Len's Haulage

Len's Hualage is Currently Charting #1 in Quebec College Radio for two straight weeks... a feat for any anglaphone act.

April 17th, 2006

- EARSHOT!!

Lead singer Mike Sbrocchi looks the part. I say that with all sincerity: he dresses, talks and smiles in a way that makes you want to watch him. In my mind, he is a bit of a Rain Maida / Adam Levine hybrid, inevitably with his own edge. Guitarist Mike Novalski has it too: stage presence, something that seems to be lacking more and more in today’s music industry. Occasionally mouthing song lyrics even though he isn’t miked, he often moves around, at times ending up face to face with Sbrocchi. Bass player Evan Cochrane and drummer Pete Niculescu complete the picture, emitting quieter personalities, but giving the band’s sound a high quality, and solid foundation. That’s when it hits me: not only are these guys marketable, but they’re good. Together, they’re Len’s Haulage.

Toronto’s Indie Week, September 22-24, featured a wide selection of current Indie rock. With sixty acts playing at nine venues, such as the Reverb, Holy Joe’s, the Bovine Sex Club, and the Silver Dollar (where Len’s Haulage played Friday’s show), it was a great opportunity to catch up-and-coming bands who already know what they’re doing, and do it pretty well, but aren’t groomed.

Influenced primarily by albums such as U2’s Joshua Tree, Radiohead’s The Bends, and Jeff Buckley’s Grace, among others, the band is about to release their debut EP, produced by Damon De Szegheo (Three Days Grace, Money Money). The band has explained that De Szegheo is a huge help, and he’s referred to as an “honorary band member.” They are also planning an upcoming tour, which will take them to university audiences across the province.

Len’s Haulage, named after Novalski’s grandfather, who owned a haulage company in the 1940’s, is a local band which formed only 6 months ago. All members have extensive musical backgrounds, and it shows. Sbrocchi, on lead vocals, is a classically trained pianist; he and Novalski have been playing together for several years, having met at U of T’s OISE. Back from a teaching internship in Peru, Sbrocchi “had an ache to get back into music,” and so started playing again. Both agree that the attention given to their university careers did not hinder their involvement in the music world, but rather provided experience, drive and confidence. As Novalski says, “music is all about experiences.” It was difficult at times being a student diminishes the time one can give to the arts; but as long as you still “follow the passion for the arts,” Sbrocchi thinks it can work out.

Mike and Mike (gotta love it) have been described as having “polarized personalities,” but this only seems to add to their chemistry. Watch them on stage. Novalski, to me, could be called “classic rock”. Sbrocchi gives it a modern twist. During the middle of their set, still singing, he sat down in an empty chair by the bar. All in all, they compliment each other.

How would one define their sound? Finding myself unable to navigate through the current dictionary of musical classifications, I’ll let them speak for themselves. “We’re metro-sexual rock,” they tell me. “Our music is not glam, but its dramatic-sensitive, caring, but it also kicks you in the ass.” My personal favorite: “It’s music for the straight man who feels emotions, as opposed to going to the truck rally on Sunday afternoon.” Giggling as the deliver this monologue-esque definition, I find myself laughing along. The two are currently elementary school teachers, and seem to know how to play both the kid and the adult. That came out in their songs on Friday night. Their lyrics are not too serious, but are not shallow either; thoughtful, but still playful.

When chatting about the current trend of music-meets-politics, as seen in the recent Live 8 concert, and last year’s Vote for Change tour, both have something to say. Although it at first appears that they are about to disagree, I misinterpret the two. It seems that they have different ways of going about things, but end up on the same road after all. The spoke intelligently about how celebrity can be used as a medium through which to help out. They also mentioned the naivety with which some musicians approach such a philosophy. Explaining that U2’s Bono, for instance, is both knowledgeable and consistent with his activism (as early as Sunday Bloody Sunday), they referred to the fact that he has been involved since before it was the thing to do, and stuck it out, even when he wasn’t getting PR for it. All in all, Bono knows his politics, and it seems that these guys do to.

Most importantly of all, they love what they do. And where most bands love the drinks, the girls (or guys), and the spotlight, it seems that these guys love what matters: the music. You might love it too. Check them out at www.myspace.com/lenshaulagemusic, and come on out to St. Michael’s College’s Kelly’s Korner, held in Brennan Lounge, the last Wednesday of every month, where you might just hear the guys themselves.

~ Laura Cockbu - The Mike, University of Toronto

When I got to The Richmond I was impressed at the turn out. Usually there are about ten people at a show around 10pm, but I’d say there were at least fifty. Who can resist a Sport Pig event as well as the anticipation of Len’s Haulage’s cd release? The opening act Fiz Diggim, was impressive with their gentle marriage of bass and piano forming a Pearl Jam/Ben Folds/Elton John concoction. The crowd was digging it showing signs of head nodding, gentle body swaying and actually coming close to the stage.

This entire show was different than any other Toronto show I’ve ever been to. Not only was the audience participating/reciprocating, but they were showing enthusiasm for the opening act. How very “un-Toronto-like”. It was refreshing and rewarding to say the least.

The set list: Grace, Saints, Swan Song, Linus and Vincent Price. One can clearly hear that FD plays to their influences, given another year or yet their next album and they will emerge with their own myriad of style that will allow them to feel comfortable enough to separate their identity. Their self titled cd is available contact the band for details.

The second band Dave Mansel took the stage, a four piece who through no fault of their own suffered with bad reverb and sudden hisses and pops from the monitors. Perhaps this is what caused the slight downcast feeling during the performance. The band was playing and yet I couldn’t feel the connection with the audience. Yet again the audience proved to be supportive and whooped appropriately and emitted feelings of enjoyment. Before playing a cover of The Bends by Radiohead DM’s front man, Dave, suggested “This next song will fuck you up.” and dedicated it to his friend celebrating a birthday. It certainly did have an effect on the crowd, not so much fucking them up, but a nice warm and cozy feeling instead. After that two more songs and they made way for Len’s Haulage.

Damon, the producer, introduced the band members and informed the audience the cd project started in August and was completed in just four months. The last time I saw Len’s Haulage was Sept 23 @ the Silver Dollar. This was not the same band I saw then. Lead singer Mike Sbrocchi stepped up to the mike and blasted the audience with a sound that quite unexpected. As they played, guitarist Mike Novalski, looked so happy as if he could jizz all over the audience. Sbrocchi continued to educate their asses on what music should sound like. Evan, the bassist, came out of his focused shell to feel the beat and spanked the bass nicely. Pete, ever present as the time keeper of the drums, provided perfect timing and tightened up the over all sound.

There wasn’t a dull moment during the entire hour set. Sbrocchi had the audience on their best noise making behaviour as he let them taste his soul. His expressions and movements provided that connection and created an immediate draw. Towards the end Novalski introduced another guitar player Jem Ucar on stage. Jem was part of a previous music project and was there to launch the previous cd, so for nostalgia they invited him on to perform with them for this new venture; a sweet gesture the crowd oohh’ed over.

Though Len’s Haulage puts on a great show, they too fall pray to sounding like their influences: Our Lady Peace. Like Fiz Diggim, as soon as Len’s Haulage sharpens their skills more this will dissipate. Len’s Haulage has strong performance, sound and an exciting future ahead, highly recommended is their cd The Hope Museum. LV - www.torontoindie.com

Chris Clay

Dec 6, 2005


Whether he's standing in front of a bar crowd or a group of impressionable young minds, either way, Streetsville singer Michael Sbrocchi is in his element.

By day, Sbrocchi does his best Jack Black impression as a mild-mannered Grade 8 teacher for the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board. By night, however, sc hool is out for the Our Lady of Mount Carmel graduate who hits the stage as frontman for local rock band Len's Haulage.

Which profession does he prefer? Sbrocchi says the jobs are surprisingly similar.

"What I'd like to see is someone squeeze my class of 30 students into a bar for one of our shows or take the bar crowd out and stick them in my class," Sbrocchi, 26, said with a chuckle. "But, I'm pretty comfortable doing both. I mean, teaching is, in a sense, performing. To get all 30 pairs of eyes in your class on you, or the audience buying into what you're saying, is quite a feat."

Sbrocchi's band includes guitarist Mike Novalski, bassist Evan Cochrane and drummer Pete Niculescu, who pulls double duty as beatmaker for Toronto three-piece outfit The Hemingway Solution.

Meanwhile, Len's Haulage performs an acoustic set tomorrow night at the Executive Snooker Club in Mississauga. Also on tomorrow night's bill is MC RaSoul, Peter Katz, Melissa Larkin, Matt York, Say True and Club Treehouse. The Executive Snooker Club is located at 1177 Central Pkwy. W.

The show will allow the band to warm-up for a CD release party this Saturday at The Richmond in Toronto.

The band's new five-track EP, The Hope Museum, sells for $10 (but won't be available at the Mississauga show). Included are the tunes Hang On, Small Town Girl, Limits, Go On And Smile and Underrated. In particular, the song Limits showcases Sbrocchi's solid vocals, which put you in mind of Our Lady Peace's Raine Maida.

"Listening to the CD is like a trip to the museum and each song is its own exhibit," said Sbrocchi. "Or, as our producer (Damon de Szegheo) likes to say, its T.O. (Toronto) rock for the pure of heart. Basically, the first track on the album sums up where I am and the next four tracks are a reflection of what has happened. In each song, there's a tinge of hope, something to let people know that chances are, things will be okay."

For more information, visit www.lenshaulage.com.

- The Mississauga News