The Collective West

The Collective West is comprised of four talented artists of diverse backgrounds. Erin Faught of Beaumont, AB, began her career on the Edmonton music scene as a solo singer songwriter, turning heads by incorporating looped vocals and beats into her heartfelt folk songs before collaborating with Alexander Klassen, a bold and technically stunning musician from Fort St. John, BC. With musical roots in metal, Klassen had recently gone acoustic and solidified himself as a beloved fixture in the underground Edmonton music scene while performing as Alexander Chemist. Alex Charlton of Yellowknife, NWT, who had previously joined Klassen in metal pursuits, was called upon to provide smooth, technical bass lines, and Dave Sustrik of Sherwood Park, AB, utilizes his Grant MacEwan musical training to play every instrument under the sun - from the accordion to varied forms of percussion. From this group, you are as likely to hear a gentle, audience-silencing ballad as you are to hear a bold, provoking rock tune or a Kanye West cover. Yet, their sound manages to be cohesive, accessible and true to every member’s background no matter how distinct, and it is evident from their live performances that the band is passionate about their music, performances, audiences and their bonds with one another. Despite only having been a group for less than a year, their accolades are already impressive—a full-length, self-produced album creating a significant buzz in the Edmonton music scene and featured as New and Noteworthy on iTunes, a songwriting award at the Calgary Folk Music Festival Songwriting Competition and a nomination for Best Folk/Roots Album of the Year from the Edmonton Music Awards.Recently cited as “Edmonton’s most creative and unique folk/alternative band” (Christopher Schieman, Beatroute Magazine), The Collective West is committed to making exclusively innovative music. This drive to stand out and provide listeners with a fresh experience is evident upon listen to their album, Things We Do, released in June 2011. Following the release of their album, the band has been coming together to pen anything from rap music to warm folk songs and trying their hand at instruments they’ve never touched before – and even creating their own by taping tambourines to old sneakers. Though it would seem that one could hardly imagine what their follow-up album may bring, The Collective West has proven to be intelligent enough to show restraint on their limitless creativity to make their music accessible to any listener. This is apparent in their constantly expanding fan base and in-demand status. Recent shows with local favourites 100 mile house, Jeff Morris, Feast or Famine and Captain Tractor as well as appearances at festivals like Calgary’s Lilac Festival have had inquiries for their performances flooding in. Though the band has accomplished much in their young life, their future only continues to get brighter. Look for big things from this talented group.