Jesse and the Dandelions
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Jesse and the Dandelions

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada | Established. Jan 01, 2010 | SELF | AFM

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada | SELF | AFM
Established on Jan, 2010
Band Alternative Pop

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"Jesse and the Dandelions- Time and Space and Everything In Between"

Jesse & the Dandelions – Time and Space and Everything In Between
Posted on June 2, 2012 by arguejob
The new EP from Lethbridge’s Jesse & the Dandelions is thick with the kind of college radio hits you would expect to hear at the turn of the millenium. Each track is a solid gem purloined from the sonic loins of forefathers like John K. Samson, David Bazan, and Ben Gibbard. Time and Space and Everything In Between gets better and better as it glides on, culminating in the slow cooker ‘Stealing Moonbeams’ and the irresistible hook of closer ‘The Fire’. Come soak in the dandelion hue of Northey’s heart throbbers tonight at the Elevation Room with Jessica Jalbert and Doug Hoyer. Jesse & the Dandelions were on the Swig of Alberta tour last winter and, seeing them play three nights in a row, I can testify to to just how much their live show grows on a listener. Enjoy: - Argue Job


"Review- Time and Space and Everything In Between"

Review- “Time and Space and Everything in Between”- Jesse & the Dandelions
Posted on July 3, 2012 by glasspaperweight
reviewed by Michael Thomas

It has been a busy few years for Jesse Northey. The Lethbridge, Alta.-based musician saw his band’s full-length album released two years ago. Shortly after he started his own record label and has since had a few releases there.

The experience and time has certainly been kind to his main act, Jesse & the Dandelions. Since The Lion’s Tooth the band’s songs have become tighter and more polished, and this new EP is a good example of showing how far they’ve come.

The first song on the EP is “Infinity,” which starts right out of the gate with great bass from Tyler Stewart and crashing drums from Nick Vedres alongside Northey’s guitar. “I just counted to infinity and back/I counted up to ten and never once looked back,” Northey sings in his indie-rock voice that still reminds me intermittently of Tyler Bancroft. The song gets even more exciting toward the end with the sounds of what seem to be bells.

“Only a Rocketship Can Save Us” is a longer song than the others, thus the length serves as a buildup, with the music slowly coming together as the song marches on. The hook toward the beginning of the song goes “There is nothing in my head,” perhaps referring to a spacey narrator with big dreams. The song turns into a big jam session toward the end before coming to a gentle close.

“Shadows” starts with lo-fi-sounding guitars before the signature crashing drums come in. The prevalence of Northey’s guitar makes this song slightly different than the rest. The theme of the song is interesting, as Northey sings “I’m in love with your shadow.” He sings about the shadow being ever-changing and growing.

My favourite track on the EP has to go to “Stealing Moonbeams.” From the staccato key playing to the reverbed vocals, this song feels just as otherworldly as the title might suggest. The addition of Northey’s theremin playing makes it even more spacey.

The EP comes to a close with the slightly roots-y “The Fire.” The song talks of fire not as a menace, but as a “chance to start new.”

Another cool thing to note about the EP is that it follows the recording title pretty closely, with songs about counting to infinity and the theft of moonbeams to dreaming about rocketships. When everything falls together like that it makes the listening experience even more fun.

Time and Space and Everything in Between is a great follow-up to their album and shows that this band has definitely grown up a lot. The EP is available for purchase/streaming via Bandcamp.

Top Track: “Stealing Moonbeams”

Rating: Proud Hoot (Really Good)
- GrayOwl Point Blog


"Saturday @ Whiskey Dix: Community Trees & Jesse and The Dandelions"

As I went out Saturday night I had two plans in mind; One was to check out Whiskey Dix (formerlly known as the Columbia Bar) in Gastown, a venue where I’ve been catching word of some groovy 30:LIVE shows, and the other was to drop by the Railway - Whether it’s the live music, the friendly atmosphere, the moving train above your head or the fact that there’s a 7-Eleven outside, something about the Railway always guarantees for a good night! Especially on a weekend!


Anyway, I arrived at Whiskey Dix just in time to catch the last half of Jesse & The Dandelions’ set, and the first half of Community Trees.

From what I could gather from the songs I caught, Jesse & The Dandelions (a 3-piece who were making a stop during their tour before heading back home to Lethbridge, Alberta) had a combined force that complimented each others elements nicely. Their sound was slightly reminiscent of Death Cab meets City and Color, but their take on the genre was purely of their own craft. The lyrics were well put together, the songs were fluint and well played, and most importantly, the band seemed to be having a great time, even despite the last 6 days that they’ve spent cramped together in a van making stops through out the West Coast — a feat that is often hard to accomplish without getting on each others nerves!

Altogether Jesse & the D’s left a good impression for the crowd at Whiskey Dix, and I’m sure if we see them back this way on a regular enough basis, they won’t have a hard time drawing a crowd. I would have liked to have heard a few contrasting songs, but again, I showed up late so I really can’t account for the first half of the night!



Next up was Community Trees. These guys caught my attention as soon as i saw them walk onto the stage with painted faces, a trombone, a sea shell (yes, a sea shell! One of the big ones that we all listened to the ocean through as kids), and an assortment of pedals, synthesizer effects, and… well, did I mention that they had painted faces and a sea shell ? !

Anyway, as the band finished setting up and began their first song, I noticed the floor beginning to fill. I quickly stood up from my chair to snag a spot on the floor, took camp next to a cute little brunette, smiled and said hi, then reminded myself that I was here for the music! Music! (Oh…I admit…I guess I was sort of there for the $4 drinks as well, but if I’d began the path of drinks and beautiful ladies, well… my night would have led somewhere completely off topic for this review..)

Anyway…. so the music kicked off and right away came the blare of the sea shell! “Awesome” I said to myself. “Awesome”. The horn was beautifully placed amongst the layered vocals and trombone, really lending a light, airy, presence among the room that couldn’t help but remind you of an early autumn day at the beach; the wind rustling, fog horns blowing, ocean waves caressing the rock-bank… it felt like music to accompany a day of reflection for Summer’s gone…

My first impression of Whiskey Dix was a definitely a good one. The cheap drinks were great, the “I Love Dix” & “Getchur Whiskey Dix On” shirts made for a good smirk, and, to top it off, I really enjoyed what I managed to catch of Community Trees’ & Jesse & The Dandelions’ set. I would have loved to have been able to catch the earlier (or later) section of the night to see ‘My Dearest Friends’ play, but alas, it was reaching 10:30 and I was starting to feel that Railway-itch coming on! Something either within my phone or in my head was telling me that the Danny Echo, Mouthful of Daisy, and Gold Stars are for Suckers show was going to make for a fun night at the club!

Check back in a bit, I’ll have some details & opinions in case you couldn’t make it!


Gabriel Savage…out.
- Gabriel Savage/ Van Music


"Fresh Fest Jamboree"

“The fundamental concept that makes this band prevail is… they sound awesome. If looking for a great indie sound, you can just stop now because Jesse and the Dandelions are all you need to know.” - The Meliorist (University of Lethbridge student newspaper) - The Meliorist


"Jesse & The Dandelions – The Lion’s Tooth"

“…I would like to add a new category to the illimitable categorization of music by interminable music writers (like myself), that new category being “Classic Indie,” a genre to which The Lion’s Tooth is entirely indicative. Jesse Northey and his trio have channeled the catchy right-beside-your-ear songwriting and roped it onto the lulling guitar arpeggios of early Pedro and The Lion, The Shins, Death Cab For Cutie, and so on.” - Argue Job blog - Joe Gurba


"Review- “The Lions Tooth”- Jesse Northey and the Dandelions"

For a trio, Jesse Northey, Nick Vedres and Chris Banmann create quite a bit of catchy rock. They’ve recently released their full-length debut and show that they’ve got some musical chops.

Northey’s vocal style reminds me somewhat of Tyler Bancroft of Said the Whale- each has a kind of laid-back way of delivering the vocals and works here.

The collection of songs here is good and varied, featuring many great guitar riffs and chord progressions. Once again thinking of Said the Whale, the opener “Lion & A Bird” had a guitar riff reminding me of “Emerald Lake, AB.” In general the guitar riffs are very clean and pretty.

The guitar is at its best, though, in the song “Advice.” It is here where a great guitar solo comes in, showing that Jesse Northey is willing to be a little experimental and expand the band’s sound a little.

The most surprisingly good song comes from “Bible and a Gun” which has a very folk-country vibe to it, what with the banjo riff in the background and a few harmonica solos. The song is absolutely stunning not just in its musicality but also with the lyrical content of the song which seems to be from the point of view of a confused killer.

In fact, the song subjects are what make many of the songs so interesting to listen to, though the songs are sometimes a little too long. In “Where the Wild Things Are” the song is from the point of view of Max and is a great look inside a child’s head. “Every Move a Picture” is a good portrait of an over-thinker and over-analyzer, something a lot of people can relate to.

The band also speaks volumes of truth in its hidden track: “The Van Song,” apparently a crowd favourite when performed live.

The band plays some solid rock on the album and would be even better with a little more experimenting and a few shorter songs. That said, The Lion’s Tooth is a record that could probably be on repeat numerous times without sounding repetitive.

Top Tracks: “Advice”; “Bible and a Gun”; “The Van Song”

Rating: Strong Hoot (Good) - GrayOwl Point


"Audible Hoots: Jesse Northey and the Dandelions"



As a review is coming up soon for Lethbridge, AB’s Jesse Northey and the Dandelions (their debut album, The Lion’s Tooth), I thought that showing off one of their tracks would be a good way to whet your appetite.

The song is “Where The Wild Things Are” and if this is giving you images in your head, those are exactly the images this song captures. It is written from the point of view of Max and is a surprisingly beautiful song. Check it out, and leave a comment telling us what you think of it!
- GrayOwl Point


"Jesse and the Dandelions play the Strokes meet the Pet Shop Boys pop"

If the Weakerthans and The Strokes got drunk at a party and started jamming with the Pet Shop Boys to old Violent Femmes albums, the result would sound something like local pop trio Jesse and the Dandelions, who have just released their debut full length CD ‘the Lion’s Tooth.’
‘The Lion’s Tooth’ CD includes most of the songs from the Lion’s Tooth EP which they released earlier this year.


Singer/guitarist Jesse Northey knows how to carry a pretty tenor melody — that’s where the Pet Shop Boys comparisons comes from, but the music is pure Strokes — clean, ambient, Brit pop style guitars and plenty of pretty melodies.
It is tough to pick favourites off the CD because most of the tracks have a similar Strokes feel to them not to mention melodies.


‘Every Move a Picture,’ picks up the tempo and adds a little distortion as does ‘Advice’ which has a pretty catchy chord progression and solo.


‘Bible and A Gun’ also stands out because it features a cool banjo riff as well as the Necessities’ Steve Foord on harmonica. Another standout is ‘In Limbo’ which has a great flamenco sound.
The Violent Femmes influence come out on a slower number ‘Lights’ and on crowd favourite ‘The Van Ssong, which is a hidden track on the CD.
- Richard Amery L.A Beat


"Jesse and the Dandelions - NO FUN - Video"

Edmonton outfit Jesse and the Dandelions will release their latest LP True Blue later this year, but before the full thing arrives, Exclaim! is giving you the first look at a brand new video for "No Fun."

The clip draws inspiration from bandleader Jesse Northey's childhood figure skating ambitions — an activity he gave up after getting harassed for his choice of extracurriculars. Thankfully, that gave him more time to focus on his musical passions, but he's nevertheless paying homage to his past in the new video.

It sees Northey lacing up and hitting the ice in purple spandex with a pair of blade-less back-up dancers. Their grace is mirrored in the gently rolling ballad, and accompanied by additional footage of Northey performing on an array of musical instruments in the arena locker room.

True Blue is out on September 9, but right now, you can watch the video premiere of "No Fun" below. - Exclaim Magazine


Discography

True Blue - Full Length 2016

1. In The Night

2. No Fun

3. Wishful Thinking

4. True Blue

5. North Star

6. Bad Guy

7. Brother

8. Underwater


A Mutual Understanding - Full Length 2013

1.Looking At The Sun

2. Only Just Be Friends

3. Friends Of Mine

4. Break Me

5. Mistakes Often Haunted

6. If You've Got The Moves

7. Sure Thing

8. Lightning Bolt

9. Looking at the Moon

Time and Space and Everything In Between EP(2012)

1.Shadows
2. Only a Rocket ship Can Save Us
3.Stealing Moonbeams
4.The Fire
5. Infinity

Photos

Bio

Jesse and the Dandelions are a 4 piece art/space pop band based in Edmonton Alberta, led by Jesse Northey (Producer,Engineer)

After a short but successful figure skating career, Jesse retired and committed his life to music full time. The band has been active in Western Canada for the last 5 years with success on campus community radio, and great opening slots for bands like Attack In Black, Hollerado, and July Talk.With Jesse and the Dandelions’ production values maturing alongside the content, their album A Mutual Understanding (2013) is enriched with classic synth and drum machine textures that pays respect to the past, while forging their own unique path forward. String sections and heavily layered vocal harmonies push accessible pop hooks into more psychedelically complex and intriguing harmonic territory that rewards repeat listeners by continuing to engage them fully with each spin.

Recent highlights have included showcases at Breakout West,Canadian Music Week, JUNOfest, Sled Island, a 3 piece performance of The Flaming Lips “The Soft Bulletin, and the release of a biographical comic book.

Their 3rd full length “True Blue” will be released in September 2016 and aims to create a cacophonous blend of noise and meticulously layered melody and harmony. Extra features will include a figure skating music video, and 80’s themed infomercial and a Canada wide tour.

Jesse and the Dandelions consists of Jesse Northey(Guitar,Vox) Tasy Hudson (Drums) Dean Kheroufi(Bass), and Cayley Thomas(Keys/Vox).