little foot long foot

With their profile on the rise following a spot on the soundtrack to the hit TV show Orange is the New Black, things are looking up for Toronto trio Little Foot Long Foot.

Formerly a two-piece band featuring singer/guitarist Joan Smith and drummer Isaac Klein, the band has been rejigged to become a three-piece, with keyboardist Jeff Heisholt joining the ranks and drummer Gavin Maguire replacing Klein.

“The dynamics of the band have completely changed – it was great before and it’s great now, but in a different way,” said Smith, who lives near Toronto’s Koreatown neighbourhood. “Isaac left because he was becoming a dad, so Gavin stepped in. Jeff joined after responding to a craigslist ad, of all things.”

Those changes, along with Smith’s own maturation as a guitarist, have seen Little Foot Long Foot’s style evolve over the years. While the band has always delivered blistering rock and roll with a sprinkling of other genres, recent songs are more complex.

“It started out with more bar chords – simple guitar playing – and music that was country-tinged with bits of punk because my own guitar abilities at the time weren’t anywhere close to where they are now,” Smith said.

Little Foot Long Foot’s sound combines Smith’s powerful but plaintive yowling vocals with backing music reminiscent of bands ranging from Led Zeppelin to The White Stripes.

While the band gained a solid fan base in Toronto, having their song ‘Kickface’ appear on Orange is the New Black has earned them greater exposure.

Having agreed to the placement before Orange is the New Black became a huge Netflix sensation, Smith admits she was surprised at how much traction their appearance there has earned the band.

“We didn’t realize how big the show was until some girl posted the song on her (YouTube) page and it got something like 50,000 hits,” she said. “We’ve never gotten that many hits for our own videos on our own channel, but any publicity like that is good.”

More than a year after their song appeared on the show, the band is still reaping the benefits.

“We’re selling more records and sending them off to Australia, Germany, the UK – we’ve gotten a ton more US fans, too,” Smith said.

Little Foot Long Foot songs have also appeared on episodes of Degrassi, the Will Arnett sitcom Up All Night, the Sarah Michelle Gellar series Ringer and the Eva Mendes film Girl in Progress.

The band has just completed a five-song EP dubbed Woman, which was produced by Colin MacDonald of The Trews.

“Colin’s helped to make our sound more radio-friendly – a more straight-ahead sound,” Smith said. “Sometimes, you can’t see the forest for the trees when you’re all in a rehearsal space together, and the longer you’re in the music game, the more you almost start to write stuff for other musicians as much as for the audience.”

Little Foot Long Foot has started an Indiegogo campaign, which runs through Monday, Nov. 3, to help fund the new album. The band is offering perks for donors that include digital copies of the new CD, hard copies of multiple Little Foot Long Foot albums, executive producer credits, music lessons with the band, personalized songs and outings with the band at Medieval Times or the Backyard Axe Throwing League.

For more information on Little Foot Long Foot, including samplings of their music and a link to donate to their Indiegogo campaign, visit www.littlefootlongfoot.com - Metroland Media

I discovered Little Foot Long Foot during Indie Week 2013. I thought they were a fantastic blues/rock band with tons of talent, especially their singer/guitarist Joan Smith, who has a powerful voice and rocks on the guitar. When I heard they had a new EP titled Woman coming out and they were doing a release party at Cherry Cola's, I just had to be there.

Little Foot Long Foot did not disappoint. Their tight set was high in energy and musicianship from start to finish and I don't think I was the only one left wanting more. The tunes are all riffs and emotional vocals, taking classic influences and rolling them up in a unique package. The new EP has made a quick impression on me, coming in at number 9 on my Favourite 25 Albums of 2014, while "Woman" and "Mess" made it into my Favourite 60 Songs of 2014 at numbers 8 and 41 respectively. Of course, Little Foot Long Foot featured on my Top 10 Canadian Bands of 2014, too. Needless to say, I love this band and can't wait to see them again.

They opened with "The Worst" from the new EP and included tunes from their 2009 début Harsh Words, their 2011 album Oh, Hell, their 2013 single Bridge Concerns and of course, more from Woman. Of course, "Kickface", which featured on season one of Orange Is The New Black, was a highlight. At the end of the set, Colin MacDonald, the producer of Woman and singer for The Trews joined the band on stage for the EP's title track. Great set. Great night. Great band. - one in ten words

And then came Little Foot Long Foot. They immediately became one of our favourite discoveries of the festival. Armed with big-brimmed summer hats and a fear of heights made a bit worse by the breaking news of Radiohead's stage collapse, guitarist Joan Smith and organist Caitlin Dacey – backed by the thump of Isaac Klein's drums – ripped through a set of classic rock that must get them compared to The White Stripes all the freaking time. But their take on stripped down, country- and blues-flavoured rock 'n' roll is a thing of its own – made especially powerful by the wailing organ. On record, it makes a lot of sense that they've been produced by Ian Blurton, the godfather of Toronto's hard rock. - See more at: http://www.littleredumbrella.com/2012/06/nxne-2012-on-rooftop-above-kensington.html#sthash.EnyjG4Yb.dpuf - http://www.littleredumbrella.com/

We saw Little Foot Long Foot several times in 2012, the Rivoli, the Bovine for NXNE, the Comfort Zone, the Bovine again and Lee's Palace. They began as a duo of Joan Smith on guitar and lead vocals and Isaac Klein on drums. They released their first album, "Harsh Words", in 2009. They added the organ of now departed Caitlin Dacey on 2011's Ian Blurton produced masterpiece "Oh, Hell". Jeff Heisholt replaced Dacey on organ this fall. - tmakworld.com

Fronted by Joan Smith (vocals, guitar) who is backed by Isaac Klein (drums) and Caitlin Dacey (organ), this three-piece plays blues-inspired, dirty hard rock. Originally, the band was just Klein and Smith, but with the not-so-recent addition of Dacey on organ, the band's sound is bolder, and their confidence level on stage matches the firm tone of the music.

The majority of the stage presence is provided by Smith, with her fiery vocals and guitar. Feeding off her own energy, there were a few times when she would back away from the mic and get mentally lost in her own guitar playing exuding hard rock charisma — those moments were a true pleasure to watch. Dacey's organ looks and sounds vintage, and the amazing sounds that she added to the music had a late 60's Deep Purple tone, adding quite a bit of depth to the compositions. Klein's drumming was relentless through songs like "Kickface" as well as while playing the best track on the album "Sell Out While You Can".

The music can be aggressive, but sometimes the song titles are even harsher than the music itself. The titles of the previously mentioned "Kickface" and the song "Eff That" are nothing compared to the name of the track the band chose to close out the set. Announced by Smith using clear, confident pronunciation, we were treated to a searing rendition of "Neko Case Hate Fucks Kurt Cobain", a song that built up through a few verses and ended with the trio radiating everything that represents rock.
- Sticky Magazine

"Little Foot Long Foot were a duo that really didn't need to change anything up in order to keep creating great music. They rolled the dice by making a radical change in their line-up, and it has paid off. Oh, Hell is a keeper." - Snob's Music

"Vocalist/guitarist Joan Smith is the standout here; it takes a hell of a wail to conquer the thick guitars and thundering percussion (courtesy of Isaac Klein), and she does it with ease. A strong sense of structure and a cheeky sense of humour (see: "Neko Case Hate Fucks Kurt Cobain") make her quite the the southern swamp-rock songstress, able to command both the slow dirge of "Missing the Point" and the stomping, riff-heavy single, "Sell Out" (streaming above—check out the sick organ solo) with equal personality and impressive control" - www.torontoist.com

Little Foot Long Foot
Harsh Words
By Nicole Villeneuve

Little Foot Long Foot are a clever, bluesy kitsch rock duo that have the rare ability to make their Jack-and-Meg-in-reverse novelty work in their favour. Harsh Words delivers on its titular promise, with scathing, gritty send-ups on everything from marriage to Toronto's music scene. In "King Hipster," singer/guitarist/organist Joan Smith, in all her country-crooner-meets-Sleater-Kinney-voiced glory, calls out everything from the Wavelength music series to Stillepost, ultimately admitting she's mostly just jealous that it's not her band getting the attention. And in the plaid-hating "Fake Cowboys" it sounds like someone's got some serious contempt for Toronto's plentiful alt-country types. As juvenile as this sentiment and some of the overall shtick seems it's a refreshing take on some otherwise too-serious subjects (see: music, especially in Toronto). Little Foot Long Foot's full-length debut is a confident and polished effort, and it shouldn't stay off the radar much longer. (Independent) - exclaim.ca

http://www.nowtoronto.com/music/discs.cfm?content=169633

"Before you dismiss them as another White Stripes clone, replace Jack White’s growl with a voice closer to the Gossip’s Beth Ditto and the garage rock references with chunkier classic rock riffage. They’ve got their formula honed to a sharp point and cram in a lot of hooks...it’s a fun album that will sound good over a case of beer on a humid summer day." - Benjamin Boles - NOW

http://www.herohill.com/2009/04/introducing-little-foot-long-foot.htm

If I pointed you towards another two piece, bluesy rock band, what would you say? Probably something like, “thanks, but I’ll listen to my White Stripes/Black Keys/Black Diamond Heavies/Speaking Tongues” and move on. But I'd quickly follow up with, “this one is fronted by a woman” and chances are you'd toss back some glib retort along the lines of, “so it’s the poor-man's Pack A.D.? Or just another chick with an unhealthy obsession with Joplin and the color black?”

Well, thankfully Toronto’s Little Foot Long Foot doesn’t fit into such tidy little descriptors. Sure, Harsh Words stands up against the output of some of those bands - Junebug and King Hipster explode out of your speakers, as does the anti-Bush/anti-Landlord anthem, Half Man Half Mule - but on a casual glance you’d expect front woman Joan Smith to play keys or picked acoustic, not gritty garage riffs that fuel her disdain for hipsters and a love of classic rock.

I know it’s easy to fall for big guitars and crashing drums, especially with a cute female belting out the vocals - and make no mistake, she has some pipes - and the fact that Isaac Klein's snare might be tighter than the pants they both seem to hate, but Little Foot Long Fit is working to find their own niche in this suddenly over saturated genre. Their modern take on the classic sound adds just enough self-deprecating humor and sarcastic nonchalance (and some country swagger) to the tried and true emotions you expect to hear.

Instead of bombarding you with only sludgy ballads and searing riffs and garnishing tired comparisons to whiskey soaked nights, the Toronto two-piece really tries to bend their sound pallet. With subtle shifts like the funky groove that starts Market Survey (that breaks into a harmonica laced, hoe-down), the distorted haze that grows on Stripper Song or how effortlessly Smith jumps into a Neko-inspired vocal run on the alt-country chic dismissal Fake Cowboys, Little Foot Long Foot shows that they have more to offer than your standard huge sound. - herohill.com

A captive audience turned out to support not only local music and business, but to donate their big dollars to the Artists' Health Centre Foundation. Little Foot Long Foot opened the night and menacingly tore through a set of their bitingly sarcastic, gritty, bluesy rock. - torontoist.com

As luck would have it, the Torontonian version of miesha & the spanks, the similarly styled little foot long foot, was playing at a venue not too far from Bovine. A short jaunt up Spadina later, and the newly-augmented three-piece was barreling through their set. Frontwoman Joan Smith seemed at ease with the gathering crowd, wielding her large, hollow-body Yamaha and confidently blasting through the part rock and roll, part roots, part country — with a little bit of punk mischief — set. Though she and drummer Isaac Klein have been a two-piece since the beginning, this was the first show with their new organist, Caitlin Dacey from Bella Clava, who had played a showcase at the Hideout right before rushing over to El Mocambo. Dacey's distorted organ tone was a fantastic complement to an already strong duo, giving the songs more body and weight, especially on the bass end. Along with a new member, Smith unveiled some new songs, including the tentatively-titled "Neko Case Hate Fucks Kurt Cobain." - BeatRoute Magazine

The sound of Little Foot Long Foot (not to be confused with the fab Little Feat!) was termed "Black Sabbath fronted by Kate Bush” by Colin MacDonald of The Trews. He should know, given that he produced the fiery rock combo's new EP, Woman. We actually think powerhouse singer/guitarist Joan Smith (White Cowbell Oklahoma) owes more to Courtney than Kate. Her two male comrades have credits including The Trews, Peter Elkas Band and Dearly Beloved. Their 2011 album Oh, Hell was helmed by Ian Blurton, showing the band has good taste in rock producers. A group clearly worthy of enhanced attention. We also loved their earlier cut "King Hipster" and last year's "Bridge Concerns", which is available for free dl on their Bandcamp.

LFLF will rock LAMF at Crocks in Thunder Bay (Dec. 5) and Cherry Cola's in Toronto (Dec. 6).

Kerry Doole - New Canadian Music

Little Foot Long Foot
Woman Ep
For me the album is more of a tease if anything, five songs just isn’t enough. The Ep runs for about eighteen minutes as well, and it isn’t a problem for me to sit through two or three listens in a row at any given time before I even think about listening to anything else. Hell even my six Year Old told me to turn it up during “My Word” in the truck when he heard the album for the first time.

Leading off the Ep is the title track Woman. After a quick vocal intro which really revs you up for the song Joan hits you with one of her signature catchy as all hell guitar hooks. Her guitar skills has always amazed me,( I still remember the first time I saw Little Foot Long Foot play live in Kingston a few years ago and having my jaw drop and simply saying “holy fuck”). Now going along with her guitar skills is her ability to write lyrics which no female artist that I really know would sing about, which in turn characterizes a large side of the rawness and Musical drive to Little Foot Long Foot. Just listen to the chorus, and you will see exactly what I mean. So adding on top of the lyrics and killer guitar riffs/licks you also get to hear Jeff Heisholt on the keyboards and Gavin Maguire on drums. The timing the three of them have especially between Jeff and Joan is something that you just have to hear/listen to. Just take the tempo change that happens a little after the halfway point in the song as the song is stepping down and Joan takes to a pausing style with her vocals.

“My Word” doesn’t this sum up the minor thoughts compared to what you are going to think when you hear the intro to this one. This was another “Holy Fuck” moments when I first heard this song. If someone ever says Rock is dead than they better listen to this song. Little Foot Long Foot is helping me make up for the fact that I wasn’t born in the 70’s and grew up listening to the three piece band definitive. The Tremolo that Joan adds in her vocals really drives home the lyrics throughout the song, and the fact that she only uses this effect at the key points in the song. The deep scathing backing vocals that are just audible enough to hear maintain the rawness of LFLF sound. Also simply put The Rhythm.
“Heavy” slows things down just a little bit. The song brings out the jam setting/side of LFLF. This would be a song to watch live as there is such a great possibility of the song being extended a couple of minutes with Joan expanding on her solos and the same goes with Jeff as well, I could easily see this song being extended into the five minute mark.

Now to finish off the album with authority “The Worst” does the deed. Just as in the previous songs Joan nails a highly addictive collection of riffs and guitar licks. The main rhythm to the song is what I love the most about the song. I can’t also forget to mention how Jeff and Joan has matched their sounds together to make such a bigger sound than compared to playing solo or playing lead and the other playing filling in the sound.

Visit www.LittleFootLongFoot.com to pick up your copy of the Woman EP - Kingston Music Reviews

Usually when reviewing bands, both independent and well known, that I’ve previously met or have at least seen live, I tend to start off my review about that experience, so I guess I’ll do that again now. I first heard of Little Foot Long Foot this past summer when they opened for The Trews at a show they played by my cottage. I already wasn’t too familiar with The Trews, other than their hits, I just went because my friends paid for my ticket as long as I’d be the designated driver. (I’m sure glad I went because I’ve listened to practically nothing but The Trews since that day) Anyway we got in to the venue and I couldn’t help but be caught off guard by their opening act Little Foot Long Foot. They had a blues based hard rock sound mixed with soul and an unmatchable attitude all with just three members; a guitarist/vocalist, a drummer and a keyboard player, and it just hooked me in to staying and watching them play.



Afterward I had the pleasure of talking to Little Foot Long Foot’s frontwoman Joan Smith for a few minutes before getting their then most recent album Oh, Hell. I mentioned I had a blog and could review it and she told me to instead wait for their new album coming later in the year. She said she’d get it to me, but I honestly didn’t think she was serious with that offer, which is why I was shocked with delight when I actually did find their new EP Woman in my email inbox.

The opening title track Woman starts off with a “woah” chant that creates a mood that is immediately shattered by the powerhouse of hard rock that the band breaks out. Joan’s classic hard rock styled vocals can have the grace and freedom of Kate Bush but also the power of Janis Joplin and her voice gets to both of those points in this song, which starts off the EP in a practically perfect way.

The EP continues to deliver hard rock that won’t stop with the Black Sabbath-esque Mess and the soulful My Word. Both songs are exactly what I’d hope for from a modern hard rock band. They both have a modern rock sound that I usually hear out of rock duos, mostly because of how they are mostly centred on heavy yet simple drum beats and loud guitars, but unlike most of these bands by comparison, Little Foot Long Foot add a classic rock influence that I don’t commonly hear in many bands, regardless of how many members are in the band.

Heavy is the song that best helps sum up my opinion of the band in a nutshell. After rocking as hard as they’ve rocked in the opening three tracks, I’d expected a slower song, and Little Foot Long Foot took that opportunity and ran with it in this ballad that shows the band at their upmost soulful. Jeff Heisholt‘s keyboards with Joan’s vocals and a little help from Gavin Maguire‘s emotional drum beats, all gather together perfectly to make this one of my favourite songs released all year.

Woman ends with The Worst. This track takes all the noise, all the soul, all the rhythm, all the blues and everything in between that I’m forgetting and fits it all in to one two and a half minute track that reminds you, in case you’ve forgotten, just how capable Little Foot Long Foot is of breaking the walls down with every note they play. But cheesy clichés aside, the song does make for a great closer to the EP by not disappointing listeners who love an EP or LP to go out with a bang.

I feel Little Foot Long Foot are a band best heard live. I rarely say that but it’s true. Sure on album they can fix imperfections and make the songs sound as good as possible, but there’s a spontaneity and energy that the band has in their live sets that can’t be put on record. That being said, I’m still impressed with Woman. I do like it more than their previous album Oh, Hell, I feel they took a step forward as recording artists and they will continue to grow as long as they make music. There is a sense of intelligence in these five songs that tell me the band knows what they’re doing but also know that they can always get better with time.

ALBUM HIGHLIGHT

“Woman” –­ I hate having the obvious choice as my highlight, but it’s only logical. Woman is the catchiest of songs on the EP and it captured the band that their best. The song at its heaviest is the best you’ll hear comparing it to the heaviest moments of the other tracks, and it’s not afraid to take a verse or two to slow things down and show their melodic side. - Rock Review Phil

On Sunday night, we began our annual countdown of the best records of 2014 on The Strombo Show's Hundo. It counted down 100-51 and we'll count down the rest on next Sunday night from 8-11PM on CBC Radio 2.

We included Little Foot Long Foot, 'Woman' at number #61.

You can check the full episode and list (100-51) here:
http://www.cbc.ca/strombo/radio/the-strombo-hundo-2014-part-one - The Strombo Show

Alright, I'm the first who's happy to admit when my gut is wrong... especially when it results in one of my favourite bands returning to full form. I had my concerns about this band when they suffered a huge blow by losing half of the amazing female vocal equation that made up their sound. I had even bigger concerns when their drummer, part of the founding duo and the hard stomping drive behind the group, left to start a family.

I had my concerns, but this fall, they were put to rest.

When Little Foot Long Foot released their EP, Woman, my mouth was silenced and my jaw was dropped. Part of the difficulty with LFLF losing both Caitlin Dacey and Isaac Klein was that so much of the sound and pressure now rested on the shoulders of frontwoman Joan Smith. The band did struggle for a little as they settled into their new sound, however, in my opinion, their true transformation was when when Smith was able to step up and own the role... and own it she did.

Woman comes across as an album that stands in opposition. Sonically and lyrically, it seems to represent a backlash to a world, and even a music scene, that has traditionally been a boys game. Though far from being meek, apologetic, or conciliatory, Smith's songs cut through your speakers like this is the way that music has always been and has always supposed to be. It can't have hurt to have The Trews Colin MacDonald producing, but at the end of the day, it was the power trio of LFLF that pushed forward these 5 incredible tracks - each could be a single of it's own on a different day of the week.

In short, one of my favourite Toronto bands is back, in a way that makes me question whether they even left. Maybe it wasn't them... it was me. - evil shananigans