Music
Press
Their rich, multi-layered new-grass style and sweet harmonies will woo you to their front porch to hear more... (Jan. 2006)
- Doug Ozeroff, Victoria, B.C.
Dry Bones is a gem - one of the most exciting debuts by a roots outfit from B.C. since Zubot & Dawson’s Strang came out almost a decade ago. - Winter 2007
"...a very fresh sound that puts the good time in old time. This band has a personality that sets it apart from others and gains loyal fans wherever they appear. Really reccomended." - Brent Hutchinson - Artistic Director / Producer, Islands Folk Festival, BC
The musicianship is impeccable, and the singing unusually strong. Bassist Oliver Swain's agile voice will make the hairs bristle on the back of your neck. (January 2008)
[Outlaw Social’s] first full-length recording deserves to trigger a flood-alert the length of the Pacific Coast. (November 2007)
- Georgia Strait
Cheerful funky fiddle folk music that sounds as if it was recorded in the Dust Bowl days of the great Depression. (March 2008) - Detroit Metro Times
The debut full length from this local quintet is pure bliss. Haunting lyrics, solid musicianship and a timeless quality makes for top-notch roots music from one of the city’s strongest bands. - Monday Magazine
2008 Awards:
Outlaw Social Voted Favourite Roots/Folk Band
Dry Bones Voted Best Album of 2007 - Monday Magazine (Victoria, BC)
Discography
Releases:
a seven song e.p. (April 2006)
Dry Bones (December 2007)
Photos
Bio
Outlaw Social is a five piece band from Victoria B.C., born out of friendship and tempered by a mutual passion for traditional string music. Three talented and uniquely emotive lead vocalists are carried by equally spectacular playing on traditional string instruments and electric guitar, making for a sound that is vibrant and original. Their repertoire includes powerful original songwriting, thoughtful interpretations of traditional music, and a few truly inspired covers of contemporary songs.
Each member of Outlaw Social is a roots music veteran in their own right, with members’ projects including The Paperboys, Chip Taylor, Scruj McDuhk (The Duhks), The Bill Hilly Band (The Bills), Pierre Schryer and Daniel Lapp.
In 2006 the release of their seven song e.p. met with high critical acclaim as “creating a new voice in Canadian acoustic music” (Penguin Eggs, Winter 2006) and praise for songwriter Pharis Romero (ex Patenaude) as “a B.C. historical treasure” (B.C. Folklore Society). Enthusiastic audience response has followed everywhere they go. Gracing stages at the Victoria ICA Folk Festival, Wintergrass, Vancouver Island Music Festival, Mission Folk Music Festival, and many other premier west coast venues, Outlaw social has won over fans and critics alike. Whether wowing audiences in concert halls or ripping it up at festivals, Outlaw Social brings contagious passion and energy to the stage.
With the release of their new album Dry Bones in late 2007, Outlaw Social have taken their varied talents and forged them into a dynamic sound, deeply rooted in tradition but clearly all their own. Recorded live off the floor at Baker Studios in Victoria and engineered by Joby Baker (The Bills, Marc Atkinson, Mae Moore), the new album truly showcases the talents of this band. Winning critic and audience votes as the Top Album of 2007 (Monday Magazine Critics' Pick and Victoria B.C.'s Annual Entertainment Readership Awards), and in the Top 10 Albums of 2007 for the Georgia Strait and Vancouver's Rogue Folk Club, the musicianship is both articulate and soulful. Each member operates as a powerful independent voice, while still being able to blend perfectly with its counterparts during their striking arrangements. An unabashed love for rock and roll runs like an undercurrent through their music, driving it to uncharted heights of emotion and lending a contemporary edge that merges perfectly with their traditional influences.
Future performance invitations include a BBC Radio 2 Showcase at NXNE 2008, the Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton and Winnipeg Folk Music Festivals, and a European tour in the fall of 2008.
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