Brad Fillatre
Toronto, Ontario, Canada | Established. Jan 01, 2014 | MAJOR
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I was recently sent a media preview of an upcoming album called For Your Weakness which will be dropping later this week by a talented artist named Brad Fillatre. Despite this being his first solo album, Brad’s no rookie to the music scene, having created the band The Evelyn Room with friends and peers equally interested in music, which served to create some deeply visceral and psychedelic tunes. The Evelyn Room was acclaimed as one of the Top 60 bands at NXNE music festival in 2008. Building momentum through charismatic live shows throughout 2008 and 2009, The Evelyn Room saw far reaching record sales in different parts of the globe because of their nominations for XM Verge Awards, granting them radio play for both live and studio performances. The Evelyn Room was also invited to play the East Coast Music Awards in 2010.
Having a listen to Brad’s For Your Weakness album, I loved his gravely, soothing voice and poetic lyrics. While The Evelyn Room has been compared to artists such as Radiohead, I found that For Your Weakness is cleaner, resembling a pretty version of a modern day Dylan. With hints of folk, a touch of pop and a lot of heart… This album was a great listen, and I know that I’ll be enjoying it repeatedly as winter comes around.
If you’ve got a soft spot for independent music that will touch your soul, I strongly suggest giving Brad Fillatre a chance this coming Tuesday (tomorrow). In the meantime, feel free to check out some tunes from the upcoming release on SoundCloud, Connect by “liking” his Facebook Page, or connect with Brad on Twitter.
Brad is also playing a show in Toronto on Wednesday the 17th at the Drake. If you’re in the area, check out his stage presence because I miss him by a DAY and I’ve heard great things. Let me live vicariously through you.
- Runningscared.ca
Toronto-by-way-of-Newfoundland artist Brad Fillatre released his first solo EP, For Your Weakness, last month via Sparks. You may already be familiar with this Corner Brook native, as he was previously releasing music with The Evelyn Room. However, Fillatre departs from his previous rock sound and delves into a much more folk-based sound, certainly inspired by his Newfoundland upbringing.
I was immediately intrigued as soon as Fillatre breathed his first words for “I’m Calling,” the first song on the EP. The overall tone of the album is quite melancholy, full of heartbreak. Fillatre sings, “Do you love me like you say you do?” on “New Tattoo,” which is likely my favourite on the EP, and then follows up on “Face The Dark” singing, “I couldn’t make you love me.” While there’s certainly sadness, there’s also strength and hope, as Fillatre sings, “The wheels they keep on turning; some days are harder than the rest” on “Wheels.”
For the first couple listens, I just found myself closing my eyes and taking the EP in as a whole. Fillatre’s deep, breath-filled vocals certainly suit the mood of the EP and he adds such dynamics to the songs, incorporating harmonica, banjo, mandolin and pedal steel. This 6-song EP teaser (with all songs under 4 minutes long) has me looking forward to what Fillatre has in store for us in the future. - Buying Shots For Bands.com
Discography
For Your Weakness - October 2012 (Sparks Music)
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Bio
Brad was born in the small town of Corner Brook, Newfoundland. Made up of endless forests, dark mountain terrain and a rugged North Atlantic coastline, it was these intense landscapes that engrained themselves into the fabric of Brads creative consciousness. The significance of the west coast of Newfoundland on Brads musical development was monumental, The mountains, ocean, vast emptiness and harsh climate effect you, Fillatre reflects, that environment is magical, and foreboding. It casts energy that Ive never experienced anywhere else.
In 2005 Brad packed up and headed for Toronto to focus his energy on a potential musical career. With a collection of songs already written, Brad formed The Evelyn Room, recording an independently released self-titled EP released in the spring of 2008. Off the strength of this EP and his intensely charismatic live show, The Evelyn Room went on to showcase at NXNE in 2009 and made the short list of top 60 bands to watch for that year. In addition, 2009 brought the band several nominations at the XM Radio Verge Awards, which resulted in radio play for both live and recorded performances.
That same year, Brad had begun to amass songs that didnt fit the mold of The Evelyn Rooms rock sound. Unsure about what to do next and trying to make sense of this new musical path, Brad finally decided it was time to try something new. In 2011 Brad hit the studio, recording an album of acoustic folk songs inspired by his east coast upbringings. This first fully solo effort, For Your Weakness, was finally released in October 2012 on Sparks Music and has quickly built a buzz. Brads candid songwriting resonates a true raw emotion. Spectral vocal reverberations layer with swooping electric guitar, and thumping percussive displays echo alongside the subtleties of Brads unique vocal tone. For Your Weakness has been hailed as heartfelt yet heartbreakingly beautiful but to Brad its more than a few songs of love, loss and struggle in the big city, its a way of being honest with oneself and hoping others connect and relate to whats being expressed.
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