Music
The best kept secret in music
Press
"...an infectious, extremely well written record..."
It’s almost impossible to find a good rock band these days. Kover are an incredibly refreshing take on what has become an incredibly stale genre. Kover, based in various Southern Ontario cities, come off as a band who are playing whatever the fuck they want to play and know how to play it well. They’re loud, talented and a genuinely great band, qualities long forgotten in a scene where stupid hair cuts, cheap vocal hooks and myspace hype is more important than how good your music is. The first Kover project was pretty much Ryan Mills (ex-Blue Skies At War) doing a solo CD, it was amazing but the band has come a long way since then. Ryan has since enlisted a full band of good friends/good musicians and the chemistry that has developed since then is outstanding. Their first release as a full band was a split with Seconds To Go, the two songs were a good preview of what was to come and was significant leap in production values from the self titled, which was simply too clean for their often post-hardcore influenced sound. Kover’s first full length, Assembly, sees the band really coming together like never before. This record is an infectious, extremely well written record that should be surefire hit for a lot of people’s musical tastes. There is no point on Assembly where you will feel bored, the variety in style, vocals and tempo is enough to keep anyone interested and every song is as good as the one before it. This record is a daily staple of my playlist that is often playing through my head hours after listening to it. A real gem, I highly recommend checking this record out.
4.5 outta 5 stars - AMBUSH THE NIGHT (http://www.ambushthenight.com)
Making up for the last few decades, Canada really seems to be putting in overtime at the factory for awesome music these days, and their latest musical product to attest to that is Kover from the greater Toronto area. Their debut album, Assembly on Engineer records is kinda like a pizza in that it takes all of your favorite stuff and puts it together into something totally delicious. Suffice it to say that Assembly is comprised of heavy instrumentation played melodically with ample distortion and rough vocals: it's solid rock inspired post-hardcore that takes cues from Seaweed, Hot Water Music, and Samiam. Forget about that whiny emo and trendy scream a verse/ sing a verse stuff, Kover is all high energy riffs pounding a smooth foundation over which sung and yelled (but not screamed) dual vocals sound out anthemic and personal lyrics. It's the second track, Buying Time, that jumped out at me. You could liken this song, and much of the album, to early Ian Mackaye fronted Fugazi with a hint of Moneen or Emanuel. It's this kind of intensity coupled with layered vocals and straight up rock elements that makes for some very listenable hardcore and rock that's fun, impulsive, and loud. If you're one of those gals who gets caught in traffic singing along to your music this should offer lots of embarrassing red light moments because it's very catchy. For fans of: hardcore, Hot Water Music, Fugazi, Samiam, Seaweed
-PV - Evil Needles (http://www.evilneedles.com/main/newmusic)
Discography
Kover/Seconds To Go split (independently released)
"Assembly" (release through Engineer Records)
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
Musically rooted in decades before, Kover embraces the dirty rock sound of the 70's combined with the melancholy glory of the 80's. Although not a band during these years, the members of Kover continued to carry these influences through their youth in the punk, hardcore and post-hardcore era of the 90's. Playing in bands finding minor success and some decent touring opportunities would fuel the fire for these four boys. Friends from years prior to their rock introduction, Kover's bond is strong and almost family like. With two brothers in the band, it technically is.
After years playing apart from one another, Kover was formed. Each member belonged to a band that crumbled for one reason or another. Ryan played for a band that had gained some recognition, spanning from music videos, radio play, to big tours, etc. It all sounded great to the outsider, even other bands looked on with the belief that something great was happening. The whole while bad management, bad label, bad car crash, bad luck in general was killing them and eventually did. Ryan's determination to continue resulted in his release of six tracks independently. The self-titled "Kover- EP" caught much attention from fellow bands and some industry related people. This was all Ryan needed.
Jaye, a friend for years, joined Ryan with the goal to write an album. Jaye and Ryan's parents were old highschool friends, signifying the instant connection. In the lost hours between dusk and dawn the guys would sneak into the recording studio at the local college. Jaye had access to some 2" tape and good microphones. He would record Ryan and his acoustic visions. The recordings weren't great, nothing more than a learning experience, but they did pave the way for a more intense musical relationship. The years again past, both played in other bands, both always knowing they stood out, both with the gut-rot feeling of something missing. Finally, these paths crossed again and Jaye and Ryan found time to start the trek toward something great, the missing piece.
Together, Jaye and Ryan had written some tracks making it time to bring a band to life. Greg and Neal Lyons entered the picture here. The day Greg picked up sticks he could play. He spent some time in a couple bands; a brit-pop band, and a band with his brother Neal. Greg, like Ryan and Jaye, had some touring experience, only his was in the UK. With a good friend and his brother Neal, a progressive rock act was formed. The guys would have grown into the shoes of the critically acclaimed but disbanded after disagreements toward touring and the direction of the band. The brothers just couldn't find members who matched their uncompromising commitment to music.
Neal and Ryan have been friends for more then a decade, so Neal and Greg were the first people Ryan called to fill the blanks that were meant for them all along. Originally Ryan was going to sing as he wanted the outlet to release his own thoughts and words. Neal was such a great singer and friend that Ryan saw this as more important. The two of them came to the decision of a double vocal, again aiding in the creation of Kover's sound. Although different in lyrical and singing styles, they seemed to vocally compliment each other. During his youth, Neal's punk influences from the days of Minor Threat opened the door to start a band of his own. Neal's freewill and magnetic personality would deem him perfect for the roll of a singer. Yet, he wasn't the frontman for this band. Later the opportunity would come again and he was able to show everyone that he belonged out front.
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