Land of Talk
Encyclopedia
Land of Talk is a Canadian
indie rock
band formed in 2006 from Montreal
, Quebec
, Canada
. The band consists of singer and guitar
ist Elizabeth Powell, bass guitar
ist Joseph Yarmush and drummer
Andrew Barr.
, Ontario
, Canada
. She enrolled in the jazz
program at Concordia University where she met Chris McCarron and Mark Wheaton with whom she formed Land of Talk. Eric Thibodeau replaced Wheaton on drums in May 2007 to complete a new lineup.
"Some bands have a bit more of a meteoric rise, and some are slow burners. I like to think we're a slow burner," Powell says. "It's totally true to who I am and how I approach my own life. Very slow and very unsure, but curious. And it all works out."
Land of Talk has received funding from agencies such as the Canada Council Funding for the Arts (FACTOR
).
, Applause Cheer Boo Hiss, on April 4, 2006, on Dependent Music
. The single "Summer Special" deals with the damaging nature of intra-female conflict and the sadness of losing oneself by way of buying in to the damaging stereotypes of femininity. Powell commented in an interview about what inspired her to write "Summer Special" and how it compared to her life growing up as a tom-boy.
Another stand-out track from the EP is "Speak to Me Bones", which also deals with the theme of relational conflict. This track exemplifies their use of soft vocals and gritty rock sounding musical arrangements. The music video for "Speak to Me Bones" was directed by a former Concordia school mate, Jeff St. Jules. The concept of the video was kept simple, shot in black and white staying true to the band's no-frills style.
, on Secret City Records
in Canada and Saddle Creek Records
in the US. The album was released on October 7, 2008, and was produced by Justin Vernon of Bon Iver. Drums on the album are played by Andrew Barr of The Slip. Powell announced during a performance that the band would be taking a break after its tour with Broken Social Scene
. The band did not in fact go on hiatus, but instead McCarron left (amicably) to play guitar for The Dears
. He was replaced by Joe Yarmush, and the band announced a West Coast tour for 2009.
Fun and Laughter on October 27, 2009, on Saddle Creek. Via Saddle Creek: "Land of Talk have announced a west coast tour beginning October 27th in San Diego, and running through November 7th in Vancouver B.C.. To complement to tour, the band will be releasing an EP with four new songs and three videos, entitled 'Fun and Laughter'.".
, as well as members of Stars, Arcade Fire, Thee Silver Mt. Zion, Wintersleep
, Besnard Lakes and Esmerine
.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
indie rock
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
band formed in 2006 from Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The band consists of singer and guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
ist Elizabeth Powell, bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
ist Joseph Yarmush and drummer
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
Andrew Barr.
History
Before becoming the front-woman for Land of Talk, Elizabeth Powell performed as a solo artist performing under the name ELE_K*. Powell began writing music at the age of fourteen while she grew up in GuelphGuelph
Guelph is a city in Ontario, Canada.Guelph may also refer to:* Guelph , consisting of the City of Guelph, Ontario* Guelph , as the above* University of Guelph, in the same city...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. She enrolled in the jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
program at Concordia University where she met Chris McCarron and Mark Wheaton with whom she formed Land of Talk. Eric Thibodeau replaced Wheaton on drums in May 2007 to complete a new lineup.
"Some bands have a bit more of a meteoric rise, and some are slow burners. I like to think we're a slow burner," Powell says. "It's totally true to who I am and how I approach my own life. Very slow and very unsure, but curious. And it all works out."
Land of Talk has received funding from agencies such as the Canada Council Funding for the Arts (FACTOR
FACTOR
FACTOR is a "private non-profit organization, ... dedicated to providing assistance toward the growth and development of the Canadian independent recording industry" ....
).
Applause Cheer Boo Hiss
The band released its first EPExtended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
, Applause Cheer Boo Hiss, on April 4, 2006, on Dependent Music
Dependent Music
Dependent Music was a Canadian independent record label, owned and operated by the artists that were a part of the collective. Dependent Music was formed by Brian Borcherdt in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia in 1994...
. The single "Summer Special" deals with the damaging nature of intra-female conflict and the sadness of losing oneself by way of buying in to the damaging stereotypes of femininity. Powell commented in an interview about what inspired her to write "Summer Special" and how it compared to her life growing up as a tom-boy.
Another stand-out track from the EP is "Speak to Me Bones", which also deals with the theme of relational conflict. This track exemplifies their use of soft vocals and gritty rock sounding musical arrangements. The music video for "Speak to Me Bones" was directed by a former Concordia school mate, Jeff St. Jules. The concept of the video was kept simple, shot in black and white staying true to the band's no-frills style.
Some Are Lakes
Land of Talk released their first full-length album, Some Are LakesSome Are Lakes
Some Are Lakes is the first full-length album by Canadian indie rock band Land of Talk, released October 7, 2008, on Secret City Records in Canada and Saddle Creek Records in the United States....
, on Secret City Records
Secret City Records
Secret City Records is a Canadian independent record label based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The music label was founded in 2006 by Andrew Rose and Justin West, originally as sublabel of Justin Time Records. It became fully independent in late 2008....
in Canada and Saddle Creek Records
Saddle Creek Records
Saddle Creek Records is an American record label based in Omaha, Nebraska. Started as a college class project on entrepreneurship, the label was founded by Conor Oberst and Justin Oberst in 1993 . Conor soon turned over his role in the company to Robb Nansel...
in the US. The album was released on October 7, 2008, and was produced by Justin Vernon of Bon Iver. Drums on the album are played by Andrew Barr of The Slip. Powell announced during a performance that the band would be taking a break after its tour with Broken Social Scene
Broken Social Scene
Broken Social Scene is a Canadian indie rock band, a musical collective including as few as six and as many as nineteen members, formed in 1999 by Kevin Drew and Brendan Canning. Most of its members currently play in various other groups and solo projects, mainly based around the city of Toronto...
. The band did not in fact go on hiatus, but instead McCarron left (amicably) to play guitar for The Dears
The Dears
-History:The band formed in 1995 and released their first album, End of a Hollywood Bedtime Story, in 2000. Their orchestral, dark pop sound and dramatic live shows cemented The Dears at the foundation of the then-emerging Canadian indie renaissance...
. He was replaced by Joe Yarmush, and the band announced a West Coast tour for 2009.
Fun and Laughter EP
Land of Talk released the EPExtended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
Fun and Laughter on October 27, 2009, on Saddle Creek. Via Saddle Creek: "Land of Talk have announced a west coast tour beginning October 27th in San Diego, and running through November 7th in Vancouver B.C.. To complement to tour, the band will be releasing an EP with four new songs and three videos, entitled 'Fun and Laughter'.".
Cloak and Cipher
Early in 2009, Powell had to cancel the band's tour to recover from a hemorrhage vocal polyp. Powell used her six month recuperation period to write and record the next album, titled Cloak and Cipher. It was released on August 24, 2010, on Saddle Creek Records. It has contributions from Patrick WatsonPatrick Watson (musician)
Patrick Watson is a Canadian singer-songwriter, and the name of the band which he fronts, whose blend of cabaret pop and classical music influences with indie rock has been compared to Rufus Wainwright, Andrew Bird, Nick Drake, Jeff Buckley and Pink Floyd for their experimental musicianship.-...
, as well as members of Stars, Arcade Fire, Thee Silver Mt. Zion, Wintersleep
Wintersleep
Wintersleep is a Canadian indie rock band from Halifax, Nova Scotia.-Background:Wintersleep formed in 2001 and released two albums with Dependent Music, a music label and artists' collective that began in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia in 1994....
, Besnard Lakes and Esmerine
Esmerine
Esmerine is an experimental instrumental group started by Bruce Cawdron and Beckie Foon, who have contributed to other Montreal-based bands as Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Set Fire to Flames, and Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra & Tra-La-La Band...
.
EPs and singles
- Applause Cheer Boo Hiss (2006)
- L'aventure Acoustique (2008)
- The Man Who Breaks Things - Single (2008)
- Young Bridge - 7" Vinyl Single (2008)
- Speak to Me Bones - 7" Vinyl Single (2008)
- Fun and Laughter (2009)
See also
- Music of CanadaMusic of CanadaThe music of Canada has influences that have shaped the country. Aboriginals, the British, and the French have all made unique contributions to the musical heritage of Canada. The music has subsequently been heavily influenced by American culture because of its proximity and migration between...
- Music of QuebecMusic of QuebecBeing a modern cosmopolitan society, today, all types of music can be found in the Canadian province of Quebec. What is specific to Quebec though are traditional songs, a unique variety of Celtic music, legions of excellent jazz musicians, a culture of classical music, and a love of foreign rhythms...
- Canadian rockCanadian rockCanadian rock describes a wide and diverse variety of music produced by Canadians, beginning with American style rock 'n' roll in the mid-20th century. Since then Canada has had a considerable impact on the development of the modern popular music called rock...
- List of Canadian musicians
- List of bands from Canada
- :Category:Canadian musical groups
External links
- Land of Talk official website