James and Blackburn

Formed in Ottawa around 2008, the space-rock trio James and Blackburn are set to make their Metro Moncton debut at Plan B Lounge on Wednesday evening. The group, comprised of guitarist-vocalist Owen Edwards, bassist Landon Kotchpaw and drummer Sebastien Button chose the sometimes tour-unfriendly time of the winter to travel to the East Coast. Nonetheless, the guys have their fingers crossed that the weather will be co-operative during their brief Atlantic Canadian tour.

The seeds of James and Blackburn come courtesy of cousins Kotchpaw and Edwards who began making music together in their grandfather’s basement.

“Owen and I basically grew up playing music together and recording ourselves in the basement,” Kotchpaw begins. “After high school, we moved into an apartment together and then met Sebastien who was a co-worker of Landon’s that wanted to start jamming.”

Taking their band name from the streets on which they lived in Ottawa (Owen and Landon lived on James Street while Button lived on Blackburn Street), the trio started recording their debut full-length effort Island Universe. Firmly rooted in rock music, the record also inhibits a kind of ambient space, much like Pink Floyd or a more recent band like Secret Machines.

Having relocated to Toronto from the nation’s capital roughly two years ago, both Button and Kotchpaw agree that being a band in Toronto has forced the group to step up their game in terms of both their songwriting and their live show:.

“In Ottawa, there are naturally fewer places that a band can play compared to Toronto,” Button says. “Being in Toronto, I think that we head into every show wanting to be the best band we can be. It’s not a matter of directly competing with the other groups in the city or on the show bill; it is a kind of healthy competition though because you are always looking at what others are doing.”

“That has been one thing that we have found since we have lived in Toronto. The city really makes you push yourself to be a better band,” Kotchpaw says.

At a time in music where the number of instruments that a band employs in order to achieve their sound seems to have only grown with time, there is something inherently refreshing about James and Blackburn. Some might believe that a trio is too limiting in terms of creating a big sound however it is nothing that either Button or Kotchpaw concern themselves with. James and Blackburn are able to deliver the goods both on stage and on record.

“We put a big emphasis on our live show. It is something that is key for us,” Kotchpaw says. “There are so many bands that can sound amazing on record but then don’t translate all that well live. We want to be sure that our live show delivers.”

“It is crazy how much you can learn from playing in a band together for a few years,” Button says. “We have seen our live show constantly change and mature. As a result, we have gotten more comfortable on stage. Being a three-piece band, we rely so much on being in sync with one another on stage. It is not necessarily the quantity of instruments you have on stage that is going to make the band. Really, we are all about keeping things simple.”

By: Ken Kelley

Article published in the January 4, 2013 edition of the Times & Transcript - Times & Transcript

The three friends that make up the space-pop, art-rock musical melange of James and Blackburn will be returning to the city of their conception – Ottawa – on Thursday, Jan. 19. Their first full length album ‘Island Universe’ dropped a few weeks ago, with small buzzes of critical acclaim, as things seem to be magically aligning for the trio.

In the fall of 2008, Owen Edwards, Landon Kotchapaw and Sebastien Button started their creative journey together as the three met through work circumstances. Owen worked on Elgin Street at the Second Cup, right next door to his long time friend and cousin Landon (who was working at Johnny Farina’s at the time). Landon, a bassist and vocalist, had a dream to form a band with Owen (a potent lyricist and guitar guru). Within a few days of cutting meat on an industrial slicer, Landon became friends with a workmate named Sebastien. Sebastien was a drummer – the final piece of the magical, music puzzle. The three joined forces and decided that a tentative name for the band would be ‘James and Blackburn’ as Owen and Landon lived on James Street and Sebastien lived on Blackburn Street in the Centretown area of Ottawa.

After a year-long educational hiatus in 2009, the band decided to re-form in Ottawa in 2010 and give it another go. It was this formative year that allowed the band to record their first full length album called ‘Island Universe’ with Dean Watson at Gallery Recording Studios. The 10 song album showcases J&B’s varied, artistic approach as tracks border on ambient, spacey sounds and often blast off into explosive rock crunchers. Edwards’ vocals are reminiscent of early Dylan at times and later Bowie at others, pulling the listener closer for a second take.

After another move to Toronto, the band is finally ready to hit the road, release their record and kick things into high gear.

Front-man Owen Edwards is especially excited about J&B’s return to Ottawa tomorrow night.

“We’re really excited about playing a full of album of songs and playing them live. We just hope to see a lot of our old friends and a lot of new faces along the way”, says Edwards.

The band are embarking on a short tour this weekend as they play in Ottawa at The Mercury Lounge on the 19th, in Kingston at The Mansion on Jan. 21st, and in Toronto at Rancho Relaxo on the 20th.

Owen, Landon and Sebastien are hopeful that Island Universe is only the beginning of a galaxy of musical adventures and endeavours. - Matt McKechnie - The Ottawa Citizen

Few bands have made such a big impression on TWM and the Rancho as quickly as James & Blackburn. It began with a cancellation, then an email from their excellent manager Emma who had noticed I was looking to fill a spot. I was pretty desperate at that point so the fact that James & Blackburn actually sounded quite good was a bonus.

They played the show which went pretty well, and they were absolutely awesome. Fast forward another month or so and they were back at the Ranch for an Indie Machine showcase, where they played even better than the last time — not to mention that they charmed the hell out of myself and David Marksell, who was promoting the night. So when a slot opened up on the CMW showcase co-presented by Two Way Monologues and the Indie Machine it made perfect sense to book this band, formerly from Ottawa and now living in Toronto, whose members actually aren’t named James or Blackburn.

The band recently released their full length Island Universe and have been playing shows all over the place in support of it. Like most new-to-Toronto bands they have to build in this city from the ground up. But make no mistake, there is a swell occurring and it won’t be long before this little TWM/Indie Machine secret is mentioned amongst the top bands we have in Toronto right now. Perhaps that’ll start as soon as people get a chance to see them over at our Canadian Music Week showcase!

James & Blackburn is an indie-rock band at its core, but one with a diverse setlist. They have some slow-building numbers that will suck you in and never let you go, and then they have songs that’ll have anyone with a pulse bouncing around and moving — and hell, even dancing! I witnessed it with my own eyes as Ryan from the Indie Machine bust into a simultaneously synced dance when his favourite part of his favourite song hit.

This is next-level stuff they are doing right here. That the band basically took a year to write and perfect these songs before recording them and releasing them is very evident, because unlike a lot of releases the shine does not wear off this one with increased listens. In fact, every time I’ve heard it so far I’ve been finding new things to love about it and appreciating it more and more.

So don’t wait till next year when James & Blackburn is the band that everyone and their dog is going to see at the festival because they’ve blown up. Come and see them this year at the Ranch and be the one saying “I told you so.” - Dan Wolovick - Two Way Monologues

I was sitting bleary-eyed on an early morning Dufferin St bus, when Landon Kotchapaw struck up a conversation with me. Canadian Music Fest was in full swing, and he noticed I was wearing a silver media-access wrist band. Both of us were on our way to our day jobs, but we chatted about music and media. I learned he was the bass player for James And Blackburn, a Toronto band that would be performing at Rancho Relaxo as part of the festival. Landon hopped off at Queen St, but not before leaving me with a copy of Island Universe, the band’s debut album.

One month later, I finally tore off Island Universe’s plastic wrap and put it on. While the music started to play, I flipped through the insert and was captivated by the intricately detailed and exceptionally beautiful artwork by Gordon Auld. Then Owen Edwards sang the words “I go outside to smell the rain” on the album’s opening track “We Have No Names For Anything”, and knew immediately I was listening to something special. There is a deflated, borderline melancholic quality to Edward’s vocal style that belies the rich twang and reverb of guitars and intensity of Sébastien Button’s drumming that makes James And Blackburn exceptionally interesting and unique.

sland Universe touches on a range of musical genres from the misleadingly upbeat Reggae vibe of “Holiday”, the evocative acoustic folk-song “Two Trees” and even a one-minute instrumental track called “The Conductor” that would fit perfectly as the high-noon showdown theme in a dystopian western film. Despite these wild variations in sound and structure, the album manages to remain cohesive throughout.

The standout track that appears close to the end of the album is the aptly named “Merry-Go-Round”, a looping swirl of chimes, softly plucked strings, electo-fuzz and the ethereal lyrics “all my life I heard this sound. It kept my sin in a merry-go-round”, that float above it all. It’s infectious and will have you hitting the repeat button like, well, a merry-go-round.

“Leaving”, the final track on the album is a haunting departure piece that while lyrically dark in its opening “morning has passed for me”, also conveys peacefulness and hints of light through the gloom in the song's final lyrics “tell them to find the sun shining in me.” It’s quite lovely and a fitting end to the record.

I regret not seeing James And Blackburn during their Canadian Music Fest performance, but I suspect with a debut as solid as Island Universe, the band will be around for some time. - Dave MacIntyre - Examiner

The Indie Machine curated a showcase at Rancho Relaxo last Thursday that brought together 4 great up-and-coming bands, including their January Artist of the Month, James and Blackburn.

James and Blackburn headlined the show. No one in the band is actually named James, or Blackburn for that matter. The alt-rock trio is instead Owen Edwards (guitar, vocals), Landon Kotchapaw (bass) and Sébastien Button (drums). I happened to win a copy of their debut CD Island Universe through The Indie Machine a few weeks ago, and had fallen hard for the deeply emotive, often depressing, and always thought-provoking lyrics (Personal favourite: “Buy me a map so I can map my descent into the songs of the lonely, into the wings of insanity” from the album’s title track). Dave and Ryan of The Indie Machine’s high praise of and excitement for the band had me anticipating their set that much more.

Seeing them live then, I focused on appreciating their musicianship, stage presence and how they interacted as a band. Button is a highly entertaining drummer with a penchant for playing barefoot, Kotchapaw is one of the tightest bassists out there and Edwards sings with a maturity beyond his years; his deep, soulful vocals have garnered valid comparisons to Dylan.

Their set highlighted many of the tracks off Island Universe, from the rocking “Holiday” to the emotional and intense instrumental breakdowns of “Dark Sparks” and the previously mentioned “Island Universe,” as well as “Right Shoulder” and “Loose Leaf” off their previous EP, which is available for free download. They finished with “Garden of Hours,” a slow, sad song that was juxtaposed with an intense drum-driven intro that had Edwards warning the crowd to “hold on to your socks!” And rightly so!

I had a chance to chat for a bit with Button and Kotchapaw after the show while munching on homemade cookies that they had brought. As the girl who is always starving by the end of a night out, especially with a long subway trek home ahead of me, I was really into the concept of providing snacks at shows. The little jolt of chocolate was exactly what I needed, so thank you!.

James and Blackburn will be hitting the road in March and April, hitting Ottawa, Montreal and then on to the East Coast, quite possibly with cookies in tow! Why not buy them a shot in exchange for one – pretty good deal, I’d say, they were delicious! - Chiara DiAngelo - Buying Shots for Bands

In a world where underground bands are overly appreciated and music festivals have been appropriated as celebrity gatherings, it has become increasingly difficult to find a decent indie band that stands out from the crowd. Enter James and Blackburn, an alternative rock trio from Toronto, Ontario, who have accomplished just that with the release of their newest album, Island Universe.

Metaphor-ridden lyrics are executed through a balanced chemistry that is gradually revealed throughout the duration of the record. Every band member's individual talent is audible as each riff, beat and pitch contributes to a delightfully different sound that comes with every track.

"Dark Sparks" and "Good Company" fit into the category of classic indie rock with interesting instrumental solos. The verses and choruses are distinct enough to be engaging but not to the point of disruption. Ambient interlude tracks "Conductor" and "Merry-Go-Round" appropriately prepare the listener for a pleasant acoustic experience in the lo-fi, head-bobbing "Two Trees".

What will truly help James And Blackburn foster the distinct sound that this genre needs is the addictive nature of "Garden of Hours" consisting of tempos in constant flux against a background of arcade-reminiscent tones. This contrasts with closing track "Leaving", a fade out of one lyric swirling in repetition to the sleepy sounds of howling winds.

As an avid fan of indie music, it was refreshing to feast my ears on a record of so much internal eclecticism. The diversity between each track both held my attention and somehow made itself work.

Written by Christina Luo | TheNewMusic.ca
- Christina Luo - TheNewMusic.ca

The three friends that make up the space-pop, art-rock musical melange of James and Blackburn will be returning to the city of their conception – Ottawa – on Thursday, Jan. 19. Their first full length album ‘Island Universe’ dropped a few weeks ago, with small buzzes of critical acclaim, as things seem to be magically aligning for the trio.

In the fall of 2008, Owen Edwards, Landon Kotchapaw and Sebastien Button started their creative journey together as the three met through work circumstances. Owen worked on Elgin Street at the Second Cup, right next door to his long time friend and cousin Landon (who was working at Johnny Farina’s at the time). Landon, a bassist and vocalist, had a dream to form a band with Owen (a potent lyricist and guitar guru). Within a few days of cutting meat on an industrial slicer, Landon became friends with a workmate named Sebastien. Sebastien was a drummer – the final piece of the magical, music puzzle. The three joined forces and decided that a tentative name for the band would be ‘James and Blackburn’ as Owen and Landon lived on James Street and Sebastien lived on Blackburn Street in the Centretown area of Ottawa.

After a year-long educational hiatus in 2009, the band decided to re-form in Ottawa in 2010 and give it another go. It was this formative year that allowed the band to record their first full length album called ‘Island Universe’ with Dean Watson at Gallery Recording Studios. The 10 song album showcases J&B’s varied, artistic approach as tracks border on ambient, spacey sounds and often blast off into explosive rock crunchers. Edwards’ vocals are reminiscent of early Dylan at times and later Bowie at others, pulling the listener closer for a second take.

After another move to Toronto, the band is finally ready to hit the road, release their record and kick things into high gear.

Front-man Owen Edwards is especially excited about J&B’s return to Ottawa tomorrow night.

“We’re really excited about playing a full of album of songs and playing them live. We just hope to see a lot of our old friends and a lot of new faces along the way”, says Edwards.

The band are embarking on a short tour this weekend as they play in Ottawa at The Mercury Lounge on the 19th, in Kingston at The Mansion on Jan. 21st, and in Toronto at Rancho Relaxo on the 20th.

Owen, Landon and Sebastien are hopeful that Island Universe is only the beginning of a galaxy of musical adventures and endeavours.

For more information on James and Blackburn and their record Island Universe, visit jamesandblackburn.com - Ottawa Citizen

A mix of 90’s alt-rock with hints of folk and a sliver of prog for good measure – it’s actually kind of tricky trying to peg once-Ottawa-now-Toronto-based indie rock trio James & Blackburn into any one genre.

But if their debut full-length Island Universe is anything, it’s that weird record that falls into some strange genre-bending middle-ground that increasingly becomes more addictive each time you listen to it.

The ten-track album clocks in a little shy of the 40-minute mark, the production is sharp, and the drums cut through everything on the record with a nice punch.

Lead Single “We Have No Names For Anything” is great opener, but if album stand-outs “Holiday” and “Good Company” are any indication of what’s to follow in the future from this trio then I’m perfectly content with that (and even though they’re not the lead single, they’ll get there eventually *hint hint, guys*).

Now, when I say it’s hard to peg these guys genre-wise, I mean it.

With equal parts Brand New’s Jesse Lacey and Foals’ Yannis Philippakis, and just a hint of low-register Gord Downie in his voice, frontman Owen Edwards seems to exude a deep longing nature when he sings.

To quote a line from “Dark Sparks”: ‘When I’m on top of the world don’t mind me, I’m just there to stare at the stars and the moon shining brighter than you… shining brighter than you’. The word play here is great fun, rolling off the tongue well, and when paired with Edwards’ voice really helps to bring that brooding lyrical undertone to the forefront.

With the accompanying staccatoed guitar work, the fun walking bassline in “Holiday” is something Sublime could’ve written in the mid-90s, and ambient interlude tracks like “Conductor” and “Merry-Go-Round” harken back to some earlier Sigur Ros/Godspeed! compositions.

Titular track “Island Universe” is a slow-paced romp that one can’t help but find a tinge of early 00's post-punk about – whether that’s in its Cursive/Brand New style fretwork, vocal harmonies or in depreciating lyrics like ‘if it’s love you’re looking for, go ahead and look some more’.

Surprisingly, mid-album track “Two Trees” seems really low-fi in comparison to the rest on the release, though it complements the solo acoustic setting of the song and forms an interesting bridge into the back half – which does slow down a bit and play with layered structures a little more, though this isn’t really to the album’s detriment.

Album closer “Leaving” ends things on a sombre (predominantly minor) tone, with Edwards on solo-guitar backed by a series of eerily-sustained tones, asking ‘tell them to find the sunshine in me’ – before ending on an unexpected E-major chord, tying the album back together.

This is truly a great piece of work – all the more so for a debut – and with a few sing-alongs, some dancier numbers and slower lulls along the path, Island Universe shows just how diverse James & Blackburn can be, leaving much to the imagination about what they might create in the future.

I eagerly look forward to it.

- RYAN STEPHENSON PRICE - The Indie Machine

This three piece band has a laid back quality to their writing. I've recently sat down and listened to their EP start to finish to get a feel for what could be said about these three-Ontarians.
The EP consists of 5 tracks:
1.In My Head
2. The Act
3. Loose Leaf
4. Soul Man
5. Right Shoulder
If you've read my reviews of music before, I stay away from focusing on a numerical grade of how I believe the groups sounds like as a number can be very vague even with clearly outlined criteria. What I can say is this, James & Blackburn have a sound fans of indie music should definitley check out.
I found James & Blackburn to have a smooth sound flowing the vocal lines with the instruments together in what might be seen as a call and responce idea. This is of course not the formula and rule for the group, “In My Head” and “Looseleaf” have a litte more punch to them than “Soul Man”, “Right Shoulder”, and “The Act” (“The Act” being my personal favoutire from the EP, followed by “Looseleaf” as a close second)
James & Blackburn are non-instrusive in their music, it's there for you to enjoy unlike some other acts that insist on the hard drive in an attempt to keep their audience interested.
Defnitely check them out (see below for the links), it might be what you;re looking for depending on your musical preferences. I am not normally a fan of indie music but these are tunes I will definitely listen to again.
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/jamesandblackburn
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/James-And-Blackburn/213666010300
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/JamesandBlackburn - NxEW

James and Blackburn’s first EP shows promise for a mellow, introspective indie pop band.

The band’s founding members and cousins, guitar and vocalist, Owen, and bassist, Landon, “have grown up writing and playing music together.” It wasn’t until a little under a year that they formed J&B with the addition of drummer, Sebastien and recorded their first EP in the summer of 2009. “I met Sebastien while working in an Italian restaurant [in] downtown Ottawa,” said Landon.

Any veteran can hear the well-placed shoegaze influence in J&B's EP, but it's the unique tempos and intricate sound that steps these young lads into the realm of bands like Wintersleep. The album's first track, 'In My Head,' is the heaviest and yet calmingly mellow track, with lyrics that throttle you into a moment of soul searching.

The album’s best and most promising track, ‘Loose Leaf,’ is cleverly interworks influences such as Modest Mouse, Tokyo Police Club and, dare I say it, Radiohead.

The Ottawa based three-piece will be playing Zaphod Beeblebrox, in Ottawa on December 21st and The Blacksheep Inn Wakefield in Wakefield, Quebec on the 27th. Taking in one of the shows could be a great way to spend Christmas money.

If this sounds like your thing, any and all news can be found at their Myspace: www.myspace.com/jamesandblackburn - NxEW

“The Act” sounds like montage music for a summer flick’s final scene. They’re not using the formula that a lot of new bands are using right now (more lo-fi = more respect, somehow). Instead, they keep their recordings pretty minimal and clean, which gives the listener a chance to actually distinguish each member’s apparent talent. The guitar riff revolving around the whole song slowly grows infectious and once the waltzing drums fall in underneath the bass for support, your attention feels affirmed. Under your breath, you’ll be stuck trying to howl along with the singer like a wolf cub.


Ryan Hemsworth writes for "The Coast" in Halifax
- Ryan Hemsworth

by Jordon Chiarelli

James and Blackburn’s first EP shows promise for a mellow, introspective indie pop band.

The band’s founding members and cousins, guitar and vocalist, Owen, and bassist, Landon, “have grown up writing and playing music together.” It wasn’t until a little under a year that they formed J&B with the addition of drummer, Sebastien and recorded their first EP in the summer of 2009. “I met Sebastien while working in an Italian restaurant [in] downtown Ottawa,” said Landon.

Any veteran can hear the well-placed shoegaze influence in J&B's EP, but it's the unique tempos and intricate sound that steps these young lads into the realm of bands like Wintersleep. The album's first track, 'In My Head,' is the heaviest and yet calmingly mellow track, with lyrics that throttle you into a moment soul searching.

The album’s best and most promising track, ‘Loose Leaf,’ is cleverly interworks influences such as Modest Mouse, Tokyo Police Club and, dare I say it, Radiohead.

The Ottawa based three-piece will be playing Zaphod Beeblebrox, in Ottawa on December 21st and The Blacksheep Inn Wakefield in Wakefield, Quebec on the 27th. Taking in one of the shows could be a great way to spend Christmas money.

If this sounds like your thing, any and all news can be found at their Myspace: www.myspace.com/jamesandblackburn posted by Jordon Chiarelli
- NXEW.ca

by Denis Armstrong

Being a rock and roll star isn’t as easy as it looks, admits James & Blackburn’s Owen Edwards.

The 19-year-old singer and songwriter and his cousin (and BFF) Landon Kotchapaw know lots about writing songs, and can play just about any instrument blindfolded.

But when the pair, along with drummer Sebastien Button, decided to start playing live gigs as James & Blackburn, they found they weren’t as prepared to do all the little things you have to do to take your show up to the next level as they thought.

“It looks like a lot of fun but it can be nerve wracking,” Edwards laughs. “Every concert is different, every audience is constantly changing. Its like being in a play, you have to know your character. That’s when it becomes magical, but you have to practise all the time so that your show looks natural.”

Last week, bass player Kotchapaw decided he was going to improvise a little dance in the middle of a song, which is something a veteran like Sammy Davis Jr. would have done. However, things didn’t turn out very well.

“Landon’s been practising this little step he was going to try in one song, but he missed it altogether and instead looked like he had stubbed his toe. Obviously, it didn’t work out very well.”

It’s only a minor misstep. Veterans of indie bands throughout high school and more seriously cool groups such as Land On Water, the tight bond between the three is making for terrific chemistry, and lots of solid songs with Edwards’ poetic lyrics like his idols Cat Stevens and Bob Dylan, wrapped in a blues rock wrap.

Things are going so well that, even after less than a year, the band is going to take a break from school. Edwards studies philosophy at King’s College in Halifax while Kotchapaw is at Fanshawe in London. The break will allow them to promote the trio’s new five-song EP next year.

“It’s the right thing to do,” he says. “It’s only rock and roll but there’s a lot more going on when we play because there’s such a strong connection between us. All three of us have awesome chemistry. We’re really passionate about this.”
- The Ottawa Sun