The Fires Of

The Fires Of — The Noise Around The Mean
Release 14 February 2012

Toronto’s The Fires Of are offering perspective and growth on their second record, a new EP called The Noise Around The Mean, produced by Chris Cobain in Acton, Ontario. The album is released on Valentine’s Day.

The album shows a striking potential in the group as songwriters and sees the quintet playing to their strengths individually while coalescing together. The opening track, “Memories In Flight,” effectively uses a 12–bar guitar riff to establish a sense of familiarity while vocalists Graeme Donnelly and Lisa Di Diodato soar together.

Donnelly and Di Diodato share vocal duties throughout, their exchange providing a smooth transition between songs as they trade off leading and accompanying roles. Di Diodato’s smooth leads on “I Can’t Sleep” and “Sleeping In” provide a subtle, compelling yang to the uptempo yin of “Memories” and the banging “One Decent Thing,” a technique that works to keep the music in the foreground of your mind while you listen.

Perhaps the most arresting track on the EP is the album closer, “Somebody Tell Me I’m Dreaming,” a gentle track that displays real depth and introspection, no small feat for any band. It breathes and grows, like a house full of memories left undisturbed — there is a powerful vibe behind it, quite extraordinary.

The Noise Around The Mean is a strong album by a band that is clearly growing together and becoming aware of their musical direction. The band — also comprised of Steve Canning, Peyton Leung and Greg Heard — works well together, each member seasoned and contributing in remarkable ways.

Visit the band on Facebook for more or pick up a copy of The Noise Around The Mean, available February 14 - Bobbyisms

The Fires Of — The Noise Around The Mean
Release 14 February 2012

Toronto’s The Fires Of are offering perspective and growth on their second record, a new EP called The Noise Around The Mean, produced by Chris Cobain in Acton, Ontario. The album is released on Valentine’s Day.

The album shows a striking potential in the group as songwriters and sees the quintet playing to their strengths individually while coalescing together. The opening track, “Memories In Flight,” effectively uses a 12–bar guitar riff to establish a sense of familiarity while vocalists Graeme Donnelly and Lisa Di Diodato soar together.

Donnelly and Di Diodato share vocal duties throughout, their exchange providing a smooth transition between songs as they trade off leading and accompanying roles. Di Diodato’s smooth leads on “I Can’t Sleep” and “Sleeping In” provide a subtle, compelling yang to the uptempo yin of “Memories” and the banging “One Decent Thing,” a technique that works to keep the music in the foreground of your mind while you listen.

Perhaps the most arresting track on the EP is the album closer, “Somebody Tell Me I’m Dreaming,” a gentle track that displays real depth and introspection, no small feat for any band. It breathes and grows, like a house full of memories left undisturbed — there is a powerful vibe behind it, quite extraordinary.

The Noise Around The Mean is a strong album by a band that is clearly growing together and becoming aware of their musical direction. The band — also comprised of Steve Canning, Peyton Leung and Greg Heard — works well together, each member seasoned and contributing in remarkable ways.

Visit the band on Facebook for more or pick up a copy of The Noise Around The Mean, available February 14 - Bobbyisms

It’s no secret that we’re very fond of pop/rock group The Fires Of. Not only do they have a great name, but the have a sound that goes along with it. You don’t know what to expect, but every time it’s interesting and most enjoyable. As a follow-up to a self-titled LP released back in November of 2010, The Fires Of have surpassed all expectations with their new EP The Noise Around The Mean.

With a slightly changed lineup, the Toronto band is sounding as good as ever. The opener “Memories In Flight” is held back at first, but escalates into a symphony of vocal harmonies and perfectly-fitting distortion. The swingin’ guitar solo about halfway makes evident the influence that they take from musicians of past generations. All in all a great tune.

Things mellow a little with “I Can’t Sleep”. The song falls just short of five minutes, but manages to work its way through quite a variety of themes and ways of presenting them, from the jazzy beginning to the violin-driven bridge to the piano ending. Although it contains so many elements that seems would make a fantastic piece, it falls a little short. The vocals led by Lisa Di Diodato are by no means under par, but there is something mechanical that overtakes the music’s sincerity.

“One Decent Thing” is most reminiscent of The Fires Of‘s debut album. The vocal performance by Graeme Donnelly are simply outstanding especially as he wails “remind me”. It’s upbeat, it’s passionate, it’s full of hooks and it will be an instant classic singalong for crowds at shows and shower-singers alike.

Di Diodato makes her best performance on “Sleeping In”. The combination of her sweet voice along with xylophone, violin and handclaps create a grin-inducing tune. It really is a delightful listen that combines Celtic and cutesy quite nicely.

Finally comes “Somebody Tell Me I’m Dreaming”, which begins with a mournful piano/voice duet. It launches into a more upbeat but still subdued chorus reminiscent of 80s rock, then settles back into its sad state of lyrical questioning. The bridge allows for subtle building into a guitar solo that will blow your roof off and make you howl. The remainder of the tune is so passionate and desperate it almost hurts. The band took a risk with this epic song, and it sure did pay off, as the outstanding track of the five.

This great little EP was released today, and you can stream it in all its glory below.

If you’re itching to see a great band perform live, a scratch is awaiting you at Lee’s Palace in Toronto on February 18th where The Fires Of will be holding a CD release party. Get all the details and updates from the band on Facebook. - SoundVat

It’s no secret that we’re very fond of pop/rock group The Fires Of. Not only do they have a great name, but the have a sound that goes along with it. You don’t know what to expect, but every time it’s interesting and most enjoyable. As a follow-up to a self-titled LP released back in November of 2010, The Fires Of have surpassed all expectations with their new EP The Noise Around The Mean.

With a slightly changed lineup, the Toronto band is sounding as good as ever. The opener “Memories In Flight” is held back at first, but escalates into a symphony of vocal harmonies and perfectly-fitting distortion. The swingin’ guitar solo about halfway makes evident the influence that they take from musicians of past generations. All in all a great tune.

Things mellow a little with “I Can’t Sleep”. The song falls just short of five minutes, but manages to work its way through quite a variety of themes and ways of presenting them, from the jazzy beginning to the violin-driven bridge to the piano ending. Although it contains so many elements that seems would make a fantastic piece, it falls a little short. The vocals led by Lisa Di Diodato are by no means under par, but there is something mechanical that overtakes the music’s sincerity.

“One Decent Thing” is most reminiscent of The Fires Of‘s debut album. The vocal performance by Graeme Donnelly are simply outstanding especially as he wails “remind me”. It’s upbeat, it’s passionate, it’s full of hooks and it will be an instant classic singalong for crowds at shows and shower-singers alike.

Di Diodato makes her best performance on “Sleeping In”. The combination of her sweet voice along with xylophone, violin and handclaps create a grin-inducing tune. It really is a delightful listen that combines Celtic and cutesy quite nicely.

Finally comes “Somebody Tell Me I’m Dreaming”, which begins with a mournful piano/voice duet. It launches into a more upbeat but still subdued chorus reminiscent of 80s rock, then settles back into its sad state of lyrical questioning. The bridge allows for subtle building into a guitar solo that will blow your roof off and make you howl. The remainder of the tune is so passionate and desperate it almost hurts. The band took a risk with this epic song, and it sure did pay off, as the outstanding track of the five.

This great little EP was released today, and you can stream it in all its glory below.

If you’re itching to see a great band perform live, a scratch is awaiting you at Lee’s Palace in Toronto on February 18th where The Fires Of will be holding a CD release party. Get all the details and updates from the band on Facebook. - SoundVat

"MEMORIES IN FLIGHT" by THE FIRES OF

"...You gave me strength. You gave me wherewithal
I forget what made you laugh reading out his epitaph,
but clear as endless summer skies,
still I see your smiling eyes..."

Originating out of Toronto, Canada, The Fires Of are a group of five unique musicians whose passionate raw energy resonates throughout their music. On February 14, their brand new 5-song EP, The Noise Around The Mean (2012) is scheduled for release. The EP includes the pop/rock infused track "Memories In Flight". A fantastic song that quickly grabs hold and takes off with the band's panache for a spirited rich full sound. The Fires Of are definitely a band to watch. - the New "hit" Man

THE FIRES OF… that’s it… the rest of their name is really up to your imagination. In fact, the band has always claimed they were fond of the incompleteness of it.

It could just as well be THE FIRES OF automobiles, or THE FIRES OF bananas, THE FIRES OF Toronto (maybe), but that really might be the cleverness of the name: it has a different interpretation or word association for each person who hears them.

What they actually sound like is an entirely different story.

While the Toronto pop-rock outfit (now a five-piece) might ask you “[if you're] ready for some adult contemporary soft rock” (that’s a direct quote from their opening stage banter from the August 2011 Silver Dollar iM showcase btw…), and they profess an undying love for My Morning Jacket and Paul McCartney & Wings, the best contemporary comparison I can make musically and vocally about THE FIRES OF is if Sarah McLachlan and David Usher decided to form a mega-hook-filled in-your-face multi-part harmony rock group.

That “mega” adjective originally said “super” but I decided it just wasn’t enough to explain the grandiosity at work here.

Following up their joy-filled 2010 self-titled LP, the five-track Chris Cobain-produced The Noise Around The Mean EP delves a little deeper emotionally, forming a sort of mini concept album surrounding the themes of dreams and sleep…. or possibly the lack thereof.

Opening track “Memories In Flight” starts things off with a drum-guitar pairing that sounds like it’s being projected from the inside of a metal cylinder – perhaps itself like a foggy memory.

But when Graeme Donnelly’s crisply-mastered vocals start to recount: “I recall the firelight, taking walks into the night, holding tight onto your hand, you let me fall and helped me stand; you told me stories I believed them all – you gave me strength you gave me wherewithal” – escalating with harmonies in the later half of that opening as he is joined by Lisa Di Diodato – THE FIRES OF drop the gauntlet and things quickly get distortion-heavy in the best possible way.

The walking bass line on “I Can’t Sleep” is a really fun riff that helps offset Di Diodato’s smooth jazz-styled vocal approach and the prominent acoustic guitar. When paired with the subtle wah’d synth in the chorus, and the violins in the bridge, this all ends up creating this slower arching narrative that one can’t help but tap your toe to. [Editor's note: yes grammar nerds that's a dangling preposition... this song does that to me]

“One Decent Thing” is a sure single – slightly more reminiscent of their previous material – with super upbeat, punchy mid-heavy bass that cuts through the backline. Donnelly’s pre-chorus beltings of “remind me” adds an epic weight to the track that really can’t be understated as he blatantly jumps up an octave vocally just to give it that extra punch into the chorus – surely so everyone in the crowd at shows can start to sing along.

There’s a little Celtic/Maritime influence on the guitar/violin intro of “Sleeping In”, which dials back to let the glockenspiel accentuate Di Diodato’s melody in the verses, and returns for the choruses to make for a good romp that leads into a curiously major ending.

Similarly, the sombre piano/vocal intro to “Somebody Tell Me I’m Dreaming” that soon follows is quickly joined by a piercing glockenspiel line that helps balance out the sinister nature of the song.

However, this is where the comparison between these two songs stops… because what this eventually evolves into is a nine-minute epic of swirling guitars, howling vocal harmonies and reverb-heavy violin before it slows down and drifts off into an effect-laden static – definitely something that would’ve been in good company on any Wings album.

Some might say their material is fairly standard indie rock fare, but looking back on their previous material THE FIRES OF have become so subtly versatile AND catchy with their songwriting that the things they might eventually create in the future really are up to the listener’s imagination – and if their latest music offering is any indication, they’re about to make sure that you start using yours. - The Indie Machine

THE FIRES OF… that’s it… the rest of their name is really up to your imagination. In fact, the band has always claimed they were fond of the incompleteness of it.

It could just as well be THE FIRES OF automobiles, or THE FIRES OF bananas, THE FIRES OF Toronto (maybe), but that really might be the cleverness of the name: it has a different interpretation or word association for each person who hears them.

What they actually sound like is an entirely different story.

While the Toronto pop-rock outfit (now a five-piece) might ask you “[if you're] ready for some adult contemporary soft rock” (that’s a direct quote from their opening stage banter from the August 2011 Silver Dollar iM showcase btw…), and they profess an undying love for My Morning Jacket and Paul McCartney & Wings, the best contemporary comparison I can make musically and vocally about THE FIRES OF is if Sarah McLachlan and David Usher decided to form a mega-hook-filled in-your-face multi-part harmony rock group.

That “mega” adjective originally said “super” but I decided it just wasn’t enough to explain the grandiosity at work here.

Following up their joy-filled 2010 self-titled LP, the five-track Chris Cobain-produced The Noise Around The Mean EP delves a little deeper emotionally, forming a sort of mini concept album surrounding the themes of dreams and sleep…. or possibly the lack thereof.

Opening track “Memories In Flight” starts things off with a drum-guitar pairing that sounds like it’s being projected from the inside of a metal cylinder – perhaps itself like a foggy memory.

But when Graeme Donnelly’s crisply-mastered vocals start to recount: “I recall the firelight, taking walks into the night, holding tight onto your hand, you let me fall and helped me stand; you told me stories I believed them all – you gave me strength you gave me wherewithal” – escalating with harmonies in the later half of that opening as he is joined by Lisa Di Diodato – THE FIRES OF drop the gauntlet and things quickly get distortion-heavy in the best possible way.

The walking bass line on “I Can’t Sleep” is a really fun riff that helps offset Di Diodato’s smooth jazz-styled vocal approach and the prominent acoustic guitar. When paired with the subtle wah’d synth in the chorus, and the violins in the bridge, this all ends up creating this slower arching narrative that one can’t help but tap your toe to. [Editor's note: yes grammar nerds that's a dangling preposition... this song does that to me]

“One Decent Thing” is a sure single – slightly more reminiscent of their previous material – with super upbeat, punchy mid-heavy bass that cuts through the backline. Donnelly’s pre-chorus beltings of “remind me” adds an epic weight to the track that really can’t be understated as he blatantly jumps up an octave vocally just to give it that extra punch into the chorus – surely so everyone in the crowd at shows can start to sing along.

There’s a little Celtic/Maritime influence on the guitar/violin intro of “Sleeping In”, which dials back to let the glockenspiel accentuate Di Diodato’s melody in the verses, and returns for the choruses to make for a good romp that leads into a curiously major ending.

Similarly, the sombre piano/vocal intro to “Somebody Tell Me I’m Dreaming” that soon follows is quickly joined by a piercing glockenspiel line that helps balance out the sinister nature of the song.

However, this is where the comparison between these two songs stops… because what this eventually evolves into is a nine-minute epic of swirling guitars, howling vocal harmonies and reverb-heavy violin before it slows down and drifts off into an effect-laden static – definitely something that would’ve been in good company on any Wings album.

Some might say their material is fairly standard indie rock fare, but looking back on their previous material THE FIRES OF have become so subtly versatile AND catchy with their songwriting that the things they might eventually create in the future really are up to the listener’s imagination – and if their latest music offering is any indication, they’re about to make sure that you start using yours. - The Indie Machine

reviewed by Michael Thomas

Though featuring two fewer members, The Fires Of still manage to maintain a sense of community, a vibe that was just oozing from their debut self-titled LP.

One marked change from their previous recording is that the band reaches a little more into the melancholy zone, a contrast from the joyous sound from The Fires Of. That isn’t to say that there isn’t any joy on this new EP, only that there’s a little less.

The first song is actually pretty joyful, the straightforward and soaring song “Memories in Flight.” The song wastes little time in launching its main electric-guitar-driven melody and Graeme Donnelly covers the vocals, though is sometimes joined by Lisa Di Diodato for some great harmonies. The two singers alternate between main vocal duties song by song.

The second track “I Can’t Sleep” is the only song on the EP that falls a little short. While the slightly sad feel to the tune is an interesting change and the bass riff is cool, it becomes a little forgettable.

“One Decent Thing,” however, is the catchiest tune of all five. This is the song that really gives off the sense of community that The Fires Of nail so well. The electric guitar riff is quick and the drums keep up. Right before Donnelly launches into the chorus (in harmony with Di Diodato, of course), he suddenly increases his volume with the words “remind me,” giving the song a real power. I also loved a few of the lines here: “Like every time I forget music means anything/Remind me how it saved your life in high school.”

Next up is “Sleeping In,” a song Di Diodato takes vocal duties for. The song is actually pretty adorable- the electric guitar is more gentle, there is a good deal of xylophone in the background as well as violin courtesy of band member Peyton Leung. The chorus repeats the words “Sleeping in is all I want to do” which is something that anyone on this planet can relate to.

The EP ends with the ambitious and epic song “Somebody Tell Me I’m Dreaming.” Donnelly and guitarist Steve Canning mentioned it in my interview with them, and it doesn’t disappoint. The song runs at close to nine minutes and is the most melancholy of all of The Fires Of’s songs thus far. A simple few piano notes start off the song, and the sweeping questions of “What did I do to make you act so cold?/Were the dreams we had so oversold?” The song slowly adds in more instruments and ends with a Radiohead-like dose of background static.

The Noise Around the Mean is an interesting followup and shows that the band hasn’t lost its touch. And whether the band wants to continue being joyful or mellow, they can probably do either one with a good degree of confidence.

The EP is out this Valentine’s Day, February 14th, 2012. Check out The Fires Of’s Facebook page for their most current happenings.

Top Track: “One Decent Thing”

Rating: Strong Hoot (Good) +*swoop* - Grayowl Point

reviewed by Michael Thomas

Though featuring two fewer members, The Fires Of still manage to maintain a sense of community, a vibe that was just oozing from their debut self-titled LP.

One marked change from their previous recording is that the band reaches a little more into the melancholy zone, a contrast from the joyous sound from The Fires Of. That isn’t to say that there isn’t any joy on this new EP, only that there’s a little less.

The first song is actually pretty joyful, the straightforward and soaring song “Memories in Flight.” The song wastes little time in launching its main electric-guitar-driven melody and Graeme Donnelly covers the vocals, though is sometimes joined by Lisa Di Diodato for some great harmonies. The two singers alternate between main vocal duties song by song.

The second track “I Can’t Sleep” is the only song on the EP that falls a little short. While the slightly sad feel to the tune is an interesting change and the bass riff is cool, it becomes a little forgettable.

“One Decent Thing,” however, is the catchiest tune of all five. This is the song that really gives off the sense of community that The Fires Of nail so well. The electric guitar riff is quick and the drums keep up. Right before Donnelly launches into the chorus (in harmony with Di Diodato, of course), he suddenly increases his volume with the words “remind me,” giving the song a real power. I also loved a few of the lines here: “Like every time I forget music means anything/Remind me how it saved your life in high school.”

Next up is “Sleeping In,” a song Di Diodato takes vocal duties for. The song is actually pretty adorable- the electric guitar is more gentle, there is a good deal of xylophone in the background as well as violin courtesy of band member Peyton Leung. The chorus repeats the words “Sleeping in is all I want to do” which is something that anyone on this planet can relate to.

The EP ends with the ambitious and epic song “Somebody Tell Me I’m Dreaming.” Donnelly and guitarist Steve Canning mentioned it in my interview with them, and it doesn’t disappoint. The song runs at close to nine minutes and is the most melancholy of all of The Fires Of’s songs thus far. A simple few piano notes start off the song, and the sweeping questions of “What did I do to make you act so cold?/Were the dreams we had so oversold?” The song slowly adds in more instruments and ends with a Radiohead-like dose of background static.

The Noise Around the Mean is an interesting followup and shows that the band hasn’t lost its touch. And whether the band wants to continue being joyful or mellow, they can probably do either one with a good degree of confidence.

The EP is out this Valentine’s Day, February 14th, 2012. Check out The Fires Of’s Facebook page for their most current happenings.

Top Track: “One Decent Thing”

Rating: Strong Hoot (Good) +*swoop* - Grayowl Point

We had the pleasure of having Toronto’s The Fires Of join us at one of our showcases recently and let’s just say, this band knows how to put on one hell of a live show. With that said, it only seemed fitting that we have them curate one of our mixtapes to see where their influences come from. The result is one hell of a mix that we’re super stoked to share with you! Stream it at the bottom of the page but before you do that, read a short note from the band below and be sure to check out the write-ups for each and every song!

“The Fires Of are taking a short hiatus from live shows and are hard at work trying to finish a new EP that will follow up our debut self-titled album released in November last year. The rough mixes are in and are sounding better than we hoped. We’re aiming for a release late this year or early 2012. Our next show will be part of Indie Week on October 13th or 14th – venue yet to be determined. Follow us on Facebook or Twitter below to find out the details when we know them.

Our Weekend Sequence Mixtape is filled with lesser known songs by artists who’ve inspired us. We’re not cool enough to claim they’re all unknown. Hope you enjoy!”

1. THE BEATLES – Everybody’s Got Something To Hide Except For Me And My Monkey
Not exactly an unknown song, but this sense of barely-controlled chaos, energy bursting at the seams, makes this one of my favourite songs on The White Album. THIS is what singing is all about. Paul ringing that fire bell like a madman totally makes the song. – Graeme

2. NIRVANA – Opinion
I grew up on these guys and used to spend a lot of time listening to unreleased bootleg recordings, many of which were lo-fi and later released on the box set, With The Lights Out. Kurt always played with passion and that was the essence of why people liked this band. Check out this short solo acoustic performance from a radio show. – Steve

3. SARAH HARMER – Came On Lion
This track from All Of Our Names features the best of Sarah; a stunning, naked vocal with perfection in each inflection (and a cool horn solo). I particularly love her phrasing and the way the lyrics seem to wash over you in this one. – Lisa

4. THE FACES – Cindy Incidentally
Nothing epitomizes the strange dichotomy of our musical tastes like the segue from the last song to this one. Sometimes pop songs are necessary! I love the last verse when Rod Stewart double-tracks his vocals. It sounds amazing. It’s too bad he didn’t do that more often (back when he was amazing). – Graeme

5. FLEETWOOD MAC – Silver Springs
Included on the Rumours remaster but not the original album, this song scares the hell of out me. Listen to Stevie Nicks as she threatens ‘You’ll never get away from the sound of the woman that loves you’. Don’t fuck with Stevie. It’s no wonder this band had ten albums without mainstream success before adding Nicks and the great Lindsey Buckingham. – Steve

6. MY MORNING JACKET – Wonderful (The Way I Feel)
A track from this Kentucky quintet’s new album Circuital. This song showcases the foundation of MMJ – Jim James’ vocals and songwriting. This is the frontrunner for the song I’d have played at my funeral. Take a listen. You’ll see why. – Steve

7. RADIOHEAD – Nobody Does It Better
This is the sexiest song ever written. Thom Yorke is correct. – Graeme

8. ETTA JAMES – I’d Rather Go Blind
This is the kind of singing that I love. Etta James is feeling every moment of this song emotionally, but also rhythmically, pushing and pulling against the super-tight band. – Graeme

9. LED ZEPPELIN – Since I’ve Been Loving You
Led Zeppelin does the blues. The tone of Page’s guitar is to die for and his playing is extraordinary. Combine that with Plant’s sultry, wailing vocals and a super-tight rhythm section and you’ve got my favourite Zep tune. Wait, I think just described every song by this band. For fun, check out this amazing Chuck Klosterman Zeppelin analysis here. – Steve

10. WINGS – Dear Friend
The intensity of emotion in the song is scary. Supposedly written by Paul about John after the break-up of The Beatles, the orchestration is amazing, yet incredibly subtle, with ghostly saxes, vibes and clarinets fading in and out of the song. It would be nice to have enough money to justify recording an orchestra for a track and then burying it in the mix. – Graeme - The Indie Machine

I would normally hesitate to endorse any band that delays recording a great album because they’re too busy playing ultimate Frisbee, but Toronto’s The Fires Of are good enough to get past that point.
Founding members Chris Hayward (vocals, guitar, bass) and Graeme Donnelly (vocals, guitar, bass) have assembled a fantastic group of musicians, including Lisa Di Diodato (vocals, guitar, bass), Steve Canning (guitar, glockenspiel, bass), Peyton Leung (violin, percussion, didgeridoo), and Greg Heard (percussion, drums).

The band creates rich and highly-texturized indie pop that’s as full of spunk as it is soul. With male and female vocals as well as a huge mix of instrumentation, there’s a lot going on in each of the band’s songs, and each stands on its own, making their 2010 self-titled LP one of the best under-discovered gems of Canada’s indie rock scene. Do yourself a favour and stop sleeping on this great band. - Canadian Musician

I would normally hesitate to endorse any band that delays recording a great album because they’re too busy playing ultimate Frisbee, but Toronto’s The Fires Of are good enough to get past that point.
Founding members Chris Hayward (vocals, guitar, bass) and Graeme Donnelly (vocals, guitar, bass) have assembled a fantastic group of musicians, including Lisa Di Diodato (vocals, guitar, bass), Steve Canning (guitar, glockenspiel, bass), Peyton Leung (violin, percussion, didgeridoo), and Greg Heard (percussion, drums).

The band creates rich and highly-texturized indie pop that’s as full of spunk as it is soul. With male and female vocals as well as a huge mix of instrumentation, there’s a lot going on in each of the band’s songs, and each stands on its own, making their 2010 self-titled LP one of the best under-discovered gems of Canada’s indie rock scene. Do yourself a favour and stop sleeping on this great band. - Canadian Musician

EPs can be dangerous things for music fans. On one hand it can be a great way to explore a band quickly, often leading to discovering new favorites. On the other hand, it can sucker you into spending time on a band that only has a handful of good ideas.

So what are we to make of The Noise Around the Mean, the forthcoming EP from Toronto's The Fires Of. Coming out on February 14th, it's the second EP from the quintet.

On the surface, there's not a whole lot that The Fires Of bring to the table that we haven't heard before. There's boundless energy, an indie rock attitude, and decent power pop hooks. Where the band set themselves apart is in the way they take each of these components and repackage them into something fresh.



The trading off of lead vocals is a source of incredible strength for the band. One can't help but think of Emily Haines when Lisa Di Diodato takes the reins. Graeme Donnelly's style is even more compelling. His tone is part Gord Downie, part Ben Gibbard, all delivered with the aplomb of Murray Lightburn.

Maybe even more striking than the leads is the backing vocals. When they aren't front-and-centre Donnelly and Di Diodato do a remarkable job providing those supporting textures. It's those that make songs like "Memories In Flight" special.

Peyton Leung is a bit of a secret weapon playing violin and providing percussion. His contributions aren't obvious, but they simmer beneath the surface and are a key reason "Somebody Tell Me I'm Dreaming" provides such an incendiary epic finale.

It's too early to judge how The Fires Of will fair on the EP trap. The Noise Around The Mean definitely has them headed in the right direction though.

The Fires Of play a CD Release show at Lee's Palace in Toronto on February 18th.

Best tracks: "I Can't Sleep", "Somebody Tell Me I'm Dreaming"

8.0/10 - Snob's Music

EPs can be dangerous things for music fans. On one hand it can be a great way to explore a band quickly, often leading to discovering new favorites. On the other hand, it can sucker you into spending time on a band that only has a handful of good ideas.

So what are we to make of The Noise Around the Mean, the forthcoming EP from Toronto's The Fires Of. Coming out on February 14th, it's the second EP from the quintet.

On the surface, there's not a whole lot that The Fires Of bring to the table that we haven't heard before. There's boundless energy, an indie rock attitude, and decent power pop hooks. Where the band set themselves apart is in the way they take each of these components and repackage them into something fresh.



The trading off of lead vocals is a source of incredible strength for the band. One can't help but think of Emily Haines when Lisa Di Diodato takes the reins. Graeme Donnelly's style is even more compelling. His tone is part Gord Downie, part Ben Gibbard, all delivered with the aplomb of Murray Lightburn.

Maybe even more striking than the leads is the backing vocals. When they aren't front-and-centre Donnelly and Di Diodato do a remarkable job providing those supporting textures. It's those that make songs like "Memories In Flight" special.

Peyton Leung is a bit of a secret weapon playing violin and providing percussion. His contributions aren't obvious, but they simmer beneath the surface and are a key reason "Somebody Tell Me I'm Dreaming" provides such an incendiary epic finale.

It's too early to judge how The Fires Of will fair on the EP trap. The Noise Around The Mean definitely has them headed in the right direction though.

The Fires Of play a CD Release show at Lee's Palace in Toronto on February 18th.

Best tracks: "I Can't Sleep", "Somebody Tell Me I'm Dreaming"

8.0/10 - Snob's Music

8.5/10

The Noise Around The Mean, the newest release from the Canadian band The Fires Of, is an indie/pop gem of a record. "Memories In Flight" opens the disc with a hypnotic drum beat that immediately grabs your attention and sucks you in, compelling you to listen further. The EP's five songs run the gamut from indie rock and Americana to more ballad-type tunes, but no matter what the tempo, they're all grooving and passionate.

While I think every tune on this disc is well-written and enjoyable, "I Can’t Sleep" is the standout tune for me. It's a bit slower than the others, but the combination of violin and Lisa Di Diodato's ethereal vocals really got under my skin.

With a very few exceptions, it has been my experience that songs over five or six minutes long usually become quite boring and repetitive. So when I noticed that "Somebody tell Me I’m Dreaming" topped out at almost nine minutes long, I was sure it would be no different. While an adventurous undertaking, I think it works extremely well in this circumstance; I never once found myself distracted or bored. Bottom line, The Noise Around The Mean is a really good disc from an incredibly talented new band. Don’t miss it! - puregrainaudio.com

Time for another Weekend Sequence Mixtape curated by The Indie Machine! We’ve just got so much music to share, we don’t know what to do with ourselves. Hope you enjoy these songs as much as we have over the past week or so.

With that being said, stream the mix at the bottom of the post and be sure to hit up all the links for the artists featured – we guarantee some free music is on the horizon. Enjoy the mix!

1. CAVE BABY – The Best Coast
2. THE BEST FRIENDS WITH WOLVES CLUB – Don’t Look Down
3. PHANTOM CASTE – Drugs
4. SUNNY POMPEII – The Death Of Death
5. THE FIRES OF – Pulse
6. RUE ROYALE – Flightline
7. GOLDLION – Little Mirrors
8. MATHIEU SANTOS – I Can Hear The Trains Coming
9. CODE PIE – Morning After
10. MAIN ATTRAKIONZ – Perfect Skies

- The Indie Machine

It was a busy week last week for The iM – not one but TWO SHOWCASES! Our second August showcase was held at the always lovely Silver Dollar, and (WO)MAN did it rock…. (read that as Whoa man… you’re welcome).

This three-band bill started late and opened up with Toronto indie pop-rock quintet The Fires Of – the fires of “what”, you may ask? You should’ve been there and then maybe you could’ve found out… if you WERE there you wouldn’t be asking such a ridiculous question. Anyways…. The Fires Of mopped the floor of The Silver Dollar before turning the stage over to grungy punk-rock quartet Dilly Dally, who’ve really been carving out a name for themselves in the Toronto scene as of late; and it’s no wonder. DD destroyed the place and left the audience craving more – luckily we still had one more band in the bag for those still craving their music fix and funk rock quartet Organic Funk played out our night into the wee hours of the morning.

Check out the photos below, and maybe get your friends to stop being such boring saps the next time The iM throws a showcase on a weekend; you could all come to the party instead!

- The Indie Machine

Indie-pop CanCon produced by Michael Kulas (of James) and mixed by a guy who has worked with the Hip and U2. - Alan Cross

Hello friends and cohorts! It’s that time of the week again, Wednesday! I keep telling myself that I’ll stop posting to practice piano (my Grade 8 RCM examination is a week from today…yikes!) but I find myself here again. That’s okay though, because I’ve got goodies!

Today’s weekly wonder is a track from Toronto indie-pop group The Fires Of. Before we go any further though, you must be warned, “Prolonged musical exposure to this Canadian indie-pop band/collective may cause addiction.” (link) Ladies and gents, ’tis true. I’m not going to give a spiel about how their music and lyrics will absolutely blow your roof off , because likely they won’t. That’s not a bad thing though. Sometimes a nice indie-pop tune is all you need to cheer up a dull day. The Fires Of have definitely created feel good tunes that are at home on the radio, on a small stage, on a big stage, or on a record player. They’ve been working on new stuff lately, and are promising a release this winter.

Their song Pulse off of their self-titled debut is our feature track


If you’re craving more The Fires Of, you can find them here: Twitter | Soundcloud | CBCR3 | Facebook - Sound Vat

Hello friends and cohorts! It’s that time of the week again, Wednesday! I keep telling myself that I’ll stop posting to practice piano (my Grade 8 RCM examination is a week from today…yikes!) but I find myself here again. That’s okay though, because I’ve got goodies!

Today’s weekly wonder is a track from Toronto indie-pop group The Fires Of. Before we go any further though, you must be warned, “Prolonged musical exposure to this Canadian indie-pop band/collective may cause addiction.” (link) Ladies and gents, ’tis true. I’m not going to give a spiel about how their music and lyrics will absolutely blow your roof off , because likely they won’t. That’s not a bad thing though. Sometimes a nice indie-pop tune is all you need to cheer up a dull day. The Fires Of have definitely created feel good tunes that are at home on the radio, on a small stage, on a big stage, or on a record player. They’ve been working on new stuff lately, and are promising a release this winter.

Their song Pulse off of their self-titled debut is our feature track.

If you’re craving more The Fires Of, you can find them here: Twitter | Soundcloud | CBCR3 | Facebook

- Sound Vat

This is a sound that people can find something familiar in, from indie-rock swagger and punchy pop jangle, to rootsy-flavoured rhythms and acoustic roots-folk. A band that covers all bases.
- The Lonely Vagabond

I recently had the chance to sit down with Steve Canning and Graeme Donnelly, two members of The Fires Of, a band that’s very involved in Toronto’s music community.

The band has an interesting claim to how they all met- it was a love of Ultimate Frisbee that brought them together. Most of the band plays on official Canadian teams. “I think it’s a sport you play intensely but it’s not confrontational,” Canning said.

Eventually the Frisbee players got together and The Fires Of were born, though they were first known as The Handsome Nobodies. However, none of the band members were that happy with the name, particularly the drummer. So the band spent (literally) months on a campaign for a new name. When Canning spotted a Star Wars trailer, he saw something about “the fires of” and spent some time trying to add a word to the end of the phrase. Eventually, the band decided they liked just “The Fires Of.” “I like that it leaves things unsaid,” said Donnelly.

The band sees a lot of influence from music from the seventies. “Sometimes we think Graeme secretly crafted the band to be a modern-day version of Wings,” Canning suggested. Donnelly burst out laughing. Being as big as the band is, the individual members bring in lots of different influences. Canning is a huge fan of My Morning Jacket, Donnelly loves Paul McCartney, female vocalist Lisa DiDodato likes Sarah Harmer while drummer Greg Heard loves jazz.

“I think the idea wast to have a lot of pop sensibility but stick it in rock,” Donnelly said. That’s an easy statement to make, but it seems like this band knows how to pull it off. Their debut album is a joyous one and shows the strong community that is The Fires Of. And the band is set to release a new EP in the fall.

The as-yet-untitled EP will have five tracks. Originally, they were all going to be about sleep, and it would have been called “The Sleep EP.” The only problem with that, Canning said, was that it could be misheard as “The Sleepy Pee.”

With so many band members, one might think that it’s hard to get things done. That’s really only half true for The Fires Of. Musically, the band fits together quite well. Donnelly writes the songs (mostly) and then brings what he has to the band. Soon, the band is able to figure out their own parts.

“The thing we work on most is creating space for everybody,” Canning said. “Making sure we’re not stepping on anybody’s toes.”

“Otherwise we’re just a wall of sound,” Donnelly chipped in.

This ability to work together so well paid off when they were able to arrange their epic nine-minute song “Somebody Tell Me I’m Dreaming.” They played it at their show two weeks ago at Lee’s Palace. They even had Alex Pulec of The Ruby Spirit come on stage to play with them.

“When we sang it together it had this power I didn’t realize. [It was] more intense than we were imagining,” Donnelly said.

Also, having a lot of band members can make things administrative duties a little difficult, as Donnelly points out.

“This will tell you the character of our band,” he said. “We are perhaps the only band in the world that decided we were going to get together and write a mission statement.”

“And we didn’t even manage to do that,” Canning added. He also said they’re one of the few bands to hold musical feedback sessions and still like each other afterwards. The session involved the band members playing for other band members. The listening members would then, in turn, only tell the player what they should work on as opposed to what they did well.

Of course, as great as a band can be, if they’re not getting the word out about their music then it becomes rather pointless. Toronto in particular can be harsh to local musicians. However The Fires Of, like many other bands, plays an active part in Toronto’s indie scene. They’re good friends with The Ruby Spirit and Graydon James, among others. In such a large city, having friends in other bands, other venues and blogs can make all the difference.

And often they make fans without even meeting them. Once, apparently, they made a fan of a woman who divides her time between Los Angeles, New York City and Toronto. They never actually met the woman, but she apparently saw them play Lee’s Palace in April and said, via Twitter, how much she likes their sound. The band does well in keeping its fans up to date on Twitter, Facebook, and through emails as well.

In the future, the band hopes to start a tour outside of Toronto, playing in cities like Ottawa and Montreal, perhaps even heading to the Maritimes. They also hope that in the next few years they can start turning their music into a full-time job. - Grayowl Point

I recently had the chance to sit down with Steve Canning and Graeme Donnelly, two members of The Fires Of, a band that’s very involved in Toronto’s music community.

The band has an interesting claim to how they all met- it was a love of Ultimate Frisbee that brought them together. Most of the band plays on official Canadian teams. “I think it’s a sport you play intensely but it’s not confrontational,” Canning said.

Eventually the Frisbee players got together and The Fires Of were born, though they were first known as The Handsome Nobodies. However, none of the band members were that happy with the name, particularly the drummer. So the band spent (literally) months on a campaign for a new name. When Canning spotted a Star Wars trailer, he saw something about “the fires of” and spent some time trying to add a word to the end of the phrase. Eventually, the band decided they liked just “The Fires Of.” “I like that it leaves things unsaid,” said Donnelly.

The band sees a lot of influence from music from the seventies. “Sometimes we think Graeme secretly crafted the band to be a modern-day version of Wings,” Canning suggested. Donnelly burst out laughing. Being as big as the band is, the individual members bring in lots of different influences. Canning is a huge fan of My Morning Jacket, Donnelly loves Paul McCartney, female vocalist Lisa DiDodato likes Sarah Harmer while drummer Greg Heard loves jazz.

“I think the idea wast to have a lot of pop sensibility but stick it in rock,” Donnelly said. That’s an easy statement to make, but it seems like this band knows how to pull it off. Their debut album is a joyous one and shows the strong community that is The Fires Of. And the band is set to release a new EP in the fall.

The as-yet-untitled EP will have five tracks. Originally, they were all going to be about sleep, and it would have been called “The Sleep EP.” The only problem with that, Canning said, was that it could be misheard as “The Sleepy Pee.”

With so many band members, one might think that it’s hard to get things done. That’s really only half true for The Fires Of. Musically, the band fits together quite well. Donnelly writes the songs (mostly) and then brings what he has to the band. Soon, the band is able to figure out their own parts.

“The thing we work on most is creating space for everybody,” Canning said. “Making sure we’re not stepping on anybody’s toes.”

“Otherwise we’re just a wall of sound,” Donnelly chipped in.

This ability to work together so well paid off when they were able to arrange their epic nine-minute song “Somebody Tell Me I’m Dreaming.” They played it at their show two weeks ago at Lee’s Palace. They even had Alex Pulec of The Ruby Spirit come on stage to play with them.

“When we sang it together it had this power I didn’t realize. [It was] more intense than we were imagining,” Donnelly said.

Also, having a lot of band members can make things administrative duties a little difficult, as Donnelly points out.

“This will tell you the character of our band,” he said. “We are perhaps the only band in the world that decided we were going to get together and write a mission statement.”

“And we didn’t even manage to do that,” Canning added. He also said they’re one of the few bands to hold musical feedback sessions and still like each other afterwards. The session involved the band members playing for other band members. The listening members would then, in turn, only tell the player what they should work on as opposed to what they did well.

Of course, as great as a band can be, if they’re not getting the word out about their music then it becomes rather pointless. Toronto in particular can be harsh to local musicians. However The Fires Of, like many other bands, plays an active part in Toronto’s indie scene. They’re good friends with The Ruby Spirit and Graydon James, among others. In such a large city, having friends in other bands, other venues and blogs can make all the difference.

And often they make fans without even meeting them. Once, apparently, they made a fan of a woman who divides her time between Los Angeles, New York City and Toronto. They never actually met the woman, but she apparently saw them play Lee’s Palace in April and said, via Twitter, how much she likes their sound. The band does well in keeping its fans up to date on Twitter, Facebook, and through emails as well.

In the future, the band hopes to start a tour outside of Toronto, playing in cities like Ottawa and Montreal, perhaps even heading to the Maritimes. They also hope that in the next few years they can start turning their music into a full-time job. - Grayowl Point

Indie pop collective The Fires Of recently contacted The Indie Machine and boy are we glad they did. Late last year, they released their debut self-titled album and although it’s been a while, it’s never too late to get into something good.

If you head over to Myspace page you can sink your teeth into a few songs – we’re really feeling Pulse, It’s Time and Dim Star. To find out what is happening in the world of The Fires Of, visit them over on Facebook. - The Indie Machine

The Fires Of were back at Lee's Palace along with Slowcoaster and Laganza. This Toronto based Indie band is well worth a look, new CD coming soon!
- puregrainaudio

The Fires Of were back at Lee's Palace along with Slowcoaster and Laganza. This Toronto based Indie band is well worth a look, new CD coming soon!
- puregrainaudio

Lee’s Palace, Toronto – January 7, 2011.

The band’s Facebook page has a great list of who plays what instrument. It looked like everyone played everything and I figured that perhaps they were just being a little over zealous. But no! These guys really have it together and the way that they shuffle some of those instruments is almost Sloane-ish. The show was great, musically they seemed to gel together very well, all the more surprising considering the number of musicians on stage. The Fires Of play a mix of pop/rock. The studio work feels like a touch more pop than rock, live I felt it was the reverse. Muscles In Your Back came across particularly well I thought, with the fairly distinctive riff translating great in a live environment. The Fires Of released their self-titled CD late last year, you can pick it up on iTunes or if you want a physical disc you can get it at Soundscapes. Also on the bill were Graydon James and the Young Novelists, The Maladies of Adam Stokes, and The Cheap Speakers. - GTA Music Scene

It wasn’t that long ago that I was sent The Fires Of album, which I felt was a strong debut. Fortunately, they also sound strong live, quite possibly even better live. The Fires Of is a seven-piece indie pop band made up of Graeme Donnelly (vocals, bass), Chris Hayward (vocals, bass, guitar) Lisa Di Diodato (vocals, guitar), Larry Yuan (vocals, keyboard), Peyton Leung (violin, percussion), Steve Canning (guitar), Greg Heard (drums).

The crowd seemed to grow throughout The Fires Of’s set. There is something comforting in the 4-part harmonies, melded so well with their often classically familiar sound. Their layers suit their sound, not overpowering in spite of being a larger band. On stage, the band works well together with a controlled energy. The enthusiasm is there, but they seem to mostly let the music speak for itself. It was a solid set from this Toronto-based band. - Buying Shots for Bands

Shot of choice: An amusing quote from Graeme Donnelly – “Like all democratically run operations, we were unable to come to a consensus. The band seems to be evenly split between tequila and Jagermeister (with one vote for absinthe).”

The Fires Of, an indie pop band based out of Toronto, just released their self-titled debut album. The band is comprised of Graeme Donnelly (vocals, bass, guitar), Chris Hayward (vocals, bass, guitar), Lisa Di Diodato (vocals, guitar), Larry Yuan (vocals, keyboard), Peyton Leung (violin, percussion, didgeridoo), Steve Canning (lead guitar), and Greg Heard (drums). Michael Kulas, known for his stint with the UK band James, produced the album. It took about a year and half of recording, mixing and mastering to finally get their work out there, but, from what I hear, their release show at the El Mocambo was quite the celebration.

The band may be young in their life as a unit, but the members of The Fires Of are comparatively older (note: that does NOT read old) than some of their indie scene counterparts. This is an advantage, as there is maturity in their sound that strongly hints at influences from the 60s. Their breed of indie pop has quite a classic type of feel and the album seems to pay homage to a style and sound, to which The Fires Of adds their own layers of their wonderful instrumentation and vocals.

Their most exciting songs are at the beginning, with catchier numbers such as “Pulse” and “Way Too Far Gone,” but the album seems to develop more and more as it continues, with adding some rich balladry work. “It’s Time,” which sounds so classically familiar, and rootsy “Good to Be Me” end off the album and are likely my favourite tunes of the bunch. On “Dim Star” and “Advice (From Rosemary to Nicole),” Di Diodato takes over on lead vocals, but I find the change from male to female vocals disrupts the flow of the album a little and is a bit of a hindrance. That being said, the album in its entirety is strong in its songwriting and texturing of instrumentation. It’s a good debut and certainly something to be proud of. - buying shots for bands

Shot of choice: An amusing quote from Graeme Donnelly – “Like all democratically run operations, we were unable to come to a consensus. The band seems to be evenly split between tequila and Jagermeister (with one vote for absinthe).”

The Fires Of, an indie pop band based out of Toronto, just released their self-titled debut album. The band is comprised of Graeme Donnelly (vocals, bass, guitar), Chris Hayward (vocals, bass, guitar), Lisa Di Diodato (vocals, guitar), Larry Yuan (vocals, keyboard), Peyton Leung (violin, percussion, didgeridoo), Steve Canning (lead guitar), and Greg Heard (drums). Michael Kulas, known for his stint with the UK band James, produced the album. It took about a year and half of recording, mixing and mastering to finally get their work out there, but, from what I hear, their release show at the El Mocambo was quite the celebration.

The band may be young in their life as a unit, but the members of The Fires Of are comparatively older (note: that does NOT read old) than some of their indie scene counterparts. This is an advantage, as there is maturity in their sound that strongly hints at influences from the 60s. Their breed of indie pop has quite a classic type of feel and the album seems to pay homage to a style and sound, to which The Fires Of adds their own layers of their wonderful instrumentation and vocals.

Their most exciting songs are at the beginning, with catchier numbers such as “Pulse” and “Way Too Far Gone,” but the album seems to develop more and more as it continues, with adding some rich balladry work. “It’s Time,” which sounds so classically familiar, and rootsy “Good to Be Me” end off the album and are likely my favourite tunes of the bunch. On “Dim Star” and “Advice (From Rosemary to Nicole),” Di Diodato takes over on lead vocals, but I find the change from male to female vocals disrupts the flow of the album a little and is a bit of a hindrance. That being said, the album in its entirety is strong in its songwriting and texturing of instrumentation. It’s a good debut and certainly something to be proud of. - buying shots for bands

If I had to describe Toronto band The Fires Of in one word, that word would have to be “joyous.”

The six-piece band actually bears a sonic resemblance to The New Pornographers- there’s a large sense of community within this group and the music varies between rock and pop in a very natural way.

This album should act as a great mood booster if you’ve had a rough day- the numerous layers of vocals and happy instrumentation should be enough to get your mood up.

The album begins with “Pulse” which has a great guitar intro which quickly showcases male vocalist Graeme Donnelly vocal skills. By the time the chorus starts I imagine the whole band or most of the band is singing along with him.

“Dim Star” first introduces female vocalist Lisa Di Diodato vocals, which are also very admirable. If I’m still going to continue with the New Pornographers comparison then she would be the Neko Case. Both Donnelly and Di Diodato have great vocals and when they sing together they sound even better.

The lyrics to the songs are also great to listen t. In “Everything is Boring to Me” you can hear why, well, everything is boring. It starts off with “I don’t mind waking up alone/Usually I can’t find my own way home.” In “Muscles In Your Back” you will hear Chris Hayward’s vocals echo as he says “If I’m gonna write a love song/I’ll at least make it true.”

The musicianship here is quite superb, as the band really knows how to play a crescendo. In fact, the building up of the music to joyous climaxes is what makes this album so incredibly listenable.

Great stuff from a great Toronto band that you should probably go and listen to now. - Grayowl Point

If I had to describe Toronto band The Fires Of in one word, that word would have to be “joyous.”

The six-piece band actually bears a sonic resemblance to The New Pornographers- there’s a large sense of community within this group and the music varies between rock and pop in a very natural way.

This album should act as a great mood booster if you’ve had a rough day- the numerous layers of vocals and happy instrumentation should be enough to get your mood up.

The album begins with “Pulse” which has a great guitar intro which quickly showcases male vocalist Graeme Donnelly vocal skills. By the time the chorus starts I imagine the whole band or most of the band is singing along with him.

“Dim Star” first introduces female vocalist Lisa Di Diodato vocals, which are also very admirable. If I’m still going to continue with the New Pornographers comparison then she would be the Neko Case. Both Donnelly and Di Diodato have great vocals and when they sing together they sound even better.

The lyrics to the songs are also great to listen t. In “Everything is Boring to Me” you can hear why, well, everything is boring. It starts off with “I don’t mind waking up alone/Usually I can’t find my own way home.” In “Muscles In Your Back” you will hear Chris Hayward’s vocals echo as he says “If I’m gonna write a love song/I’ll at least make it true.”

The musicianship here is quite superb, as the band really knows how to play a crescendo. In fact, the building up of the music to joyous climaxes is what makes this album so incredibly listenable.

Great stuff from a great Toronto band that you should probably go and listen to now. - Grayowl Point