Cursed Arrows
Gig Seeker Pro

Cursed Arrows

Brantford, Ontario, Canada | INDIE

Brantford, Ontario, Canada | INDIE
Band Rock Punk

Calendar

This band has not uploaded any videos
This band has not uploaded any videos

Music

Press


"Download New Free Music From Young Galaxy, First Rate People, and Cursed Arrows"

Halifax by way of Toronto blues rockers Cursed Arrows announced the release of a free EP today, titled Death Rattle Blues. It’s an epilogue to their upcoming album The Madness of Crowds, which is set for a summer release. The five songs include the title track single, two live tracks and two covers (Beck’s “Pay No Mind” and PJ Harvey’s “Rid of Me”). It’s full of fuzzy, grunge guitars with husband and wife dual vocals. - RoundLetters


"Cursed Arrows - Skin Behind The Shroud Album Review"

Cursed Arrows is a two-piece garage/post-punk band that was formed in the Guelph/Waterloo area in 2006. The co-songwriters are a married couple by the names of Jackie Stanley, who plays the drums, and Ryan Stanley who plays the guitar. Both musicians share vocal duties. After releasing a couple full-length albums, Cursed Arrows re-located to their current home in Halifax, Nova Scotia. In 2011 alone, the duo has put out a cassette entitled Death Rattle Blues and a CD entitled The Madness of Crowds, followed up by the digital EP Skin Behind the Shroud, released on Nov. 11. For fans of Cursed Arrows, this new release offers subtle progressions within familiar structures. After all, the groovy and soft drum-beats combined with aggressive guitar melodies and powerful singing is a style the band has been employing for years. Skin Behind the Shroud continues these trends, but adds a more diverse sense of harmony and texture. Cursed Arrows also brings in a drum machine for "One In The Blue", and experiments with poetic spoken word lyricism on "Close To The Exit". Skin Behind the Shroud is an excellent album from a band that is making great strides within the Canadian indie-rock scene. (Self-released) - Marshal Hignett - The Brock Press


"Video Spotlight #9 - Cursed Arrows "One In The Blue""

Cursed Arrows have been creating some pretty kickass rock music, and this video seems to suit their badass ethos. The band even directed it themselves! Be advised that the video is somewhat NSFW. Look for a review of their EP “Skin Behind the Shroud” very soon. - Grayowl Point


"Cursed Arrows"

From Ontario to Nova Scotia & back to Ontario.

Curious what they’ve been up to since departing the coast? Check out this epic video.

Asides from this they’ve also posted two songs via bandcamp… check them out!!

‘Trust Us’‘

‘I Thought I Was A Nice Guy, But I’m An Asshole’ - The Daily Conciousness


"Cursed Arrows Perform "In For the Kill""

By Sarah Murphy
Having moved from Ontario to the East coast a while back, rock duo Cursed Arrows made their way back to Toronto recently and stopped by the office for an Exclaim! TV session.

We already showed you their acoustic rendition of "The Madness of Crowds," and as promised, we've got a second video performance from the pair. This time you can watch Ry N and Jack E exchange vocal duties for a stripped-down delivery of "In For the Kill." The tune appeared on last year's Skin Behind the Shroud EP.

Watch the video of Cursed Arrows performing "In For the Kill" above and keep an eye on Exclaim! TV for new clips every week. - Exclaim!


"Cursed Arrows Perform "The Madness of Crowds""

By Sarah Murphy
Usually grunge-y Halifax-based duo Cursed Arrows recently stopped by the Exclaim! office to show off a different side of their rock'n'roll persona. Married couple Ry N and Jack E ran through a couple of tracks for their Exclaim! TV session and you can watch the first one now in the player above.

The twosome performed "The Madness of Crowds" from their 2011 album of the same name, which was released in spring 2011. Featuring just an acoustic guitar and the pair's vocals, this performance definitely gives off a different vibe than Cursed Arrows' usual gritty rock'n'roll.

Watch "The Madness of Crowds" above and stay tuned to Exclaim! TV for another video from Cursed Arrows later this week. - Exclaim!


"Cursed Arrows’ The Madness Of Crowds Review & Interview"

It should come as no surprise to most people reading TWM that I’m a huge Cursed Arrows fan. Ever since I heard their 2007 debut Knives Are Falling From The Sky, I’ve been fairly outspoken about my love for what they do as a duo in an often overcrowded genre. 2009's amazingly titled Telepathic High Five refined upon the sound of their debut, focusing on a more direct sound but also taking a step towards longer songs with a few more twists and turns. Which brings us to their new record — their first as citizens of Halifax — The Madness of Crowds.

My initial thoughts when listening to the new record was that overall it felt a bit like Telepathic High Five part two, and that is in no way a negative thing. But it wasn’t until I spent a bit more time with the album that I noticed the more subtle additions they’ve added here. Jack E’s chants of “Uh Huh!” on the climax of the opening title track for example. It’s just not the kind of thing I’d expect to hear, but it is all the better for it (it’s actually incredibly catchy). Similarly, when they break “Last Stop” down to a duet, it’s a welcome chance to catch your breath before diving back into the song again.

“Death Rattle Blues” — which appeared on their recent cassette — finally makes all those past comparisons to White Stripes valid with it’s bluesy guitar opening riff that leads the song towards its helluva rock out ending, with Jack E and Ry N singing dueling melodic lines over one another.



“Strip Joint Roundabout” is definitely one of my personal favourite tracks here. It’s like a three-minute time warp back to the ’90s, with a familiar-yet-not vocal melody that never fails to get stuck in my head. The chorus of “Riding by on a bike / He said ‘Jesus is the lord and not Neil Young!’” is just so catchy. It’s one of those songs that is so short, focused, and to the point, that you can’t help but go back for multiple repeats when you’re listening through the record.

I will say that The Madness Of Crowds hasn’t instantly hit me in the same way some of Cursed Arrows’ past records have. I don’t find myself coming back to it quite as often as I did with say, Telepathic High Five. In that regard, it could very much just be a sleeper record. Often times the albums I end up loving were ones that crept up on me. Time will tell if that is the case here, but any way you cut it The Madness Of Crowds is yet another terrifically consistent chunk of fuzzed out yet melodic indie rock from Ry N and Jack E. Turn it up.

I got the chance to ask Ry N and Jack E some questions via email, and they were nice enough to take part in an interview for us. They are performing this Saturday, April 30th at Rancho Relaxo, so make sure you’re out to catch their live show!



The new record is your first since you moved out to Halifax, how did that influence the writing and recording process this time around? Was it very different in comparison to your previous records?

R – Most of the album was written prior to moving. We had a number of songs starting to come together, but didn’t have a practice space for the better part of a year. This led to writing a lot of songs quietly at home on acoustic guitars, which in a way was a first for us. In the past we had written songs together on guitar and drums and recorded very quickly afterwards. We were bursting with these songs when we got to Halifax and needed to get them recorded and out of our brains.

J – The songs for this album were written over a span of two years – that has been the biggest change for us – the song-writing. But the album was recorded in 3 days. The recording process was more challenging this time around, and it was faster than ever. The guitar and drums have been live on all of our albums, but this time we overdubbed single-take guitar and vocal passes immediately and didn’t labour over anything.

Did you make a conscious effort to do anything differently this time, in terms of your sound or elements of your sound?

J – I made an effort to teach myself guitar, to write songs alone for the first time. Otherwise, our only effort was to continue writing music despite our lack of access to our instruments, to a studio space of our own. We wrote acoustic songs without thinking of how they might end up.

R – Nothing was done consciously in terms of changing anything. That was happenstance. Everything came together quite organically as a result of not having a practice space for so long. It forced us to change gears and try approaching songs from a different angle.

You guys got a twitter / bandcamp this past year, and have always maintained a solid online presence with your blog and website etc. Is that something you think is important to keep up in this modern music climate?

R – It’s a necessary evil in a way, because it’s seemingly the direction that the industry (and subsequently, music fans) have all headed. We are trying to distinguish ourselves in a very crowded marketplace, so keepi - Two Way Monologues


"Cursed Arrows "The Madness Of Crowds" (Independent)"

There’s something eerily prescient about Cursed Arrows’ third full-length album The Madness of Crowds. Although Jackie and Ryan Stanley composed most of the songs prior to their move here last October, the music is an urgent and appropriate backdrop for the early months of 2011. The album addresses themes of violence and desolation, environmental degradation and the search for meaning within the unrest and chaos. The triumph of this album, however, is that it’s never mired in despair. These songs move and cajole us and then explode with stunning and impossibly vital grooves. This is the triumph of The Madness of Crowds---it’s heavy but never heavy-handed. - The Coast


"Cursed Arrows – Skin Behind The Shroud"

Time is a precious commodity these days, and so I’m afraid that records I’d normally like to post on are often getting lost in the shuffle. Case in point: Skin Behind The Shroud, the last release from Halifax-based duo Cursed Arrows. For some reason, I assumed we were caught up with the doings of Halifax-based husband & wife duo Ry N. And Jack E. Stanley, but they are clearly too prolific for us. They were kind enough to do a “Deeper Into Music” post for the release before this one, The Madness of Crowds, but it seems we’ve yet to post on their last EP.

But that’s a wrong that’s easy to right, so let’s do so. If you’re familiar with Cursed Arrows, then you’ll certainly recognize the sound found on this tape (the EP’s a free download, but it’s physical form is on cassette). The duo has always employed a riffy, garage-blues-influenced sound as the backdrop for their vocals, which alternate between Ry N. and Jack E. taking the lead, and often feature the two layered together.

That formula is certainly in effect here, but there are some tweaks. “Empty Memory Bank” opens things with a more meandering pace before evolving into a more menacing, hard-rock influenced sound, while “Carefree Chemicals” sets a gritty, surprisingly breakneck pace from the outset and takes the foot off the gas only for a couple brief moments as the duo sing about the price one can pay to try and fit in. “In For The Kill” might be my favourite song on the EP as they seem to revisit the 90's for a wall of heavy noise accented by guitar solos and a melodic hook. They aren’t afraid to experiment and throw a few curveballs either, as the spoken word intro on “Close To The Exit” and the synthesized drums on “One In The Blue” provide a couple of interesting touches.

So then, if you’re new to Cursed Arrows, or slept on Skin Behind The Shroud like I did, you should go get yourself up to speed right now. - Herohill


"New Cursed Arrows video for "One In The Blue""

Woods, dancing, a little vintage nudity—we're all adults here!
Enjoy Cursed Arrows' idyllic life for a minute while you sit at your desk dreaming about the lake. - The Coast


"Review- "Skin Behind The Shroud""

reviewed by Michael Thomas

I always enjoy when a band has a sound that suits their name. Just as the idea of cursed arrows comes across as kind of sinister, so too does the music of this band. It’s refreshing every once in a while to break up my reviews of pop and folk with some good old-fashioned guitar attacks.

But Cursed Arrows don’t play typical rock music. This duo play grunge-esque music that doesn’t sound anything like the popular music of the 90s. Instead they make the genre their own with additions like spoken-word poetry and some great dual vocals.

By the end of the first song “Empty Memory Bank” you should recognize the band’s signature sound. The electric guitar is heavy and a little fuzzy and is paired with equally ferocious drums. “Carefree Chemicals” continues the attack of the grungy guitars.

Things start to get even more interesting with “Close to the Exit,” a song that starts with drummer Jack E Stanley reciting the aforementioned spoken word poetry before guitarist Ryan Stanley’s guitar comes in. The song seems to be about someone who doesn’t take risks (or do anything exciting) and features a pretty great set of lines: “Can’t even play him a real song/Unless it’s dumb enough for everyone.”

“One in the Blue” (for which there is a pretty crazy music video) takes the grungy guitar to the “ominous” level and the dual vocals of Ryan and Jack E work well here. “In For the Kill” is an even better show of the duo’s fantastic chemistry.

Finally the EP ends with “Laundry Room” which sounds like a list of neuroses. There are lots of repeated phrases such as “So frustrated, so in love” but with an intensity that makes one think that these are all seriously eating away at the narrator’s heads. It’s a good ending to the EP.

Cursed Arrows definitely have a sound that is their own and they will no doubt continue to churn out lots more challenging music in the days to come. Skin Behind the Shroud is available as a FREE download on Bandcamp. You can also purchase the EP on cassette (which is pretty awesome).

Top Track: “Close to the Exit”

Rating: Strong Hoot (Good) - Grayowl Point


"Reviews: The Cursed Arrows - Telepathic High Five"

I am not a minimalist.
I can't look at a plate of food consisting of two crackers, a piece of cheese and a shaving of lettuce and call it a sandwich. It's just not me.
I can't listen to a band that doesn't have a guitarist and not think about what the mix would be like if it was there.
I guess this could be the reason I have always had difficulties really enjoying the ever popular two-person band dynamic. Don't misunderstand, I think it can work well, as is the case with bands like The White Stripes, or The Handsome Furs, but for every one gets it right, there are a dozen bands that just sound flat without the combination of a drum, a bass and a guitar.
Waterloo, ON band Cursed Arrows is a two piece band and I will be honest, upon opening up the envelope containing their second release Telepathic High Five I was a little let down. The only two pieces I like are either extremely well produced blues or contain a drum machine to pick up the slack. Reading their bio names like Nirvana, The Pixies, Pavement and The Melvins were name dropped. Quite the list to include in your bio, and while they themselves did not draw these connections, the comparisons were made never-the-less. By the time I had reached out and pressed play, I am not sure what I had built this band up to sound like. I was certain that I would not like them. I had built the two member's up to a couple of pretentious, minimalist rock-snobs with a Cobain fetish.
My brain likes to play tricks like this all the time. It just loves to independently form opinions on things, without any basis or merit. Logic would dictate that I would listen to a band before dismissing them totally, but some days, I just can't.
It was around this point that I started the lead-off track "Run Forever". The drums kicked in and I suddenly realized how wrong I was. The music was good. Really good actually. It didn't feel like a chore listening to it at all.
I really, really wanted to find a fault. It is always so easy to do with a two-piece band. Most of the time the songs are lacking something, and more often then not, it is the lack of a bass guitar. Bass drums can only do so much. Cused Arrows have made up for that with a really interesting drum mix. Tons or high hat and snare to push up the treble, and god, do I love treble.
Some of the songs tended to get a little too jammy for my taste. I think songs like "Earthlings" and "Chop You Up" were more enjoyable due to their brevity, but I also think that The Ramones perfected rock & roll and that Phish should have been battered and deep-fried, so clearly, I am biased.

In the end, they had won me over. Telepathic High Fiveisn't going to go down as the next Repeater, but on its own merits, it is a great little record.

By Scott Thomson
Mar 31, 2010 - !earshot


"Crate-Digging: Cursed Arrows - The Madness Of Crowds"

We quickly tore down our camp and, with me in the lead, headed toward the sound. After about ten minutes of walking, it came to me: “Matt, that’s music, isn’t it? I knew it!” Another twenty minutes later, and there we were – a stage made of vines grew from the moist ground surrounding a tiny oasis, and upon the stage a man and woman were playing a guitar and drums, writhing in the desert heat as deep blues rock and desert boogie burst from stacks of gleaming Marshall amps. The man and woman didn’t acknowledge our presence at all, yet these words visibly wisped from the speakers before being blown away by the wind: “Frightening, melodious. Savage. Tender. Male and female. Lips and eyes. Hands and teeth. Cursed Arrows.”

We sat transfixed. We could barely move, let alone breathe. We had never heard the songs before, but we knew them, knew their names. The desert heat baked them, and they were part of the landscape. “The Madness of Crowds” lived here, it kicked up a sandstorm that whirled around us. The words sounded wonderful, but meant nothing, and I realized after an hour or so I had scrawled “Lay your body facedown on the ground / Before the demographic winter” on my arm with a Sharpie. I stared at it as the letters moved like snakes, writhing along with the blood pumping through my veins just under the skin. It would still be visible two days later. I didn’t know then what it meant either. I glanced at Chris, and he had had the same idea: “Children carry monsters / in them selves” adorned his arm, the words from “Last Stop” (I gathered, from the air) failing again to make sense. Matt H. had simply written “Fateful Dissuasion.”

I was reminded as the sound filled our ears like a sandstorm how much this reminded me of PJ Harvey (the band has, fittingly, covered “Rid of Me”), or Patti Smith, or maybe even more appropriately the Israeli co-ed duo Carusella as although the woman in front of us sang more lead (as she played drums!), the man sang as well. They harmonized well when needed as on the strangely beautiful “Strip Joint Roundabout,” an oasis, to stretch the metaphor, of jangly pop in the midst of the blooze-rock bluster. But here they were like angels, these Cursed Arrows, here to show us the way. I think they played the entirety of The Madness of Crowds over and over, although it was difficult to tell time at that point. I closed my eyes.

I awoke to the midday heat, and as I opened my eyes, I realized we had collapsed in front of the Winnebago. I had no idea how long we’d been there. I was dying of thirst, and found my canteen where I had dropped it about 10 feet behind me. The rest of the group was slowly coming to.

“That was crazy,” I said, directed at no one in particular. “White hot.”

“Bitchin’,” agreed Chris.

“I don’t know, I thought the vocals were recorded weird,” Matt D. chipped in.

“I thought the vocals sounded fine. And what do you mean ‘recorded’? Didn’t you see that?”

“See what?”

I shook my head to clear the cobwebs. I was having a tough go of it.

But somehow, Cursed Arrows had saved our lives that day.

It was suggested that Wilmington, Delaware, be the destination for the next Critical Masses retreat. Matt H. seconded it. No more mescaline, we’d stick to beer. It was done.

RIYL: The Kills, PJ Harvey, Carusella, Patti Smith - Critical Masses


"Cursed Arrows - Telepathic High Five"

Arrows formed in 2006 and released their first record Knives Are Falling From The Sky which earned them comparisons to the likes of Nirvana, The Pixies, and Sonic Youth. On their second effort, the Canadian two-piece band inserted “Cursed” to the previous name, and in the process they also enhanced their sound.

Telepathic High Five is an intricate record; I find it difficult to even try to classify their sound; I would say something like post-grunge with suggestions of punk rock albeit it really doesn’t matter, the album is an artsy work of genius. The record consists of 10 tracks that are full of tricky lyrics, complex melodies, and most importantly passion. The words on the opening track “Run Forever” are captivating and intelligent – add to that the ferocious drums and engaging guitar riffs and you have a great rock & roll song that grabs one’s attention instantly. The songs on this record are moody and sinister and while Cursed Arrows is fearless and unbending in their exertion there is also a seriousness about the band that noticeably shows they really value the work they do.

Another aspect of the record that I love is Jackie Stanley’s drumming, which brings an extra layer of muscle and unrefined enthusiasm to the songs. The duo shares the vocals on the album crafting a very nice melodic feel that is to some extent reminiscent of The Pixies. The track “Deep Wound” is a bit more melodic and subdued than the rest, showing that the band can be gentle and still be potent at the same time.

Telepathic High Five is unrelenting in the way it attacks the listener; from the opening to the last track the album keeps your attention. Cursed Arrows produced an album that has the right ingredients to become unforgettable. - Adequacy


"Cursed Arrows: Telepathic High Five"

Yet another male/female two-piece with driving, blues-leaning tunes. It’s hard to fault anyone for thinking that when listening to Telepathic High Five, the latest from Cursed Arrows. After all, the opening track, “Run Forever”, manages to encompass the stoned-groove of Z-era My Morning Jacket with the legitimate fury of the White Stripes, while still adding a remarkably adept coat of Canadian paint on. The track clocks in at over six minutes, and the intense wall of noise doesn’t stop of there. Sure, there aren’t heaps of melodies on Telepathic High Five, but what Jackie and Ryan Stanley lose on melody they make up for with dirty, sprawling jams that sound a lot louder than you’d think two people might.

No, things never reach the sonic plateau that two-pieces such as Japandroids might, but rarely has garage-rock sounded as pure and greasy as on the swirling swagger of “Deep Wound”. And two people don’t have to adhere to melodies and the like when they’ve got the swagger of Telepathic High Five.

Rating:6 - Popmatters


"Cursed Arrows: Telepathic High Five"

Yet another male/female two-piece with driving, blues-leaning tunes. It’s hard to fault anyone for thinking that when listening to Telepathic High Five, the latest from Cursed Arrows. After all, the opening track, “Run Forever”, manages to encompass the stoned-groove of Z-era My Morning Jacket with the legitimate fury of the White Stripes, while still adding a remarkably adept coat of Canadian paint on. The track clocks in at over six minutes, and the intense wall of noise doesn’t stop of there. Sure, there aren’t heaps of melodies on Telepathic High Five, but what Jackie and Ryan Stanley lose on melody they make up for with dirty, sprawling jams that sound a lot louder than you’d think two people might.

No, things never reach the sonic plateau that two-pieces such as Japandroids might, but rarely has garage-rock sounded as pure and greasy as on the swirling swagger of “Deep Wound”. And two people don’t have to adhere to melodies and the like when they’ve got the swagger of Telepathic High Five.

Rating:6 - Popmatters


"Cursed Arrows Telepathic High Five"

A name tweak and a shot of adrenaline are welcome in the second offering from one of Canada's best fresh rock bands. Telepathic High Five finds Guelph's thunderous twosome adding "Cursed" to the formerly lonesome "Arrows" of their moniker, likewise expanding their sound into a more sprawling, grinding, exploratory beast. Sludgy slabs of dissonant, augmented power chords lead a blazing charge of pummelling drum work and vocal harmonies threatening to tear with passion with each climax. Even in tender moments like swinging pseudo-power ballad "Deep Wounds" there's a fierce urgency and refusal to play it safe in the band's entire delivery that make them eminently engaging. To try to define this music as post-rock, progressive grunge, new wave grind punk or something similarly ridiculous and loosely compartmentalizing is missing the point. Telepathic High Five is evolved rock music demonstrating the restless spirit of artists who take their message as seriously as the rest of their craft, and that's a recipe for timeless songwriting. Highly recommended rock with brains, balls and ovaries.
(Noyes) - Exclaim!


"Disc Reviews - Cursed Arrows - Telepathic High Five"

On their second full-length album and first since adding “cursed” to their name, Kitchener-Waterloo’s Cursed Arrows deliver a dense serving of post-grunge that hits hard but also pleases with boy/girl harmonies and strong melodies.

Over 10 songs, the husband/wife duo run through a score of early 90s reference points – a hint of Pixies, a dash of Melvins, a heavy dollop of Nirvana – but sound surprisingly fresh in the process. Alternating between beautifully sinister power chords and nuanced rhythm patterns, the album squeezes ample variety from just two instruments. The title track, for instance, crams more riffs into four and a half minutes than can be reasonably counted.

At times the overtly philosophical lyrics can be a bit much, but the band seems out to prove heaviness can coexist with subtlety. For the most part, they succeed.

Top track: Run Forever - NOW Magazine


"Arcade Fire - A CBC Radio 3 Salute Podcast #269"

This week we celebrate the Arcade Fire's massive Grammy win for Album of the Year with a career retrospective on the band, from its early beginnings to last Sunday night, and what an unbelievable ride it's been.

Also on the podcast, we'll bid a sad farewell to much-loved Victoria band Immaculate Machine, who announced their breakup this month after ten years as a band.

As well, new singles from Joel Plaskett, Christine Fellows, Cursed Arrows, Young Galaxy and more. - CBC Radio 3


"The Anti-Hit List For Jan. 15"

4. CURSED ARROWS

“Death Rattle Blues”

It's almost impossible not to mention The White Stripes when writing about this Halifax-via-Southern Ontario couple. Beyond the two-piece (guitar/drums) setup, Ryan and Jackie Stanley make a disproportionately large noise with its roots firmly planted in blues-rock. They also force other people's songs to jump through misshapen hoops, including Beck's “Pay No Mind” and PJ Harvey's “Rid of Me,” both of which are featured on a new free, downloadable EP. Thanks, once again, to the inestimable herohill.com blog. - The Star


"I Read The News Today For January 28, 2011"

Halifax's Cursed Arrows have just made new single "Death Rattle Blues," the first single they've released since moving to Nova Scotia from southern Ontario, available as a free download. You can get it here. - Chartattack


"New Song: Cursed Arrows: Death Rattle Blues"

Now that word has trickled down that The White Stripes are part of rock history, the belt for best boy-girl blooze-rock duo is up for grabs, and Cursed Arrows may be a darkhorse to keep an eye on. Way heavier than “that band,” this Canadian husband and wife team whips up a overdriven stew sure to stick to the bones of fans of units ranging from Black Sabbath to The Melvins to The Warlocks. Cassette single Death Rattle Blues (get it here) is a stoner-boner lying is wait, provided you still have that old boombox in the garage, and is rounded out with two cover songs (Beck’s Pay No Mind and PJ Harvey’s Rid of Me) and two live acoustic songs. But all of this, of course, is merely to hold over fans until Cursed Arrows’ next full-length, The Madness Of Crowds, materializes in April.

MP3 : Cursed Arrows – Death Rattle Blues - My Old Kentucky Blog


"Cursed Arrows - Death Rattle Blues (Independent)"

Following the White Stripes’ recent break up, a sizable drum-and-guitar shaped hole was left in the dirty blues scene. That hole can now be filled by Halifax’s Cursed Arrows. The gender-balanced two-piece, comprised of Ry N and Jack E Stanley, step up to the plate and hit a strong drive into centre field with their new cassette Death Rattle Blues. It’s not quite a home run, but it’s pretty damn close. The tape features their “Death Rattle Blues,” the first single off their upcoming third full length The Madness of the Crowds. It also contains two acoustic tracks and two cover tunes.

“Death Rattle Blues” is a kick in the teeth in the best way possible. The driving guitar lines and steady build-up showcase the rawness of Cursed Arrows, with a dash of Pinkerton-era Weezer shining through as the pair harmonize the line “Watching you watching me.” It’s a standout track, whetting our appetites for Madness of the Crowds.

The PJ Harvey cover, “Rid of Me,” contains great harmonies recorded in an off-the-cuff manner. The acoustic tracks “Carefree Chemicals” and “Not The End” are decent, but they pale in comparison to the raw power of the other songs. Cursed Arrows are at their strongest with their instruments plugged in.

All in all, Death Rattle Blues is similar to a three-dollar breakfast at Bon’s: quick, dirty and satisfying. The cassette is only $4 to purchase or you can find the album for free from their Bandcamp page.
- Discorder Magazine


"Feature Band of the Week: Cursed Arrows"

*audio only* - Sound FM


"New Song: Cursed Arrows: The Madness Of Crowds"

A few months back, when we introduced Cursed Arrows and shared their rawkin’ Death Rattle Blues, we had no idea that our fave Canuck husband and wife team was so close to sharing their newborn with the masses. Their newest full-length, The Madness Of Crowds, is scheduled to drop on April 5th, and can be previewed via their bandcampsite. But to help git yer juices flowing, we’re happy to be sharing the serrated (and vaguely Sonic Youthian) title track, which proves yet again that Cursed Arrows have no time for subtly.

MP3 : Cursed Arrows – The Madness Of Crowds
MP3 : Cursed Arrows – Death Rattle Blues - My Old Kentucky Blog


"New Song: Cursed Arrows: The Madness Of Crowds"

A few months back, when we introduced Cursed Arrows and shared their rawkin’ Death Rattle Blues, we had no idea that our fave Canuck husband and wife team was so close to sharing their newborn with the masses. Their newest full-length, The Madness Of Crowds, is scheduled to drop on April 5th, and can be previewed via their bandcampsite. But to help git yer juices flowing, we’re happy to be sharing the serrated (and vaguely Sonic Youthian) title track, which proves yet again that Cursed Arrows have no time for subtly.

MP3 : Cursed Arrows – The Madness Of Crowds
MP3 : Cursed Arrows – Death Rattle Blues - My Old Kentucky Blog


"Deeper Into Music:: Cursed Arrows – The Madness Of Crowds"

I have to give credit where it’s due, so kudos to the Ack for coming up with the concept for these “Deeper Into Music” posts, where we ask artists to give us a little window into their creative process with a little song-by-song breakdown of their latest release. For someone like me, who has as much musical talent & ability as your average box of Saltines, I find the details around the creation of music fascinating, and based on the positive response these posts have gotten, it seems some of you agree.



Today then, we’re pleased to present our latest episode of Deeper Into Music, which features Haligonian duo Cursed Arrows and a discussion of their new album The Madness of Crowds, which is available as a free download, for a limited time, starting at some point today. So before we go any further here I’d suggest you go and check that link back there to get yourself a copy of a great record that mixes equal parts even-keeled observation of the world around us, with gritty, bluesy rock & roll.



Right then, without furter ado, here’s Jack E Stanley (1/2 of Cursed Arrows, Ry N Stanley being the other) describing the making of their new album The Madness of Crowds.



MP3:: Cursed Arrows – The Madness of Crowds
WEB:: cursedarrows.com

The Madness Of Crowds
Written by Jack E alone on acoustic guitar, in the wake of a massive heat wave and earthquake in Ontario, and a certain Gulf oil spill. The most lyric-heavy song on the album and curiously, the only song whose lyrics I cannot find written down anywhere. Rooted more in poetry in music, the words are ingrained in my psyche. A few chords and some distortion make it music. I play drums and second guitar on the recording. Ry N makes it growl.



Monopoly On Violence
A Ry N Stanley original. An anti-war song for the masses, written acoustically in a park in the dead of summer 2010. We had no place to practice but our two-room apartment, so city parks were our havens. I remember not knowing what sort of rhythm to contribute to this song, as I was so smitten with the towering guitar and singing I nearly forgot all about drums. The drumming was improvised in the hours leading up to recording.



Death Rattle Blues
This one was created in what I will refer to as our “usual” way – picking up our instruments and improvising together in a dingy basement. Ry N came up with the riff and the drums were second nature. I wrote the lyrics in one fell swoop, sitting on the crumbling floor of the Ford Plant (Brantford, Ontario’s finest – and now defunct – all-ages venue) before a show. The words were heavily inspired by the murder of Tim McLean on a Greyhound bus a few years ago…and by the fact that we had just moved into a dead man’s apartment.



Strip Joint Roundabout
Where there once was a peeler bar by a bridge in my hometown now stands a freshly-paved roundabout. This song is a character study of local personalities, real and imagined. The crux of the lyrics, “Riding by on a bike, he said ‘Jesus is the Lord, not Neil Young!” stems from an encounter Ry N had with a swerving cyclist while walking to his office job. Based around two simply intertwining guitar parts.



Fateful Dissuasion
I also recall writing the lyrics for this song in one sitting, and the music likely came about as an antidote to my strung-up day job. Thoughts and memories of being on the road, wanting to be on the road, and eternally longing for one another seemed to fixate themselves on my simple little chords. What is most striking about this song is my willingness to belt out a bluesy ballad, and the tempo and mood change at the finale.



The Swindler
Another Ry N song. Blues tuning and lyrical head-shaking at a populace so easily fooled. His insane guitar soloing is the star of this one. I could do little to contain my hyperactive drum riffs when we jammed this song out in our hundred-year-old basement. Definitely one of the most enjoyable songs to play live; pure bombastic rock and roll.



Last Stop
The oldest song, most tried and tested live, and the one closest to our hearts. Written in our basement in the autumn of 2009, while the neighbours complained, with invisible entities poking cold fingers into our backs. We saw Sonic Youth and Dinosaur Jr live around that time, and attended the Toronto Film Festival premiere of The White Stripes: Under Great White Northern Lights. Another of our favourite songs to play live – we become possessed. We sing an intimate duet over gentle guitar, and it feels like taking a deep breath before diving back in.



The View
The lone song on the album that features Jack E on guitars and Ry N on drums. The only song on this album that was written in Halifax, shortly after we uprooted ourselves permanently and found our mental and spiritual focus shift and intensify. This is my baby; my gift to all creatures. It brin - Herohill


"Best New Releases – The Kills, Raveonettes, Cold Cave, Scattered Trees, Maritime, Code Pie, Amores Vigilantes, Cursed Arrows"

Husband-and-Wife Garage Rock Duo, Cursed Arrows

And now, we’d like to introduce yet another rock duo from Canada. Just in this post alone, we have like four duos, and over the past few years, there has been a virtual deluge of rock duos. Cursed Arrows is one of the latest. The husband-and-wife band hail from Halifax-

via-Ontario, and belt out scuzzy, noise rock, on their new album, The Madness of Crowds, while on other tracks of the LP, they present more poetic lyrics and passionate keys. We’re stoked to be able to present two tracks from The Madness of Crowds, plus a convincing cover of the PJ Harvey track, “Rid of Me,” which is not available on the new album.

Apparently, the album is only available for a name-your-price checkout on Cursed Arrows Bandcamp page. We’ll definitely be keeping an ear out for their head-crushing, kick-ass bluesy garage rock.

“Death Rattle Blues” – Cursed Arrows from The Madness of Crowds

Double-shot: “The Madness of Crowds” – Cursed Arrows from The Madness of Crowds

Bonus: “Rid of Me” (PJ Harvey) – Cursed Arrows - Indie Rock Cafe


"Cursed Arrows - Knives Are Falling From The Sky"

Without colour-coded gimmicks or incestuous insinuations, Arrows bring a dark and brooding melodic density to the husband-and-wife guitar/drum duo genre. On their debut, Knives Are Falling From the Sky, Guelph’s Mr. and Mrs. Stanley bury the mixing board’s needle to get maximum impact out of former Vermicious Knid member Ryan’s burly distortion and Jackie’s brittle skins-bashing. Their gorgeous boy-girl harmonies and traded verses aside, it’s a sound that effectively marries Lightning Dust with The Melvins. “Into the Cold Quiet” milks every beat, aligning words and chords in syncopated stabs, while “Atoms Remind Us” pairs a soaring melody with plodding yet effective riffs. But it’s the nuanced power chords, obscure lyrics and crashing, existential excitement of opener “Here in Time,” as well as the title track, that certify Arrows’ valiant attempt at a post-grunge masterpiece. - Eye Weekly


"Cursed Arrows - Knives Are Falling From The Sky"

Rocking out in marital bliss, Ryan Stanley (guitar, vocals) and Jackie Stanley (drums, vocals) demonstrate the awesome capabilities of a two-piece when both members are actually talented (cough, Meg White). Any similarities to the White Stripes are purely aesthetic though, as Arrows’ slightly warped, toweringly passionate rock has roots in the folk and punk leanings of Pavement and Nirvana, even extending towards the dynamic classical progressions of Mew, in places. Ryan’s guitar playing is full-bodied and harmonically inventive, filling the speakers with thunderous power chords or deft picking patterns that capably cover the absent bass space. Jackie is a powerhouse on the kit, choosing her parts supportively while maintaining a stomping intensity to match the vigour of the duo’s poetic, socially reflective lyrical sentiments. Constant harmonies keep the songs sounding full and the raw, self-recorded production seems suitable for this adept opening volley from these indie rock revolutionaries. (Ford Plant) - Exclaim!


"Cursed Arrows - The Madness Of Crowds"

Cursed Arrows have released a second song off their upcoming album, The Madness Of Crowds. It happens to be the title track. The album is slated for release on April 5th and if you head over to their Bandcamp page, you can download the song absolutely free of charge. While you’re at it, be sure to grab a copy of the first single, Death Rattle Blues. For more info on Cursed Arrows, visit their website. - The Indie Machine


Discography

Still working on that hot first release.

Photos

Bio

Currently at a loss for words...