Drive Faster
Gig Seeker Pro

Drive Faster

Toronto, Ontario, Canada | INDIE

Toronto, Ontario, Canada | INDIE
Band Rock Pop

Calendar

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

Music

Press


"Grinningskull.com"

Supernal is a band from Toronto, and was one of the first bands I came across that really made me sit up and take notice. The lead singer, Angela Elizabeth has an amazing set of pipes and the songs she writes express a range of different emotions and tell many different stories. Check out the song “Circles” on Garageband.com (you can play it from the page…no need to download). This is the song that hooked me. There are plenty of others that are just as good at the band’s webpage supernalband.com, where you will find downloads of complete songs. They also have a CD called “Not for Sale” which is available on iTunes (and other stores). - Phil Rickby


"Drive Faster Set to Speed Across the Landscape- Off The Dial"

Toronto quartet Drive Faster’s story actually began a while back in Calgary with the group Supernal. They achieved moderate success and a fair deal of attention with airplay on both college and commercial radio alike, plus tours across North America and opening spots for Angels & Airwaves and Sum41.

The band then moved to the Ontario capital and underwent a line-up change that now includes vocalist Angela Elizabeth, guitarist Tony Gare, drummer Michael Holbrook (formerly of Calgary group Creature Republic) and bassist Jon Marck. Since then, the four have been hard at work recording and getting their name out.

They’ve already garnered some attention from the likes of Andréanne Sasseville on Sirius Satellite Radio, performed to a packed crowd for Canadian Music Week last February and recorded the track “Analog” at Metalworks with producers Moe Berg (Pursuit of Happiness) and Lawrence Currie (Sloan, the Cliks).

They are currently in the process of recording their debut EP at their own downtown Toronto rehearsal space. The record is being produced entirely by the band and should be out soon. Holbrook was kind enough to give Off the Dial one of the tracks in advance (called “Suitcase”) and we’ve included it here for all to listen. Keep an eye out for more news on Drive Faster as things progress!

- Off The Dial - Chris Andrade


"Look in the sky....it's Supernal"

Watching Supernal at the Horseshoe Tavern and the energy and vibe they provide to their audience is infectious. The Calgary born group, now making their residence in Toronto, produces a burst of power that is unlike many other bands who only wish they can have under this genre of alternative. No superhero costumes here, Supernal portray an image that is normal just like your everyday Clark Kent. That's quite alright because you can tell that a lot of the band's blood, sweat and tears have gone into their songs. In addition to the genius of Tony Gare (guitar) and Brent Miller (bass) and their unforgettable riffs, Angela Elizabeth's emotionally charged voice takes this band to all levels as it rides to the moods of their music. The creative trance-like melodies on tracks such as "Glass" are captivating but pleasant complementing the emotions of Angela. It allows her to take charge of the microphone and give a performance that has so much personality and style.

Angela Elizabeth sings every sentence of her songs as if it were her last breath. There is no lack of tone, purpose, feeling or passion in every word she sings as she makes all of them count. She creates a sense of urgency for our ears as it serves as an entrance to your soul. This is evident at most on a track of that of a slow tempo. It may be the norm for most singers to create a hook on a fast tempo song but that is not the case when Supernal performs "How Do You Do." Every lyric in this song is emphasized to its fullest form by Angela which allows you to have a greater appreciation of her voice and the many different feelings she can express. What makes her unique is that she never gets too low or she never gets too high in her emotions and she never leads the music to go to different doldrums of feelings and may be even craziness. Supernal acutally fine tunes the voice of Angela as she picks you up just when you think you are going to feel down and to let you know that it is possible for bands to express their emotions with a touch of class. There is nothing too much or too less of that of Angela Elizabeth or Supernal. They ride that that fine wave of being superior.

Fernando Fernandez - Uncharted Sounds


"UP AND COMING MUSIC BUZZ"

BOBBi MAGAZINE SUMMER 08
UP AND COMING MUSIC BUZZ
who's who and what's what!

By Andreanne Sasseville- SIRIUS Satellite Radio

Who are they:
Angela Elizabeth -vocals and guitar
Tony Gare - guitar
Brent Miller - bass
Michael Holbrook - drums

Hometown
Toronto, Ontario

Debut disc:
They've got 4 EPs. The most recent one is called Not For Sale -2006

Their style:
Explosive Alternative Rock with a hint of house beats!

Band name history:
Angela right away introduced the band and explained its origins: "The name SUPERNAL means 'something celestial'. Everything that we love about music seems to have that similar sort of huge undefined mystery to it, so the name sums up what we would like our music to be thought of. Majestic beauty and powerful chaos. As an added bonus, no oneelse had it yet." (The girl is obviously original and practical.)

How it all started:
Just like high school sweethearts, (but this was a threesome, oops, a trio!), three of the band members have been playing music together since high school. Their first show took place, you guessed it, at that very same high school. The REAL defining moment for the band was between Angela and Brent at the Calgary Stampede, where they watched a free concert on the Coca-Cola Stage and decided that it would be fun to collaborate together to try to play on that very stage. A few years later, they fulfilled their dream. Numerous try outs (band members and band names) later, Supernal is solid.

Favourite city to play in:
Brent (smirk) mentions that whatever city they are playing in is the best one. Suck ups? No, they truly enjoy all the band's stops. But they do have a soft spot for Terrace, British Columbia. (MapQuest anyone?)

Favourite city to live in:
Canmore, Alberta. Although they have only stayed there for periods of days at a time, those days always included snowboarding, rock music, and hot tubs. (We want to go on tour with you guys!)

Pre-concert routine:
Angela sometimes punches Brent in the face. (How many black eyes to date please?)

Best and worst tour anecdote:
Angela clearly remembers most of the drama involved a propane van that they used to travel in. Outside of never being able to find propane and having no access to it after you finally did, the gas metre was broken as well. On the bright side, Angela recalls getting a discount on dinner. Once!

What they have been listening to latey:

In the band's van it has been the new Rilo Kiley, The Foo Fighters, Tegan and Sara, AniDifranco's new greatest hits album and thanks to Brent, a little bit of Zeitgeist. They're all over the map with their tastes but they believe it makes them stronger.

Craziest dream:

Brent (smirk): "My craziest dream involved me being chased by a giant colony of lepers while wearing fuzzy bunny slippers in the middle of January." (Ok silly we meant your goal, lifelong pursuit, deep motivation!)

The real answer:

Fame and fortune? Yes to that. But they are very happy with a lifelong career of makinggreat music for great people, inspiring while being inspired.

You should check this band out because:

Their music is just like their personality: friendly and upbeat. They are realistic and ambitious. Top that with talented. Take a trip to their majestic, chaotic, yet beautiful sky. Chances are you'll like the scenery.
- BOBBi MAGAZINE SUMMER 08


"CHART ATTACK"

CHART ATTACK
Trevor Morelli

In CD news, Supernal are ready to erupt with their latest EP, Not For Sale. The band have also decided to move to Toronto in order to take a shot at some serious big league success. Bassist Brent Miller says the band are excited to pack up and head east.

"It seems like a smart idea at this point. We believe in this band a lot and we feel like it's something that we have to do."

You have at one last chance to give Supernal your best wishes. They'll be hosting two CD release parties — one with Marble Engine at The Velvet Underground in Edmonton on February 3 and the other in Calgary at The Gate on February 4.

- Trevor Morelli


"Drive Faster at Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto - Thursday, July 22nd, 2010"

Female-fronted bands are no longer few and far between in this city; they’re everywhere. I’ll be completely honest in saying that I find a lot of female vocalists don’t fit the dynamic of their band’s music (and vice versa), which generally results in awkward, incomplete sounding songs. Last Thursday, I checked out Drive Faster’s CD Release show at Horseshoe and was genuinely relieved – this band works.

Whatever Angela Saini is doing, she’s doing it right. Her attitude, style, body language and voice are so classy and feminine, yet so rock star at the same time. She reminds me of Madonna in all her 80’s vogue glory – the kind that seems to be creeping into modern pop culture lately. This is a massive asset that, with lots of emphasis, would really work for this band. It’s already working.

Angela’s image combined with Drive Faster’s electro-pop rock sound produces a fresh and promising musical package. Rhythm seekers won’t be disappointed with their catchy and upbeat riffs filled in with modern pop synth. It’s the kind of music that only takes one or two listens to catch the groove regardless of whether or not it was your intention.

Vanessa Markov - Lithium Magazine


"Killers + Metric + Hot Female = DRIVE FASTER"

Angela from Drive Faster not only has a fantastic personality, she's got killer pipes and superb performance skills!

Drive Faster played on the YouDiscover stage at the Oakes Garden Theatre last Friday night, and it was a show you definitely didn't want to miss! The band played a fantastic set, but got a huge response from the audience during 'Before I Dry', an original that is catchy as well as vocally pleasing.
The hundreds that stood watching were mesmerized from start to finish, it was nothing short of an entertaining set!

Although they played first in the night's lineup, Angela got back on stage at the end of the night to sing alongside Running Red Lights as the fireworks went off behind them. Truly a beautiful moment!
If you missed the show or want to watch it again, head to their profile page, as videos will be up shortly!

- Indiscover


"Album Review: Drive Faster ~ Frame of Mind"

This past Thursday, Drive Faster celebrated their new album titled Frame of Mind, with a CD release party at The Legendary Horeshoe Tavern in Toronto, Ontario. The band called it “…an evening to remember”, on their website and thanked everyone who came to the show.

Drive Faster, with Lead Singer Angela Elizabeth (Saini), Guitarist Tony Gare, Drummer Michael Holbrook and Bassist Jon Marck, was previously known as Supernal.
After relocating to Toronto from Calgary the band decided they needed a new image to go along with the new city.
They transformed their naturally high energy into catchy and energetic electro-rock songs, with a faster pace and vibe than in their previous efforts. Drive Faster made its official debut at Canadian Music Week 2009.

The band quickly gained a loyal fanbase and along the way caught the attention of producers Moe Berg (Pursuit of Happiness) and Lawrence Currie (Sloan, The Cliks). They later worked with the producers at Metalworks Studios to record the song, “Analog”.
Having a strong presence, along with Angela’s vocals and the bands’ sound and style, Drive Faster is most often compared to the Killers or Metric.

Okay, enough about their history, how about their present. Frame of Mind is a solid collection of Indie/Dance/Rock. The band and album both have a lot of potential and promise.
Angela’s extraordinary vocal ability and songwriting skills express a range of different emotions and tell many different stories.
The album is full of memorable songs with catchy choruses. Favourites on this ablum include “Before I Dry”, “Suitcase”, “My Old Self” and the hauntingly beautiful “Raindrop”, a slower extended versioin of “Before I Dry”.

Frame of Mind will be available August 6th on iTunes and Amazon. Follow Drive Faster on the band’s official website www.drivefaster.com and their MySpace and Face Book pages.

- Off the Dial


"Drive Faster: "Frame of Mind" (album review)"



There's some strange about Frame of Mind, the debut album from Toronto guitar rock quartet Drive Faster. At first blush it sounds like the kind of overtly commercial alternative rock that any self-respecting music fan should eschew. But for some reason beyond me, you just can't help but keep listening.

The album kicks off with the slick alternative rocker "Before I Dry", and flows through seven more tracks of much of the same. There are a few that stand out, such as the bright and catchy title track or the shiny guitar/synth driven "All In Good Time", but generic power pop shouldn't be this good.

There are missteps of course. "Ripping Out the Pages" is a clichéd midtempo synth number, while the album closer "Rain Drop" is a stripped down, listless reprise of the opener, but booming vocals will have you forgiving those faux pas.

Sure, there's nothing terribly poignant or revelatory in the band's lyrics, and the arrangements aren't the most complex or challenging, but the music still manages to hold a visceral appeal to a listener who is open to a having a good time.

Best tracks:"Before I Dry", "Frame of Mind"

Track listing for Frame of Mind:

* Before I Dry
* Suitcase
* Ripping Out the Pages
* Thinking of You
* My Old Self
* Frame of Mind
* All In Good Time
* Rain Drop

6.5/10 - T.O. Snobs Music


Discography

"Frame of Mind" July 2010

Supernal Discography:
"Not For Sale" 2006
"Rhymes with Eternal" 2004


Photos

Bio

Infectious, cool and catchy, Drive Faster keeps dance-rock slick and savvy. Vroom vroom

A rhythmic band with an indie pop vibe, drummer Michael Holbrook, guitarist Tony Gare and bassist Jeff Scale lock into up-tempo, new wave grooves that will make you dance even if you dont know how. Frontwoman Angela Saini, trading in her electric guitar for a micro-Korg synthesizer last year, adds in melodic hooks with small twists and turns that result in memorable songs with catchy choruses that keep rolling on long after the band has packed up and left. Their music is just like their personality: friendly and upbeat. They are realistic and ambitious. Top that with talented (Andranne Sasseville Sirius Satellite Radio, BOBBi MAGAZINE).

Boasting a long history of touring across the continent from their original headquarters in Calgary, AB, Drive Faster are not a band to sit curb-side. Formerly known as Supernal, reviewers testified, the energy and vibe they provide to their audience is infectious (Uncharted Sounds, 2008). Shows opening for Angels and Airwaves and Sum 41, along with airplay on over 300 commercial and college radio stations, led the band to pack up and move to Toronto.

With a new name and electro-rock style, Drive Faster debuted their new sound at Canadian Music Week in 2009. Featured in an episode of Master Tracks on AUX TV, producers Moe Berg (Pursuit of Happiness, The Cliks) and Lawrence Currie (Sloan, Wintersleep) worked with the band to record the song Analog at Metalworks studio. Berg described the process as a homerun and during the episode says, The vocalist is just so outstanding. You almost get a rush when you are recording someone like that.

The debut, Frame of Mind was released to a packed crowd at the Legendary Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto in July and is available on iTunes and other retailers as Drive Faster heads to the fast lane. The depth and texture of the songs mixed with the emotive driving force of the band gives every indication the band is not slowing down. As Phillip Hong on FAB! Indie declared, they provide a sound that's energetic and inspiring. The lyrics actually make sense. And you don't need earplugs to enjoy its rebellious feel. What you do need are shoes to dance in.