Falklands

Words about Falklands:
“...a tight, 70's influenced guitar rock band with a lot of heart and soul...” – Jim Di Gioia, Quick Before It Melts

“...musically capturing and pushing the sound and spirit of early British punk and melding it with classic soul and rock... watch this band if you want your boat shaken as much as your booty...” – Andrew Candela, Beatroute Magazine

“...the band's infectious, energetic live shows reveal its chemistry as much as its punk roots—although it should be noted that the sound is something more along the lines of '70s rock meets '80s new wave...” – David Berry, VUE Weekly Magazine

“...young, adventitious, and definitely talented, a small jewel from the cold borders of Canada...” – Kamil Krawczyk, Discorder Magazine

“...a hint of mid-70s hard rock, melodies from the pop sounds of the 1950s and '60s, and a Motown bounce provide a contrast to the rougher, indie rock 'n' roll, even punk-rock base the band seems to have...” – Hamish Maclean, Banff Crag & Canyon


Reviews of Think About It:
“...a 10-song collection of rock numbers with Motown rhythms, ragged folk melodies, and soulful vocals...” – Sandra Sperounes, Edmonton Journal

“...Think About It is a solid rock record. There's no frills, no superfluous hoopla...” – Peter Kearns, TO Snobs Music

“...an intangible sense of urgency is embedded into every one of their ragged, punk-influenced rock songs...” – Nicole Villeneuve, Exclaim! Magazine

“...songs are powered by neo-Motown bass lines and slashing, melodic guitar lines, and there’s more than a hint of Thin Lizzy or Springsteen to be found...” – Tom Murray, Edmonton Journal

“...simple, yet extremely compelling...a definite throwback to the heydays of good ol’ rock n roll...” – Kamil Krawczyk, Discorder Magazine

“...Think About It would best be defined as rock-tinged power pop...” – Scott Bryson, CHARTattack

“...Think About It finds the band maturing and fine tuning their sound. The songs are still full of punch; cymbal crashes and heavy bass lines mix with power chords and surprising finger work to create a dense pocket, but for the first time Falklands tease moments of poppy bliss and nice tempo changes into the equation...” – Bryan Acker, Herohill


Reviews of Bastille Day:
“...the energy and fun they deliver on all five songs show that Falklands are more than happy playing some straight up punk tinged rock n' roll...” – Bryan Acker, Herohill

“...a four-song straight-up rock ‘n roll jam that takes the likes of Nick Lowe or Elvis Costello with a pint of dark beer...” – Thomas Patrick Pringle, SEE Magazine


Reviews of Stephanie b/w Jeez Louise:
“...this seven minutes is the type you just leave on repeat...” – Bryan Acker, Herohill

“...sometimes endearingly sugary and sometimes with a considerable amount of soul, the group's new seven-inch is beyond danceable...” – Bryan Birtles, VUE Weekly Magazine

“...two songs designed to make you squeal and shake...this one’s for the all-night party at a nudist camp...: -- Fish Griwkowsky, SEE Magazine

“...they design both of these songs to jerk and tug, with an ear for melodic hooks that place these new boys well ahead of other new city bands...” – Tom Murray, Edmonton Journal

- Misc.

For a group of young rockers from Edmonton, Falklands is kind of going old school as they work toward getting their name out there and building a fan base.

Falklands – Mark Budd (guitar), Lee Klippenstein (bass), Jason Stevenson (vocals, guitar) and Jerf (drums) – play Banff’s Rose & Crown, Jan. 12-13.

The band, put together in 2009, have recorded and released three EPs, toured Western Canada and, while their music can be found in the digital world, the four-piece has also embraced old school vinyl as a medium.

Their Rose gig, said Budd, “will be a small introduction of Falklands to mountain towns. And hopefully we can get out there more after this.”

Band members, with the exception of Klippenstein, got together, wrote some songs, discovered there was some chemistry, “and we just kept going from there,” said Budd. “We had an early lineup change, our bass player couldn’t commit the time and Lee joined, but now we’re hanging out, writing songs and playing and that’s what we want to be doing.”

Falklands’ bass-heavy rock ‘n’ roll sound ranges from the throwback catchy sound of “Jeez Louise” to harder driving “Down with the Drunks” to the more mournful “Lonely Soul”.

The band’s first EP, Spring Break!, set a precedent in that it was a kitchen takeover project. “We took over Jerf’s kitchen, set up amps between the stove and fridge and recorded. We needed something to take on our first tour.

“Then we did a seven-inch record in April, 2009. We had two songs recorded and pressed on vinyl and I think it shows the two sides of what the band is about; straightforward rock and poppin’ music that’s going to make you move your feet.”

A second EP, Bastille Day, was another kitchen takeover at Jerf’s place. “We hung out, had a few beers and got it recorded.”

In spring, the band is going back to vinyl as they’ll travel to the Hive Studio in Vancouver to record and press a 12-song, 12-inch record. Songwriting is currently underway.

“We put down in stone early on that we want to be on vinyl,” said Budd. “Our EPs were burned CDs, kind of the demo tape from 20 years ago, but we think vinyl is a good medium for recorded music.

“With a record, you take the time to listen through, you don’t skip songs and shuffle songs and we think it’s a better experience. We’ll have digital options as well, though. If you buy a record, you’ll get a download as well.

“Most people buy a cd, download it and put it away. We want the record to be kept around, though. And we’re saying, ‘Hey, you bought the vinyl, now go to the website and download.

“I think that’s the staying power of vinyl. Also, the artwork is a good part of the package. It has nothing to do with the music, but you can check it out while playing the music and hanging out with friends.”

Budd is an Edmontonian, while Jerf is from Vancouver and previously was on the sticks with indie rockers The Doers, while Jason and Lee are from Hinton and Camrose, respectively, where, “there was nothing to do on cold winter nights but hang out with friends and play music,” said Budd.

Putting the band together was something of a merry-go-round as Stevenson originally contacted Budd about putting a band together to play and record. The pair got together and hit it off musically, then went searching for a drummer, “which is a tough process in Edmonton,” he said. “A good drummer is either playing in nine or 10 bands, or is too busy with work or school.

“I called Lee about a drummer and he said phone up Jerf and he’ll do it, guaranteed. Then our original bass guy had other commitments, so me and Lee had beers and donairs and he joined the band.

“it was like a spiderweb of mutual friends. Lee suggested Jerf, and once he heard us play, he wanted in. It’s hard to describe the feeling of playing music with these guys and i couldn’t think of Falklands as being anything but the four of us.

“We’re just some friends who play music and love music and are excited about what we’re creating. I think our music is small pieces of everybody’s personality and we’re a rock ‘n’ roll band; there’s no way to deny it.”

-Dave Whitfield
- Rocky Mountain Outlook

Mark Budd, guitarist for the Edmonton four-piece the Falklands, is well aware of the statement that's being made these days by releasing a seven-inch as a band's first release. He's also aware of the fact that the band had to rush to record a four-song EP and burn it onto CDRs because their first tour was planned before they had a chance to get the self-titled seven-inch pressed speaks to how fast the Falklands have been moving since they formed early 2009.

"Since last January it's always seemed like we've had these mini-deadlines or mini-projects going on," he said. "All the while we're just trying to keep writing new songs — inspiration's just coming. . . . It's a wild ride, we're constantly either recording or playing or writing. It's great to keep busy. It keeps you motivated, inspired and it keeps you having fun."

Though they're playing two shows in Banff next week, the band is in the studio now, as a backing band on a friend's project.

They're playing shows around the Capital city regularly and with a constantly growing catalogue the one-year-old project has definitely hit the ground running.

The only two members of the Falklands who had played together in the past were Budd and the bass player Lee, who played a show together on Halloween. Budd stepped in to help Lee's former band 40 Thieves. In Edmonton, they do this thing called "bands as bands" for Halloween where local bands learn a cover set of tunes of really any other band and dress up like them for one night. Budd stepped in to play guitar as 40 Thieves took on Thin Lizzy.

And the Falklands' music does have a hint of mid-70s hard rock to it. Melodies from the pop sounds of the 1950s and '60s and a Motown bounce provide a contrast to the rougher, indie rock 'n' roll, even punk-rock base the band seems to have.

A few songs in and you'll know you're listening to a band of avid music listeners.

"It's all about sharing records, listening to it and picking apart pieces that we love," Budd said. "Last night after we recorded, we all went back to (drummer) Jerf's house and listened to some records for a bit and went home — it's a usual thing when you don't want to go out on the town, you just go to somebody's house and listen to some records.

"You can hear our influences, but you can also hear how we've adapted it."

The Falklands play the Rose & Crown in Banff Jan.12 and Jan. 13.

- Banff Crag & Canyon

The band, Falklands, are intent on riding that line between punk and rock, and it’s always surprising to see what kind of preconceptions people read into such a declaration. Like is the band deterred by the random guy sitting near them during an interview who interrupts with: “Maybe I could get an autograph? You never know, you guys could be the next Nickelback?”

“I don’t want to make shitty music,” laughs guitarist Mark Budd while coolly responding to our conversation’s impromptu gatecrasher. Falklands play rock music and, rest assured, stay true to their own roots. “All of us kinda come from a punk-rock background,” says bassist Lee Klippenstein. “We’re taking that punk-rock thing and filtering it through pop music.”

Falklands are set to release their new EP Bastille Day: a four-song straight-up rock ‘n roll jam that takes the likes of Nick Lowe or Elvis Costello with a pint of dark beer. With several tours and three EPs under their belt, these Edmonton boys have it figured out when it comes to bringing out the crazy in the small towns of the Prairies: “I love playing small towns where the only thing they have to do is go out and see live music,” Budd says, “they get so amped when a band is loud, and the PA is breaking up!”

When they’re not busy setting off fireworks in a Saskatoon bar, or sharing their covered stage with a dancing rained-out crowd at a festival in Hinton, their tours balance off with some honest-to-roots gigs: “Sometimes we have to play three-set shows,” Budd says, “we’re basically the entertainment in the bar for a night.”

“There’s the odd shows too that a lot of people might consider to be ‘shitty shows,’” Klippenstein says. “Some of the mountain towns you play, there have been five or six people who have stayed around for all three sets and danced all night … you don’t need to play to 300 people to have a good time.”

And that’s the thing about Falklands: their music comes from an honest place. “It really feels good when people get it. They get what going to see a live band is all about: losing all inhibition, having a good time, screaming at the top of their lungs, and dancing,” says Budd.

So, what do the Falkland Islands have to do with this portrait of a hard-working Albertan rock band? “You ever have a shitty day, and you’re just like ‘I want to escape from here, be off the radar everywhere’ … [It’s about] immersing yourself in this place where you can just find refuge,” Budd says. “Why beat yourself up when you could be doing something that brings you joy in the world?”

It’s comforting to have musicians who still care about entertainment and having a good time without the reserves of pretension. That said, the next time you find yourself in a bar with Falklands and you have someone enter your conversation with the sobering thought of: “I’m an old rock ‘n roll guy, the dream died ages ago,” you will have Klippenstein close at hand to laugh and sarcastically call out: “That was the death of rock ‘n roll!” As long as you have acts like Falklands, there will always be the guitar solo, the drop kick, the smashed instrument days of yore — and these guys will have a raucous good time reminding you.

-Thomas Patrick Pringle

- SEE Magazine

Moving back even further in time, the new Falklands 45 captures working-class ’80s angst, right down to its last-dance organ and punchy sax. Two songs designed to make you squeal and shake, with a nice little Mark Mothersbaugh spoken word in the middle of the second song, I can’t wait to hear what comes out of recording in Vancouver. Definitely not CBC filler, this one’s for the all-night party at a nudist camp.

-Fish Griwkowsky

Falklands
Stephanie b/w Jeez Louise
(Independent)
4 stars
- SEE Magazine

A few months ago I made a casual mention of how my list of records to discuss on herohill was interrupted by a little known outfit from Edmonton by the name of Falklands. The young band had sent over a copy of their 7" and the A side - Stephanie - was an inspired, energetic Chisel-era Ted Leo-ish jam. The back side - Jeez Louise - was a catchy slice of Hi-Fives surf pop-punk that never took itself seriously and made you nod along happily. Basically, in 7-minutes, the band made you take notice and get excited.

Flash forward to this week and once again a quick email from guitar man Mark Budd basically triggered the same chain of events. Record from Dave Myles, Plants & Animals, Caribou and Mark Sultan all got pushed back into the pile and their new EP - Bastille Day - has occupied much of my daily listening.

I suppose it shouldn't be a huge surprise for a young band to change their sound as they start to grow as a band, but the peppy mod and pop punk ditties are nowhere to be found on Bastille Day. Instead, the band offers up some rough, guitar heavy bar rock more inspired from UK acts that dominated the 70's rock scene. Heal My Hand booms out of the blocks and right away you sense a bit of a swagger coming from the speakers. Obviously playing shows and writing songs has given the Edmontonians the confidence to crank it up and start finding their own sound, but even more important is the new collection of influences that they sample from.

Dancing in the Moonlight is an aggressive tip of the cap to Van Morrison that the band handles surprisingly well by adding drum fills and heavier guitar solos to balance the melody and softer vocals and they even close the EP with a rough and ready cover of Tom Petty's Refugee that feels like it was recorded after a sweat filled session and a case of beers. But the thing is, the energy and fun they deliver on all five songs show that Falklands are more than happy playing some straight up punk tinged rock n' roll. In an age where the recipe of guitars, drums, and bass is often dismissed as juvenile or simplistic, I'm on board with any band that has the balls and riffs to make you dance and drink without any gimmicks, studio magic or trying to tap into the buzziest of sounds.

-Bryan Acker
- Herohill.com

I don't really have a set method for deciding what I post about on herohill. I have a couple review stacks that I organize in order of interest, countless emails with stars beside them, some playlists with the bands I want to talk about, and the best of intentions, but when you get flooded with emails on a daily basis, it's hard to prioritize and give each record enough time to really sink in.

Case in point, I was all set to start banging out my thoughts on EP Island - a new project ft members of Portico (!!) and Down the Lees (!!) - when I made the mistake of clicking on an email from one of the guys in the Edmonton quartet, Falklands and listening to the lead single from their new 7".

Once the crunch of some delightful mod-ish guitar exploded out of my speakers, I was hooked. The lead single, Stephanie reminds me of the songs that made Chisel so fantastic - I know all you Ted Leo fans have liked him long enough to remember that band - heavy on punch, melody and blissful, teenage style love sickness. The riff is a head nodder and even the heavy guitar work that shreds through the last minute and a half seems natural and gets you giving that guitar face even if you are rocking out alone.

The band shows a more diversity on the b-side, hitting the listener with the more soulful Jeez Louise. The 50's rock vibe is bolstered by surprising horn work. The crunch is still there, as are the nice drum fills, but its the blasts of horns that really grabs you and shows this band could grow into something special. This seven minutes is the type you just leave on repeat - my play count seems to prove that - and if they can come close to replicating this excitement on a full length, well, look out.

-Bryan Acker

- Herohill.com

Don't let Lou Reed tell you any different-- girls always make for the best subject matter in rock music, and even if the Stephanie he wrote about back when is immeasurably different from the one Edmonton's own Falklands are fretting about on their debut seven-inch, it's not by much. Mind you, the members of Falklands aren't engaged in questions of alienation. When it comes down to it, the best answer they have to any and all conundrums is to dance, which places them squarely in the tradition of the '70s mod revivalists. They design both of these songs to jerk and tug, with an ear for melodic hooks that place these new boys well ahead of other new city bands.

-Tom Murray

Falklands
Stephanie b/w Jeez Louise
(Independent)
3.5 stars
- Edmonton Journal

It's long been a contention of this paper that old punks don't die, they just form alt-country bands—but it appears the tide might be turning. The members of Falklands have punk rock bonafides as long as a basketball player's arm—if you look closely, and imagine a hefty Oil of Olay regimen, you might recognize some of the members of the Falklands from bands like the Kasuals, the Doers and 40 Thieves, among others—and yet this is pure pop. Sometimes endearingly sugary and sometimes with a considerable amount of soul, the group's new seven-inch is beyond danceable. Revolving around romance that doesn't so much go wrong as it just never seems to go right, A side "Stephanie" is the harder rocking of the two, while B side "Jeez Louise"—which continues the romantic woes theme of the single—has more of a doo-wop tone, with back up vocals worth double the price of admission on their own.

-Bryan Birtles

Falklands
Stephanie b/w Jeez Louise
(Independent)
4 stars

- Vue Weekly Magazine

They're sitting around a bar table, but for the boisterous activity and insular ribbing, it might as well be a kitchen table. Bands can be notoriously tight little groups—multiple practices a week and extended periods in cramped vans have a way of solidifying bonds—but even so, Falklands is an abnormally close band, the kind of group for whom playing music is as much an excuse to see each other as it is a creative outlet. Their conversation is nothing but easy chemistry, the group parting when someone needs to make a point, but also quick to head off on a tangent about New England Clam Chowder or Paul Bunyon, especially if there's a joke to be made.

I've run across families with a worse sense of self, and it's likely a sign of the effortlessness of the bond that the foursome—singer/guitarist Jason Stevenson, lead guitarist Mark Budd, bassist Lee Klippenstein and drummer Jerf—can't really point to any one thing as holding them together.

They got together through the standard band game of "I know a guy," but it's obvious by now that whatever tangential connections first put them in the same jam space, there's a whole stronger set of new ones that have formed. Part of it might be, offers Stevenson, experience: they've all got old bands on the resume—the Kasuals, the Doers, 40 Thieves—and nothing helps a new band like learning lessons in an old one.

"Bands are relationships, and everyone's been in a relationship where you spend a large amount of time with a person or people. We're polyamorous, by the way," he points out.

"It's like dating three dudes," chimes in Jerf, not missing a beat.

"It is. And like that, you have to put in work, and things break down because you don't, or because you were too young to know better, or anything like that," continues Stevenson. "But every time you start from scratch, you're like, 'OK, I'm not going to make that fucking mistake again.' And that's not even in reference to bands. We all just fuck up over and over and over again, and hopefully learn from it."

"I'm a fuck up!" pipes up Klippenstein, and the whole band joins in a round of cheers. You can't say they don't stick together.

But if there's work to keep themselves together, it doesn't come across, in any venue. The band's infectious, energetic live shows reveal its chemistry as much as its punk roots—although it should be noted that the sound is something more along the lines of '70s rock meets '80s new wave—and the group's abnormally prolific: despite being together for a little over a year, the band already boasts one seven-inch (self-titled) and two EPs (the previous Spring Break! and the just-released Bastille Day) to its name. The band doesn't give it much thought, though: for the members, the chance to record is just another chance to hang out, especially with the EPs, weekend affairs laid down in members' kitchens in between drinks and requests from girlfriends to control themselves.

"Every time you go in to record, it's just a nerve-wracking experience. Doing it in the comfort of our own homes, though, was fun, and it's not like something we spent tons of money on, so there's no pressure," explains Stevenson. "We got drunk and spent most of the time barbecuing."

-David Berry


- Vue Weekly Magazine

While there isn't anything decidedly tormented about Falklands' debut full-length, an intangible sense of urgency is embedded into every one of their ragged, punk-influenced rock songs. As heard in the Edmonton, AB band's earlier releases, there's a strong inclination to go pretty pop, not unlike some of their strongest claimed influences: the Buzzcocks or Ted Leo. And while a large hint of the latter is heard clearly on "Southern Cross" and "Hell Is Up," the truth is that the majority of Think About It wouldn't have any trouble getting multi-platform radio play across the country. It might be the production edge of former d.b.s. vocalist/current Vancouver super-producer Jesse Gander, but Think About It has some underlying bristle that's uncharacteristic of straight-ahead guitar pop like this. If the rootsy gusto felt in "Lonely Soul" or standout track "Saint Vinny" could be harnessed and fostered, Falklands would be making better use of the now murky, earnest-y parts of their work and still not lose any of the heart. - Exclaim! Magazine

Sometimes it's the most basic albums that make an impact with you. When a band strips things back to the guitar/bass/drums and bangs out some raw tunes it hits all the right chords. That's exactly the kind of album we get in Think About It, the new record from Edmonton's Falklands.

Tracks like the opener "It's Good To See You" are the soundtrack of a bunch of guys having fun playing their songs. There are ample hooks as songs like "Hell Is Up", "Saint Vinny" and "Earthquake", with it's Motown-inspired tumbling bassline, bop along.

Occasionally you do want a little bit more contrast between songs. Falklands don't necessarily need to add fancy instruments or dabble in obscure styles, but some additional variation in tempo and rhythm would make each song more distinctive than they currently are, thus making for a more sustained interesting listen.

When all is said and done, Think About It is just a solid rock record. There's no frills, no superfluous hoopla. It's the kind of album that makes you think: 'yeah, rock is still alive and well'. - TO Snob's Music

Disclaimer: I really like Falklands, even if you don’t. They are one of the few young bands that seem determined to make a name for themselves and find a signature sound that isn’t impacted by blog posts or critical buzz. That willingness to experiment led to a diverse collection of tracks. From their debut 7? – a nice blend of Chisel-era Ted Leo and old Lookout surf punkers The Hi-Fives – to their more brash, sloppy rock EP – Bastille Day – energy and hooks were the only constants they held onto, as the band was willing to try almost anything on almost every song.

I wouldn’t call either effort fragmented, as both were surprisingly cohesive, but instead of simply moving from influence to influence, Think About It finds the band maturing and fine tuning their sound. The songs are still full of punch; cymbal crashes and heavy bass lines mix with power chords and surprising finger work to create a dense pocket, but for the first time Falklands tease moments of poppy bliss and nice tempo changes into the equation. The floating guitar of “Yellow Rose” is a perfect palette cleanser, one that lightens the darker chords that build the melody. The same can be said of the spirited “da-da-da-das” the band smiles through on the album closer, “Drunk & Thieves.”

I could try to pretty it up, but honestly, Falklands is are simply a rock and roll band, a concept that seems more and more obscure these days. This isn’t layer after layer of intricacies and intimacies; no, Think About It is just the result of young men plugging in and playing. Personally, I think it’s a great record and it’s also available for the low, low cost of nothing so you might want to go grab it. - Herohill