The Folk

Artist Information

Biography

We are The Folk, a rock band that lives in Toronto most of the time. Sometimes we’re in Guelph, doing awesome stuff like recording or playing shows. The band contains a variety of human beings, such as: Twin sisters Sara Bortolon-Vettor and Emma Bortolon-Vettor. One a songwriter and singer who plays some synth magic and ambient guitar stuff, the other a guitar maestro extraordinaire and orchestral eared classicist. Mark Ferrari writes songs with chords on guitars and pianos and yelps along. His best pal and roommate Liam plays bass and may just be the true “man behind the curtain.” Patrick Rody, drummer from depths of the internet, has come to rest in everyone’s hearts as the loveable East Coast drifter of the group, truly the Sham to Liam’s Rock. We are working on an album currently, which is titled We All Say. It’s a continuation of a concept that we have dubbed “The Communication Series,” developed on our previous EPs You Say, I Say and Say It Again.

We have had the pleasure of sharing the stage with great Canadian talent such as Library Voices, Michou, Sheezer, Whale Tooth, Ben Caplan, Patrick McCauley & the Wandering Bones, and many more awesome bands. On top of POP Montreal, we have also played the Hillside Music Festival, NXNE, and Canadian Music Week. Our songs have been featured on Toronto Internet-based television shows, Poser and The Avenue and more recently on Everyday is Like Sunday, the new film from Blaine Thurier (member of The New Pornographers and Best Narrative Feature winner, SXSW – 2001) and Pavan Moondi.

Instrumentation

Liam Magahay - Bass
Patrick Rody - Drums
Sara Bortolon-Vettor - Vocals & Keys
Emma Bortolon-Vettor - Guitar
Mark Ferrari - Vocals, guitar and piano

Discography

Say It Again (June 2012)
You Say, I Say (December 2011)

Official Website

http://www.thefolk.ca

Links

• Facebook
• Twitter
• MySpace
• Bandcamp
• vimeo
• youtube

Audio

• Rules of Youth
  Listen   Download
• When I Go Away
  Listen   Download
• Say It Again
  Listen   Download
• Evening Breath
  Listen   Download
• Right and Wrong
  Listen   Download

Lyrics

• Rules Of Youth
• When I Go Away
• Say It Again

Video

Photo Gallery

Press

• The Folk - Say It Again [+ Show ]
  

  Toronto five-piece indie pop band the Folk have released a three track EP this June called Say It Ag...Toronto five-piece indie pop band the Folk have released a three track EP this June called Say It Again, which is essentially a series of anthems. It’s a follow up to their December 2011 release You Say, I Say, and while it isn’t necessarily a departure from their last release so much as a continuation, it shows definite growth, calling upon the sounds of indie pros The Knife, The XX, and Broken Bells.
  
  The first track, “Rules of Youth” is breathy stuff, anthemic relaxation fit for a California road trip. It’s a great melodic choice for the opening track and sets the tone for the rest of the EP. Sara Bortolon-Vettor’s vocals are sweet and she obviously has great chemistry with her twin sister, Emma, on guitar. The three other members are best friends, Mark Ferrari on guitar and vocals, Liam Magahay on bass, and Patrick Rody on drums.
  
  The second track, “When I go Away” isn’t as strong as the first and last, but it does have a constant, mellow beat with mechanical, but clean, guitar sounds. Ferrari’s vocals add grittiness that wouldn’t exist without his contribution, something similar to Dan Boeckner’s work with Wolf Parade and Handsome Furs.
  The intro of the third song, “Say It Again”, is where you’ll find The XX’s “Crystalised” is a clear influence, and while The Folk’s song is considerably more pop, the similarities are obvious. The lyrics begin quite poetically, right on cue with the genre.
  
  While Say it Again doesn’t scream originality, it does fit in with the current brand of indie rock, and it’s hard to disagree with a winning formula. It is sure to be met with the same positive reviews that You Say, I Say had.

• The Folk - Say It Again EP [+ Show ]
  

  Seeing a band name like The Folk, you begin to build an idea of what they sound like before even hea...Seeing a band name like The Folk, you begin to build an idea of what they sound like before even hearing a note of the music. Why hasn't there been a folk band called The Folk before? (Or has there? Answers on a postcard...) Anyway, it turns out that the initial picture your mind paints from seeing such a moniker is, in this case, incorrect. The Folk aren't particularly folky at all, making a rather more substantial and dynamic form of alt-rock that's electric instead of wooden and somewhat less traditional than you may expect. 'Say It Again' is their second release following a debut at the end of 2011 and acts as a suitable piece of promotion for their first headline tour later this year.
  
  'Rules Of Youth' uses thundering drums and gentle fuzz to conjure up a gutsy and atmospheric opening and you instantly realise they're made of pretty stern stuff. 'When I Go Away' is quite possibly the best song here, although it's a close call, building on the moody beginning with shoegazey guitars and surging percussive swells. Vocally there's no lack of passion, with all three tracks being delivered like they mean it. The title-track also shows they mean business and feels like the result of genuine attention to detail and careful songcraft. For something so seemingly simple it's developed brilliantly, to wring as much potential from the song as possible. It's quite a sound and if they can nail it in the live arena as well as they can on record then those upcoming gigs are not to be missed.

• The Quickdraw - Monday, June 25th, 2012 (Austin, TX) [+ Show ]
  

  This Canadian outfit sent me an email late last week, and I quickly found myself attached to this so...This Canadian outfit sent me an email late last week, and I quickly found myself attached to this song. I like the vocal work, and the music packs just enough of a punch to warrant me cranking the volume. The band just put out an EP called Say It Again, and you can get it for however much you'd like to pay via their Bandcamp.

• Soup of the Day - Rules of Youth (Austin, TX) [+ Show ]
  

  The Folk are a five piece rock band from Toronto, Canada that conjure up noisy pop gems similar to t...The Folk are a five piece rock band from Toronto, Canada that conjure up noisy pop gems similar to the sounds of The XX and Sleigh Bells.
  
  On their latest free EP Say It Again, The Folk fire up three strong tracks full of gritty pop gloom that illuminate lead singer Sara Bortolon-Vettor’s sweet yet toxic voice and the band’s multi-faceted approach. The stand out cut is the EP’s opener “Rules of Youth”, a slow-blooming song that eventually grows into an epic modern garden of grunge after the beat box echoes sow the seeds.

• Rules of Youth - INTRODUCiNG The Folk [+ Show ]
  

  I was standing in my backyard no more than two hours ago, humidity pressing down on me from above, t...I was standing in my backyard no more than two hours ago, humidity pressing down on me from above, the patio stones burning holes through my soles from below, and the barbeque grill about to singe the stubble off my chin, when I realized I didn’t have a post ready for tomorrow (which, as you read this, is now today). There was cursing involved. As the salmon seared, I thought to myself, “Maybe it’s time to pack this blogging stuff in.”
  Old habits die hard though, and so about 30 minutes ago I sat down to scroll through the inbox and see what might possibly be in there to write about. That’s where I found The Folk, some very lovely sounding folks from Guelph and Toronto who wrote me a very lovely note about my continued support of Canadian talent, and told me some lovely things about the 3-song EP the just released via Bandcamp called Say it Again. Then I listened to it. Lovely people, my ass; The Folk are deliciously vicious musicians. In just three songs, Sara BV, Emma BV, Mark Ferrari, Liam Magahay and Patrick Rod have single-handedly reminded me why I started blogging in the first place: to tell the world (or anyone who’ll listen) to sit up and take note of songs as ace as “Rules of Youth”, as rocking as “When I Go Away”, and as tender and tense as “Say It Again”. I can’t decide which of the three songs I like most, but let me know if you find yourself a favourite, and let The Folk know that you’re liking what they do by naming your price and downloading this EP.

• The Folk - When I Go Away [+ Show ]
  

  The Folk recently released a 3 song EP called Say It Again. There’s a lot of energy in the three son...The Folk recently released a 3 song EP called Say It Again. There’s a lot of energy in the three songs and it captures the essence of that grungey garage type feel. Here is When I Go Away, my favourite of the 3 tracks.

• The Folk - Say It Again [+ Show ]
  

  In a niche and popular genre, The Folk have managed to write memorable, catchy songs, on this short,...In a niche and popular genre, The Folk have managed to write memorable, catchy songs, on this short, three-song EP. If The Folk continue their course, there is little doubt that they will become rabidly popular in the North American indie rock scene. Say It Again kicks off with “Rules of Youth,” a beautiful indie pop gem that is reminiscent of Death in Vegas’ Scorpio Rising. That is followed by a change of lead vocalists on “When I Go Away,” a quick turn to a more aggressive, sing-a-long type of indie pop. The EP ends off with a quirky duet-ballad, which displays the band’s songwriting diversity. Combined with its intermittent drums, it’s clear that The Folk are informed songwriters, and possess a serious potential in the Canadian indie rock scene. (Independent, thefolk.bandcamp.com) Matt Austman

• New Release: The Folk - Say It Again EP [+ Show ]
  

  It appears as though Guelph indie-rock quintet THE FOLK have picked-up right where they left off wit...It appears as though Guelph indie-rock quintet THE FOLK have picked-up right where they left off with their last release You Say, I Say… and by that I mean, they’ve given us another collection of incredibly catchy and memorable songs.
  
  Say It Again was just released today and to be completely honest, we’re rather smitten with the first track Rules Of Youth – check it out in the embed below along with the title track and When I Go Away. The EP was mixed and engineered by Nick Biffis and mastered by Scott Lake at Metalworks Studios.
  
  On another note, if you’re in the Guelph area, the band plays E Bar on June 27th – maybe a little road-trip from Toronto is in order?

• I Like This
  

  Another recommendation from the Lonely Vagabond.

• The Folk - You Say, I Say EP Review [+ Show ]
  

  QRO loves its Canadian neighbors up north! Here's a northern ensemble, based out of Toronto & Guelph...QRO loves its Canadian neighbors up north! Here's a northern ensemble, based out of Toronto & Guelph, called The Folk. They've released a sweet little EP, You Say, I Say, a three track essay in up-tempo, anthemic indie rock. I have the feeling this band would really knock it out of the park live -- these songs were made to light up the concert hall, with big choruses, big refrains, big sounds.

• The Folk – You Say, I Say EP Review [+ Show ]
  

  We recently came across Toronto/Guelph 5-piece The Folk and boy are we glad we did. Their new EP has...We recently came across Toronto/Guelph 5-piece The Folk and boy are we glad we did. Their new EP has been on serious repeat at The iM and if you haven’t had the opportunity to check it out, now is your chance.
  Below you’ll find You Say, I Say up for streaming via their Bandcamp page – we’re really digging the whole EP but we’re particularly smitten with Right And Wrong.
  
  

• The Folk - Clinton's Performance Review [+ Show ]
  

  "There is no shortage of potential for Guelph/Toronto based The Folk. Delivering an energetic brand ..."There is no shortage of potential for Guelph/Toronto based The Folk. Delivering an energetic brand of hook-laden indie rock that navigates between a pronounced classic rock vibe and synth-pop elements, this five-piece served up a style all their own, seamlessly blending spot-on harmonies, sparkling synths, propulsive guitars, and solid drumming, resulting in dynamic rock-fueled songs that truly have a feel-good anthemic quality. With the bands strong live presence and great musical scope-and now set to release an EP-The Folk are certain to win over more audiences."
  
  -The Lonely Vagabond
  
  

• Interview on New Beat Generation with Robin Wright on CFRU FM 93.3 [+ Show ]
  

  This interview took place at around 6:30pm on Wednesday, January 25, 2012 on CFRU FM 93.3. The entir...This interview took place at around 6:30pm on Wednesday, January 25, 2012 on CFRU FM 93.3. The entire interview can be heard online at the 31:30min here: http://cfru.ca/recordings/36

• The Folk – Evening Breath "Song of the Day" Review [+ Show ]
  

  The Folk are a five piece band based out of Guelph and Toronto, Ontario. Twin sisters Emma and Sara ...The Folk are a five piece band based out of Guelph and Toronto, Ontario. Twin sisters Emma and Sara and friends Mark, Liam and Patrick released their EP You Say, I Say very recently and we love it!

• Artist spotlight: The Folk
  

  A(n) hangout/interview written with/by Matt Long from The Medium.

• McClung's Magazine - EP Review [+ Show ]
  

  "...Toronto's The Folk are about cold city sidewalks, late nights becoming early mornings, and infin..."...Toronto's The Folk are about cold city sidewalks, late nights becoming early mornings, and infinite possibilities...If all your best ideas come to you after 2 a.m. on the streetcar ride home, then The Folk belongs in your soundtrack."
  
  -Acey Rowe (The Mike Chalut Show, 1 girl 5 gays)
  
  Find the full review here: http://issuu.com/mcclungs/docs/2011mcclungs_small/41

• Interview With The Folk
  

  "...one of southern Ontario’s newest and most exciting indie-pop bands..."

• The Folk have a Drink on Tony Bennett
  

  "The Folk deserved to be experienced live..."

Setlist

Basic Requirements

Calendar