The Darns

September 26, 2004. Two brothers, three cousins and three friends join musical forces for the first time. Unsure of where this uncharted territory would lead them, what began as eight would soon become five. This is the story of what it all turned into.

Recorded in April 2006 at Skylight Studio in Toronto, "What It All Turns Into" is the first full-length release from The Darns. Comprised of ten brand new songs as well as new versions of "Future Girl" and "Inside My Lungs" from the band’s 2005 EP, “The Clayton-Curtis Sessions, the chain of events that led the band to those five days in April began almost immediately after the their inception in 2004.

Formed during an astronomical collision of worlds, the group connected over e-mails, a few phone calls, and a Cure concert. After the eventual arranging of a time and place, the band came together. The three friends who played together in a previous band brought a few songs to the table as a starting point. Two of the three cousins had been writing, recording and performing together for the past fifteen years while the two brothers had grown up in a household built around music.

The outcome of this fusion defied the laws of physics and arithmetic. It was a world where 3+2+3=5 and where the only way to move forward was to look behind. This was the world of The Darns.

For the next few months, The Darns began dusting off and re-imagining old songs as well as tinkering with brand new material. It was an exciting time for the band as they created new parts and new arrangements for old songs. The first new song written collaboratively by the group was the sweeping "Move to the Moon"; where elements of that song epitomized the changes being made to many of the others. "There was a strong sense of establishing solid groove on the bottom end and then letting the other parts intertwine within that framework." From the roaring guitar of "Chance Encounter" to the tenderness of "Baby", the band began uncovering a whole new realm of possibilities.

After a few weeks of rehearsals it was time for the band to put its efforts to the test and take the songs live. Their unofficial debut was at a private function in December 2004. On February 11, 2005 The Darns took the stage at Toronto's Rancho Relaxo and blew the crowd away. One fan had this to say on her blog the day after, "On Friday night The Darns took over the stage with an energetic show, and an innovative collection of songs seamlessly transitioning from one beat to another. Armed with a set list longer than that on the back of most new releases, more people need to see and hear these guys play." The standing-room only crowd raved about the show, and it was enough of a boost to help the band realize that the current line-up of material was ready.

Over the course of 2005 the band played wherever and whenever they could. Feeling industrious, they began preparations to record a four song EP as well as creating and distributing Darns' buttons and tees. Recorded in a friend's basement studio during the summer of 2005, "The Clayton-Curtis Sessions EP" included the brash "PMD" and "A Forest" by The Cure which became a staple of their live shows.

In January 2006, the band took a sabbatical from live performances to begin pre-production on what would become their then untitled album. The sentiment within the band was that this was the opportunity to take what they had to the next level. "We were working towards finding a balance between strong individual songs and a collective, cohesive record. We knew that to achieve the results were looking for we would have to dig deeper."

That winter The Darns proceeded to hibernate in their west-end rehearsal space as they began pre-production. It was a process that, in the end, left the band exhausted but more importantly, well prepared for the studio sessions that lay ahead of them.

On the eve of April 25, The Darns invaded Skylight Studio and prepared to call it home. The next five days were some of spring’s finest. The weather was warm; not a cloud in the sky – the world was alive. Sunshine poured through the skylight as they began their seventy-two hour jam.

"We weren't interested in making an album that was dead-nuts perfect. The responses we had received from our live shows made us realize that it was important to maintain a live feel with the recordings. The songs had to feel natural and fresh." The spring, the sunshine, and the good food and drink facilitated the philosophy that the band was now working under. While working diligently to stay on schedule, the band still allowed spontaneity to factor into the recording process. The hard work paid off as twelve songs were completed and "What It All Turns Into" was born.

The bittersweet opener "Bright Black Daisy" sets the tone with its discoesque groove and soaring vocal melodies. The pulsating "Waking Up" catapults the listener into fan favourites "Six Year Old Millionaire", "Inside My Lungs