The Corner

Sometimes being one of the many unknown bands playing a festival can pay off – just ask Toronto indie rockers the Corner, who landed a prime Friday-night showcase at the Sonorama Ribera festival in Burgos, Spain, last weekend after one of the festival’s directors, Javier Ajenjo, caught the quartet’s CMW set at the El Mo last year.
Not only were they the only North American act on the festival’s largely European lineup, but they performed several times during the three-day event and extended their Spanish sojourn for some club gigs as well.
On the home front, the band’s been honing their atmospheric rock sound with gigs around town while they ready their debut album, produced with Besnard Lakes’ Jace Lasek at his Breakglass Studios in Montreal, for release in early 2014. - Now Magazine

In corporate terms, just about every band we feature on HnG is considered new, but Corners is really, really new. And despite that they have yet to release their debut EP, I’d bet my t-shirt collection that these cats are going to be a scene staple by spring.

You know how, when you first meet twins it’s impossible to tell them apart but then after you get to know them you don’t have to look twice to tell? That’s what it’s like with new bands once you get to know the scene a little. When you don’t know much about what it takes to conquer the industry, every band that doesn’t sound like a coyote in a blender appears to have a shot. But as time goes by, you start noticing a deeper correlation among the acts with real potential.

As much as some musicians would like to think, it’s really not about luck, talent, and who you know as much as it is about having the right attitude and building a business around your band. In simpler terms, it doesn’t matter how good you are if you aren’t consistent and it doesn’t matter if you know people in high places if they all think you’re a dick. Makes perfect sense, right?
Whether due to previous experience or sheer virtue – it doesn’t really matter – the guys of Corners hit the ground running. Their driven yet quirky attitudes are tailor made for a career in rock ‘n roll and their upcoming EP, mastered by Jon Drew (Fucked Up, Tokyo Police Club), features five highly textured and ambient tracks more fitting to an independent film soundtrack than it would any particular genre of rock. It’s the kind of stuff that gets under your skin and lifts you up along with the momentous synth-driven build ups before dropping you back down with one swift break.

I was curious to see what kind of crowd this style of music would draw and, according to the packed-to-the-tits house at the Bovine a couple Fridays ago (Dec 2 – more photos here), it totally works. - Hits and Giggles Media

This is actually a great song from an independent band. It’s course and delicate all at the same time. The chorus interrupts at the perfect moment, plus it’s gritty and big as hell.

Sounds like: Slowly coming to terms with it. - Alan Cross

Corners at Lee's Palace
Let it be known that I am completely sober as I write this.
I was also completely sober at this show.
Whoa.
That's right. And I'm writing my review asap, because I want to, because I'm sober, and because the show has inspired me to.
The band was Corners and they played at Lee's Palace less than an hour ago.
I would describe them as a post-rock-rock-ambient-rock-rock band. Rock. on.
Fact: They reminded me of Radiohead, long ago.
Fact: I don't like Radiohead. But I like Corners. So does that mean Corners are better than Radiohead? (Correct answer: WHO ISN'T!)
Fact: There are 4 members. Therefore 4 CORNERS. Therefore, the band is square?
Fact: Square has never sounded so good.
Fact: Watching Corners perform is like ordering milk at Hooters. Whatever that means. (I don't really know, I just wanted to say that to be honest.)
Fact: This review has become far too factual.

I loved the singer of this band. He had a fantastic voice, and his stage presence was altogether enduring. Standing front and center with his keyboard(etc) and his mic, with his arms crossed in front of him most of the time, until he went for the keys, casually tossing the mic over one shoulder while he focused on playing.
What would never in a million years work for 99% of other frontmen, worked for him.
And both guitarist and bassist were mesmerizing to watch as they rocked back and forth.
There wasn't a whole lot of movement on stage but somehow it worked for them.
There was enough movement on the drums to make up for it.
It all worked. Everything.
I expected to be waiting for the show to end as soon as it started, I've been sick and was already out at another show before Lee's and almost didn't make it.
That was the last thing I wanted by the end of it.
So here I am, at 1:40am, still up, still feeling sick, and still listening to Corners. - MusicSheBloggedToronto

Lee's Palace was chock full of bands the night Corners made its five-song showcase and no one's music was a bigger shock to the senses than the rock fest given by this up and coming band. While a couple of the boys were off doing their own thing before the show, I sat down with two of Corners' chilled out members, Matthew O'Halloran (vocals) and Mark Anderson (lead guitar). I was curious to know how they felt about the recent media attention the band has been getting, and was really glad to see how laid back they were as artists and as people. So, sitting atop a rickety stool at Lee's Palace that was too high for my 5” 2 self, I posed my questions.

Elena: I know you guys are featured on the Edge as band of the month. Considering that it’s a mainstream music station, I think that's pretty impressive. What do you think you brought to the places you've played and what are you bringing to Lee's Palace tonight that's different from other Toronto Indie bands?

Matthew: Good question! That's a difficult one... I don't know... how strange our drummer is? Ha-ha. What sets us apart? Maybe we use some more electronic elements, but I don't really think that stands out too much. As far as indie rock goes, I think we sound different from a lot of indie bands happening right now.

Mark: I guess I would say songwriting, the collaboration we all bring together; something kind of new happens, I think.

Elena: I hear you guys often being compared to other artists - that's usually how people describe your sound (by comparison). Do the comparisons to distinct musical personalities ever make you feel creatively boxed in, like your own voices are being lost in well-known musical names and your sound is drowned out?

Mark: No, not at all. We borrow from a lot of bands and I don't think there's one in particular that we plagiarize, so I'm pretty comfortable with anything that people want to give us tribute for.

Matthew: Our list of influences is so broad that it’s nice to be compared to all the stuff that we have been compared to.

Elena: You see it as a good sign that people mention well-known artists when they think of you.

Matthew: Definitely.

Elena: What went into this album?

Matthew: This album is kind of weird because this band and this album has been forming for the last two or three years. We started basically by writing in a basement and only a small amount of ideas made it past that stage into this one. The five songs we are releasing have been in the making for quite some time.

Mark: I think Matthew starts off with an idea and the rest of us add structure. He brings a good idea to the table always.

Elena: Well, when I listen to your songs I personally love the lyrics most. So what words in those songs are the most important to you?

Matt: Stories, almost everything is based off of personal experience, thought, or views. I definitely went through an interesting period when we were writing these songs so I had a lot to draw from. I just wrote about stuff that happened to me, stuff I was thinking, stuff I wanted to say.

Elena: Alan Cross praised your song “Bitter” on his blog. How do you feel about that song getting so much attention?

Matt: I feel great about any of our songs being popular. If any of our songs get praise from somebody like that, we're more than happy.

Matt: I feel like one of the songs on the EP that maybe doesn't come across as well on the recording but is one of my favourites to play live is “Night's When I'm Bored”. It definitely takes on a different character (live).

Mark: I think that it’s kind of cool that out of our songs, a lot of people we meet have a favourite one. They are all talked about and they seem to suit people's different tastes and moods differently. I've got an affection for all of them myself so I'm rooting for them all to do well.

Judging by crowd reaction to the band’s performance, it would seem lots of people are rooting for them to do well. Corners' EP h - Lithium Magazine