Music
Press
*Note: this article was written right before we changed our band name from Tearing Down Towers to Dead City Soundwaves*
My friends and I go to the Jimmy Jazz a lot, probably three to four times a week. We like it, and I’m not afraid to say I’m a regular. It’s like our second living room, only this one has a pool table.
Usually at the Jazz, you struggle to talk with your friends over the loud and mediocre music coming out of the juke box. On Jan. 9 it was the same old story— except the music was live.
Broadcast Radio is a band from Montreal made up of four guys who, according to their website, have a “desire to try on a new direction.” I’m not exactly sure what that means, but from the band’s performance, it seems like this new direction has lead them to a place that is already over populated.
The openers were a group of four young guys from Guelph called Tearing Down Towers. The boys were mostly instrumental. When their singer finally opened his mouth, there were hints of an interesting tone, but the confidence in delivery was lacking. They were able to keep people listening with some trippy soundscapes that made for interestingly layered arrangements.
On their 2008 release, Hallways of the Twenty-First Floor, Broadcast Radio worked with Engineer Howard Bilerman (former drummer of Arcade Fire) at Montreal recording studio Hotel 2 Tango. Bilerman is acclaimed for the work he has done with some of your favourite bands like The Dears, Land of Talk and Wolf Parade.
In November, Hallways entered ChartAttack’s Top 50 Canadian National College Radio Airplay Charts at number 39. You can check out five tracks from the album on the band’s Myspace page. The songs you will find have an interesting direction, and are well composed with mature instrumental arrangements. The vocals of singer/guitarist Nick Backovic are compelling with a crass tone and soft-spoken delivery.
I was surprised to hear an entirely different sound when they hit the cramped stage at the Jazz. The band played a set that was uninspired and lacking originality. Vocal accents and the accessibility of their sound that would have entertained the audience were lost. People were coming and going at a turnover rate higher than part-time positions at McDonalds.
The boys had a tightly knit group dynamic and you could see that they were having fun doing something they are passionate about. They did contribute to the usual atmosphere of the bar and as we played pool and had a couple pints. I think my roommate summed up the evening nicely when, after missing a shot in the right corner pocket, she said, “They sound better on the album.”
- The Ontarion
Discography
Red Tree Studio Sessions (2008)
Tearing Down Towers (2009)
Photos
Bio
Dead City Soundwaves is a four piece indie rock band from Guelph. The guys all met early on at Centennial C.V.I. highschool in grade nine. Jon and Jamie had been friends before at an early age, and realized their musical tastes were evolving in the same direction. Since Jon had been playing guitar for as long as he could remember, he pushed his other friends to pick up instruments and start a band.
After going through a couple bands and having them fall short, the instrumental band Tearing Down Towers was formed. The band worked well since they were all friends first, and had similar interests in things such as 60's and 70's rock music, new independant rock music, downtown concerts, and the hillside music festival. They got their foot in the door with some shows around Guelph; their favorite venue and place to hang out at being Jimmy Jazz.
With a little luck, their determination paid off when producer and sound engineers Steve Hamilton and Matt Fudge (worked the mixer and sound at venues in Guelph and elsewhere with artists such as Rise Against, The Constantines, The Planet Smashers and more) overheard them playing at Jimmy Jazz one night. They liked what they heard, and gave them the opportunity to record some tracks in their Kitchener studio. These recordings gave the band a chance to get some more shows, and spread the word of their existence.
With a strong instrumental sound, but a feeling like something was missing, the guys decided to move on from Tearing Down Towers and reformed as Dead City Soundwaves. Their good friend Dave Markle joined them on guitar and keyboard. In addition, Jon started focusing on vocals. The band is looking forward to showcase their new sound.
Links
