Dear Sister
Toronto, Ontario, Canada | SELF
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I am very, very happy that I was submitted this album. Dear Sister is a Toronto trio playing a fresh interpretation of Americana that breathes life into the tired genre. The group has great chemistry and the level of songwriting is impressive. There’s a sense of inevitability to the music and the lyrics hang comfortably on the melodies. It’s the kind of music that sounds so natural you forget it’s on. I’ll say right now that they’re going on my list of artists to watch in the future.
Dear Sister is comprised of Raven Shields (a great super-hero name, should she opt for a vocational change) and Bri Salmena who make the most of two part vocal harmonies (perfectly executed, of course) and Aaron Comeau who rounds out the music instrumentally and produced the album. The girls did most of the songwriting while Comeau did most of the arranging. The group formed in 2009 and has had considerable success in the Toronto area. This album was recorded in 2010 and is now re-released.
The songs are short and mostly sweet but mature. They demonstrate self-awareness, drawing influence from a wide variety of music without being overly-ambitious; this is all but the perfect example of what a first album should be. There are a couple places where there’s too much tension in the music or a small mistake that’s hard to notice but the only major fault in the album is that it’s just thirty minutes long; I wish there was more.
I do not have an artist or idiom to compare this to, which is a first, so it’s hard to describe how this group sounds. It’s all acoustic and the songwriting has elements of soul, pop, and folk in it but together resembles nothing alone. The arrangements superficially resemble bluegrass and Americana but include a wide range of sounds. The music as a whole has a unique sound and the quality is first rate. Music lovers will be very happy to have this.
Occasional cliché aside, this is a great piece of music and I highly recommend it. It’s hard to say but I expect the group to keep producing quality music and I hope to hear more from them soon. They’ll be touring Eastern Canada in the coming months so if you’re in the area, keep an eye out. - Colcifer
I am very, very happy that I was submitted this album. Dear Sister is a Toronto trio playing a fresh interpretation of Americana that breathes life into the tired genre. The group has great chemistry and the level of songwriting is impressive. There’s a sense of inevitability to the music and the lyrics hang comfortably on the melodies. It’s the kind of music that sounds so natural you forget it’s on. I’ll say right now that they’re going on my list of artists to watch in the future.
Dear Sister is comprised of Raven Shields (a great super-hero name, should she opt for a vocational change) and Bri Salmena who make the most of two part vocal harmonies (perfectly executed, of course) and Aaron Comeau who rounds out the music instrumentally and produced the album. The girls did most of the songwriting while Comeau did most of the arranging. The group formed in 2009 and has had considerable success in the Toronto area. This album was recorded in 2010 and is now re-released.
The songs are short and mostly sweet but mature. They demonstrate self-awareness, drawing influence from a wide variety of music without being overly-ambitious; this is all but the perfect example of what a first album should be. There are a couple places where there’s too much tension in the music or a small mistake that’s hard to notice but the only major fault in the album is that it’s just thirty minutes long; I wish there was more.
I do not have an artist or idiom to compare this to, which is a first, so it’s hard to describe how this group sounds. It’s all acoustic and the songwriting has elements of soul, pop, and folk in it but together resembles nothing alone. The arrangements superficially resemble bluegrass and Americana but include a wide range of sounds. The music as a whole has a unique sound and the quality is first rate. Music lovers will be very happy to have this.
Occasional cliché aside, this is a great piece of music and I highly recommend it. It’s hard to say but I expect the group to keep producing quality music and I hope to hear more from them soon. They’ll be touring Eastern Canada in the coming months so if you’re in the area, keep an eye out. - Colcifer
Est-ce-que 2012 serra mieux que 2011 ? Tout le monde ce le demande, et moi je n’ai pas plus confiance que vous je pense. Mais, la bonne nouvelle était que malgré que ma Peugeot était condamnée fin 2011, qu’elle retrouve une nouvelle vie en 2012. Oui ma superbe 504, de 1995, fabriqué en Argentine. Voila un petit photo (avec daniel norgren d’ailleurs) pour ceux qui sont curieux. Plus de startmoteur, plus de pièces détachées, sauf au Maroc ou Afghanistan. (ils savent apprécier des bonnes voitures la bas, c’est peut être le seul chose que j’ai en commun avec les talibans). Mais le 3 janvier quand je suis passé au garage pour leur dire de le remonter pour que je l’amène chez moi, la ou elle se sent bien, prés de ma ferme et le fumier et les chats qui dorment dedans quand il fait froid la nuit, j’ai eu la première bonne nouvelle de cette année. Un startmoteur, neuve…. Ca donne un peu d’espoir pour les superstitieux comme moi.
Et puis le soir quand j’ai regardé les albums proposée sur reviewshine. J’ai vue la pochette au dessus cette article. Oui, non, je sais, ce n’est pas un Peugeot. Mais l’esprit, l’ambiance et la mélancolie que cette photo respire m’a fait cliquer sur l’album juste pour voir un peu plus. Et la j’ai trouvé, la deuxième surprise de 2012.
Dear Sister…
Fondée en 2009, ce trio Torontoise (ça ce dit ça ?) est peut être encore un bon exemple du Canadiana. Americana de Canada, un pays dont les musiciens sur laquelle on peu coller l’étiquette “Americana”, sont a mon ample avis en train de renouveler le genre. Même si pour les oreilles peu entrainée la différence est difficile a cerner. Les influences roots sont clairement la, mais les mélodies (surtout celles des chants) sont différentes. Comme elle ne chante pas sur les mesures habituelles.
Mais ce qu’il me touche vraiment c’est le brut de coffrage du son et l’aspect minimaliste avec laquelle Dear Sister mettent en œuvre les morceaux sur cette album. J’écouter plusieurs fois, et puis j’ai cherché un peu sur le web. Puis je découvre le clip inclus dans cette page. Et presque je me dit qu’il aurais fallu enregistrer l’album comme dans le vidéo.
Ecoute, regarde et pleure. Oui, c’est aussi simple que ça, pas besoin des budgets de x-milliers d’euros (dollars). - Americana Music France
Est-ce-que 2012 serra mieux que 2011 ? Tout le monde ce le demande, et moi je n’ai pas plus confiance que vous je pense. Mais, la bonne nouvelle était que malgré que ma Peugeot était condamnée fin 2011, qu’elle retrouve une nouvelle vie en 2012. Oui ma superbe 504, de 1995, fabriqué en Argentine. Voila un petit photo (avec daniel norgren d’ailleurs) pour ceux qui sont curieux. Plus de startmoteur, plus de pièces détachées, sauf au Maroc ou Afghanistan. (ils savent apprécier des bonnes voitures la bas, c’est peut être le seul chose que j’ai en commun avec les talibans). Mais le 3 janvier quand je suis passé au garage pour leur dire de le remonter pour que je l’amène chez moi, la ou elle se sent bien, prés de ma ferme et le fumier et les chats qui dorment dedans quand il fait froid la nuit, j’ai eu la première bonne nouvelle de cette année. Un startmoteur, neuve…. Ca donne un peu d’espoir pour les superstitieux comme moi.
Et puis le soir quand j’ai regardé les albums proposée sur reviewshine. J’ai vue la pochette au dessus cette article. Oui, non, je sais, ce n’est pas un Peugeot. Mais l’esprit, l’ambiance et la mélancolie que cette photo respire m’a fait cliquer sur l’album juste pour voir un peu plus. Et la j’ai trouvé, la deuxième surprise de 2012.
Dear Sister…
Fondée en 2009, ce trio Torontoise (ça ce dit ça ?) est peut être encore un bon exemple du Canadiana. Americana de Canada, un pays dont les musiciens sur laquelle on peu coller l’étiquette “Americana”, sont a mon ample avis en train de renouveler le genre. Même si pour les oreilles peu entrainée la différence est difficile a cerner. Les influences roots sont clairement la, mais les mélodies (surtout celles des chants) sont différentes. Comme elle ne chante pas sur les mesures habituelles.
Mais ce qu’il me touche vraiment c’est le brut de coffrage du son et l’aspect minimaliste avec laquelle Dear Sister mettent en œuvre les morceaux sur cette album. J’écouter plusieurs fois, et puis j’ai cherché un peu sur le web. Puis je découvre le clip inclus dans cette page. Et presque je me dit qu’il aurais fallu enregistrer l’album comme dans le vidéo.
Ecoute, regarde et pleure. Oui, c’est aussi simple que ça, pas besoin des budgets de x-milliers d’euros (dollars). - Americana Music France
Raven Shields and Bri Salmena aren't sisters, but even though they live in separate cities (Toronto and Montreal), they perform together as though this is something they've grown up doing. The two girls have identical deadpan deliveries that perfectly complement the starkness of their arrangements and the dark subject matter of their songs. Two standouts are "Con Man," a brooding tale about a woman who starts a chain of destruction, and the self-descriptive "Cocaine Lady," wherein the girls sing in a cheerfully maudlin way, "Oh, what a mess I've made." The album has sweeter, quieter moments as well, such as "Singer in the Prison" and closing track "Hallelujah," which was recorded live in 2009 at Levon Helm's Midnight Ramble in Woodstock, NY. Dear Sister's first full-length release is a solid album and to listen to it is an absolute delight. - exclaim.ca
Raven Shields and Bri Salmena aren't sisters, but even though they live in separate cities (Toronto and Montreal), they perform together as though this is something they've grown up doing. The two girls have identical deadpan deliveries that perfectly complement the starkness of their arrangements and the dark subject matter of their songs. Two standouts are "Con Man," a brooding tale about a woman who starts a chain of destruction, and the self-descriptive "Cocaine Lady," wherein the girls sing in a cheerfully maudlin way, "Oh, what a mess I've made." The album has sweeter, quieter moments as well, such as "Singer in the Prison" and closing track "Hallelujah," which was recorded live in 2009 at Levon Helm's Midnight Ramble in Woodstock, NY. Dear Sister's first full-length release is a solid album and to listen to it is an absolute delight. - exclaim.ca
Discography
Dear Sister - Dear Sister (independent, 2011)
Photos
Bio
Dear Sister is a modern roots band from Toronto, Canada. Members Raven Shields, Bri Salmena and Aaron Comeau came together in 2008 and recorded their debut album in the winter of the following year. The band has been working hard, playing all over the country, touring around Ontario and the east coast of Canada. They have played numerous festivals including the Mariposa Folk Festival and the Winnipeg Folk Festival. In 2009, the band had the pleasure of opening for the late Levon Helm at one of his Midnight Rambles at his home in Woodstock, NY. In fact, the track "Hallelujah" was recorded live during that performance.
Dear Sister’s self-titled debut album features diverse arrangements and unique songwriting. Refusing to be labeled as one particular genre, the band works hard to produce a sound that is both modern and classic, drawing on country, folk, rock and roll, and blues influences. Dear Sister harnesses the energy of artists like The Band and Shovels & Rope, the solid songwriting of artists like Gillian Welch and the creative production of fellow Canadian musician Feist. The songwriting is both honest and imaginative, telling stories of love, loss, and what it means to be young.
In May of 2012, Dear Sister released a self-titled single. Also titled “Dear Sister”, the song showcases the strong writing abilities and brave and creative production that makes Dear Sister a force to be reckoned with.
The band has recently recorded their second full length album and has plans to release it in the spring of 2013. This release will included a much anticipated Canadian tour and both a US and a UK release.
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“Dear Sister's first full-length release is a solid album and to listen to it is an absolute delight.” - Randi Beers, Exclaim Magazine
“I’ll say right now that they’re going on my list of artists to watch in the future…The songs are short and mostly sweet but mature. They demonstrate self-awareness, drawing influence from a wide variety of music without being overly-ambitious; this is all but the perfect example of what a first album should be.” - Colcifer.com
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