Team Captain

Progressive. Emo. These two words bring about all sorts of negative reactions on their own, but shit, when combined? All hell seems to open up and the seams of this world come apart. Or so most critics would have you believe. Not us. No, not your friends over at the culture of me. We don't think there's anything cringe-worthy about these things--when done correctly, that is.

Now, let's be honest here for a second. We loved the first two records from Coheed and Cambria (full disclosure: we went to high school with those guys) and we have milled around all sorts of places seeking out every track we could find by Moneen (you know, another math rock-ish Canadian band). Hate us for it or not, it's who we are. So, you know, deal, or something.

Edmonton quartet Team Captain are less the big-haired prog rock symphony creating types as they are the testing-the-waters math rock kids. Their debut, eponymous EP (self-released no less) is a fine specimen of these tactics. Crunching guitars on one end, finger-picked high notes on the other, hyperactive drums and a tighter-than-my-skinny-jeans basslines all combine to create the up-down-up-up-down styles of this up-and-coming great white North group. Oh yeah, the vocals don't leave too much to be wanted, but maybe the lyrics could use a once-over every once in a while. We mean, no offense or anything, we know it's emo and stuff, but come on. Anyways, give these guys a couple listens and we're sure that you'll be down with their stuff for some time. Here's hoping they can break through the border and get some US of A-approved recognition. Fans of Braid, rejoice! - www.thecultureofme.com

By Cassie Gressell
Published: December 31, 2007

Part of the reason I started reviewing CDs was because I wanted to help out the bands that I love. And, yeah, okay – knowing about things first is always pretty cool. But mostly the first thing. And in line with that, there’s very little that is as exciting for me as finding out about a new band that has just released an album, and being able to shout from my proverbial rooftop to let everyone else in the vicinity know about them. Sadly, these bands don’t come along often. Most of the really great albums come from bands that most of us already know about, and generally the leftovers are just that – leftovers. Reheated, not quite as good this time around, maybe even bland. No one is going to choose leftovers when they have the option of something fresh. Team Captain’s self-titled EP worked its way into my hands, and although four tracks isn’t really much to go by, I’m willing to put my money on this band and say that when they release a full length album, it’s not going to be anything like leftovers.

The most shining tracks for me occur right in the middle – “We Caught The Pendulum” and “Who Are The Lions” – both showing polar opposite sides of Team Captain’s style, and both doing so with ferocity and crisp instrumentation. “We Caught The Pendulum” has all of the heavy-to-soft shifts required to get someone pumped leading up to the gang vocal-ed chorus, not to mention bits of math rock that serve to add depth to the track. “Who Are The Lions” brings the band into an all-around more personal setting, with quiet, slow moving guitar, a steady beat, and melancholy vocals that all come together for the most emotional track on the EP.

Team Captain pulls quite a few impressive tricks in a short period of time, and because of this it seems safe to say that hearing what they have up their sleeves next will be pretty fun. The band already seems to understand fully well what their strengths are (interesting guitar work, crisp vocals), and they use these qualities to their advantage throughout their self-titled EP in a way that is sure to grab attention. - For The Sound

Math attack
Can you have your prog and eat it too? Yes, say Team Captain

Francois Marchand, edmontonjournal.com
Published: Monday, January 07

Is it indie?

Is it emo?

Is it - gasp - proggy jazz-rock?
Team Captain!View Larger Image View Larger Image
Team Captain!

No, no and not so much.

"It's probably pretty subtle, stuff that we notice," says Team Captain guitarist Calvin McElroy, who, like the other three members of Team Captain, was brought up the MacEwan jazz program way.

"You probably won't hear the jazz influences too much. There are other things that come from jazz: the discipline of practicing and the theory knowledge. That definitely comes through - in our rehearsals, at least."

Suffice to say, it's rocking and it sounds freaking good.

If anything, the band's "progressive" propensities are less about becoming an offspring of the school of Coheed and Cambria, and more about writing solid, expansive songs.

In fact, if you ask Team Captain, they're much more interested in combining the sounds of their rock favourites than evolving into an experimental jam band.

"We're huge fans of the Constantines, Minus the Bear and more mainstream stuff like the Foo Fighters," says McElroy. "It goes all over the place - everything from Bjork to Sigur Ros, more ambient stuff."

Their self-titled EP, which came out last November, is proof that musical eccentricities are no match for a good tune.

The four songs that make up the album are more anchored in choppy, angular guitar riffs than awkward themes or disjointed song structures.

Call their sound "proggy" if you will, but you'd be hard-pressed not to be swept away by the sheer catchiness of their work.

Sure, we're not talking two-minute bubblegum-pop or straight-ahead rock anthems. However, there's still enough room for fans to sing along and pump their fists in the air and let melodies like their intense We Caught the Pendulum do the trick.

"It's very accessible, I think," explains McElroy. "Song structures are a bit more complicated, and sometimes we take something straightforward and just kinda give it a bit of a twist that makes it a mathy-type riff - stuff that you wouldn't usually hear in more mainstream music."

Perhaps it's what makes Team Captain's music feel refreshing, yet easily identifiable and contemporary.

The band might only be just over a year old, and is still working on a proper full-length debut album, but the chemistry between the four members of Team Captain is palpable.

Touring is still very much limited due to two members being in school, but a recent jaunt in Saskatoon and an upcoming gig in Regina are offering a new perspective for a band hungry for more.

"We just learn that it's all about the people who come to the show, despite how many there are," says vocalist Graham Tilsley. "It's not about the numbers, it's about the genuine crowd that is there. If you're a local band and you play in Edmonton, people usually come to the shows for the headlining bands.

"You still get good feedback and good promotion," Tilsley adds, "but playing out of town, the people seem a lot more excited to see you." - Francois Marchand

Not wasting any time or losing any of the momentum generated by the release of their eponymous EP, Edmonton's shoegaze-indie-fusion kings Team Captain headline a triple bill at the Velvet Underground with two other bands who are equally difficult to classify.
"We try to draw from a lot," says guitarist Calvin McElroy. "We like shoegaze and indie stuff, but we also have a huge influence from the Constantines, and bands like Muse. I think there's definitely a progressive element to our music, for sure, and we weren't the first ones to say it."
Team Captain all met in Grant MacEwan's music program, but their roots lie int the fertile ground of Edmonton's do-it-yourself indie rock scene. "When I went to Grant MacEwan I was coming from the punk rock, DIY scene, and I was kind of surprised how many people weren't aware of the local music," McElroy recalls, "Then they would start going to shows and they'd realize that there were awesome bands that you wouldn't expect a jazz musician to be into."
Team Captain's songs are technical and layered, and they pull from everywhere across the genre board. A hardcore or metal fan will find something in the thickness of McElroy's guitar tones, a jazz fan might appreciate Team Captain's technicality, whereas other songwriters might identify with the band's unique approach to writing.
"Some of our songs are seven minutes long: they explore a lot of different areas, rather than sticking to the basic formula," McElroy describes. "Some bands people understand for the technical ability of that band, and appreciate them for that and for that element alone. Other people might listen to lyrics and melody and that's it. I think when there's a good balance, music can be understood on both levels."
On the local stage, Team Captain has found an audience in those that appreciate unclassifiable, challenging, and diverse music, and they're currently in the process of exploring their unique sound to other towns and cities. "As much as we can we're doing weekends in small towns," McElroy says. "And we're trying to put together a tour for June and get across Canada. Everybody in the band wants to tour right now, and at some point, I'd like to see the rest of the world with a band too."
Team Captain plays the Velvet Underground Feb 2, with Aurora, and Electricity for Everybody. - See Magazine

Another week, another local band releases an EP. A lot of people bemoan the fact that computers and increasingly inexpensive technology is making it possible for just about anyone to release their music, but I think it's great that we have such a wealth of sound to choose from now. And Team Captain has done an admirable job making its contribution. Filled with guitar and bass lines that lock together the way puzzle pieces do, Team Captain is the kind of thing you can listen to a number of times without fully hearing everything. Sometimes some more weepy elements bleed into the songs through the vocals and the lyrics, which detracts from the whole, but ultimately this is a solid piece of work.

-Bryan Birtles - Vue Weekly