Anthem Red
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Anthem Red

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"Uptown Magazine (cover & feature review)"


Local Heroes:
Anthem Red tops a list of 39 Winnipeg CD reviews

Song after song, lyric after lyric, riff after riff, Dancing on the Dishwasher is both incredibly consistent and insistently rocking. The most noticeable thing here is the wall-of-guitar, indie-rock sound, courtesy of six-string slingers Jo Snyder and Andrew Filyk. Theirs is a relentless dual interplay, full of little riffs and licks that always serve the melodies in these dozen tunes. The Waking Eyes' Matt Peters produced, and he obviously pushed Snyder, Filyk, bassist Sarah Sangster and then-drummer Mike Lewis to their limits. Snyder, Sangster and Filyk (on the title track) sing the hell out of these songs, turning their concisely written tales of intense tragedy, personal doubt and lingering emotion into dramatic anthem after dramatic anthem. With so much on offer, this album may overwhelm the unprepared, but repeated listening and a good look at the lyrics will open up its secrets. � JK

Rating: A - John Kendle


"Stylus Magazine"


Local Winnipeg band Anthem Red has gone through many changes to their lineup over the years. Well, I suppose also a change to their name. Indie rock band Sixty Stories is the predecessor; Jo Snyder (vocals, guitar) has been the constant throughout, with Sarah Sangster (vocals, bass) having the second longest tenure. Andrew Filyk (guitar, vocals) and Mike Lewis (drums) have also joined the band. Earlier this year, they released a live split CD with Atsea and Rough Music. Those five songs are back on the new full-length, recognizable but definitely polished up. I've always enjoyed their music, but Anthem Red's debut Dancing on the Dishwasher, is their most mature and well-produced offering to be sure...and I don't mean mature in the boring way. They can play their instruments (and sing on key)! It sounds really good! The lyrics are smart without being overly emo! Highlights are "Broken English," "Ollie," and the title track, "Dancin' on the Dishwasher." It was almost comforting when "Insomnia Nation" played when listening at five a.m. The best thing about Dancing on the Dishwasher is that it sounds like it was fun for all band members. That is, every single part played on these songs sounds like it would be a blast to play. I sincerely hope these folks get some well-deserved exposure. Keep it real and keep kicking butt. (The Company with the Golden Arm, www.myspace.com/anthemred) - Shawna Moodie


"The Reflector"


www.thereflectoronline.com

When Winnipeg’s Sixty Stories called it quits a few years back, I shed a tear. Their catchy songs and charming live show were to be missed. Imagine how excited I was when I heard that Sixty Stories’ alumni Jo Snyder (vocals/guitar) and Sarah Sangster (bass) were back in action!

Anthem Red is clearly a reference to their last record from the previous band, but don’t expect much else in common. Progression is the name of the game, and Dancing On The Dishwasher plays for keeps. Filling out their sound with the addition of a second guitarist and new drummer, Anthem Red have a bigger sound and songwriting to match, as both Sangster and Snyder take the mic for the record’s tracks. The two split lead vocals and though they may sound slightly similar, the difference is obvious and pleasant, switching up the record’s tone nicely, without jarring the listener.

Each singer has their highlight as well. Snyder shines in the bouncy “Happy Accidents,� which describes the end of a relationship as a blessing in disguise.

Sangster’s peak is the achingly lovelorn “Broken English.� Her vocals during the song’s bridge will give you goosebumps. Pick up Dancing On The Dishwasher if you’re into good, quality rock ’n’ roll, and keep your eyes peeled for a summer tour of western Canada. - PJ Lavergne


Discography

Live, 2005 - a split with Atsea and Rough Music, featuring 5 previously unreleased Anthem Red tracks.

Dancing on the Dishwasher, 2006 - Full length, produced and engineered by Matt Peters (The Waking Eyes).

Plebs, one song on a Leatherface Tribute Album, (Rubber Factory Records) Due out Summer 2007

Demos For Germans, 2007, Split EP with Half-Mast of demos

Photos

Bio

Anthem Red formed in late 2004 from the tattered rags of Winnipeg hard pop trio Sixty Stories (Smallman Records, The Company with the Golden Arm). The new name is an obvious literary reference to the former band, but some things aren�t worth letting go of
entirely. Jo Snyder (guitar and vocals) and Sarah Sangster (bass and vocals) nursed their indie wounds by hooking up with drummer Jeff Hindy, playing songs and drinking beer in a beat down house behind a Burger King in Winnipeg�s rotting inner city. The band focused primarily on playing basement shows and small art galleries, DIY ethics, sloganeering, and getting really, really drunk. It worked for a while until Anthem Red began to mold into something more serious. After several terrible, but still somehow awesome sounding demos, Andrew Filyk joined the band in early 2005 on second guitar. Filyk�s Leatherface influenced parts and gruff voice added a ballsy texture to the songs.
In late May 2006 Anthem Red hit a makeshift studio to record their first full-length with producer Matt Peters (The Waking Eyes). After seven soul-destroying weeks they emerged bleary-eyed, happy, and musically reformed. Jo and Sarah put away their young girl/boy vocals, allowing the salient feminine chords to ring out. �No more blowing our noses in our hands and wiping it on our pants!� they said.
�Dancing on the Dishwasher� was released independently in Canada, Oct. 7th, 2006 and on The Company with the Golden Arm out of Hamburg. The band toured Europe December 2006 with drummer Dustin Karsin (Red Blanket) to a warm and excited audience.