The Strumbellas

The Strumbellas serve as a friendly reminder not to judge a book by its cover or in this case, a band by their moniker. The punny band name is evocative of a Mr. Dressup, silly style of music making, but the music on the band's debut, My Father and the Hunter, is anything but. The album is full of high energy, earnest folk music, coupled with darker-tinged gothic folk. "The Bird That Follows Me" is a great example, where songwriter Simon Ward ends the song with the stark lyrics, "Well, I believe because death has always won the last hand." The album successfully evokes the feeling of a live jam. The litany of instruments and the choir of voices backing up Simon Ward's lead help this effect along. "Rhinestone," "The Sheriff" and "Underneath a Mountain" are highlights on what is a fantastic debut album. I'm sorry I ever judged you, Strumbellas!
(Independent) - Exclaim!

The Strumbellas serve as a friendly reminder not to judge a book by its cover or in this case, a band by their moniker. The punny band name is evocative of a Mr. Dressup, silly style of music making, but the music on the band's debut, My Father and the Hunter, is anything but. The album is full of high energy, earnest folk music, coupled with darker-tinged gothic folk. "The Bird That Follows Me" is a great example, where songwriter Simon Ward ends the song with the stark lyrics, "Well, I believe because death has always won the last hand." The album successfully evokes the feeling of a live jam. The litany of instruments and the choir of voices backing up Simon Ward's lead help this effect along. "Rhinestone," "The Sheriff" and "Underneath a Mountain" are highlights on what is a fantastic debut album. I'm sorry I ever judged you, Strumbellas!
(Independent) - Exclaim!

The Rivoli was too small to contain the crowd trying to get in to see the Strumbellas launch their debut album My Father And The Hunter. The bluegrass-gospel-punk crew have been garnering a fair chunk of buzz for their uplifting sing along songs about death, and banjo player James Oliver joked that the room was also full of family and friends from the band’s hometown, Lindsay.[brierbreak]
Keith Hamilton and his earnest thirteen person indie-folk choir Hamilton Trading Co. opened the evening with a mostly a capella set – a messy thing to attempt in a loud room but it worked when they sang something the audience knew (The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down). By the end of their set the choir was meeting the crowd’s energy with forceful vocals, stomps and handclaps.
Poppy folk-rockers Graydon James & The Young Novelists were in fine form, and were thankfully loud enough for the room. James and his wife Laura Spink, along with bassist Shawn Jurek , even managed to get the crowd involved in a fairly complicated three-part sing along breakdown.
Strumbellas singer/guitarist Simon Ward prepared for the occasion by taking off his Australian Boot Company boots and his socks before the band got started. In a set that went by too fast, the seven-piece flew through most of their album, adding Elephant Tree, which didn’t make the disc, Corin Raymond’s 3000 Miles and a Ryan Adams cover, Let It Ride (Ward’s a huge Adams fan, apparently).
Though Ward’s gravely lead vocals sometimes crossed over into pitchy territory, the group’s collective energy was undeniable. There was a lot of love in their shouted off-mic gang vocals, urgent instrumentals and flailing dance moves. - NOW Magazine

The Rivoli was too small to contain the crowd trying to get in to see the Strumbellas launch their debut album My Father And The Hunter. The bluegrass-gospel-punk crew have been garnering a fair chunk of buzz for their uplifting sing along songs about death, and banjo player James Oliver joked that the room was also full of family and friends from the band’s hometown, Lindsay.[brierbreak]
Keith Hamilton and his earnest thirteen person indie-folk choir Hamilton Trading Co. opened the evening with a mostly a capella set – a messy thing to attempt in a loud room but it worked when they sang something the audience knew (The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down). By the end of their set the choir was meeting the crowd’s energy with forceful vocals, stomps and handclaps.
Poppy folk-rockers Graydon James & The Young Novelists were in fine form, and were thankfully loud enough for the room. James and his wife Laura Spink, along with bassist Shawn Jurek , even managed to get the crowd involved in a fairly complicated three-part sing along breakdown.
Strumbellas singer/guitarist Simon Ward prepared for the occasion by taking off his Australian Boot Company boots and his socks before the band got started. In a set that went by too fast, the seven-piece flew through most of their album, adding Elephant Tree, which didn’t make the disc, Corin Raymond’s 3000 Miles and a Ryan Adams cover, Let It Ride (Ward’s a huge Adams fan, apparently).
Though Ward’s gravely lead vocals sometimes crossed over into pitchy territory, the group’s collective energy was undeniable. There was a lot of love in their shouted off-mic gang vocals, urgent instrumentals and flailing dance moves. - NOW Magazine

Based in Toronto, but born in the small Ontario town of Lindsay, The Strumbellas are an alt-country/bluegrass band in the vein of Cuff the Duke, The Sadies and The Wilderness of Manitoba.

In February they released their first full-length My Father and the Hunter. They also have a 2009 EP to their credit.

Tonight, The Strumbellas are in town to play a show at the Exchange. To give you a sense of what they’re like, here’s video of the band in studio recording “The Bird That Follows Me” - Prairie Dog

For Valentine’s Day, I had the opportunity to sit down and chat with 3 of the 7 members of The Strumbellas – Simon Ward, Izzy Ritchie and Darryl James. While most of the band’s roots are based out of Lindsay, Ontario, 5 of 7 to be specific, the band was actually formed in Toronto out of an unlikely situation.

Simon says, “It started with a Craigslist ad and I had 15 people come out to my apartment on Jarvis and Church to play. In about a month, half of them left and eventually it just go to the point when we just needed new key members and so we were like, ‘Well, we have a friend we know from Lindsay,’ so we’d just call them. And the only ones who survived from the original Craigslist ad are Izzy and Dave. We met them as strangers.”

Darryl indicates that it’s been 3 years since that Craigslist ad, so they’ve been working with band members Izzy, from Wisconsin, and Dave Ritter, from Oshawa, for a few years now.

The end product of their 7-piece band is a sound that is difficult to peg. Izzy says that alt country is probably the best description. Simon follows up by saying, “I’m honoured to be called alt-country because that’s my favourite music genre. So when somebody says we’re alt country, I say, ‘Yeah, absolutely. Awesome. We’re alt country.’ At this point, Simon is giving a thumbs up.

Darryl then says, “We were really bluegrassy to start. We were a 9-piece when it really settled out from Craigslist. No drummer. There was a clarinet and mandolin and banjo and it was very instrument-based and we’ve kind of evolved from there.”

The band doesn’t shy away from people describing their sound in different ways, though. In fact, they enjoy hearing what other people describe their sound to be, whether it’s bluegrass, alt country or pop.

Their sound for this album started with Simon. He says, “This album was me bringing a skeleton to the jam room and then everybody kind of just implemented their own parts. We’ve grown since then, so it’s become more collaborative in the later songs on the album. The next album, I’m sure, will be way more collaborative.”

The album, My Father and the Hunter, was produced by Jason “Cone” McCaslin (Sum 41). About working with Cone, Izzy says, “I think we were all just excited because Cone was so excited in the music. He worked incredibly hard for us and put in so much time. He had lots of great ideas, but also he was flexible, so he’d bring something and if we were like, ‘Oh, we’re not sure,’ he’d work with the band so we could reach somewhere that we were all happy with.”

Simon adds, “We kind of just hit it off with Cone. He’s a young producer, we’re a young band and it was our first album. He’s done a couple other albums, but he’s still young.”

Darryl also throws in some praise. “He’s very close to our age too, so we had a lot in common with him. He’s just the best. And he’s just an awesome guy. And his musical knowledge of all genres is incredible. He’s not just a punk guy. He respects all good music and we could talk about all music and sounds. When you really get to know him, you just appreciate how knowledgeable the guy is.”

The album will be out on February 21st, with a release on February 17th at The Rivoli. Now comes a time when the band is called upon to make their album translate live. With 7 members on stage, Izzy indicates that the different personalities and musical abilities lend well to their live show.

Darryl adds, “There’s a lot of group vocals too. We’re a very interactive band. We all sing, even if it’s off-mike. We love that live. It’s always been encouraged from day one that every member participates in singing. I can truthfully admit that to start my singing was pretty shaky…”

Simon interrupts, “I’ll be doing the lead singing, but I’ll be able to hear Jon and Darryl singing all the words, yelling all the words in my ears, which is cool. I like it. I like hearing a bunch of people singing.”

Izzy then says, “It also just kind of makes us feel more relaxed, kind of like you’re just with a bunch of friends singing, having fun, having a good time.”

Darryl smiles and say, “And we’re seeing that a bit more where some of the fans are starting to know some of the words.”

Simon continues, “We want them to participate. We’re shy, like we really want them to sing along, but we don’t have the confidence to say, “Okay guys, sing this part with me.” We’re really hoping that after the album comes out, people start knowing the songs better. We really hope people start singing along. We just don’t want to have to ask them. We’re so shy.”

With the album release coming up, the band is looking to tour Ontario and hopefully beyond to build a fan base. On top of that, the band also recently filmed a video for “The Sheriff”, which will be out soon. Possibly the coolest news is that the band is going to be releasing a Strumbellas video game. No information about the game was really revealed, but it’s certainly something I’m looking forward t - Buying Shots for Bands

For Valentine’s Day, I had the opportunity to sit down and chat with 3 of the 7 members of The Strumbellas – Simon Ward, Izzy Ritchie and Darryl James. While most of the band’s roots are based out of Lindsay, Ontario, 5 of 7 to be specific, the band was actually formed in Toronto out of an unlikely situation.

Simon says, “It started with a Craigslist ad and I had 15 people come out to my apartment on Jarvis and Church to play. In about a month, half of them left and eventually it just go to the point when we just needed new key members and so we were like, ‘Well, we have a friend we know from Lindsay,’ so we’d just call them. And the only ones who survived from the original Craigslist ad are Izzy and Dave. We met them as strangers.”

Darryl indicates that it’s been 3 years since that Craigslist ad, so they’ve been working with band members Izzy, from Wisconsin, and Dave Ritter, from Oshawa, for a few years now.

The end product of their 7-piece band is a sound that is difficult to peg. Izzy says that alt country is probably the best description. Simon follows up by saying, “I’m honoured to be called alt-country because that’s my favourite music genre. So when somebody says we’re alt country, I say, ‘Yeah, absolutely. Awesome. We’re alt country.’ At this point, Simon is giving a thumbs up.

Darryl then says, “We were really bluegrassy to start. We were a 9-piece when it really settled out from Craigslist. No drummer. There was a clarinet and mandolin and banjo and it was very instrument-based and we’ve kind of evolved from there.”

The band doesn’t shy away from people describing their sound in different ways, though. In fact, they enjoy hearing what other people describe their sound to be, whether it’s bluegrass, alt country or pop.

Their sound for this album started with Simon. He says, “This album was me bringing a skeleton to the jam room and then everybody kind of just implemented their own parts. We’ve grown since then, so it’s become more collaborative in the later songs on the album. The next album, I’m sure, will be way more collaborative.”

The album, My Father and the Hunter, was produced by Jason “Cone” McCaslin (Sum 41). About working with Cone, Izzy says, “I think we were all just excited because Cone was so excited in the music. He worked incredibly hard for us and put in so much time. He had lots of great ideas, but also he was flexible, so he’d bring something and if we were like, ‘Oh, we’re not sure,’ he’d work with the band so we could reach somewhere that we were all happy with.”

Simon adds, “We kind of just hit it off with Cone. He’s a young producer, we’re a young band and it was our first album. He’s done a couple other albums, but he’s still young.”

Darryl also throws in some praise. “He’s very close to our age too, so we had a lot in common with him. He’s just the best. And he’s just an awesome guy. And his musical knowledge of all genres is incredible. He’s not just a punk guy. He respects all good music and we could talk about all music and sounds. When you really get to know him, you just appreciate how knowledgeable the guy is.”

The album will be out on February 21st, with a release on February 17th at The Rivoli. Now comes a time when the band is called upon to make their album translate live. With 7 members on stage, Izzy indicates that the different personalities and musical abilities lend well to their live show.

Darryl adds, “There’s a lot of group vocals too. We’re a very interactive band. We all sing, even if it’s off-mike. We love that live. It’s always been encouraged from day one that every member participates in singing. I can truthfully admit that to start my singing was pretty shaky…”

Simon interrupts, “I’ll be doing the lead singing, but I’ll be able to hear Jon and Darryl singing all the words, yelling all the words in my ears, which is cool. I like it. I like hearing a bunch of people singing.”

Izzy then says, “It also just kind of makes us feel more relaxed, kind of like you’re just with a bunch of friends singing, having fun, having a good time.”

Darryl smiles and say, “And we’re seeing that a bit more where some of the fans are starting to know some of the words.”

Simon continues, “We want them to participate. We’re shy, like we really want them to sing along, but we don’t have the confidence to say, “Okay guys, sing this part with me.” We’re really hoping that after the album comes out, people start knowing the songs better. We really hope people start singing along. We just don’t want to have to ask them. We’re so shy.”

With the album release coming up, the band is looking to tour Ontario and hopefully beyond to build a fan base. On top of that, the band also recently filmed a video for “The Sheriff”, which will be out soon. Possibly the coolest news is that the band is going to be releasing a Strumbellas video game. No information about the game was really revealed, but it’s certainly something I’m looking forward t - Buying Shots for Bands

Patience. More than any of the descriptors saddled upon The Strumbellas, a Toronto based septet, patience will be the most overlooked. The band turned heads with an engaging video performance of “Underneath a Mountain” on Southern Souls and fine tuned their songs with several Cameron House residencies.

They could have easily rushed into a studio and hammered out a follow up to the well received EP and no one would have blinked an eye. Instead, The Strumbellas waited until the songs and the band were ready.

“The Sheriff”, showcases the flavor the band slow cooked. The Strumbellas play dark, gothic folk and given the sheer volume of the players involved, you’d expect the waters to get muddy. Instead, each element is presented clearly, and each idea developed fully. The Sheriff surges forward, benefiting from strings, piano, kick drum breakdowns, spot on harmonies and a well executed crescendo. The notes you hear and the energy the seven players exude isn’t an accident.

It’s hard to imagine a fan of The Avetts not settling into this song (or many of the other uptempo jaunts they offer up), but the debut LP – My Father And The Hunter – offers more sophisticated, tender moments that show the band’s ceiling could extend to great heights. The most immediate moments are those of pace and punch, but the most lasting are the ones the band delivers with a soft touch, including the spot on three play of “I Just Had a Baby”, “Left For Dead” and “Windsurfers” and the Paul Simon inspired penultimate track.
- Hero Hill

Patience. More than any of the descriptors saddled upon The Strumbellas, a Toronto based septet, patience will be the most overlooked. The band turned heads with an engaging video performance of “Underneath a Mountain” on Southern Souls and fine tuned their songs with several Cameron House residencies.

They could have easily rushed into a studio and hammered out a follow up to the well received EP and no one would have blinked an eye. Instead, The Strumbellas waited until the songs and the band were ready.

“The Sheriff”, showcases the flavor the band slow cooked. The Strumbellas play dark, gothic folk and given the sheer volume of the players involved, you’d expect the waters to get muddy. Instead, each element is presented clearly, and each idea developed fully. The Sheriff surges forward, benefiting from strings, piano, kick drum breakdowns, spot on harmonies and a well executed crescendo. The notes you hear and the energy the seven players exude isn’t an accident.

It’s hard to imagine a fan of The Avetts not settling into this song (or many of the other uptempo jaunts they offer up), but the debut LP – My Father And The Hunter – offers more sophisticated, tender moments that show the band’s ceiling could extend to great heights. The most immediate moments are those of pace and punch, but the most lasting are the ones the band delivers with a soft touch, including the spot on three play of “I Just Had a Baby”, “Left For Dead” and “Windsurfers” and the Paul Simon inspired penultimate track.
- Hero Hill

On the strength of one EP, The Strumbellas managed to grab 20k in factor funds and the production of Cone McCaslin at Blue Rodeo’s Woodshed Studio. The Strumbellas are a seven-piece alt country outfit based out of Toronto. Their debut full length, My Father and the Hunter, alternates between barn burners and lullabies. Songs like “Diane” and “Lakes” are resolute and cathartic and lead single “The Bird That Follows Me” is like a smooth gulp of rye with it’s swung Band-esque trot through lines like “I believe in death / cause death has always won / the last hand.” - Argue Job

Boasting a sprawling six-member lineup, Toronto-via-Lindsay, Ont. band The Strumbellas have a lot on their plate.

It has been busy times in The Strumbellas camp as of late with the group having undertaken their first western Canadian tour earlier this year in support of their excellent debut record, My Father & The Hunter, released independently this past February.

Some might argue that The Strumbellas have saved the best for last, making their debut sojourn to Atlantic Canada in one of the best possible times of year — summer. In what will be their first show in Metro Moncton, The Strumbellas will be performing at Moncton’s Plan B Lounge on Sunday evening.

In fact, The Strumbellas’ Simon Ward was so excited to chat with the Times & Transcript in advance of the Moncton show, he called in while he’s on vacation. Is that not dedication, folks?

“No rest for the wicked, is there Simon?” we ask.

Ward laughs this off, stating that even being on vacation can’t quell his excitement at the group’s upcoming journey to Atlantic Canada.

“We formed approximately four years ago,” Ward starts. “I had placed a Craigslist ad in effort to find some band members. I saw upwards of 15 people stop by my place to test the waters, so to speak. Some people didn’t work out or left on their own accord. And in the end, I ended up calling up some old friends from my hometown of Lindsay and asking them to join.”

When discussing the finer points of folk-infused music, Canadian punk band Sum 41 wouldn’t necessarily be the first thing that you’d be likely to think of. It was actually The Strumbellas’ desire to make more than a mere folk record that got them to hire Sum 41 bassist Cone McCaslin to assume the role or producer for My Father & The Hunter.

“We wanted to set out to write and record songs that would comprise more than just a run of the mill folk record. I absolutely adore folk music but I think that we have some songs, hooks and melodies that are a little more radio-friendly than what some might consider folk music to be,” Ward says.

“Admittedly, Cone might not have been the first person people would think to call to produce a folk-ish kind of record but we really connected with Cone. We were on the same page with respect to so much.”

Asked what McCaslin brought to the making of My Father & The Hunter, Ward says that McCaslin was practically the glue that held the band together in the studio.

“His work ethic was something that was eye-opening to us. We had never been in a studio so we didn’t really have an appreciation for exactly what it entailed. With Cone behind the board, we had never seen someone work so hard. He took the loose ends and tied everything together for us. Getting drunk at 11 a.m. wasn’t an option,” Ward laughs. - The Music Nerd

It takes something special to make a room shaped like a laundry chute, feel like a theatre. The Strumbellas are a band that seems to know what that special quality is, because from their first song to their last, they transformed the small Railway Club into a blazing amphitheatre.

The Strumbellas are a six-piece country/indie rock band with touches of gospel, which hail from Toronto, Canada. Formed in 2006, The Strumbellas have slowly been cultivating a whole-grain musical sound – one they were not shy about introducing to an enthusiastic Vancouver crowd on the last stop of their cross-Canada tour Sunday.

Electric organ, sinuous violin, and stomping feet combined to create a spectacular musical conversation – and it was clear from the start that a conversation is exactly what The Strumbellas want from their audience.

It is one thing to put on a show that is one-sided by definition, but The Strumbellas opted to put on an event – one that every person in the room was a part of.

Early on in the night, they passed around a personal camera, asking the audience to document the show for them in whatever way they saw fit. As the camera made its way around the room, people took pictures of their friends, the band, each other, and people they’d never met.

Circulating along with the camera was a sense of authorship that is rarely given to an audience, one that was welcomed by the crowd. The feeling that both the band and the audience were working together to create an enduring experience hung over the rest of the evening.

It’s easy to get lost in a six-piece band, but The Strumbellas are really only a five-piece band supporting one bohemian conductor.

Frontman Simon Ward is a raconteur of swinging limbs and harmonic discharge who presents a musical soul as bare as his feet.

The rest of the band possesses a sort of symbiotic relationship, frequently summoned into cohesive action by their leader into a kind of primal chant, eschewing their microphones and creating brief moments of vocal magic.

This is a band that acts as if they would be most comfortable playing in a backyard amongst friends, constantly bantering with each other mid-song and seemingly forgetting they are on a stage at all – in fact, Simon wandered off of it several times in search of unprepared (but not unwilling) duet partners.

The interplay between the band (particularly a bit of push-and-shove going on in the rhythm section) was great fun to watch, and really gave the impression that The Strumbellas are also great Strumbuddies.\

From the crash of the opening cymbal to the electric hum leftover after the playing stopped, The Strumbellas put on a great show. With their first album, My Father and the Hunter out of the gate earlier this year, it gives great promise for whatever comes next. And whatever does, I will gladly be the bird that follows them.
- Vancouver Weekly

It takes something special to make a room shaped like a laundry chute, feel like a theatre. The Strumbellas are a band that seems to know what that special quality is, because from their first song to their last, they transformed the small Railway Club into a blazing amphitheatre.

The Strumbellas are a six-piece country/indie rock band with touches of gospel, which hail from Toronto, Canada. Formed in 2006, The Strumbellas have slowly been cultivating a whole-grain musical sound – one they were not shy about introducing to an enthusiastic Vancouver crowd on the last stop of their cross-Canada tour Sunday.

Electric organ, sinuous violin, and stomping feet combined to create a spectacular musical conversation – and it was clear from the start that a conversation is exactly what The Strumbellas want from their audience.

It is one thing to put on a show that is one-sided by definition, but The Strumbellas opted to put on an event – one that every person in the room was a part of.

Early on in the night, they passed around a personal camera, asking the audience to document the show for them in whatever way they saw fit. As the camera made its way around the room, people took pictures of their friends, the band, each other, and people they’d never met.

Circulating along with the camera was a sense of authorship that is rarely given to an audience, one that was welcomed by the crowd. The feeling that both the band and the audience were working together to create an enduring experience hung over the rest of the evening.

It’s easy to get lost in a six-piece band, but The Strumbellas are really only a five-piece band supporting one bohemian conductor.

Frontman Simon Ward is a raconteur of swinging limbs and harmonic discharge who presents a musical soul as bare as his feet.

The rest of the band possesses a sort of symbiotic relationship, frequently summoned into cohesive action by their leader into a kind of primal chant, eschewing their microphones and creating brief moments of vocal magic.

This is a band that acts as if they would be most comfortable playing in a backyard amongst friends, constantly bantering with each other mid-song and seemingly forgetting they are on a stage at all – in fact, Simon wandered off of it several times in search of unprepared (but not unwilling) duet partners.

The interplay between the band (particularly a bit of push-and-shove going on in the rhythm section) was great fun to watch, and really gave the impression that The Strumbellas are also great Strumbuddies.\

From the crash of the opening cymbal to the electric hum leftover after the playing stopped, The Strumbellas put on a great show. With their first album, My Father and the Hunter out of the gate earlier this year, it gives great promise for whatever comes next. And whatever does, I will gladly be the bird that follows them.
- Vancouver Weekly

My spies at Moncton's Plan B tell me this band played an excellent show last night (Sunday), and have a couple more in the Maritimes, Monday night at The Carleton in Halifax, and Tuesday at The Bistro in Woodstock. Coming out of the alt-country scene in Toronto, but with their hearts in rural spaces in Ontario, the Strumbellas launched their debut, My Father and The Hunter this spring. It's a big sound and a big group of players, heavy on the strings and vocals, but with a big beat behind them, bass and drums driving everything along. Banjo, violin, ukulele and mandolin sweeten the sound, and for the most part you'll need your happy face and crazy legs to keep up.


The band has all the energy of the old-timey groups pouring out of the cracks this days, but with much brighter songs than most, and excellent group harmonies. As opposed to, say, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, this bunch can really sing, and pile on the vocals. The massed choir they produce is actually the biggest instrument on the disc. For a better comparison, I'd say it's like Great Lake Swimmer, plus another bunch of Great Lake Swimmers, and then more Great Lake Swimmers.

The songs are mysterious, with abstract lyrics and images. There isn't one story I can point to as obvious and fully understandable, but they all drag you in to their ghost stories and wide open landscapes. The most beautiful of them all is Diane, which is almost all vocals, with gentle guitar and piano in the background, as the singers sweep us away to a forest to meet her. There's even a brief bit of church hymn harmony to close the disc, in Carry My Body. This disc makes me feel very, very good. - CBC

Apparently long-lost, rich relatives aren’t the only thing you can find on Craigslist! The Strumbellas were formed when frontman Simon Ward put out a Craigslist ad for band members. After auditioning the 10 -15 people who responded to the ad, Simon chose three people from his hometown in Lindsay, Ontario (population 19,361) and two others who auditioned. According to Simon though, growing up in a small town in Ontario hasn’t influenced the style he brings to The Strumbellas. “I grew up listening to hip-hop… So I didn’t listen to country music growing up. My parents never put on country records, so I have no idea how… if it did influence it – maybe. I don’t know.”

Simon is the principle songwriter for The Strumbellas saying, “sometimes, when I’m really sad I’ll write songs, but mostly when I’m jacked up on emotions – like if I’m on a really big natural high, that’s when I’ll write the best. I have so much love inside of me, I’m just pouring out my happiness, I just love writing when that’s happening.” What gets him all jacked up? “I don’t know what it is… a good 90’s comedy always gets me jacked up, I’ll tell you that much right now… If I go out for a night, jamming, having a couple beers, that’ll also put me in good spirits.”


The Strumbella’s most recent album is called My Father and The Hunter: I ask Simon what the title means, or symbolizes. He thinks for a while, and says, “That’s literally my father on the [album] cover. He died a long time ago, and so My Father and The Hunter is just basically me making this album getting out all of my stuff about that. The demons that me and my father both have, and it’s just kind of a reflection on his life and me kind of becoming him.”

See the name “The Strumbellas” and you’ll likely picture several people hanging out playing guitars and singing folk music. You’d be wrong – only half of The Strumbellas play guitar – only one of which is acoustic. In fact, Simon describes The Strumbellas sound as “folk popgrass” - an ambiguous term if I’ve ever heard one. The Strumbella’s biography also says they’re always striving to find the pop hook – I ask Simon about that, as it seems to contradict the label “folk popgrass.” He explains, ”man, if I could, I would just write pop music all day and night. I just… I love pop music. I love radio music. I love everything about it. If someone were to say that I wrote a pop hook in a country song, that would give me great enjoyment. That’s what I strive to do – I strive to write cool hooks. I get as close to indie-pop as I can… [The album] does have some elements of pop music – not necessarily Madonna pop, but popular. Billy Joel, Elton John, I love that music. Hopefully, one day I can write even more pop music.”

“We try to be as lively and upbeat as possible. We just want to have a good time. So, we do our best to try to entertain you. Our songs are all two and a half minutes long, so we try to keep the energy up. If you catch us on the right night, you might even see some dancing! So watch out for that. I like to try to sabotage the other musicians by running into them – you might see that as well… We just go out there and bang our hearts out.”
- The Sound and Noise

Apparently long-lost, rich relatives aren’t the only thing you can find on Craigslist! The Strumbellas were formed when frontman Simon Ward put out a Craigslist ad for band members. After auditioning the 10 -15 people who responded to the ad, Simon chose three people from his hometown in Lindsay, Ontario (population 19,361) and two others who auditioned. According to Simon though, growing up in a small town in Ontario hasn’t influenced the style he brings to The Strumbellas. “I grew up listening to hip-hop… So I didn’t listen to country music growing up. My parents never put on country records, so I have no idea how… if it did influence it – maybe. I don’t know.”

Simon is the principle songwriter for The Strumbellas saying, “sometimes, when I’m really sad I’ll write songs, but mostly when I’m jacked up on emotions – like if I’m on a really big natural high, that’s when I’ll write the best. I have so much love inside of me, I’m just pouring out my happiness, I just love writing when that’s happening.” What gets him all jacked up? “I don’t know what it is… a good 90’s comedy always gets me jacked up, I’ll tell you that much right now… If I go out for a night, jamming, having a couple beers, that’ll also put me in good spirits.”


The Strumbella’s most recent album is called My Father and The Hunter: I ask Simon what the title means, or symbolizes. He thinks for a while, and says, “That’s literally my father on the [album] cover. He died a long time ago, and so My Father and The Hunter is just basically me making this album getting out all of my stuff about that. The demons that me and my father both have, and it’s just kind of a reflection on his life and me kind of becoming him.”

See the name “The Strumbellas” and you’ll likely picture several people hanging out playing guitars and singing folk music. You’d be wrong – only half of The Strumbellas play guitar – only one of which is acoustic. In fact, Simon describes The Strumbellas sound as “folk popgrass” - an ambiguous term if I’ve ever heard one. The Strumbella’s biography also says they’re always striving to find the pop hook – I ask Simon about that, as it seems to contradict the label “folk popgrass.” He explains, ”man, if I could, I would just write pop music all day and night. I just… I love pop music. I love radio music. I love everything about it. If someone were to say that I wrote a pop hook in a country song, that would give me great enjoyment. That’s what I strive to do – I strive to write cool hooks. I get as close to indie-pop as I can… [The album] does have some elements of pop music – not necessarily Madonna pop, but popular. Billy Joel, Elton John, I love that music. Hopefully, one day I can write even more pop music.”

“We try to be as lively and upbeat as possible. We just want to have a good time. So, we do our best to try to entertain you. Our songs are all two and a half minutes long, so we try to keep the energy up. If you catch us on the right night, you might even see some dancing! So watch out for that. I like to try to sabotage the other musicians by running into them – you might see that as well… We just go out there and bang our hearts out.”
- The Sound and Noise

It is my well-informed opinion that thoughts on The Strumbellas new album, My Father And The Hunter, would best be written while under the influence some type of drug. Mind you, I’m speaking of a substance that was grown in the ground, not one manufactured in a trailer house with blacked out windows (sorry for the stereotyping, Meth Heads), but one that might produce flowers and pretty leaves along with psychedelic properties.

My thinking is that a drug that petitions your heart and mind to open might make it easier to take this in. Upon first listen, my interest was piqued and upon subsequent listens I’m realizing, hey man, I’m not the sheriff here. Who am I to tell you what to imbibe before wrapping your melon in headphones and getting acquainted?

**



Amidst the raucous yet well-polished indie folk rock/alt-countrysounds emerging from The Strumbellas on My Father And The Hunter are songs that defy their upbeat tone and carry heavy loads. Talk of marriage and babies, redneck fights involving shotguns and the loss of big toes, and other various affairs that are already so well dealt with by those born, raised, and making music in the backwoods of America, permeates this album and yet, The Strumbellas hail from Canada, otherwise known as America’s responsible, classy cousin that hides her alcohol consumption so much better than we. What a bitch…

But in the years since 2009, when their debut self-titled pack of jams was released, the band has matured while touching on bits and pieces that would prove too heavy for your everyday band and their brand of self-described ‘folk popgrass’ belies the stories contained on their latest album.

As a resident of the of the Buckle of the Bible Belt, I can attest that this shit can kill man. I mean, have you fucking seen ‘Winter’s Bone’? And yet here, it’s wrapped in vocals that were first dipped in perfection before laid to tape, making it all perfectly bearable. The stomps, handclaps, the banjo, the violin, and these sing-alongs (7 band members strong), carry the feel of a turn of the century family who lived these things and must sing about them to exorcise those demons. My Father And The Hunter is soaked in anomalies but ones that work…and work very well.


(The Strumbellas perform “I’m Not The Sheriff” for CXCW. As stellar as knees on a bee.)

In all honesty, the layout of the last three tracks on the album — “Underneath A Mountain”, with its gorgeous violin riff there in the beginning, so reminiscent of the Ozark Mountain Daredevils “Road To Glory”, “Diane”, and the southern gospel-tinged “Carry My Body” – on this album are so perfect in sound, lyric, and timing in relation to each other, that if those three were isolated and released as an EP, that alone would be enough to reserve a spot for this effort on the year-end best of list that’s still months and months away.

Obviously, we here highly recommend this album. And a word of note: Give these tracks a chance. Take a whole of two fucking minutes and listen to every second, as the best bits are buried there in the middle of this awesome sandwich. For example, please see “Left For Dead”.
- Folk Hive

It is my well-informed opinion that thoughts on The Strumbellas new album, My Father And The Hunter, would best be written while under the influence some type of drug. Mind you, I’m speaking of a substance that was grown in the ground, not one manufactured in a trailer house with blacked out windows (sorry for the stereotyping, Meth Heads), but one that might produce flowers and pretty leaves along with psychedelic properties.

My thinking is that a drug that petitions your heart and mind to open might make it easier to take this in. Upon first listen, my interest was piqued and upon subsequent listens I’m realizing, hey man, I’m not the sheriff here. Who am I to tell you what to imbibe before wrapping your melon in headphones and getting acquainted?

**



Amidst the raucous yet well-polished indie folk rock/alt-countrysounds emerging from The Strumbellas on My Father And The Hunter are songs that defy their upbeat tone and carry heavy loads. Talk of marriage and babies, redneck fights involving shotguns and the loss of big toes, and other various affairs that are already so well dealt with by those born, raised, and making music in the backwoods of America, permeates this album and yet, The Strumbellas hail from Canada, otherwise known as America’s responsible, classy cousin that hides her alcohol consumption so much better than we. What a bitch…

But in the years since 2009, when their debut self-titled pack of jams was released, the band has matured while touching on bits and pieces that would prove too heavy for your everyday band and their brand of self-described ‘folk popgrass’ belies the stories contained on their latest album.

As a resident of the of the Buckle of the Bible Belt, I can attest that this shit can kill man. I mean, have you fucking seen ‘Winter’s Bone’? And yet here, it’s wrapped in vocals that were first dipped in perfection before laid to tape, making it all perfectly bearable. The stomps, handclaps, the banjo, the violin, and these sing-alongs (7 band members strong), carry the feel of a turn of the century family who lived these things and must sing about them to exorcise those demons. My Father And The Hunter is soaked in anomalies but ones that work…and work very well.


(The Strumbellas perform “I’m Not The Sheriff” for CXCW. As stellar as knees on a bee.)

In all honesty, the layout of the last three tracks on the album — “Underneath A Mountain”, with its gorgeous violin riff there in the beginning, so reminiscent of the Ozark Mountain Daredevils “Road To Glory”, “Diane”, and the southern gospel-tinged “Carry My Body” – on this album are so perfect in sound, lyric, and timing in relation to each other, that if those three were isolated and released as an EP, that alone would be enough to reserve a spot for this effort on the year-end best of list that’s still months and months away.

Obviously, we here highly recommend this album. And a word of note: Give these tracks a chance. Take a whole of two fucking minutes and listen to every second, as the best bits are buried there in the middle of this awesome sandwich. For example, please see “Left For Dead”.
- Folk Hive

The Strumbellas Bring the Music Hillside

Cover photo by: Heather Pollock

Not unlike their acclaimed independent debut release My Father and the Hunter, Toronto-based The Strumbellas have an infectious excitement; this time for their upcoming performance at Guelph’s acclaimed Hillside Festival.

Simon Ward (lead vocals & acoustic guitar) caught up with me in a phone interview about the show. “I’m 120 per cent excited,” his voice rings out. “This is a famously awesome festival, and probably our most anticipated show yet!”

The Strumbellas would strike the right chord early on in their career with a smash gig at Toronto’s Canadian Music Week and their 2009 EP release. Hailed by critics as ‘the band to watch’, their highly-anticipated full-length album My Father and the Hunter dropped in February of this year to glowing reviews. The Strumbellas themselves refer to the music as “bluegrass-inspired indie rock”.

“What are your plans outside of performing?” I ask Ward about Hillside.

“Stalk bands,” he jokingly replies, adding, “Okay, meet other bands!”

Laughing, I asked him what the band is preparing to bring to the shows. “I’ll probably wear a dress!” he remarks.

A concept born out of Lindsay, Ontario by Ward (who dubs as the primary songwriter), The Strumbellas is somewhat of a reach for the musician who admittedly strayed away from joining or starting full bands. “I was never in a band because I was super afraid to die at a young age like people in bands do!” Ward confesses. “I swore off being in one! But The Strumbellas are sort of a half and half feeling for me. I’m so excited to take it seriously, but I’m still petrified.” I can almost hear him wink through the phone.

“Now that you’re in a band – and it’s working – what do you think your advice would be to yourself looking back when you were determined not to join one?”

“This band has a great chemistry,” Ward tells me. “The goal is to figure out how to make it last twenty years. I’ve always said I want to be able to sell out the Phoenix. And if we got to that level, I would want to ask two unknown bands to open for us. We were given those opportunities, and it means so much.”

One of these opportunities was opening for Canadian favourites The Trews back in April of this year. “I appreciate what that did for us,” Ward remembers, telling me that he’s currently obsessing over other national treasures such as The Wooden Sky and Elliot Brood. “I could name five or ten Canadian bands off the top of my head that I’m really impressed with and would love to share the stage with some day.” Supporting local musicians and keeping to his Canadian roots is what Ward is all about. “If we ever did get to play around and conquer the world, I would always want to come back to Toronto,” he says.

But in the mean-time, this alt-rock and country-influenced band of musicians are just excited to prepare for Guelph’s favourite summer past-time. “We’re going to give it something extra,” Ward says, referring to their back-to-back shows on the 29th (1:00pm on the Lake Stage and 4:15pm on the Sun Stage, respectively.) “You have to go all out for Hillside; it has the right energy – and we want to bring our energy levels to a whole new point.”

As for fans who are eagerly waiting to see the group perform this weekend, Ward laughingly says, “I’m not a talker! But I want to thank all the fans for coming!”

If you weren’t able to get Hillside tickets in time (they are currently sold out), catch a glimpse of The Strumbellas on stage by taking a trip to their website and and clicking on the link to the video for their single “Sheriff”.

Click here to read VR’s review of ‘My Father & the Hunter’

More on The Strumbellas (and where to purchase the album): http://www.thestrumbellas.ca - Velvet Rope Magazine

It was only a matter of time before a new generation of local roots-rockers emerged to follow the lead of early-'00s scene giants like Royal City and Cuff the Duke. Self-described "folk popgrass" crew The Strumbellas has risen to that challenge with promising songs like "Underneath A Mountain" and "I Ain’t Tryin’ to Die," from their upcoming debut album. In the meantime, they'll be whetting appetites with a series of gigs that are sure to add fans to their MySpace page — like tonight's stand at the Horseshoe. - Eye Weekly - Eye Weekly!

Real characters, each and every one, their lyrics and musical talent 'hit' a note in me that is still playing on in my soul. Their songs are funny and poignant, down to earth and soulful, all with that southern twang that does a body good. - SNAP Downtown Toronto - Snap! Toronto

Watching the Strumbellas perform live at the Imperial theatre in Vancouver was probably one of the best concerts that I’ve ever attended. From the vim and vigour of the band members and their floor-thumping feet-stomping music, to the amazing acoustics of the theatre, the Strumbellas delivered not just the gift basket, but the whole damn company.

The Imperial theatre is one of Vancouver’s hidden gems, nestled in a seemingly dingy building just a block away from Hastings and Main, arguably the city’s most notorious intersection. Inside the Imperial, however, is a modern funky venue, with hip seating around the perimeter and on a slightly raised back half of the room, and statues of China’s imperial warriors standing guard above the crowd’s heads. The space lends itself to an intimate performance, and the corrugated walls provide excellent acoustics. The stage was set, as it were.
Opening for the Strumbellas was Edmonton’s The Provincial Archive, who did a great job of warming up the crowd, which was a bit reserved at first. The PA got the crowd’s feet tapping and, by the end of their set, people were lined up and swaying to the folksy tunes. A highlight of the set was the first song, ‘Daisy Garden,’ an upbeat ballad that set a positive tone for the rest of the hour. These guys are worth watching if you get half a chance, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they wend their way to the Junos in the next couple of years.

And then there were the Strumbellas.

These guys were unabashedly hipster, with the lead singer, Simon Ward, sharing that, on their way to the Imperial, one comment off of the street being that, damn, that was a lot of lumberjacks for just one girl (the girl being violinist and backup vocals, Isabel Ritchie; the lumberjacks being the other five male members of the band). In fact, you’d be hard pressed to find a smooth shaven face in the room amongst the men, and certainly the urban lumberjack camp feel of the room and it made for a cosy atmosphere.

The band dove right into their set, completely immersing themselves in their music: they were clearly having a great time, from Dave Ritter’s (vocals and keys) full body stomping around his so-called keys ‘station,’ to Ritchie and Darryl James (bass) twisting with the music. The whole performance, for the full one and a half hours, was physical from start to finish, with each and every member absolutely feeling the music. The crowd joined right in with toe tapping, foot stomping, arm waving, body swaying, and head nodding. The whole room, musicians and patrons, were equally feeling the beats.

Ward and Ritter have amazing voices that, when blended with the backup vocals from the rest of the band, provide the Strumbellas with their unique country-folk-bluegrass sound. Many songs started with a slower acoustic, almost acapella, opening, through which all six voices harmonized and resonated throughout the room, before the songs would then explode in a sudden flurry of movement and fast-paced music that brought most of the crowd to their feet. Songs like the opener ‘Home Sweet Home’ and ‘In This Life’ resonated throughout the room like an electric current.

One thing that I noticed, in hearing a whole performance of this band, was the continual reference to religion, in some form, such as referring to the late JC. Hearing these references, alongside references to home and to the family, peppered throughout the lyrics lent a plaintive and poetic depth to the music. Ward’s song writing in and of itself reminds me a bit of Leonard Cohen’s, albeit Ward’s is a much better voice (with respect to Cohen’s gravelly charm of course).

Lastly, the final icing on the cake, the rosettes really, was the hilarious banter of the band between songs. From egging Ritter on to do his Sean Connery expression (the best one in the band, but still sounding like a Scottish leprechaun – Dave’s words, not mine), to comparing playing a tambourine to trying to fight an alligator while smoking a cigarette at the same time—it was a bit like watching improv on a good night.

Watching the Strumbellas was the equivalent of having cake and getting to eat it too. Brilliant group, compelling and engaging tunes (car karaoke perhaps?), phenomenal energy. - Zouch Magazine

From their unconventional beginnings on Craigslist to their recent emotional Juno award, The Strumbellas are finding their successes in unorganized situations, and are thriving in the chaos.
The six-person ensemble was brought together by the band’s singer and main songwriter, Simon Ward. He put an ad on Craigslist to start a band with no real expectations, but received many responses, and, eventually, the group solidified into the current lineup. That casual attitude, to Ward’s surprise, built the formation for the group.
”I never thought that five years later I’d have this project that just keeps going,” Ward reminisces. “It’s a very classic Simon, flaky, random thing to do and it just so happens that this is the random thing that stuck.”
Starting with the 2009 release of their self-titled EP, the band’s sound has evolved without losing the sing-along quality that characterizes their music. Ward charcterizes their sound affectionately as folk popgrass, an accurate descriptor for the energetic, country-infused folk music they’ve created.
“The band just sings their hearts out. It’s kind of a big sing-along with everybody with dancing,” Ward says.
Their understated approach radiates through their music-making process. He describes his song-writing process as a spur-of-the-moment endeavour, combining bits of lyrics while simply jamming on a guitar, drawing on anything and everything as a source of inspiration.
”It’s a conjecture of whatever put into a song,” he notes. “Each line could mean something totally different than the next line. It’s kind of a mish-mash of my brain put onto paper.”
A Strumbellas show can be described as unpredictable. Ward says the people and atmosphere of the show are important to creating that concert atmosphere.
“I like to go to a show and hope something happens that we’ve never done before,” Ward says. “It’s almost like you can’t even plan ahead because you want it to be as fun as possible and hope that something crazy happens.”
Approximately one year has passed since the release of their second full-length album, We Still Move on Dance Floors. The album was a landmark, garnering them a level of recognition they had never received before. They took home the 2014 Juno for Roots & Traditional Album of the Year as a tribute to its success as a record. Ward was overwhelmed by the Juno.
“Winning that was just really emotional for me and made me really happy to know that people like our music,” he reflects. “The Juno meant a lot to me and us.”
Due to their success, 2014 has been a busy year. They toured extensively this summer, visiting all corners of the country. They played at Interstellar Rodeo here in Edmonton alongside bands like Trampled by Turtles and Hydra. Ward spoke fondly of past shows at The Artery and expressed an excitement to return, due to the dedicated nature of Edmonton fans.
“When they come and see our shows it’s one of the cities that really watches and is attentive to what we’re doing, and that really means a lot to us,” Ward says.
The authentic attitude and passion of this band has led them to be recognized for their music on a larger stage than they had ever previously imagined possible. As humble as their beginnings may be, they have garnered unprecedented recognition for the spirited nature of their work, and have managed to stay down-to-earth throughout the process.
“I just like having fun making music and putting it out there and hoping that people like it,” Ward says. - The Gateway

Toronto band The Strumbellas is having a good year.

This year included a "really emotional" Juno win for Roots Traditional Album of the Year: Group; inclusion on the Polaris Music Prize long list; a SiriusXM Indie award for Folk Group Of The Year; and "magical" experiences at festivals in Yellowknife and Winnipeg. The record We Still Move On Dance Floors also just got its worldwide release.

Band frontman Simon Ward said 2014 has been a great year, but that doesn't mean there's much time to celebrate.

"You always want to keep going, so it's been the best year ever and now it just makes me want to go harder. It's kind of a double-edged sword. As soon as you get a taste of success you want to keep on growing more," Ward said the day before the band left on tour.

The band has played lots of U.S. shows recently to promote We Still Move On Dance Floors, but the album is already a year old in Canada. Ward said he's always ready to make new music. Whether he's at home or on the road, he's always making demos. Though nothing concrete has been set up for a new album, he has a strong idea of what he wants to do.

"After two records I finally know what I want. There's no way to explain it except the feeling in my heart. I've written a bunch of new songs and I can decide right there and then if it's good or bad. If it makes my heart happy or sad it's OK and if not it goes into the garbage," said Ward.

For now, the six-piece group is on its Ride On North American tour. After years of road experience, Ward and his bandmates have the perfect system for passing the time on long drives. On tours past, the members would happily chat and laugh as they logged highway miles. Now it's all headphones and DVDs.

"Literally all we do in the band van now is sit individually on our laptops and watch movies. I'd rather have my laptop and my movies than my clothes."

It's nothing personal, Ward says, but it's nice to have some solitary time even when you're packed together in a van. You name it, The Strumbellas have watched it.

When the band gets to a venue, it's important to them to create an inviting environment. The Strumbellas like to have a beer and a chat with fans. And with an album title like We Still Move on Dance Floors, you bet they want people to dance.

When asked to describe a Strumbellas show, Ward doesn't get specific. He said he likes to think something different happens at each show.

"I'm such a moody guy. I go highs and lows. I could play a really energetic live show and the next day I'm more subdued. It's hard for me to plan a good show because it depends on the crowd and how I'm feeling inside," he said. "Sometimes you're in the crowd bleeding and sometimes you're quiet behind a mic." - The Star Phoenix

The Strumbellas – One of the country’s most raucous indie rock bands, combining bluegrass with blues with party-style folk-rock, these Ontario natives have a deservedly devout following wherever they go. If you haven’t seen this band live yet, do yourself a favour and do so. Edmonton’s own Provincial Archive, fresh off another scintillating full-length release, open. Starlite Room, 8 pm, $15. - Gigcity.ca