSTALGIA, and
WEAPONS OF WAR. These songs help to make NOSTALGIA a complete compilation
where skipping around to find great tunes is totally unnecessary. The Lost Chord takes
an uncontrived approach to making music, not trying to fit in with the status quo in
commercial rock music. My hat is off to this band of rock and rollers who have ventured
into a space reserved for courageous artists unafraid to entertain us, if only for a
half-hour. Connect with TLC at: www.Facebook.com/thelostchord and
www.Twitter.com/lostchordband.

Reviewed By: Shaine Freeman, host of The Miews podcast (Twitter - @ShaineFreeman) - I Am Entertainment Magazine

January 1 2013 –

Very few things are as exciting as finding something new you love. Much like archaeologists that dig to find hidden treasures, we here at T-Mak World really enjoy trying to find new bands that we love. Once we find such bands, we approach our favorites to request interviews for our Emerging Artist Spotlight series. Today we set our focus on a band from Toronto named The Lost Chord. All bands we talked to are asked similar questions to each other so we can get to know them better. The description on The Lost Chord’s website reads:

Do you remember no-nonsense straight-up Rock ‘n Roll? Can you remember going to a show and having your mind blown by the journey it took you on? In an age where many proclaim “rock is dead,” the fans appreciate the power this music holds and what possibilities still exist to drop jaws and melt faces.

Discover The Lost Chord

The Lost Chord brings back organic roots Rock n Roll with massive mainstream appeal. They bring fantastic layered harmonies that surround the audience with a wall of beautiful arrangements colored by soaring melodies, spotless vocal harmonies, driving rhythms and tight polished grooves. The band includes two killer guitar players, a monster bassist, and a madman on drums. This line-up allows for an electrifying live sound that catches the audience’s attention seconds into their set. This coupled with their passionate and soulful stage presence keeps the listener engaged throughout the entire show.

Exploding onto the Toronto music scene in 2013 with an attention-grabbing showcase performance for Canadian Music Week, The Lost Chord has been wowing audiences while recording their debut album which is poised to win the hearts, minds and ears of music fans from coast to coast.

If you demand live music that rocks with no gimmicks, you’ve come to the right place. The Lost Chord will have you screaming for more while dropping your jaw to the floor. Great playing. Great songwriting. Electrifying performances. A band not to be missed.

Here is what they had to say to us:

Hey THE LOST CHORD, thanks for taking the time out to talk to us. Let’s start off with the obligatory introductions. Who’s in the band and what instrument does everyone rock?

THE LOST CHORD:

Alex Berry – Lead Vocals & guitar

Louis Marc Vautour – Guitar/Vocals

Bryan Shore – Drums

Brendan Keenan – Bass

Jamie Cohen – Guitar

How about the history of the band, when did you get started and how did it happen?

THE LOST CHORD: Well, it’s actually an interesting story, well, at least the beginning is. Alex and Louis both grew up in New Brunswick in Moncton. They went to the same high school even, but never knew each other. They both moved to Toronto a few years back to follow their dream and careers in music. While working his shift at the local Starbucks one day, Louis got talking with a customer in the store (Alex Berry) and after talking for a while Louis invited Alex to his (insane) house party. We can’t give the full details as to what went on but during the chaos, Alex sang a few songs with Louis and The Lost Chord was born. Everyone else was found via Craigslist and Kijjiji… Told you the beginning was more interesting…although Alex used some kind of voodoo or astrology or something to make sure the right members were found…

Who are some of your musical influences?

THE LOST CHORD: This is a bit of a tough question as each of us have such different influences so we’ve listed each person’s top two below.

Bryan: Incubus/Red Hot Chili Peppers

Alex: James Brown/Leaf Hound

Brandon: Led Zeppelin/ The Strokes

Louis: Pink Floyd/ The Beatles

Jaimie: Clapton/ Leo Kottke

So based on the above how would you describe your music to someone that has never heard it?

THE LOST CHORD: It’s always tough to “explain” your own music, but we feel it is a healthy dose of edgy new rock with a classic rock feel that brings back the sounds that we miss while making it all our own. We get a lot of interesting comparisons to other bands and you never know what people are going to hear in our music, but people always say it’s also very much its own thing at the same time. I’d say we’re refreshing and original. We aren’t one of those fake retro bands that just lifts everything from say The Stooges or something like that. There’s psychedelic elements, a little bit of soul influence. We also like to mention that its all instruments in our music, real guitars, real drums and absolutely no auto–tune on the vocals. We haven’t reinvented the wheel: it’s straight up Rock n Roll with no gimmicks. What should stand out is the overall package of thoughtful songwriting, killer vocals, and rockin’ playing and the way it all comes together in a “perfect storm” kind of way.

Why do you believe that a music fan should come and see your show instead of all the other choices available to them on any given night?

THE LOST CHORD: Well, there is A LOT of great music out there, and a lot of really talented players. At the end of the day if you’re a rock/classic rock fan or live music in general, you are itching for something new in the modern age of music. When you listen to The Lost Chord it just seems refreshing. It takes you back to the roots of rock music: interesting melodies, syncopation, and vocal harmonies, not to mention face-melting guitar playing. We really believe in staying true to the roots of Rock n Roll and carrying on the tradition and we bring that to our live performances, so we give something back to the crowd. We don’t like to just sit and play our instruments. We put on a show! We get into it, because it’s what we love to do and it’s music we are really passionate about. You will leave our show with more energy than when you came in or else we aren’t doing our job. Coming to one of our shows is fun. We have fun, the crowd has fun, and most importantly we get to celebrate something we are all so passionate about… MUSIC! It’s a togetherness thing. We need more of that these days.

The Lost ChordThe Lost Chord
What is your favorite single line of lyrics the band has written and why?

THE LOST CHORD: Again this is a bit of a personal question in which we all may have a different answer but here is what a couple of us think:

Bryan:

“We’ve got to awake, we’ve got to awake, we’ve got to awaken the flame” (Lambspring).

Every time I hear or play this song, that line is the one that is guaranteed to put shivers down my spine. I feel that it means so much in today’s world. We look around, we see everyone going to work every day, bored, tired, fed up, and there is no excitement in people anymore. To me we need to wake up, we need to get fire under us and go do something special, something important! The earth we live in is so magnificent, and there are so many opportunities for us to take advantage of or improve upon. I feel the human race has the ability to really make a difference for the future, however, we mostly choose not to.

Alex: “Have you seen the Sun today? You must rise up early and watch the dark fade away” (Weapons of War)

It’s a statement about aligning your mind and perceiving clearly. It’s also a great way to literally re-connect with Nature. Even though sometimes it feels claustrophobic living in the city, I can always get up at sunrise and feel that peacefulness before the concrete jungle wakes up. I like this lyric because it’s both metaphor and practical advice. Separate the false from the True and only the True remains. The Sun is such a powerful symbol for life. We all have dark days and need to draw on something for strength.

Louis: “But she cannot cross the River Styx until you suffer the same fate as she.” (She)

It’s really a dark lyric, but very deep too. It tells a story in one line.

What does the rest of 2013 and 2014 hold for you?

THE LOST CHORD: Well we are going to be busy. We are planning to put together a whole slew of shows and some heavy touring. We want to get this record out to the people, we want to share it! The best way we know how to do that is to get out on the road and play it for people. We will also be writing new material of course, but that’s a given with musicians, we are always creating.

Imagine that you were asked to be the opener for any band’s world tour (both current and historical). Which band and tour would be your dream opening gig.

THE LOST CHORD: I mean, I think as far as a historical band, how can you not say the Beatles? (First off if we were opening that would mean we would get to see them too!). I know it’s not an interesting answer, but please go ahead and name me a more influential band to open for!

Currently, I think each of us would have a different answer. Mine (Bryan) would be The Red Hot Chili Peppers. They had the biggest influence on me growing up and getting me into rock music. It would just be incredible to have the opportunity to share the stage with them.

Alex: As much as I like The Beatles, the idea of opening for them, especially after Beatlemania took over, sounds like a tough gig or even career suicide. Of course, the girls probably wouldn’t scream as loud so everyone would be able to hear our music. On second thought, we are a pretty handsome band though…

Louis: Pink Floyd in the era when hey had five members including both Syd Barrett and David Gilmour on guitar and vocals. Currently, I would want to open for Phish. I think it would be great to perform in front of a big crowd of Phish-heads.

TLC from The Lost ChordNostalgia from The Lost Chord
What is the future of the music industry? With the concept of the album and physical CD’s facing extinction, how will we be consuming music in 10 years? Are the economics feasible for emerging artists?

THE LOST CHORD:. This is a tough question, and many people will have different views on this one. I personally think the music industry is like a circle. Back in the day the single was the most important thing and bands did not focus so much on recording full length albums. Rather they released singles. After a while this moved on to making albums. We are back in a stage where the single is the important thing. I predict this will get old. When you hear a song and you absolutely love it and go to check out the artist that put it out, wouldn’t you be disappointed if there were like 2 other songs?! I think the industry will shift back to albums soon enough.

This brings up the issue of economics for bands these days. The fact is that music is available everywhere and sales of albums are much lower than they ever were before. The major shift we are already seeing and will continue to see is artists doing things on their own and not relying on a big record deal. See record deals do not hold the same value as they used to. Sure they can help you to gain exposure, but since there is less money in albums they take money from your tour, merch, and just about anything else they can get their hands on. For bands nowadays it is about finding new revenue streams and making it on your own. This way you keep 100 percent of the money you make. Sure, it is harder, and more work. But I predict that the artists willing to put in the work will be the ones who will succeed in today’s industry.

Where can people purchase or listen to your music?

THE LOST CHORD: Our music can be streamed and purchased at www.thelostchord.bandcamp.com. You can also order CD’s and Tshirts right from our site at www.thelostchord.ca/shop. As well it is available for purchase on Itunes.

At the end of 2012 we published our picks for top 10 albums of 2012. Lists like those are always a reflection of personal tastes so if you were making the list what are some albums you would you have had on it?

THE LOST CHORD:

Bryan: Pearl Jam – Lighting Bolt and City and Colour – The Hurry and the Harm

Alex: Secret Chiefs 3 – Book of Souls: Folio A (a staggering and dense masterpiece) and Lloyd Brown – Rootical (Pure Fire!!!!!)

Louis: Imagine Dragons – Night Visions and David Bowe – The Next Day

Brendan: Arctic Monkeys – AM and Vampire Weekend – Modern Vampires of the City

Jamie: Daft Punk – Random Access and Gogol Bordello – Pura Vida Conspiracy

photo 4

Any closing remarks for our readers?

We’re coming soon to a town near you so we’ll see you then! Be cool, stay warm and take good care of one another. Peace. ~TLC~

THE LOST CHORD:

Thanks so much to THE LOST CHORD. We hope that you can see them live. They are playing Stay tuned for touring announcements soon!

The band’s website is www.thelostchord.ca and as you would expect they are on Twitter @thelostchordband and www.facebook.com/thelostchord. In the meantime check out their video below from YouTube: - T Mak World

Monday, April 14, 2014

The Lost Chord, "Nostalgia"
After taking some time off from writing reviews to take care of some other business, I decided to get back into the flow with the help of Toronto’s The Lost Chord and their 2013 release “Nostalgia”. It’s solid rock & roll, with tight harmonies and occasional hints of psychedelia. It’s quite possibly the best album I’ve heard in my fledgling reviewing career.

That needs to be expanded upon? Guess I better shake off the rust quickly.

When people bemoan the state of popular music today, a common refrain is how there’s still so much good music out there, but you have to look for it. After listening to “Nostalgia”, I can confidently say you don’t have to look any further. Right away, they show that they don’t belong to the “rock is dead” camp. They happen to believe that it’s alive and well, and put it out on display. And if you like looking for underlying messages in songs, “Weapons Of War” is for you. Very early in the song, among mentions of bombs, explosions in the streets, and guns at night, is the line “(t)here’s a war going on, and they won’t give up the fight.” Could “they” be record executives? Writers with an agenda, who push tripe to stay on the good side of record companies, or create controversy for the sake of page views? The inventor of Auto-Tune? How to combat these atrocities? “May the weapons of war be the words that you say and the chords that you play.” Make your own kind of music, as Mama Cass once sang. Find what speaks to you, write about it, turn it into song, create melodies, instrumentation, harmonies, a song. Simplified? Sure. But the bigger message is to not lose creative spirit. Their preferred canvas is music. “When we sing together, then we can change the world.”

It only takes one note to tell you what you’re in for on this album. Guitar, bass, and drums all introduce themselves on the very first downbeat of the very first track, “Lambspring”, and you’re strapped in for an uptempo 6/8-time ride. Alex Berry brings his unique vocal sound into the mix only a few seconds later, and then you’re hit with the first wave of harmonies, which add a level of warmth that persists through the entire album. The track ends with a guitar solo unlike anything I’ve heard. Not so much the notes, but how it sounds like it was backward-masked, and then re-reversed. In reality, it may just be the tone of the guitar, but that it even hints at an old psychedelic trick speaks volumes about their influences, preferences, and style.

The Lost Chord may be a relative newcomer, as bands go, but they seem to have a lot of things figured out on “Nostalgia”. The music is real and original, and they didn’t overdo anything. This is about as good as music gets. And with any luck, there are a lot of years and albums still to come for the band. That means it would be a long time before their fans look back on this album as… well… nostalgia. - Ryan Koval

The Lost Chord, a Toronto based band opened the night by rocking the Velvet Underground. They sound should appeal to mainstream and serious rock fans alike as they play a set that mixes classic rock influences (think David Bowie, Pink Floyd) with the sounds of some of modern rocks best such as Red Hot Chili Peppers or Pearl Jam. Numerous solos from both guitarists Louis Marc Vautour and Peter Johnson were intertwined with the very versatile vocals from Alexander Berry . Berry seemed at home with both the more melodic soulful vocals and the harder rocking vocals that you get with their set. His looks will also appeal to the female hard rock fans as part way through the show lead singer Berry removed his jacket to the cackling of girls yelling for him to take off his shirt as well. - T-Mak World