Coronado

One of the best of the many fast-rising Canadian bands right now, Toronto’s Coronado is steadily gaining more acclaim. We featured the band last week in our review of their new EP, Remain Calm (you can check out that piece here).

Of course, to stand out in T.O., one has to put in the grind and hit up the many bars and clubs that make Toronto’s competitive underground music scene, and worthy Coronado is hard at work. The electronic/indie fivesome garnered a critic’s pick for live act to see from the (in)famously discerning folks at Now Magazine, and by all indications the band aims to keep putting on shows, shows, and more shows. Last Thursday night, they played a brief but promising set at one of Bloorcourt’s most underrated bars, The Piston.


Carlos Coronado, Coronado’s namesetter and finely-coiffured frontman.
After entering the bar, though, one may be forgiven in thinking that they traipsed into the wrong venue. While The Piston has their standard bar and dining in front, the live music area is set away in a completely different room, hidden behind a large wooden door. Effectively, it is two different experiences in one relatively tiny space. The capacity of the venue is cramped compared to Toronto mainstays such as The Horseshoe Tavern, as even 50 people may get things a little too crowded. However, the small size didn’t affect Coronado despite their many members and equipment.

The set started out strong, with Remain Calm’s eponymous lead single an early highlight. Lisa Lorenz and Amy Morris, flanking The Piston’s small stage with their keys and synths, lent an instant uniqueness to the band both visually and aurally–their backing vocals a huge complement to Coronado’s synth-pop stylings.


Lisa Lorenz, Coronado’s synth master and backing vocalist.
The sound mixing in the venue did its job well enough, though it may have pushed the drums to the forefront too hard (not to take away from drummer Kevin Correia’s massive kicks), and it took some time well into the set for lead singer and guitarist Carlos Coronado’s vocals to be heard clearly.

Delightedly, Coronado only became more cohesive as the hour played on. New songs “Lighter than Air” and “Blessing in Disguise” proved themselves as crowd-pleasing slices of anthemic electronic rock, and set finale “Congratulations” turned up to the climax so perfectly that it was a shock to hear its abrupt end. All the better though in order to keep the audience wanting more, and here’s hoping that Coronado will soon be playing those shows where the encore will be earned, if not demanded.

Author: Nathan Christie - Canadian Content Machine

Canadian synth-pop has places to go, and Toronto-based five-piece Coronado are in the driver’s seat. Their new, six-song EP Remain Calm speaks for itself. It’s no surprise that it’s been dominating my headphones since I discovered it, considering it seems to be a cross between two of my favourites artists from recent memory. Their music has all of the ear candy and funkiness that you would expect from a Daft Punk record, but also pays homage to ’80s sounds and ’70s vocals like the debut that I loved from HAIM so much in 2012. I dare you not to dance.

Coronado consists of Carlos Coronado (guitar/vocals), Lisa Lorenz (synths/vocals), Luke Boehler (bass), Amy Morris (keys/vocals), and Kevin Correia (drums). Carlos Coronado began recording and releasing folk music in his native Mexico in 2007, and moved to Montreal a year later. There he spent three years soaking up musical styles and recording from his bedroom, until a move to Toronto in 2011. There, Coronado’s first EP Fool Yourself was recorded, and the current lineup was put together to do some shows in 2012.


Coronado – Fool Yourself (2012).
Fool Yourself is a four-song party on its own and definitely deserves a listen, but knowing what comes next shows the debut to be a solid foundation and starting point for greater achievements. It’s just enough to make you long for more, and luckily we have it in Remain Calm.


Coronado – Remain Calm (2014).
There is no filler on Remain Calm; it is a solid, ambitious collection of six tracks that could all be radio singles by themselves. The sound is now more mature, and every element has been improved upon from Fool Yourself, from the vocals to the songcraft to the melodies to the overall production. It’s got plenty of funky guitar and hooks to spare that pay homage to the canon of greatness that were the ’70s and ’80s. The bass lines are groovy and beefy, and even the videos are extra fun.




Fancy some Fleetwood? It’s here. Blondie? Early Madonna? check. This is The Postal Service if Ben Gibbard had a little more soul and made you want to get your groove on instead of count your tears. There is nothing boring here. By the time the handclaps hit your ears during “Sympathy”, you’ll be calling your friends and making plans to hit the dance floor sometime soon. Summer will come, and this should be your soundtrack.




Besides “Remain Calm”, two more EPs are in the works along with a mini-tour to Montreal and Ottawa. If the current formula for Coronado happens to be making a good record and then improving upon it with the followup, I’m more than excited for the next one. Check these guys out in a smaller venue while you can–I’ve got a feeling their ticket demand is going to increase quickly in the future! Your next chance is at The Piston in Toronto on April 24th. - Canadian Content Machine

From even just a quick glimpse at their black-and-flourescent-pink Bandcamp page, it’s obvious that Coronado are a band that wear their 80s influences on their sleeves. Interestingly, this manifests itself not in the acid-washed romanticism of most modern bands working the same influences, but in a sort of post-disco aesthetic that practically begs you to put on your best white suit, snort a bunch of coke, and head on down to the nearest dance club.

And yet, there’s something undeniably modern about the whole affair – their newest EP Remain Calm doesn’t sound like mere packaged nostalgia. Certainly, the overall sound is one that owes its existence rather heavily to Prince and The Revolution, with its electronic handclaps, chicken scratch guitar parts, and reliance on 30-year-old synth tones. But there’s a self-consciousness here, a sense of social anxiety and abject darkness that is unmistakably a product of our generation’s overwhelming uncertainties. It feels like a response to the confidence and excess of the 80s, as opposed to a mere regurgitation – more Drive than The Breakfast Club. It’s a deceptive little collection of songs; at first listen, it seems almost disposable, but a keen ear will soon find its hidden subtleties and rejoice. - Rotten Folk

The last band I saw for the night was Coronado, who continue to bring good vibes and dancing to every set they play. They have a great setup going, with two female keys player and a male vocalist and guitarist in Carlos Coronado. The three all contribute vocals to some degree, and together they contributed to probably the most dancing that was had all night. I particularly liked how no two songs seemed to feature the same combination of vocals or even instruments. - Grayowl Point

Wednesday night usually isn’t the night of the week where really fun shows can happen, so imagine my surprise when I found out that a very good bill happened to be playing the Piston yesterday night.

The Piston is a nice venue that’s not too small nor too big; it’s just right, and so the four or five dozen attendees of last night’s triple bill made the place feel full but not rammed. It made for an atmosphere that was intimate, but at the same time suitable for lots of dancing. And dance the audience did.

Starting off the night was Toronto pop act Coronado. The set was my introduction to the band, and they left a good impression on me by the time their set was over. I’m always a sucker for acts with multiple vocalists, so I was won over by the combination of Carlos Coronado (guitar/vocals), Amy Morris (keys/vocals) and Lisa Lorenz (synth/vocals). Also notable was Kevin Correia on drums, who seemed to have a permanently blissful look on his face.

The band’s sound was quite fresh thanks to the infusion of keys and synths on top of Carlos Coronado’s guitar, and it didn’t take long for the audience to respond in kind. The music had an almost disco-esque feel, and I certainly would have been dancing too had I not been sitting in a booth during their set.

Following them was Paradise Animals, a band featured on the blog many a time (for good reason) and whom also played our first ever co-presentation with Crosswires. I didn’t get to fully appreciate their set back in September, so hearing it full-frontal was great. Mark Andrade continued to show fantastic vocal range alongside his working of his guitar plus electronics, Gary Pereira switched masterfully between keys and bass, and Kerri Silva pounded away furiously on the drums.

Their set was a little over half new, and their indescribable sound had the audience cheering loudly at each song’s end. Sometimes the song could be a little heavier on guitars, while another could have electronics take the forefront. They ended their set with (tentatively titled) “Day Forts,” a song based on a dream Andrade had. The song is a roaring journey in itself and made for an absolutely killer ending. Also: Pereira’s playing the cowbell during parts of the song made it that much cooler. There can never be enough cowbell.


Most People

Ending the night was Most People, a band that has also been featured on this blog many a time. I’ve now seen them live three times, though this is my first time writing about them. The duo of Brandon Gibson-DeGroote and Paul McEachern make an impression before they even begin their set thanks to their unique setup. A semicircle of gear greets the audience, consisting of pedals and drums, among other things.

Once it starts, Most People will have you in a trance. The two are never static, constantly switching between guitars and drums and electronics with near-seamlessness. Their music is somewhat dense, though never impenetrable, making it ideal music to lose yourself to. The highlight of their set is always (at least for me) seeing both men drumming away. Their drumming hath quite the fury; Gibson-Degroote commented on how many of their drumsticks are half-broken, and when I almost got nailed by one and put it back on stage, I noticed the splinters.

They played two new songs during the set, both of which didn’t seem at all out of character with the music from their self-titled album. They had won over the audience handily by the end, to the point where the audience requested and got an encore. “Alright, we’ll play another song, you assholes,” Gibson-Degroote said playfully.

Why can’t these kinds of bills happen more often? - Grayowl Point

Thinking of coming to RMG Fridays night but don't have a sitter? Bring your kids! It's a free, family night celebrating local talent. Suitable for music lovers, youth, families, date nights, and culture-vultures. Last March 1st, saw another jam packed evening at the gallery as guests were entertained by two local bands, Coronado and Kashka, featuring Kat Burns, formerly of Forest City Lovers. The evening also included a screening of the Durham Art of Transition Creative Award winning short film by Empty Cup Media, titled Forget Me Knots, staring Dorsey James. If that was not enough, Spark Centre was also present to announce the two winning companies as part of their Ignite Start-up Boot Camp Competition. The Mobile Experience Company and Squabble Studios will be enrolled in a four month boot camp that includes $25,000 in cash, tons of in-kind community support services, and access to a Power Panel of top CEO’s, investors and entrepreneurs. - Snap Oshawa

Listening to indie-pop band Coronado, you would never know the 80’s were over.

The Toronto-based group recently got people feeling nostalgic when they played the Robert McLaughlin Gallery on March 1 as part of the RMG Fridays series.

The band is made up of Amy Morris on keys and vocals, Lisa Lorenz on synth and vocals, Carlos Coronado on guitar and vocals and Luke Boehler on bass.

They decided to play the RMG because of a personal connection the band has with the gallery’s social media and communications manager, Jacquie Severs.

“Jacquie Severs was my housemate in the Annex in Toronto like a million years ago, and she asked us to come out and play. We are very excited about it,” said Lorenz.

“We’re all really happy to be included—we are all supporters of the arts in Ontario,” said Lorenz. “It’s a great opportunity to perform for people who wouldn’t necessarily get a chance to see us play.”

Bassist Luke Boehler said the venue itself is a great reason to be involved.

“A lot of great shows aren’t held in the standard ‘rock venues’—many bands are renting event spaces,” said Boehler. “It adds a uniqueness and a different experience for the audience and the band. Plus the beer is usually better, too.”

The band currently has two EPs, Fool Yourself and Remain Calm and both are available for digital download on their Bandcamp page at http://thisiscoronado.bandcamp.com/. - The Durham Chronicle

March provided a nice mixture of old favorites and rising newcomers, the former led notably by The Mary Onettes, The Besnard Lakes, Merchandise, and the continuing partnership of Ryuichi Sakamoto and David Byrne. Swedish pop whizzes The Mary Onettes present “Blues”, a very solid track that reminds of The Cure’s bounciest efforts, something like “Boys Don’t Cry” meshed with the bouncy keyboard-led pop of Supertramp. An oddly infectious fusion, to be sure. The Besnard Lakes’ released yet another excellent album with Until In Excess, Imperceptible UFO, and the hypnotic allure of “People of the Sticks” stands as one of its many highlights. My personal favorite off the album is “The Spectre”, which sounds like The Beach Boys rockin’ on ghost ship, but I’ll leave that to listeners to check the album in full. OS favorites Merchandise also return with a new album in Totale Nite, released yesterday. Opener “Who Are You?” is a nice way to dig into that beauty. Last but not least, Sakamoto and Byrne craft a beautiful ode to children still suffering from the effects of Japan’s tsunami disaster. Alongside its heartwarming video, “Psychedelic Afternoon” will bring a smile to your face.

Familiarity is always nice, but I’m particularly fond of many artists on this compilation that I had not heard about prior to March. Coronado’s “Heart in a Hand” elicited a countless number of replays for me throughout the month, its danceable and funk-tinged arsenal propelled by heavily emotive vocal performances and a bevvy of electro-laden hooks. They’re on the prowl for big things. Val Bloom’s “The Wrestler” also entranced me with its suave incorporation of Afro-pop and electro-acoustic pop. Mister Goodnite, the soul and sample-loving side project of Mini Mansions‘ Tyler Parkford, will also make listeners swoon with “You’re Too Cool” — an apt title for this suave accomplishment. Retracing to the bare-bones acoustic beauty of El Cantador’s “Pilgrims”, we are reminded that not everything has to involve samples or production tricks to be resonantly beautiful. Then we round the final lap with a few lovable oddballs in Teams and Lord Russ, both artists who turn their love for vintage pop into idiosyncratically modern gems. We conclude with two glistening electronic efforts, and fade into the sunset. - Obscure Sound

Summary: Really tight, well-produced, melodic synth pop. And a FREE downloadable 6-song EP “Remain Calm”, released February, 2013 – get it while it’s still free!

***Also: Coronado is playing at The Piston (937 Bloor St. W, Toronto) on April 17th along with Most People and Paradise Animals.***


A relatively new band on the Toronto scene, Coronado is quartet Lisa Lorenz (vox, synth), Amy Morris (vox, keys), Luke Boehler (bass), and Carlos Coronado (vox, guitar). They play the infectiously melodic synth pop of songwriter Carlos Coronado. From their bio:

“Coronado's music is heavily influenced by 70s disco, 80s synth pop and 90s dance music but rather than being a tribute to those influences, their music is a re-interpretation of them, shaped also by other genres such as indie rock and modern pop music.”

It’s a great-sounding indie release. Carlos Coronado is the producer and mixer on the EP and was kind enough to share some of the how-to of his recording process. I was surprised and impressed to discover Carlos, who is not a trained 'pro' audio guy, did the whole thing himself. I think he did an exceptionally good job of it.

I asked him a bit about the recording process. Here's what he said:

AM: What program do you record in?

CC: I use this rather obscure and inexpensive program called Mixcraft. There's nothing fancy to it but it's got some really decent plugins and it's super easy to use.

AM: I love the synth sounds you have on the EP. What are your go to synths?

CC: I have two synths that I really love: an Alesis Micron and a Korg Micro X. Every sound on the EP came from these two, except for the sound I used on "Sympathy" which is from a really cool virtual synth called Dominator. Though I tend to stick to analogue gear.

AM: Your orchestration is really well done. I definitely hear the disco and the 80’s pop influences in your music. Who are your influences?

CC: My influences are many and there's a lot of music that I like that is not really discernible in our sound. I guess that for this project specifically classic, cheesy disco bands like Sister Sledge, The Bee Gees and such were an influence but I also love a lot of current electronic, synth-poppy, indie bands like Holy Ghost, Neon Indian and Metronomy.

AM: Did you master the EP yourself or did you go to an outside mastering facility? Could you tell me more about what tools or plug-ins you used in the mastering process?

CC: I did it myself, but I must admit that I did not do a proper job since I'm a rather unorthodox audio engineer. I have no engineer training whatsoever, I just go by ear and the little I know I've learned over years of recording music on laptops without being really sure of what I'm doing. Basically all I do is listen to recordings that I like and I try to make my recordings sound like that. The DAW that I use has some really good EQs, compressors, etc by Kjaer Audio and there's also the Pultronic Tube EQ by G-Sonique, a real life saver.

AM: What’s your favourite piece of audio or music gear – your desert island piece of gear?

CC: I am a musician first of all so the one thing I could never do without, as cheesy as it may sound, is a guitar. Not a very exciting answer, but it's true.

So what are you still doing on my site? Go here and download this great EP now!

Thanks for stopping by. Hope to see you again soon.

-Alex - Alex Mine's Music and Sounds Blog

ABOUT YOUR BAND
The name is Coronado, It's my last name. This band started as a solo project and when the band was formed everyone was okay with the name so we kept it. I started working on the first songs when I moved to Toronto from Montreal in the summer of 2011. in the summer of 2012 I decided to form a band and that's when I met Luke and Lisa online. Amy is Luke's roommate and he invited her to join the band.

GENRE
I think the music is greatly influenced by things like 70s disco, 80s synth pop and 90s dance music but we're also into indie rock, folk-rock and modern pop music among other things. So everything gets thrown into the mix but the general idea is to keep it upbeat. Our music is simply catchy without being brainless like most mainstream pop music you hear today.

WHAT ARE YOUR SONGS ABOUT?
Even though the music is upbeat and dancey the lyrics are perhaps not as sunny and positive, We don't sing about love or relationships or about partying and getting drunk. I just write about things I'm concerned about; about my life, about what happens around me or to other people but I try not to make it so obvious and specific. I like to keep them open to interpretation,

SELF-TAUGHT VS. LESSONS
Everyone except for me has had formal music training. I couldn't read sheet music if my life depended on it.

TELL US YOUR RECORDING PROCESS
Everything is still super DIY. I do most the recording at my apartment, or the rest of the band's bedrooms/living rooms. But recently we recorded some bass tracks at Polyphasic Studios for our new EP.

ARE YOU PLAYING THE FAME GAME?
Recognition would be nice. But just being successful enough to make music and play shows as our main gig would be, of course, amazing.
- Guitar Justice Online Magazine

It is time for our daily dose of music! Coronado, the fresh Toronto based synthpop ensemble has just released a new EP, titled, Remain Calm, that is overloaded with solid 80s’ sounds, which is a very good thing if I must say. The band consists of four personnels, four instruments, and three voice boxes that go together very well.
Stream and download “Heart in a Hand” below for free and feel the delightful, positive energy packed tune. Enjoy. - DailyWhatNot

As their neon-tinged design may suggest, stylish synth-pop quartet Coronado play with a danceable past steeped in funk, disco, and dance. It results in an exceptionally polished sound, one of the ’80s star-struck synth-pop variety that producers like Thomas Troelsen, Tesla Boy, and Ford & Lopatin so wonderfully emulate. It’s a bit shocking to me that Coronado haven’t taken off yet, at least within their own niche. The fact that their new EP, Remain Calm, is available for free should help change that. There’s no reason whatsoever to not download it.

Coronado’s story began in 2007, when frontman Carlos Coronado began releasing solo material in Monterrey, Mexico. A move to Montreal the next year encouraged Coronado to expand his stylistic arsenal, or as much as he could within his DIY bedroom production setup. He moved again, to Toronto, in 2011 and released his first EP under the name Coronado. The actual band formed in the summer of 2012, when Lisa Lorenz, Luke Boehler and Amy Morris joined the team. “Coronado’s music is heavily influenced by ’70s disco, ’80s synth pop and ’90s dance music but rather than being a tribute to those influences; their music is a re-interpretation of them,” their bio reads. “While the project remains a solo enterprise in terms of composition and song writing, the live versions of the songs are the product of a true group effort with the rest of the band making the songs their own.”

The first two tracks on Remain Calm immediately establishes the quartet as a nostalgia-driven force to be reckoned with. The self-titled track plays on twangy guitar bursts and reflective synth stutters. A suave and bouncy keyboard melody serves as the backbone as Coronado delivers his whimsically melodic voice, which perks up with Lorenz’s backing as the stabs of synth become more prominent. The final line of the chorus – “just stay calm” – plays ironically as the hectic arrangement concludes, just before funk-tinged guitar scratches comprise the final minute or so. It’s a fantastic opener, but I’m even more fond of “Heart in a Hand”. It’s a sparkling wonder, propelled by an insanely addictive hook where reverbed keys and a disco-tinged bass line play over Coronado’s gleeful vocals. It’s a track that makes you feel good, as most authentic ’80s synth-pop revivals should. Grab Remain Calm now. - Obscure Sound

CORONADO / REMAIN CALM EP / FEBURARY 21ST

I can't stop listening to "Heart in a Hand." I have it on repeat. I listen to it in the shower. I listen to it when I sweep the floor. I listen to it while washing the dishes. I've even listened to the damned thing while walking to the damned grocery store and THAT'S PODCAST TIME. Honestly, fuck you Coronado. I'm a busy man and I have a lot of music to listen to. What I do NOT have time for is a compulsion that makes me listen to this damn song 50 times. If we ever meet I'm going to punch you all in the nose. Luv Eric. - BlogTO

CORONADO / REMAIN CALM EP / FEBURARY 21ST

I can't stop listening to "Heart in a Hand." I have it on repeat. I listen to it in the shower. I listen to it when I sweep the floor. I listen to it while washing the dishes. I've even listened to the damned thing while walking to the damned grocery store and THAT'S PODCAST TIME. Honestly, fuck you Coronado. I'm a busy man and I have a lot of music to listen to. What I do NOT have time for is a compulsion that makes me listen to this damn song 50 times. If we ever meet I'm going to punch you all in the nose. Luv Eric. - BlogTO

Much like yesterday’s post, in which I featured five awesome under-the-radar bands, here’s another six that you should start listening to.

Who: Coronado
From: Toronto, Ontario
When to Listen: Chilling with your lady friend, trying to put the moves on her.
Fun Fact: In real life, Juan Carlos Coronado is a graphic designer who does everything from printwork to band posters (Metric!)
- Music Between Friends

Nothing like some fresh synth-tastic jams to ring in the weekend! Fresh out of Toronto comes Coronado’s latest EP, Remain Calm, with a handful of solid, 80s-inspired pop tunes. As our love for electronic-tinged pop music grows, and the laptop/keyboard combo takes center stage, it has become more intriguing & refreshing to stumble upon a synthpop band with 40 fingers, 4 instruments, and 3 harmonized voice boxes. Check out their single “Heart in a Hand,” a dreamy, uplifting disco ballad. - Newdust

Here’s the first release from a Toronto group called Coronado. Vaguely disco-tinged synth pop, super high production values, definitely worth a spin. - Silent Shout