The Lazy MKs

The Lazy MKS is fucking weird.

As weird as a band that does not rely on amelodic runs and dissonance (purely to confuse) can possibly be.

And that’s awesome.

No blurb I could write would do this band justice as far as describing their sound is concerned. They call themselves “instrumental post-country” and while that would be merely overly pretentious gibberish if used to describe literally any other band, it’s remarkably accurate. Normally when bands write self-genre-classifications, they’re riddled with inaccuracies and the like, but this is definitely a situation where the band knows who they are. Do yourself a favour and get to know them too.
Grab the entire album FREE atBANDCAMP.

The Lazy MKS- Sled Dogs
- ridethetempo.com

Regina’s Lazy MKs take a different tack than a lot of bands, incorporating both double-bass and pedal steel guitar into their regular instrumentation. While that might suggest a deeply traditional, rootsy vibe, the band doesn’t go for the obvious. Their material is instrumental across the board on their new EP, A Field Guide To The Lazy MKs, although their live shows are typically peppered with guest vocalists to ensure they don’t lose the intimacy that comes from having a singer present.

The songs themselves are rooted deeply in rock and roll, offering two- and three-minute tunes that bounce and swell with noise, each element cascading over the other. It’s a rough-hewn style that recalls the tumbling fields of the prairies, constantly on the verge of a strong gust of wind and sound that pushes the song in a new direction. There’s also a sense of playfulness to the writing, and especially the live performance, that demonstrates the familiarity among the players. There’s a charm in it, especially from a group of men who list “moose jerky” as an influence in their bio.

- www.soundsalvationarmy.com

Next on the list are Regina rockers The Lazy MKs . Apparently I’ve had a hard-on for pedal steel lately, and this band certainly fuels my fire. I fell for them after hearing the post-rock, upright bass, distorted steel sound of the track
Pakowki. It’s a song to drink whiskey to. In tight pants. The driving rhythms keep you tottering on an edge that might not be so bad to fall off of, but they never let you quite get there. I honestly wish the track’s run time was a teeny bit longer, but I suppose that’s what the repeat button is for. Oh, did I mention this is a lyrics-free zone? It's purely instrumental shoegaze roots music to get you switched on. The live show in Saskatoon featured a guest vocalist that really rounded-off their instrumental EP sound and made the whole experience into a sexy-intimate one. This is the part where I stop writing before it turns to girl-crush gibberish.
- http://narrowcrafts.blogspot.com/2009/03/roots-music-movement.html

Who picked A-11 on the jukebox? What business does a Cuban rhythm and virtual heavy metal bass riff have encouraging the plaintive pedal steel to go so very far off its traditional rails? Northwest prairie post gothic swing vibes conjuring images of hollow-eyed sodbusters, soft haired women, and the obligatory amber waves of grain crashing hard up against the bad times.

I shake off these unruly thoughts, pick up my pint and head over to the jukebox. Ah, Regina’s own Lazy MKs… I should have known. The name pays homage to great grand dad’s cattle brand but these boys are definitely drinking upstream from the herd. Their EP on Young Soul Records, “A Field Guide To” will inspire hard core cowboys and hipster zealots to hang their hats in the same place, drink whiskey from the same still, and take a road trip to the realization that their places in the universe are not mutually exclusive.

That’s a truth, these are the facts: the rhythms hit and lock into your back pocket, the low end reminds you exactly what a low end is for, and the steel moans harmelodicize reality in ways you didn’t know you needed. All this and a good chance at quaffing one back with the boys between sets. The Lazy MKs. Oh yeah.

m. hammond chapeau
december 2008 - The Hat

Who picked A-11 on the jukebox? What business does a Cuban rhythm and virtual heavy metal bass riff have encouraging the plaintive pedal steel to go so very far off its traditional rails? Northwest prairie post gothic swing vibes conjuring images of hollow-eyed sodbusters, soft haired women, and the obligatory amber waves of grain crashing hard up against the bad times.

I shake off these unruly thoughts, pick up my pint and head over to the jukebox. Ah, Regina’s own Lazy MKs… I should have known. The name pays homage to great grand dad’s cattle brand but these boys are definitely drinking upstream from the herd. Their EP on Young Soul Records, “A Field Guide To” will inspire hard core cowboys and hipster zealots to hang their hats in the same place, drink whiskey from the same still, and take a road trip to the realization that their places in the universe are not mutually exclusive.

That’s a truth, these are the facts: the rhythms hit and lock into your back pocket, the low end reminds you exactly what a low end is for, and the steel moans harmelodicize reality in ways you didn’t know you needed. All this and a good chance at quaffing one back with the boys between sets. The Lazy MKs. Oh yeah.

m. hammond chapeau
december 2008 - The Hat

Regina, Saskatchewan has become a hot bed for Canadian music, churning out groups like Library Voices, Rah Rah and now the Lazy MKs. Herohill has a nice review of their new EP A Field Guide to the Lazy MK's up today. It says, in part,
"In March and The Lazy MK’s released their EP - A Field Guide To on Young Soul records. To be honest, I was pretty new to the MK's (Pakowki was the only track I heard), so when I sat down with their new EP, the first thing that grabbed me was the diversity the trio offers up. Normally, instrumental rockers find pockets of sound and specific emotions that work for them and expose subtle nuances to shift the mood. The Lazy MKs refuse to stand still, using their unique sonic mix – electric/stand-up bass, drums and steel guitar – to create a wide range of emotion. No song follows the same pattern as the one preceding or proceeding it, almost as if they are using the instruments as the secret ingredient in the Iron Chef kitchen."
To this I would like to add that the sound is simultaneously big and airy. It is warm evening on a deck by the lake music. It is never overpowering or oppressive, it is a sound that perfectly fills big skies and large empty spaces without taking them over or feeling out of place.

As always, because this is the internet and we're talking about music, I think it's better to just let you hear it than to spend much time telling you what it sounds like, but after you hit the play button close your eyes and imagine a deck chair under you, a lake in front of you and a cold drink in your hand on a hot day.
- North By East West

A while back, we posted the Saskatchewan mix tape, and one of the most innovative acts was The Lazy MK's. Dubbing themselves as instrumental, pedal steel post-rockers, which is intriguing enough and guaranteed we'd give them a shot, but it was how steel player Etienne described the track we featured - Pakowki - that sealed the deal:

The weird atonal bends in this tune are supposed to sound like the whirring of the large fan mounted on the back of airboats. I had a job one summer where we used air boats to pick up rotting ducks so they wouldn't get other ducks sick when they would eat the maggots that came off the carcasses.

Honestly, if that doesn’t make you press play I’m not sure anything else I cobble together will, but I'll still try.

In March and The Lazy MK’s released their EP - A Field Guide To on Young Soul records. To be honest, I was pretty new to the MK's (Pakowki was the only track I heard), so when I sat down with their new EP, the first thing that grabbed me was the diversity the trio offers up. Normally, instrumental rockers find pockets of sound and specific emotions that work for them and expose subtle nuances to shift the mood. The Lazy MKs refuse to stand still, using their unique sonic mix – electric/stand-up bass, drums and steel guitar – to create a wide range of emotion. No song follows the same pattern as the one preceding or proceeding it, almost as if they are using the instruments as the secret ingredient in the Iron Chef kitchen.

Opening with the straight ahead rock of Forgotten, the Lazy MKs show they are more than another loud, quiet, loud, loud instrumental act. The slow burn of the three-minute track scorches you like the hottest days of the summer. They don’t build and build into an epic climax, opting instead to give the song a more realistic feel, letting the pleasant fatigue beat down on you as they transition into the country-fused Young and Sad. The track shines the spotlight on the the guitar and channels the heartache and pain of a classic country track, bending steel notes over the gentlest of drums.

Even with how good the opening tracks are, it's the last four tracks on the EP really show the range of The Lazy MK's. Granum Fire uses bigger drums and a catchy rock riff to completely change the listen, and makes the moody Burgess Lake hit harder. For the first time on the EP, the stand-up bass takes center stage and really heightens the shadows the track gives off. When you get to Hansen Lake Road - easily the highlight of the EP - you are hit with Etienne’s guitar, but it’s Chris Prpich’s bouncy bass line and Tyler Hammer's drums that turn the beautiful guitar work into something way bigger than the sum of it's parts. The song is a slight 2:49, but the band doesn't add one superfouous note and each second is engaging and infectious.

By the time you reach Pakowki, a song that blew me away with it's originality, you have already seen so many sides of the talented band, that you just sit back and enjoy the ride. Considering they trigger all of these thoughts and emotions without uttering a word or losing your interest for even a moment, it's pretty obvious that The Lazy MK's are yet another band from SK that are going to be making a big splash in the next couple of months.
- www.herohill.com

A while back, we posted the Saskatchewan mix tape, and one of the most innovative acts was The Lazy MK's. Dubbing themselves as instrumental, pedal steel post-rockers, which is intriguing enough and guaranteed we'd give them a shot, but it was how steel player Etienne described the track we featured - Pakowki - that sealed the deal:

The weird atonal bends in this tune are supposed to sound like the whirring of the large fan mounted on the back of airboats. I had a job one summer where we used air boats to pick up rotting ducks so they wouldn't get other ducks sick when they would eat the maggots that came off the carcasses.

Honestly, if that doesn’t make you press play I’m not sure anything else I cobble together will, but I'll still try.

In March and The Lazy MK’s released their EP - A Field Guide To on Young Soul records. To be honest, I was pretty new to the MK's (Pakowki was the only track I heard), so when I sat down with their new EP, the first thing that grabbed me was the diversity the trio offers up. Normally, instrumental rockers find pockets of sound and specific emotions that work for them and expose subtle nuances to shift the mood. The Lazy MKs refuse to stand still, using their unique sonic mix – electric/stand-up bass, drums and steel guitar – to create a wide range of emotion. No song follows the same pattern as the one preceding or proceeding it, almost as if they are using the instruments as the secret ingredient in the Iron Chef kitchen.

Opening with the straight ahead rock of Forgotten, the Lazy MKs show they are more than another loud, quiet, loud, loud instrumental act. The slow burn of the three-minute track scorches you like the hottest days of the summer. They don’t build and build into an epic climax, opting instead to give the song a more realistic feel, letting the pleasant fatigue beat down on you as they transition into the country-fused Young and Sad. The track shines the spotlight on the the guitar and channels the heartache and pain of a classic country track, bending steel notes over the gentlest of drums.

Even with how good the opening tracks are, it's the last four tracks on the EP really show the range of The Lazy MK's. Granum Fire uses bigger drums and a catchy rock riff to completely change the listen, and makes the moody Burgess Lake hit harder. For the first time on the EP, the stand-up bass takes center stage and really heightens the shadows the track gives off. When you get to Hansen Lake Road - easily the highlight of the EP - you are hit with Etienne’s guitar, but it’s Chris Prpich’s bouncy bass line and Tyler Hammer's drums that turn the beautiful guitar work into something way bigger than the sum of it's parts. The song is a slight 2:49, but the band doesn't add one superfouous note and each second is engaging and infectious.

By the time you reach Pakowki, a song that blew me away with it's originality, you have already seen so many sides of the talented band, that you just sit back and enjoy the ride. Considering they trigger all of these thoughts and emotions without uttering a word or losing your interest for even a moment, it's pretty obvious that The Lazy MK's are yet another band from SK that are going to be making a big splash in the next couple of months.
- www.herohill.com