The Motorleague

Artist Information

Biography

It’s mere seconds into a typical track by The Motorleague that listeners realize what they’re in for. Be it a blistering single-string guitar riff delivered through an amp that’s seemingly been set afire or a bludgeoning smash to the snare drum, this band delivers its punk-influenced hard rock with an unrelenting urgency from start to finish. Or at least that was the case with the band’s heralded 2009 debut LP, Black Noise, and its 10 hooky, bottom-heavy bangers; however, while their 2013 follow-up Acknowledge, Acknowledge features a flurry of high-energy, riff-anchored rock, it’s also much more dynamic and expressive – and that was the idea from the outset.

Formed in Moncton, NB with relics of revered local rock outfits The Ditchpigs and The Monoxides, The Motorleague was originally an outlet for lead vocalist/guitarist/primary songwriter Don Levandier and his band mates to blend a penchant for ‘90s skate punk with the sludgier sounds of stoner rock. “I never knew whether I wanted to be in a punk band or Fu Manchu rip-off,” Levandier says of the group’s formative years, and even now, traces of each are audible in the band’s output.

Having undergone more than its fair share of lineup changes, with the release of Acknowledge, Acknowledge, The Motorleague has marked a new beginning with a firmly-cemented stable of players set to carry the banner forward. Joining Levandier are Shawn Chaisson (bass/vocals), Francis Landry (drums), Andrew Greig (guitar/vocals), and Nathan Jones (guitar/vocals). And while their influences are still on their sleeves, over time, The Motorleague has morphed into a rock band that exists strictly on its own terms.

Black Noise and its sinfully catchy single “Hymn For The Newly Departed” attracted quite a bit of attention to the band. In addition to taking home two East Coast Music Awards and one Music New Brunswick award in 2010, The Motorleague has also performed alongside contemporaries like Alexisonfire, Flogging Molly, Rise Against, Priestess, and Propagandhi, from whom they’ve also borrowed their moniker. The group still holds the release dear, though with their latest, wanted to showcase a wider spectrum of what they can do.

Produced by Steve Rizun (The Flatliners, The Creepshow), Acknowledge, Acknowledge is an extension of the sound established with its predecessor. Tracks like lead single “Good Men” or “We Are All Going Directly To Hell” are dense and dirty with the familiar slick riffs, huge harmonies, and anthemic choruses that unite lost voices. “Love Letter To A Landmass,” on the other hand, is slightly more upbeat and boasts a healthy dose of mainstream rock. Others like “Oh How The Mighty Have Fallen” and “Burned In Effigy” are more sparse in their arrangement, drawing the focus to Levandier’s fine-tuned vocal phrasing and lyrics.

“A lot of these songs deal with frustrations,” Levandier explains delving into his words. From the Internet turning into an arena of hatred to the hardships of being on the road to the band’s geographical underpinnings, Levandier says it’s a simple of matter of writing about what he knows and sees – and that honest and pure approach spreads throughout every aspect of The Motorleague.

“We’re not a new band,” Levandier says. “We’ve been at this for years; we’ve played some big shows and been to some cool places. Now we want to get out of this east coast trap and push onwards.” Armed with a new collection of songs and plenty of piss and vinegar, The Motorleague will soon be impossible to ignore, infecting audiences across North America with their intense live performances and now-signature hard rock stylings. Acknoweldge, Acknowledge indeed…



Recent & Relevant Accolades
- Recently Signed with Sonic Records from Halifax, NS (Matt Mays, Hey! Rosetta, Rich Aucoin, Wintersleep)
- Performed @ THE FEST 2012
- Recently Toured in the US Nov 2012
- Performed alongside Rise Against / Vandals / Propagandhi @Summersonic 2012
- Won PUNK SONG OF THE YEAR at 2012 IMA's (Good Men)
- 2 Cross Canada Tours and countless regional tours
- Raised over $3300.00 for Cystic Fibrosis Canada to date
- Cross Canada Tour with Grady - Nov 2010
- 2400+ Soundscanned sales of new single
- Won Music New Brunswick Loud Recording of The Year - Oct 2010
- Won 2 East Coast Music Awards Feb 2010
- Performed At Envol MacAdam Oct 2009 (Bad Religion, Alexisonfire)
- Performed at Junofest March 2010 as direct support for Alexisonfire
- Regional Tour support for Comeback Kid - Through The Noise East Tour - Sept 2010
- 2 Videos in rotation on "Much Loud"

Instrumentation

Don Levandier - Vocals, Guitar
Shawn Chiasson - Vocals, Bass
Francis Landry - Drums
Nathan Jones - Vocals, Guitar

Discography

White Tape - May 1st, 2007
Black Noise - May 19th, 2009
Acknowledge, Acknowledge - June 2013

Official Website

http://www.themotorleague.ca

Links

• Facebook
• Last.fm
• MySpace
• Twitter
• YouTube
• Official Website

Audio

• Every Man Needs a Cape Breton
  Listen  
• Litany For the Completely Forgettable
  Listen  
• Good Men
  Listen  
• Hymn For The Newly Departed
  Listen  

Lyrics

• Hymn For The Newly Departed
• Good Men

Video

Hymn For The Newly Departed

Photo Gallery

Press

• Chartattack.ca - Black Noise - Review [+ Show ]
  

  Date Posted: May 20th, 2009 Review Url: http://www.chartattack.com/reviews/69907/the-motorleague-b...Date Posted: May 20th, 2009
  Review Url:
  http://www.chartattack.com/reviews/69907/the-motorleague-black-noise
  
  4 out of 5 C's
  
  
  Canada has always lacked a version of The Hellacopters, Backyard Babies and, on a more nostalgic level, Thin Lizzy. That was until Maritimes-based outfit The Motorleague came along.
  
  This quartet unleash a devastating debut that harnesses the harmonious capabilities of the aforementioned acts without sacrificing the viciousness of Turbonegro and Zeke's ravenous fury, and prove the Great White North is completely capable of providing a pelvic-based four-chord bombast that's as indelibly catchy as it is forthright and explosive.
  
  From the instant assault of opener "Big Times" through the driving pace of "Fossils" and gritty stoner influence of "Facetime With The Boss," Black Noise's aggression, bottom-heavy groove and just-enough nod to pop music spells instant classic for dirtbag rockers.
  
  
  

• Mainstream Is Just So Last Year [+ Show ]
  

  The Motorleague - Black Noise Written by: PP on 3/6-09 at 13:07:57 In recent years pure rock 'n'...The Motorleague - Black Noise
  Written by: PP on 3/6-09 at 13:07:57
  
  In recent years pure rock 'n' roll releases have become more or less a rarity on our review lists. You wouldn't imagine that such a timeless genre would ever fall out of fashion, but so it has, consequently resulting in less and less such bands arriving on our review lists. The Motorleague is precisely the type of band that I've been missing on my review list, a rowdy, dirty rock n roll outfit without the slightest tinge of metal in it. Their new record "Black Noise" is ROCK in the purest sense of the word; punked up, high-tempo, groovy, riff-oriented and aggressive rock 'n' roll with a simultaneous penchant for catchy melodies. Me like.
  
  Essentially, The Motorleague sound like the polar opposite of the image-conscious emo bands that we've been plagued with for the better part of this decade. This is the sound of real rock 'n' roll, it is a sound that on first listen screams of no concern for things like marketing, Myspace plays, or none of that crap that doesn't really have anything to do with rock music. Think of the way how Lemmy of Motörhead emits that attitude on every line, or the way how Dave Grohl is a rock star in the traditional sense. That's how I'd describe songs like "Big Times", "Fossils" (which starts with a Wolfmother-esque guitar drive), "The Ones You've Left Behind" and others, they sound like Foo Fighters meets Motörhead and QOTSA in a massive explosion of rock energy.
  
  The best song on the record is "Let It Go", an aggressively rumbling punk 'n' roll track full of angry yelling and smash hotel rooms-type attitude. The latter is a vibe omnipresent throughout the album; that dangerous, out-of-control feeling that these days only appears on chaos hardcore records like Converge or The Dillinger Escape Plan. The band does go a little softer on a few tracks like "You Wear Me Down" and "Series Vs Parallel" - these two songs feature cleaner vocals and catchier guitar/vocal interplays, and are the ones that really remind you of the earliest Foo Fighters material (think "Stacked Actors" etc), except even at their softest, The Motorleague is much sleazier and dirtier, and I suppose you could say heavier as well. So if you're at all tired of the pretentiousness of today's music genres, "Black Noise" is exactly the album that'll make you think traditional rock hasn't died just yet. [7]
  Download: Let It Go, You Wear Me Down, Big Times
  For the fans of: Foo Fighters, Queens Of The Stone Age, Velvet Revolver, Wolfmother
  Listen: Myspace
  
  Release date 19.05.2009
  Forward Music Group
  
  
  
  Reviewing: The Motorleague – Black Noise CD
  
  Review Type: Online
  
  Review From:
  RockFreaks.net - Denmark
  
  Date Posted: June 2nd, 2009
  Review Url:
  http://www.rockfreaks.net/index.php?page=albumreviews&id=1883
  

• HERE Magazine - Black Noise Review [+ Show ]
  

  The long-awaited debut record from Moncton band The Motorleague has finally reached consumers greedy...The long-awaited debut record from Moncton band The Motorleague has finally reached consumers greedy hands. Black Noise is packed to the rim with 10 energetic rawk n roll tracks with the pace barely dropping below relentless and verging on punishing. And as fast and powerful as their songs are, they retain melodic qualities throughout that will have you singing along in earnest. Just try NOT to sing along to likeable first single Hymn For The Newly Departed, Fossils and The Ones You Left Behind.
  Please consult your doctor prior to consuming The Motorleague’s fantastic new record, especially if you are taking any heart medication. Otherwise, let ‘er rip.
  

• Voir (Montreal, PQ) - Black Noise Review [+ Show ]
  

  4 Out Of 5 Stars A lesson to learn from this album: Don't underestimate a band because of its ori...4 Out Of 5 Stars
  
  A lesson to learn from this album: Don't underestimate a band because of its origin. Moncton may not be the Mecca of music but it seems to have formed a 4 piece with enough frustrations and insight to create an explosive rock album. Heated by stoner-style influences this concrete creation of Ian Blurton's (Le Nombre, Maximum RnR, Tricy Woo) just adds credibility to the Motorleague - who introduced a first album with an urgency to climb up in the scene with lryics inspired from years of rejection, disappointment, and betrayal. Hence the members of the motorleague didn't suffer for nothing. For fans of The Hellacopters, Tricy Woo, Queens Of the Stone Age and Bionic. They'll be playing on the 12th of June with Starvin Hungry At Barfly.

• Altsounds.com - Black Noise Review [+ Show ]
  

  Forward Music Group July 6, 2009, 06:44 PM Buy The Motorleague - Black Noise [Album] From Amazon.c...Forward Music Group
  July 6, 2009, 06:44 PM
  Buy The Motorleague - Black Noise [Album] From Amazon.com
  
  
  Ask anyone if it's possible for Canadians to rock and they will say, "No, of course not. Get the hell away from me - you stink". Well New Brunswick's Motorleague are here to try and turn the tide of accepted popular opinion with their own particular brand of hard rock.
  
  Black Noise hits the ground running with some chunky riffs on 'Big Times'. It's a solid opener and lets you know exactly what you are in for over the next ten songs - Foo Fighters esque riffage and 'All My Life' vocal stylings. The comparison is most obviously born out on 'You Wear Me Down', which nine out of ten people would be sure to put down as the Grohl troop's work.
  
  That actually says volumes for the production that has gone into this record though. It's more than up to scratch with no dips in level and a clean sound that lets the musician's excitable style come through unsullied, matching their far better financed major label competition.
  
  The punk sensibilities and Warped Tour love are here though and they both force their way to the fore on 'Let It Go'. It heralds a much faster and heavier period of "Black Noise" with what sounds like a pissed off Lemmy blasting out the backing vocals. A very good thing!
  
  The tempo remains high right the way through to closer 'Hymn For The Nearly Departed' - far and away the most poppy song on offer. The upbeat ba-ba-baing actually feel out of place here amongst all the anger. That and the trumpets. Odd way to end the album, but there it is.
  
  Lyrically there are some nice turns of phrase but for the most part it is standard marginalised dissatisfaction. Example:
  
  
  'Forced out and don't we know,
  The way it works when you're all alone,
  For no one will get this but our own.'
  - 'No Rest For The Useless'
  Not exactly Rage Against The Machine but I've heard plenty worse, that's for sure.
  
  The Motorleague have kept things short and sweet for this, their debut, at around the half hour mark but they give it hell for leather all the way to the end so if you fancy turning something up to ear-bleed levels and sticking two fingers up at your parents bedroom wall then "Black Noise" by The Motorleague is a fine soundtrack.
  
  So then, Canadians. I guess you can rock after all!

• Hardtimes.ca - Black Noise Review [+ Show ]
  

  Tuesday June 9th, 2009 The Motorleague - Black Noise Hardtimes.ca Name of Patient:: The Motor...Tuesday June 9th, 2009
  The Motorleague - Black Noise
  Hardtimes.ca
  
  Name of Patient::
  The Motorleague
  Date of Birth::
  05/2009
  Region and Country of Origin::
  Moncton, NB, Canada
  Height:
  The Motorleague formed in 2006 from the ashes of The Monoxides, The Ditchpigs, Cohesive, and IC/TC.
  Weight:
  This is The Motorleague's debut full-length, and second release overall.
  Significant Findings:
  Ever since releasing their first demo as the 2007 EP “White Tape,” Canada’s most unapologetic kick-in-the-ass from a new rock’n’roll group since God knows when, The Motorleague, have been brewing up a dirtier, meaner, and even more barroom-friendly collection of revival rock anthems. What has resulted in their long-awaited full-length, “Black Noise,” is over two years of the band loosening up in the songwriting department and in turn displaying a growing fearlessness of sounding like an arena rock band of the Seventies which seems to be their true destiny, for the time being at least. While ultimately not heard by many considering the band’s intermittent tour schedule, scant distribution of their demo, and simply being older local musicians who ended up slaves to the daily grind like the rest of us, the lo-fi, stoner/desert rock vibe of “White Tape” had a distinctive charm comparable to Queens Of The Stone Age’s finest moment, their self-titled debut, as well as Kyuss, Fu Manchu, Goatsnake, Masters Of Reality, and other Nineties acts affiliated with Man’s Ruin Records and the stoner rock emergence at large. Most bands during the demo phase are still finding their identity, and The Motorleague apparently were no exception, judging by the evolution their sound has undergone with “Black Noise.” Throughout the album, whether on sure to be instant favorites like “Big Times,” “Let It Go,” “No Rest,” or energetically re-recorded versions of “Series Vs. Parallel” and “Face Time With The Boss,” The Motorleague thunders forward like a muscle car that has just been blessed with a fresh engine under the hood. And one of the most noticeable areas that has benefitted from a Nitrous Oxide boost is the percussion department, which sees seasoned Motorleague live drummer make his recorded debut with the band. Baritone-voiced and barrel-bodied young drummer Ryan McDonald seems to have truly lit a fire under the veteran asses of his gracefully-aging bandmates on “Black Noise.” It doesn’t hurt having legendary producer Ian Blurton (Cursed, The Illuminati, Tricky Woo, Arise and Ruin, The Weakerthans) produce, mix, and engineer your debut album either. Blurton sure didn’t pull a Rick Rubin-esque vanishing act here, and his qualified presence in the studio can be heard in the final product.
  Possible Diagnosis:
  Between Blurton's involvement in the recording, McDonald’s imposing presence destroying the skins, and their more boisterous influences like Thin Lizzy, Kiss, The Hellacopters, Turbonegro, and their Canadian brethren in Bionic and Tricky Woo shining brighter than before, The Motorleague successfully capture the intensity of their mighty live performance to record for the first time on “Black Noise.” The frontline vocal tandem of Don Levandier and Nathan Jones is also given prominence in the recording, lurching out of the speakers and practically shouting into the ears of listeners. Even the unmistakable authority of Iron Giant bassist PJ Dunphy, who provides his final recorded work with the band here, can be heard loud and clear in the mix.
  Recommendation:
  Given the proper distribution and promotion of the just-released “Black Noise,” The Motorleague could very likely be travelling from country to country rather than merely province to province as word spreads about Canada’s best kept, dirty rock’n’roll secret.
  

• PureGrainAudio - Black Noise Review [+ Show ]
  

  Monday June 15th, 2009 Black Noise - Review 7 out of 10 Pure Grain Audio The Motorleague are a ...Monday June 15th, 2009
  Black Noise - Review 7 out of 10
  Pure Grain Audio
  
  The Motorleague are a four piece band from New Brunswick, Canada. They are a hard rock band with plenty of power and speed to release to the world. The songs on this debut album, Black Noise, are catchy, melodic and best of all, fast. There are flashes of Papa Roach, Turbonegro and even a bit of Motorhead which will appeal to a lot of people.
  
  There’s nothing special about this band. They keep it simple. You stick on the CD and within seconds you’ll find at least one part of your body moving along to beat. After a few listens through, you’ll find yourself humming along to the choruses and before long, you will start to really enjoy the album. As I say, it’s simple. Verse, chorus, verse etc. It’s straight out rock music. This is why The Motorleague will appeal to the overall mass of rock fans. It’s hard enough for the mosher and it’s catchy enough for the mainstream followers.
  
  Obviously, being simple has its limitations. The songs are very similar and although the lyrics do have a great deal of substance about them, the music doesn’t really have a hope in becoming anything more than ‘really good’. More diversity is needed. However, whether the Motorleague can produce this with further releases will be interesting to find out.
  
  I should probably be a little more lenient. After all, they’ve only been together since 2006. The music is great and quite clearly these guys are genuine music fans themselves. However, Black Noise lacks the appeal that it needs to bring you back in 5 years time, to put the CD back on again. Obviously the guys still have plenty of time to improve, but so far so good. [ END ]
  
  [back]
  

• CanCon Container Ship - Live Review [+ Show ]
  

  Tuesday June 16th, 2009 The Motorleague - Live Show Review CanCon Container Ship 15 June 2009 ...Tuesday June 16th, 2009
  The Motorleague - Live Show Review
  CanCon Container Ship
  
  15 June 2009
  The Motorleague CD Release with The Westerberg Suicides - The Capital - Fredericton - 28 May 09
  
  
  
  Twas a Thursday night, May 28th at the Capital Bar Complex where all was not quiet, and there were many a creature stirring as it was the scene of Moncton’s Motorleague’s CD release party. Their new album is called Black Noise and it was recently released with Fredericton’s Forward Music Group. Gracing the stage with The Motorleague and kicking things off was another hard rock outfit called The Westerberg Suicides. It was certainly a pair of bands that had a certain sort of ok about them.
  
  The Westerberg Suicides hail from Fredericton and they are definitely a hometown gem. They boded well with the crux of the matter which was to set the tone of the show by assaulting our ears with solid, no-nonsense rock and/or roll. The influences of the Westerberg Suicides seemed to vary from maybe some rockabilly to perhaps punk. Either way one sliced it, the Westerberg Suicides put together a sound that let us know that they got skills and were there to rock.
  
  Sometimes though, it seemed as though the lead vocalist was not meant to try and hit some of the notes he tried to sing. Although it did convey a tragic demeanour, a little bit of awkward cringing would characterize persons who do not like dissonance. Despite this, the overall package would always settle back into the hard-rock holding pattern. It was too bad that there was no merchandise being sold because the Westerberg Suicides need to get some airtime on the campus radio net. Although far from ideal, there is always using CBC’s New Music Canada and/or Rupert Murdoch’s myspace.
  
  For a Thursday night, the turn-out at the Capital Bar Complex was fairly decent and things were lined up quite nicely for the Motorleague. The lads started off strong with the Big Times which is the first track off their album Black Noise. The Motorleague were very effective at transferring the high-pitched fever of the album as they continued on with the track Let It Go. Really though, if one has heard their album which is cut from the same cloth as rock stalwarts like Wolfmother and Queens of the Stone Age, there is nothing much to say. The music was fast, furious and fantastic.
  
  The real fun of the show was seeing the Motorleague put on their show and see the crowd interact with the band. At one point the bassist had his bass strap fall off and Forward Music Group manager James Boyle came to the rescue and replaced the strap. Then to add to the album release party, during the last song Hymn for the Newly Departed, a few friends were invited on stage to sing along with the band. It was a shame that the Westerberg Suicides were allowed to start so late, because the lads of The Motorleague still had a few songs in them to play. But were limited by the 2am timing to shut it down.
  

Setlist

The Motorleague typically does 20, 30 minute festival /opening sets, or 45-60 minute headlining sets.

Songs include an array of originals with the occasional cover - depening on the venue / audience.

Sets are extremely high energy and move along quickly with very few breaks between songs / momentum.

Basic Requirements

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