Sometimes Why

Can you name a band that has been making music for the past 13 years, that has five albums under their belt and sounds like a mix of The Police, Jawbox and Supertramp? Well, that would be the band Sometimes Why. When I sat down with this Toronto-based indie rock trio - Jason Thomson on drums and lead vocals, John Pogue on lead guitar and Jason Epp on bass and keyboards - we talked about how one goes about keeping a band recording, touring and continually evolving thier sound for over a decade.
Their story, while the band officially formed in 1998, really dates back a few years earlier than that, to a little place called Markham High School. Jason Thomson recollects: "It's kind of funny because what it has ultimately become is a high school band making a good thing of it." Without knowing at the time, all of the band's current members, including their former bass player Steve Perry, attended the same high school. Talk about six degrees of separation!
After graduation, the member's path diverged for a bit with Thomson's departure to Vancouver where he fronted a series of his own metal bands. Thomson looks back at this period with a laugh and says "in those days, everyone was in a band in Vancouver!' However, in '98 through a mutual friend, Thomson and John Pogue reconnected. Pogue recounts the encounter as a bit of a shocker, "I didn't even realize who Jay was because he was a grown man when I saw him again! I thought he was older than me!"Not long after, accompanied by Perry, they began jamming with another Toronto born band, Change Of Heart, in the Spadina House Basement.For the first four albums the trio stayed intact, playing local gigs in Toronto at venues like The El Mocambo, the Bovine and the Horseshoe and touring across the United States.
Their 5th studio album, It Starts With A Secret, was recorded last summer with Allen Epley and Eric Abert from The Life And Times. While they did hit a speed bump when one of their bass players had to quit before the album's release, their first single Beaumont hit the radio waves in January, followed by Heavy Weather in May. Their second release accompanied a music video, which the band shot at Thomson's cottage, located right on Georgian Bay. "It had rained all morning. By the time we were ready to shoot it was just overcast and with the sun setting in the background it turned out beautifully. The scenery ended up being the fourth character in the video." The band currently works on getting gigs lined up to tour the album and showcasing the talent of their newest member, Jason Epp.
When asked about who they considered their most influential artists, they list bands such as The Police, The Beatles, Shiner and No Means No. I could not then help but notice the versatility of their selection and asked how these influences show in their music. Thomson replies: "I think that listening to the record and the previous records it is safe to say it's very much a loud rock band kind of thing, but especially on this record (It Starts With A Secret) we really managed to unearth those little subtle things. Certain lyrics may strike the audience as sounding like one of these artists and it's neat that we don't shy away from those touches or influences." Thomson describes their dynamic as: "forceful, considering it is just a three piece and it's quite tense and dramatic in a lot of ways." To which Pogue added: "we also introduced keyboards on this album as well which just sort of came about as we were messing around in the studio." In terms of lyrics, Thomson, who is primarily the lyricist, explains that he likes to bring up ideas that deal with issues of self awareness and perception, in that he "likes to skew things up a bit, things that at first might seem completely apparent. Once you alter your perception it can become something entirely different."
The band finances itself, which they say frees them from any external influences. I asked in what way this independence played out, as opposed to someone else calling the shots. "Well, what you tend to hear on average now is someone else's idea who is, more often than not, not involved with the band. It is this intermediary who is determining what is successful", Thomson replies and Epp adds that "it's a more honest way to go, it allows you to invest in and believe in what you're doing and hopefully it will all come back around in the end."
At the end of our interview I asked what it is that has been keeping the band recording and performing throughout the years. This was met with the unanimous response that they are musicians at heart and, as Pogue put it, "at this point, 13 years in, why stop now?" - Hart House, University of Toronto

It takes a brave band to step into NYC for the first time--especially if that band is from the Great White North. One ugly night with a New York crowd and you'll need more than some warm Tim Horton's and a sixer of Kokanee to get over the hurt. But Toronto's Sometimes Why did just that on Nov. 8th at Brooklyn's Trash Bar, right in the hipster-ground zero of Williamsburg. What's more, they played hard and emerged unscathed (but maybe a little drunk), possibly picking up a few new fans along the way.

It took a few minutes for the crowd to catch on, and that's understandable: while most of-the-moment NYC bands still traffic in dancey post-punk or experimental noise pop, Sometimes Why brings an elastic, melodic pop-rock sound to the table with some Midwestern post-grunge flourishes--not unlike The Who stumbling drunk around KC or Chicago, boozing it up with beloved scene also-rans like Hum or Shiner. But while they don't necessarily shy away from tough time signatures or intricate chords, they always keep the melody front and center. Melody, as everyone knows, is for the ladies, and if the ladies come, the fellas will follow. And follow they did.

On stage, Sometimes Why (or +XY) rock the "regular dudes in jeans" style of dress, but they pack a visual ace-in-the-hole: drummer Jason Thomson sings while he plays, and not only that--he sings well. Thomson doesn't possess a gorgeous throat, but his thin, reedy tenor cuts through the thick arrangements and serves the band well, blending in like another instrument rather than a traditional voice. Unlike most singer drummers (I'm looking at you, Phil Collins), Thomson manages to hold down the hooks while also laying down thunderous fills. Guitarist John Pogue launches volleys of economic, effective riffs while bassist Steve Perry (no, not that Steve Perry) swings between fingered bounce and picked attack for his deft, countermelodic basslines.

But screw all that musical flapdoodlery--what really matters is that the people got rocked. From an icy cold start, the crowd finally got curious about this "singing-drummer thing;" they moved in and eventually swayed and bopped to atmospheric winners like "Clown Shoes," "Bitter Pills," and the U2-on-steroids "Chasing Scars." They finished the set sweaty and burned, leaving high expectations for the next act (some improbable, bleepy-bloopy frat/emo band).

So now that Sometimes Why has established a beachhead in Brooklyn, there's only one thing left to do: Manhattan, anyone? The people are ready and waiting. Overheard at the show: "Those guys were awesome--did someone say they were from Canada?!"

- Ted Alvarez (freelance writer/reviewer, published works include: Rolling Stone Magazine and College

Reviewer: Charles Spano

"More good stuff from Canadian bands. This is epic art rock - a bit of Doves, Radiohead and Broken Social Scene in an expansive psych-prog dream. It's slippery and hypnotic, bright and magnified. Anyone with a taste for RUSH, or even the Mars Volta would do well to listen."
- Status magazine, issue 27, May 2005 (California)

SOMETIMES WHY - Keepsake (Engineer Records) Canada has a number of great qualities: cleanliness, cheap prescription drugs and a superb health care plan among them, but now we can add Toronto¹s Sometimes Why. Resurrecting a guitar rock sound that has been dormant for too long, the band seamlessly moves from edgy, challenging material to silky guitar pop in a vain that will undoubtedly remind people of the bourgeoning indie scenes of the late 80¹s and early 90¹s. Led by drummer/vocalist Jason Thompson, Sometimes Why use sharp lyrics and soaring harmonies on tracks like the title effort, ³Chasing Scars² and the hilariously titled, Happy Days referenced ³Jump the Shark². I was very impressed with the straightforward, no frills playing of guitarist John Pogue, as well. I am sure this band would electrify most clubs. - Rich Quinlan - Jersey Beat Magazine, April 2005

Past and Present Music Review (Feb 2003)

Sometimes Why; To All Loose Ends Goodtimeszy Music I was meaning to review this one in last months issue, but didn’t as I couldn’t find anything to say about them, even though this probably was the one album I listened to the most. Well, I still don’t know much to say about it, other than that this Canadian outfit really hit the nail on the head on this one. Besides Irate’s “11;34”, that was reviewed in last months issue, this is probably the best independent album I’ve heard in a very long time.
These guys play their rock-tunes with energy and emotion. Sometimes they border on radio-friendly pop-rock, at others they rock out with the best and hardest of them. The very best thing about this release though, is the lead-singers voice. It’s freaking awesome. The funny thing is however, that he often reminds me a little of the singer of the 80’s jazz—pop-rock band Level 42, how strange that may sound. Other times he sounds like the perfect singer for any of the pop/punk bands currently blowing up the American radio-charts.

Luckily though, he’s not in any of those bands, but in Sometimes Why. Exactly where he should be, playing catchy riff-based rock-music, that doesn’t necessarily suck up to the major record-labels. Someone should sign them anyway. Or let me put it this way; that is exactly why someone should sign them.
- Past and Present Ezine

J-Sin (Oct 2002)

Some words that immediately spring to mind—clever, sonic, aggressive. Sometimes Why presents its third offering and smack Americans upside the head to let us know that we need to respect our friendly neighbors to the north because they can be more inspiring than us. Deciding to offer their music to more than just Toronto, Sometimes Why strikes out to create one of those intelligent deliveries that America seems to lack on occasion. Boisterous approach aside, “To All Loose Ends” throws easily from the side a tight knit collection of aggressive yet clever jump-up rock never sacrificing melody for in-your-facedness. They’ve definitely got some good hooks and I’m biting on this 11-track bait but luckily I don’t think they’re going to just throw me back, I think I’m in for the long haul. - J-Sin E-zine

Hailing from southern Ontario, Sometimes Why is a subliminally avant-garde rock/pop band destined to explode. And To: All Loose Ends is a document of the moment before they reach Vesuvius-like status. Although the energy might be a little high and the drummers vocals set on loud and hyper, one can easily feel the relief they provide in a world of otherwise egotistical and personality driven music.

Sometimes Why differ from the norm, in that they allow their musicianship and knack for interesting arrangements to take prescedence, lending more of a witty, Brit-inspired ethic,albeit with a "workout" or "exercise" feel.

Guitarist John Pogue injects some inventive and refractive guitar playing and textures that immediately places the band a step above others in the fledgling landscape of Canadian commercial rock. This album is a testament to their likely destination, the realm of popularity, so be sure to catch their greatness in a smaller enviroment, where they will completely take your head off.
- Roman Sokal - Exclaim! magazine (Sept 2002)