Exit 451

“The Canadian band EXIT 451 sent us a nice promotional package with their first CD entitled ‘The Sea Above the Sky’. This album offers modern day laid-back moody and quite melancholic semi-progressive rock that sounds like if it was created in the UK. Think of a mix between COLDPLAY and a song based version of PORCUPINE TREE, then you’re quite close to the EXIT 451 sound. Without a doubt, this record might get the ball rolling for this band and the high level of their music will definitely to a lot of people worldwide. Better make sure to check them out at: www.exit451.ca ”
(Points: 8.5 out of 10)
- Stutter Magazine (The Netherlands), November 1st, 2011
- - Stutter Magazine (The Netherlands), November 1st, 2011

“The Canadian band EXIT 451 sent us a nice promotional package with their first CD entitled ‘The Sea Above the Sky’. This album offers modern day laid-back moody and quite melancholic semi-progressive rock that sounds like if it was created in the UK. Think of a mix between COLDPLAY and a song based version of PORCUPINE TREE, then you’re quite close to the EXIT 451 sound. Without a doubt, this record might get the ball rolling for this band and the high level of their music will definitely to a lot of people worldwide. Better make sure to check them out at: www.exit451.ca ”
(Points: 8.5 out of 10)
- Stutter Magazine (The Netherlands), November 1st, 2011
- - Stutter Magazine (The Netherlands), November 1st, 2011

“What a beautiful and relaxing track! (You Exist) Profound lyrics that will take you on a trip to yourself and string arrangements that kick in exactly were they should! Fantastic!”
“Exit 451 are great. Chilled out melancholic songs with heartfelt vocals and experimental drum and synth arrangements that take you to a place far away from routine and trouble. Good stuff! ”
- TOM BLOCK Manager/Owner El Mestizo Records Ltd, June 23rd, 2011
- TOM BLOCK Manager/Owner El Mestizo Records Ltd,

“What a beautiful and relaxing track! (You Exist) Profound lyrics that will take you on a trip to yourself and string arrangements that kick in exactly were they should! Fantastic!”
“Exit 451 are great. Chilled out melancholic songs with heartfelt vocals and experimental drum and synth arrangements that take you to a place far away from routine and trouble. Good stuff! ”
- TOM BLOCK Manager/Owner El Mestizo Records Ltd, June 23rd, 2011
- TOM BLOCK Manager/Owner El Mestizo Records Ltd,

“As we journey through the waters of life, we navigate toward our hopes and dreams. Life can be topsy turvy for a time, but ultimately we keep the horizon in view and travel ever onward. Exit 451 puts this life voyage into a musical ebb and flow. “Seek it all and follow your calling” says “Where the Sea Meets the Sky.” We do our best to steer clear of turbulent waters. And yet, the most beautiful moments of life sometimes require that we face the storms head on. “Western Child” with its childbirth references, calls us to “give like never before” saying “it’s time to free some of my love.” The Fall 2010 debut ‘The Sea above the Sky’ blends widely popular Duran Duran / Tears for Fears new wave elements with quirkier Queen style funk rock sounds. Weaving ambient and experimental threads into the retro fabric, Exit 451 creates a unique modern day pop rock sound. Based in Montreal, Canada, Exit 451 consists primarily of brothers Alain (guitars, keyboards, piano, arrangements) and Martin Avon (bass, arrangements) and JP Alepins (lyrics, vocals, piano). To capture the essence of their debut album, the trio recorded ‘The Sea above the Sky’ during a one-month closed retreat at Studio 451. For the album, Steve Nistor (Daniel Lanois’ tour drummer) recorded all drum and percussion tracks. Two drum kits were used, one of which was Jeremy Gara’s (Arcade Fire) C&C kit which Gara graciously lent to the band for the recording sessions. Pierre Marchand (Sarah McLachlan’s producer) also contributed to the recording, lending his vintage guitars and amps to the band. Out of the 12 complete songs recorded, 10 were carefully chosen for the album. ”
- MYRIAH CHRISTINE, Resonance Vibes, September 18, 2011
- MYRIAH CHRISTINE, Resonance Vibes,

“As we journey through the waters of life, we navigate toward our hopes and dreams. Life can be topsy turvy for a time, but ultimately we keep the horizon in view and travel ever onward. Exit 451 puts this life voyage into a musical ebb and flow. “Seek it all and follow your calling” says “Where the Sea Meets the Sky.” We do our best to steer clear of turbulent waters. And yet, the most beautiful moments of life sometimes require that we face the storms head on. “Western Child” with its childbirth references, calls us to “give like never before” saying “it’s time to free some of my love.” The Fall 2010 debut ‘The Sea above the Sky’ blends widely popular Duran Duran / Tears for Fears new wave elements with quirkier Queen style funk rock sounds. Weaving ambient and experimental threads into the retro fabric, Exit 451 creates a unique modern day pop rock sound. Based in Montreal, Canada, Exit 451 consists primarily of brothers Alain (guitars, keyboards, piano, arrangements) and Martin Avon (bass, arrangements) and JP Alepins (lyrics, vocals, piano). To capture the essence of their debut album, the trio recorded ‘The Sea above the Sky’ during a one-month closed retreat at Studio 451. For the album, Steve Nistor (Daniel Lanois’ tour drummer) recorded all drum and percussion tracks. Two drum kits were used, one of which was Jeremy Gara’s (Arcade Fire) C&C kit which Gara graciously lent to the band for the recording sessions. Pierre Marchand (Sarah McLachlan’s producer) also contributed to the recording, lending his vintage guitars and amps to the band. Out of the 12 complete songs recorded, 10 were carefully chosen for the album. ”
- MYRIAH CHRISTINE, Resonance Vibes, September 18, 2011
- MYRIAH CHRISTINE, Resonance Vibes,

About a month ago i was contacted by a Canadian group called 'EXIT 451' who have put together an album with the help of producer Mark Howard (U2, Bob Dylan, Marianne Faithfull, etc.) of Daniel Lanois' crew. They are a positive and forward-thinking bunch, making records, running a studio and generally being creative and so i offered my services of which they politely accepted.

The album was called 'The Sea Above the Sky', the group were into reversibility, portals and quantum physics(?), all of which appealed to me. I went over to my mums flat on a particularly foggy morning to take some pictures of the sea, i was interested in the lack of a horizon line and how one element fades to another. turning the image upside down made more of a mindbender out of it, suddenly looking like TV static. The chopped up lettering added to the uncertainty of it all, like some sort of code inviting to be cracked. Finally adding a metallic spot copper PMS for good measure. Overall i was very pleased with this bit of work, extremely simple both in its discussion and execution. Just the way it should be.
- Life on Marc Blog

Exit 451's The Sea Above the Sky (The 451 Recording House RH-EX-01-CA-09H-09) sounds both new and familiar. The album is reminiscent of early Cure and U2, with perhaps some Peter Gabriel thrown in, but it stands strongly on its own. It's a well-crafted disc, built around electronic keyboards, simple but effective guitar lines, and passionate lead vocals. And while it seems somewhat rooted in the music of the post-punk era, it doesn't feel dated. The Sea Above the Sky is such a confident debut that I wasn't surprised when I discovered that its creators have been working in the music industry for 20 years.

Martin and Alain Avon founded the band Imaginary Steps in Montreal in 1990 and enjoyed success with a single, "The More I Learn," which led to work in New York and opening slots for bigger acts. When the band's lead singer quit, the Avon brothers continued writing music and working in recording studios in Canada. In 1999 they met singer and songwriter JP Alepins, who joined them as a songwriting partner, pianist, and vocalist.

According to the band's bio, they suffered through management difficulties and other obstacles but continued to write and record. Their major focus soon became the resuscitation of The Bank Studio 451 in Montreal, which they fashioned into one of the best recording studios in North America. Since the studio reopened in 2004, both Canadian and American artists, including Daniel Lanois and Shakira, have recorded there. In 2009 the band became Exit 451 and established 451 Recording House as its own label.

When the Avons and Alepins were finally ready to pour their energy into recording the songs they had written, they chose an associate of Lanois, Mark Howard, whose extensive resume includes work with Bob Dylan, Tom Waits, and REM. The Sea Above the Sky uses some current digital technology, but it's analog in its approach. It contains no editing or post-production sweetening, and in contrast to so many contemporary pop recordings, it's rich in sonic detail without being crowded or fatiguing. It breathes, and because of the band's talent and experience each detail is well chosen and necessary.
The disc's vintage sound is appropriate for the music's overall feel, which is reminiscent of some of the best late 1980s and '90s bands. Alepins includes Depeche Mode, David Bowie, Gorillaz, and Radiohead on his list of influences, and he says that Peter Gabriel, Coldplay, and U2 are touchstones for The Sea Above the Sky because of the natural recording process (the band recorded live with very few edits) and the sound treatment (they used tube microphones, tube compressors, and analog SSL strips). Listen closely and you'll also hear hints of Chasing Shadows, one of my favorite post-punk records from the '80s, by C.S. Angels (known outside of the US as the Comsat Angels).

The sparseness of the arrangements on The Sea Above the Sky highlights the strength of the songs. "You Exist" opens with a guitar arpeggio, keys, bass, drums (Steve Nistor is the drummer on all tracks), and Alepins' vocal. During the verse, instrumentation scales back to piano, bass, a softly strummed guitar, and drums. The relative simplicity of the arrangements allows the listener to concentrate on the melody and lyrics. "We wanted to liberate the lyrics and left some space for the listener to hop in," Alepins said in a recent interview. "In order to do that, we simplified some parts, we improvised a lot (we never played our parts the same way twice), and we were never really given the chance of doing more than two takes."

"Face of Maya," a terrific straight-ahead rocker, features a strong groove by Nistor and an effective and melodic bass line by Martin Avon. Alain Avon plays a funky acoustic guitar that carries the harmonic structure of the song, but it's his witty, psychedelic-era fuzz guitar that sells it. A sputtering lead guitar line, mixed slightly back, closes each of the choruses. "Face of Maya" is one of the tunes that marks Exit 451 as a great band that can't be categorized. "Morning Star," the song that follows, also seems to embrace several genres -- modern rock, disco, and post-punk -- to create something unique and memorable. At just under two and a half minutes, it's the perfect single.
Martin Avon's intelligent arrangements guide the songs, but producer Mark Howard also helped move the band in the right direction. "[He] works in a very instinctive way," Alepins said. "He reads the lyrics, picks one, and asks us to play an acoustic version to start with. Then we all improvise in the control room while Mark gives some initial directions to the band. We build the songs in a very organic way; we all follow the same creation stream. And when the magic operates, we start the recordings. In the end, some songs will stay very close the demos, while some other songs can turn out to be surprisingly different. Most of the album was recorded that way -- we needed very few edits and overdubs."

The intelli - Sound Stage Magazine

«I can't say enough about this band, Exit 451 (...) the dynamics in their songs just rock, it's like an old friend (...) the first play and you're stuck on it, you can't take it off your mind... Now THAT is talent!»
Lisa D. Smith, Big Blend Radio (AZ) - Lisa D. Smith

«I can't say enough about this band, Exit 451 (...) the dynamics in their songs just rock, it's like an old friend (...) the first play and you're stuck on it, you can't take it off your mind... Now THAT is talent!»
Lisa D. Smith, Big Blend Radio (AZ) - Lisa D. Smith

Sep 21st, 2010 •
Montreal, Canada’s Trio Long Awaited
Debut Album ‘The Sea Above the Sky’
Was Produced By Mark Howard (Bob Dylan,
Tom Waits, Marianne Faithfull) At Their
State Of The Art The Bank Studio 451, One
Of The Top Recording Facilities in Canada

Exit 451’s Debut Single “Where the Sea Meets the Sky”
Was The #1 Most Added Track Its First Week on the
FMQB AC40 Chart

Bringing a hypnotic twist to a richly melodic pop-rock vibe, Montreal based trio Exit 451 reaches to The Sea Above the Sky, zeroing in on an album title that would convey the depth of its winding creative journey while exploring the immensity and deep mystery of love that carries thought many of its songs.

Brothers Alain (guitars, piano, keyboards, arrangements) and Martin Avon (bass, arrangements) and lyricist/vocalist JP Alepins cleverly spin the concept of infinity and remoteness on their debut single “Where The Sea Meets The Sky,” which was the #1 most added track its first week on the FMQB AC40 Chart.

The cool moniker parallels don’t stop there. Exit 451 recorded The Sea Above the Sky at The Bank Studio 451, the full-service facility the band rebuilt and owns in Montreal that is one of Canada’s leading facilities. Its Yamaha grand piano, 96 channel SSL 9000 J console, vintage boards and mics and classic analog capabilities (in addition to today’s standard Pro Tools rig) have made it a premiere destination for classical, jazz, pop and rock artists, vocal ensembles and producers from all over the world. The 6,500 square foot studio was dubbed The Bank because in its original form, it was built in an old bank building; all of the safes are still used to store microphones, valuable equipment and even masters.

Using live jazz drum mic’ing (with three mics on one drum) and capturing most of the songs in a live setting with two takes or less, the band—working with veteran producer Mark Howard—went the old school route, achieving a warm feeling by using analog technology through most of the recording process. Keeping that “old school” momentum going in the marketing phase, Exit 451 will be releasing the album on vinyl in addition to CDs and worldwide digital distribution via Believe Digital in Germany. Balancing that for the digital consumer, the band is also selling high quality MP3’s of 8-10 MB (much larger than the average digital download) of its songs on their website.

Howard, who used his Radar device for optimal sonic results, has produced projects for Bob Dylan, The Tragically Hip, Tom Waits and Marianne Faithfull. As Lanois’ onetime engineer, he also worked on classic albums by legends like Neil Young, Robert Plant and U2.

Drummer Steve Nistor (Lanois, Robert Plant, Steve Albini) recorded all the percussion tracks and created the album’s funk, dub, rock and reggae grooves using two drum kits—including one lent to him by Jeremy Gara of Arcade Fire. The Sea Above the Sky was mastered in L.A. by Gavin Lurssen of Lurssen Mastering, who has worked on projects by everyone from Guns N’ Roses to Sheryl Crow and also did the soundtrack to the Oscar winning film Slumdog Millionaire.

The album art was developed by graphic artist Marc Bessant, best known for his work for Peter Gabriel’s label Real World. The album is the first to be released on the band’s The 451 Recording House label.

“I have worked with Alain and Martin Avon since the late 90s,” says JP “and it’s very fulfilling to finally have the opportunity to record an album of this caliber after many years of false stops and starts, lack of funds to really make the recording we wanted to, and then devoting several years to developing The Bank Studio 451. While our initial goal was always to record an album, we took a lot of twists and turns and other routes back to our first love. It took a lot of financial sacrifice to build up our studio business, and we reinvested our profits for several years to get it to this point. Once it was up and running and we felt the stars were aligned, we started pre-recording in 2008 and worked on the album with Mark in 2009. While we’re gearing up to go on tour in 2011, we’re also spending some time in the studio writing material for the next album.”

While the three members of Exit 451 had always been writing strong material, JP adds that hooking up with Howard helped the trio make significant creative breakthroughs. “Mark gave us back the spontaneity it takes to write and record great music,” he says. “For a long time, we were really focusing on techniques, and we wanted to raise our level of musicianship beyond that and just relax and perform. His approach was refreshing, concentrating on unique atmospheres, keeping it live and in the moment and giving the whole album a warm, human feeling.”

The rise of “Where The Sea Meets The Sky” on the FMQB chart and their upcoming tour have the ring of a proverbial overnight success 20 years in the making. In 1990, Alain and Martin Avon founded one of Montreal’s most popular u - Popyoularity.com

Sep 21st, 2010 •
Montreal, Canada’s Trio Long Awaited
Debut Album ‘The Sea Above the Sky’
Was Produced By Mark Howard (Bob Dylan,
Tom Waits, Marianne Faithfull) At Their
State Of The Art The Bank Studio 451, One
Of The Top Recording Facilities in Canada

Exit 451’s Debut Single “Where the Sea Meets the Sky”
Was The #1 Most Added Track Its First Week on the
FMQB AC40 Chart

Bringing a hypnotic twist to a richly melodic pop-rock vibe, Montreal based trio Exit 451 reaches to The Sea Above the Sky, zeroing in on an album title that would convey the depth of its winding creative journey while exploring the immensity and deep mystery of love that carries thought many of its songs.

Brothers Alain (guitars, piano, keyboards, arrangements) and Martin Avon (bass, arrangements) and lyricist/vocalist JP Alepins cleverly spin the concept of infinity and remoteness on their debut single “Where The Sea Meets The Sky,” which was the #1 most added track its first week on the FMQB AC40 Chart.

The cool moniker parallels don’t stop there. Exit 451 recorded The Sea Above the Sky at The Bank Studio 451, the full-service facility the band rebuilt and owns in Montreal that is one of Canada’s leading facilities. Its Yamaha grand piano, 96 channel SSL 9000 J console, vintage boards and mics and classic analog capabilities (in addition to today’s standard Pro Tools rig) have made it a premiere destination for classical, jazz, pop and rock artists, vocal ensembles and producers from all over the world. The 6,500 square foot studio was dubbed The Bank because in its original form, it was built in an old bank building; all of the safes are still used to store microphones, valuable equipment and even masters.

Using live jazz drum mic’ing (with three mics on one drum) and capturing most of the songs in a live setting with two takes or less, the band—working with veteran producer Mark Howard—went the old school route, achieving a warm feeling by using analog technology through most of the recording process. Keeping that “old school” momentum going in the marketing phase, Exit 451 will be releasing the album on vinyl in addition to CDs and worldwide digital distribution via Believe Digital in Germany. Balancing that for the digital consumer, the band is also selling high quality MP3’s of 8-10 MB (much larger than the average digital download) of its songs on their website.

Howard, who used his Radar device for optimal sonic results, has produced projects for Bob Dylan, The Tragically Hip, Tom Waits and Marianne Faithfull. As Lanois’ onetime engineer, he also worked on classic albums by legends like Neil Young, Robert Plant and U2.

Drummer Steve Nistor (Lanois, Robert Plant, Steve Albini) recorded all the percussion tracks and created the album’s funk, dub, rock and reggae grooves using two drum kits—including one lent to him by Jeremy Gara of Arcade Fire. The Sea Above the Sky was mastered in L.A. by Gavin Lurssen of Lurssen Mastering, who has worked on projects by everyone from Guns N’ Roses to Sheryl Crow and also did the soundtrack to the Oscar winning film Slumdog Millionaire.

The album art was developed by graphic artist Marc Bessant, best known for his work for Peter Gabriel’s label Real World. The album is the first to be released on the band’s The 451 Recording House label.

“I have worked with Alain and Martin Avon since the late 90s,” says JP “and it’s very fulfilling to finally have the opportunity to record an album of this caliber after many years of false stops and starts, lack of funds to really make the recording we wanted to, and then devoting several years to developing The Bank Studio 451. While our initial goal was always to record an album, we took a lot of twists and turns and other routes back to our first love. It took a lot of financial sacrifice to build up our studio business, and we reinvested our profits for several years to get it to this point. Once it was up and running and we felt the stars were aligned, we started pre-recording in 2008 and worked on the album with Mark in 2009. While we’re gearing up to go on tour in 2011, we’re also spending some time in the studio writing material for the next album.”

While the three members of Exit 451 had always been writing strong material, JP adds that hooking up with Howard helped the trio make significant creative breakthroughs. “Mark gave us back the spontaneity it takes to write and record great music,” he says. “For a long time, we were really focusing on techniques, and we wanted to raise our level of musicianship beyond that and just relax and perform. His approach was refreshing, concentrating on unique atmospheres, keeping it live and in the moment and giving the whole album a warm, human feeling.”

The rise of “Where The Sea Meets The Sky” on the FMQB chart and their upcoming tour have the ring of a proverbial overnight success 20 years in the making. In 1990, Alain and Martin Avon founded one of Montreal’s most popular u - Popyoularity.com

Montreal rockers Exit 451 create smooth, laid back but by no means boring brand of experimental rock. Ambient keyboards, elegant piano chords, angular guitar riffs and Jean-Philippe's haunting vocals all combine to make a cool exotic sound. Listen to song excerpts from the band's album The Sea Above The Sky on www.exit451.ca - Indies and The Underground, review by Kevin Neil

Montreal rockers Exit 451 create smooth, laid back but by no means boring brand of experimental rock. Ambient keyboards, elegant piano chords, angular guitar riffs and Jean-Philippe's haunting vocals all combine to make a cool exotic sound. Listen to song excerpts from the band's album The Sea Above The Sky on www.exit451.ca - Indies and The Underground, review by Kevin Neil