The Folk
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The Folk

Toronto, Ontario, Canada | Established. Jan 01, 2009 | SELF

Toronto, Ontario, Canada | SELF
Established on Jan, 2009
Band Rock Alternative

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This band has not uploaded any videos
This band has not uploaded any videos

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"The Folk - Live Performance Review"

"There is no shortage of potential for Guelph/Toronto based The Folk. Delivering an energetic brand of hook-laden indie rock that navigates between a pronounced classic rock vibe and synth-pop elements, this five-piece served up a style all their own, seamlessly blending spot-on harmonies, sparkling synths, propulsive guitars, and solid drumming, resulting in dynamic rock-fueled songs that truly have a feel-good anthemic quality. With the bands strong live presence and great musical scope-and now set to release an EP-The Folk are certain to win over more audiences."

-The Lonely Vagabond - The Lonely Vagabond


"Q&A: The Folk"

Excerpt: "Guelph band The Folk have been playing music together for the last four years. This group of musicians attribute their success as a band to being friends and having the strength of that friendship shine through in their music and live performance. This month, you can experience The Folk as they play a CD release show for their new album We All Say at the A.N.A.F. Club 344 on April 19th. We caught up with Sara Bortolon-Vettor to learn more about the band and what they have been up to...." - Music Lives


"Interview: The Folk"

Excerpt: "Several years ago, Toronto / Guelph rock and roll band The Folk started The Communication Series, a conceptual trilogy of recordings that focused on the interactions the bands’ members have with each other and those around them. After two EP’s (2011′s You Say I Say & 2012′s Say it Again), The Folk recorded their debut full-length We All Say, to culminate the series. Led by the powerful vocals of Sara Bortolon-Vettor, but driven by the sound of an experienced five-piece rock unit, We All Say is a great listen. Thanks to a spread of songwriting contributions, a diverse collection of influences are apparent throughout the rocking the album. As a result, We All Say is a proper band effort, and a properly good debut album..." - Sound Analysis


"The Folk - Say It Again"

Toronto five-piece indie pop band the Folk have released a three track EP this June called Say It Again, which is essentially a series of anthems. It’s a follow up to their December 2011 release You Say, I Say, and while it isn’t necessarily a departure from their last release so much as a continuation, it shows definite growth, calling upon the sounds of indie pros The Knife, The XX, and Broken Bells.

The first track, “Rules of Youth” is breathy stuff, anthemic relaxation fit for a California road trip. It’s a great melodic choice for the opening track and sets the tone for the rest of the EP. Sara Bortolon-Vettor’s vocals are sweet and she obviously has great chemistry with her twin sister, Emma, on guitar. The three other members are best friends, Mark Ferrari on guitar and vocals, Liam Magahay on bass, and Patrick Rody on drums.

The second track, “When I go Away” isn’t as strong as the first and last, but it does have a constant, mellow beat with mechanical, but clean, guitar sounds. Ferrari’s vocals add grittiness that wouldn’t exist without his contribution, something similar to Dan Boeckner’s work with Wolf Parade and Handsome Furs.

The intro of the third song, “Say It Again”, is where you’ll find The XX’s “Crystalised” is a clear influence, and while The Folk’s song is considerably more pop, the similarities are obvious. The lyrics begin quite poetically, right on cue with the genre.

While Say it Again doesn’t scream originality, it does fit in with the current brand of indie rock, and it’s hard to disagree with a winning formula. It is sure to be met with the same positive reviews that You Say, I Say had. - Discorder Magazine


"The Folk, "In Silence""

The Folk is an eye-opening up-and-coming rock band from Ontario, Canada whose sound is subtly edgy, yet eclectic and free-flowing. The group’s lead single, “In Silence”, is a track driven by the shredding of electric guitar riffs and a brisk pace set by a cascade of percussions. Lead singing duties are divvied up between the band’s frontwoman Sara Bortolon-Vettor (Sara BV) and Mark Ferrari, who also plays piano. BV’s fraternal twin sister Emma plays lead with her electrifying guitar, while Liam Magahay and Patrick Rody play the bass and drums respectively. The Folk’s debut LP We All Say is out on March 11, 2014 so make sure to check out their Bandcamp here. Enjoy. - Summer in the Winter


"Rules of Youth - INTRODUCiNG The Folk"

I was standing in my backyard no more than two hours ago, humidity pressing down on me from above, the patio stones burning holes through my soles from below, and the barbeque grill about to singe the stubble off my chin, when I realized I didn’t have a post ready for tomorrow (which, as you read this, is now today). There was cursing involved. As the salmon seared, I thought to myself, “Maybe it’s time to pack this blogging stuff in.”
Old habits die hard though, and so about 30 minutes ago I sat down to scroll through the inbox and see what might possibly be in there to write about. That’s where I found The Folk, some very lovely sounding folks from Guelph and Toronto who wrote me a very lovely note about my continued support of Canadian talent, and told me some lovely things about the 3-song EP the just released via Bandcamp called Say it Again. Then I listened to it. Lovely people, my ass; The Folk are deliciously vicious musicians. In just three songs, Sara BV, Emma BV, Mark Ferrari, Liam Magahay and Patrick Rody have single-handedly reminded me why I started blogging in the first place: to tell the world (or anyone who’ll listen) to sit up and take note of songs as ace as “Rules of Youth”, as rocking as “When I Go Away”, and as tender and tense as “Say It Again”. I can’t decide which of the three songs I like most, but let me know if you find yourself a favourite, and let The Folk know that you’re liking what they do by naming your price and downloading this EP. - Quick Before It Melts


"The Folk - Rules of Youth + Say it Again"

In the wake of the recent success of the noise pop masters Sleigh Bells, it will only be a matter of time before this independent, Toronto-based band gains a solid fan base outside of Canada.

Even though the five-piece only formed two years ago, they have already performed at POP Montreal, Canadian Music Week, Toronto Indie Week, NXNE and the Hillside Festival. Not only that, the band has also played shows with Library Voices, Whale Tooth, Ben Caplan, Michou and Sheezer, and their music was recently featured in two of Toronto’s Internet-based television shows (Poser and The Avenue).

The band just released their self-produced album Say It Again on June 19th, and will be embarking on their first Canadian tour this fall. - Rex Manning Day


"Charts for CRFC, July 3rd"

"The Folk and there very excellent EP has come out of nowhere and hit #1" - CRFC 101.9 FM


"The Folk - Say it Again"

Say It Again is the latest release from Toronto/Guelph indie rock quintet The Folk.

The 3-song EP opens with the lively "Rules of Youth". A gauzy arrangement provides a platform for the high-sailing vocals of the female lead.

The slick shimmering melodic grunge of "When I Go Away" has an energy and intensity reminiscent of Silversun Pickups. The EP wraps up with the infectious title track.

The only gripe I've got with Say It Again is that it's over almost before it begins. I can't wait to hear more from The Folk. - Snob's Music


"The Folk - Rules of Youth"

Distorted vocals, swooning guitars, a wall of noise. All good things! ‘Rules Of Youth’ opens The Folk‘s new EP ‘Say It Again‘. Sounds like Silversun Pickups meets The Naked & Famous. The Toronto-based five piece have been at it for over two years, picking up festival appearances at NXNE, Hillside Festival and Pop Montreal. The Folk will set out on their first solo tour this fall. - Sounds Better With Reverb


"Exclusive Premiere: The Folk – "Subtle Play""

Rock’n'roll or not, that’s out of the question. Canada has fostered The Folk. They’re an unusually interesting rock’n'roll band, at least if you’d enter the premise of “rock” ‘n’ “roll” with the ambition of some post-rock and no-waveish influences every now and then. Having released “You Say, I Say” in the midst of Winter in 2011, and the year after that putting out “Say It Again” – both of them being three-tracked releases – they’re now back with their first debut-LP. A full-length album with eleven tracks. Marking their departure from their earlier medium, entering their new self. They’ve just gone out of their shell and are going into the world of the newly-hatched. However, there’s something about their rather mellow rock’n'roll that makes you take another breath, and not huff out the words of “this is some generic rock’n'roll“. It’s solely because of their unique departure into the incomprehensible beauty of their melodies, and their complex rhythm which branches out into a multitude of territories. Mixing both the joyous and rather depressive melodies, with the more upbeat and energetic ones. Accompany that fact with a female vocalist who gives her all. This will certainly be a rather interesting output, into the world of rock’n'roll. Some parts you enjoy, other parts you don’t. That is how it should be.

But we’re more then glad to be giving you a track from their forthcoming album “We All Say“. Which is going to be released on 11th of March for the digital version of the album, and the 15th of March for the LP-version of the album. The track that we’re about to give you is “Subtle Play“, one of their longest tracks on this album. We think it gives a comprehensible representation in sound, and it represents them and what this album is all about. So you can stream this track to your own delight down below, and be sure to check them out and their album. There are other tracks that are available to be played on their album, and they’ll come in handy if you’re getting tired of “Subtle Play“. But we hope you’d rather not, since this is a great track. Stream it as you well please. The Folk is Emma BV, Sara BV, Mark Ferrari, Liam Magahay and Patrick Rody - Repartiseraren


"The Quickdraw - Monday, June 25th, 2012 (Austin, TX)"

This Canadian outfit sent me an email late last week, and I quickly found myself attached to this song. I like the vocal work, and the music packs just enough of a punch to warrant me cranking the volume. The band just put out an EP called Say It Again, and you can get it for however much you'd like to pay via their Bandcamp. - Side One Track One


"The Folk bringing the rock"

Excerpt: "On name alone, The Folk are frequently taken and mistaken to be a folk band.

But they’re not.

“We usually just call it rock n’ roll,” says the band’s Liam Magahay, when asked to describe The Folk’s sound.

The group is rolling that rock into Guelph on Saturday night on what will be a hometown gig for three of the five members of the Toronto-based outfit.

Along with Magahay, a John F. Ross grad, the buzzed-about band is made up of Guelph twins Emma and Sara Bortolon-Vettor (St. James high school), along with Mark Ferrari and Patrick Rody.

This Saturday, they play an album release show in Guelph, at the ANAF Club on Gordon Street, as they celebrate the release of their debut LP, We Say All.

Doors for the show, which include special guests, open at 9 p.m.

Heading into the gig, we threw some Qs Magahay’s way for a Q&A. Among things revealed is the origin of the rock band’s folky band name." - Guelph Tribune


"The Folk - When I Go Away"

The Folk recently released a 3 song EP called Say It Again. There’s a lot of energy in the three songs and it captures the essence of that grungey garage type feel. Here is When I Go Away, my favourite of the 3 tracks. - Ride The Tempo


"Reviews: The Folk - We All Say"

I can't get within reach of understanding the exact genre of the band.. I just hear this cluster fuck of rock & roll decades mixed with this (correct me if I'm baked) carnivalistic jazzyness to it. Which is pretty fucking awesome on it's own but there's so much more to it that I am totally failblog'ing to grasp.

This mystique is making me super enamored with them tho, along with the vocals which are a refreshing throwback to all the best female singers of now classic rock, and they compliment the hell out of the obscure music so like cowabunga!

I think my all-time favourite moment on this album is when they go all Sister Act in "I Care (If You Care)". Lovin' it. - Music She Blogged


"The Folk stream "We All Say" album in full"

Toronto alternative rockers from THE FOLK have launched a full stream of their debut album called “We All Say”! This band is definitely one to keep on your radar. Scroll down to check out the entire outing and a couple of live dates booked for the upcoming days. - Idioteq


"The Folk - Say It Again EP"

Seeing a band name like The Folk, you begin to build an idea of what they sound like before even hearing a note of the music. Why hasn't there been a folk band called The Folk before? (Or has there? Answers on a postcard...) Anyway, it turns out that the initial picture your mind paints from seeing such a moniker is, in this case, incorrect. The Folk aren't particularly folky at all, making a rather more substantial and dynamic form of alt-rock that's electric instead of wooden and somewhat less traditional than you may expect. 'Say It Again' is their second release following a debut at the end of 2011 and acts as a suitable piece of promotion for their first headline tour later this year.

'Rules Of Youth' uses thundering drums and gentle fuzz to conjure up a gutsy and atmospheric opening and you instantly realise they're made of pretty stern stuff. 'When I Go Away' is quite possibly the best song here, although it's a close call, building on the moody beginning with shoegazey guitars and surging percussive swells. Vocally there's no lack of passion, with all three tracks being delivered like they mean it. The title-track also shows they mean business and feels like the result of genuine attention to detail and careful songcraft. For something so seemingly simple it's developed brilliantly, to wring as much potential from the song as possible. It's quite a sound and if they can nail it in the live arena as well as they can on record then those upcoming gigs are not to be missed. - The Sound of Confusion


"Rules of Youth - INTRODUCiNG The Folk"

I was standing in my backyard no more than two hours ago, humidity pressing down on me from above, the patio stones burning holes through my soles from below, and the barbeque grill about to singe the stubble off my chin, when I realized I didn’t have a post ready for tomorrow (which, as you read this, is now today). There was cursing involved. As the salmon seared, I thought to myself, “Maybe it’s time to pack this blogging stuff in.”
Old habits die hard though, and so about 30 minutes ago I sat down to scroll through the inbox and see what might possibly be in there to write about. That’s where I found The Folk, some very lovely sounding folks from Guelph and Toronto who wrote me a very lovely note about my continued support of Canadian talent, and told me some lovely things about the 3-song EP the just released via Bandcamp called Say it Again. Then I listened to it. Lovely people, my ass; The Folk are deliciously vicious musicians. In just three songs, Sara BV, Emma BV, Mark Ferrari, Liam Magahay and Patrick Rod have single-handedly reminded me why I started blogging in the first place: to tell the world (or anyone who’ll listen) to sit up and take note of songs as ace as “Rules of Youth”, as rocking as “When I Go Away”, and as tender and tense as “Say It Again”. I can’t decide which of the three songs I like most, but let me know if you find yourself a favourite, and let The Folk know that you’re liking what they do by naming your price and downloading this EP. - Quick Before It Melts


"Rocking The Folk out at Jimmy Jazz"

When The Folk played at Jimmy Jazz on Jan. 19, their hometown draw was obvious. The five-piece band, currently based in Toronto, was originally formed by Guelph twins Emma and Sara Bortolon-Vettor. They have maintained their connections to the Royal City, and their local popularity shows – latecomers were turned away at the door, the venue having reached capacity.

Hitting the stage, the band delivered a performance that felt incredibly genuine. The flailing stage presence was not some forced, pre-rehearsed head-banging. It was a group of musicians in their element.

The Folk is a bit of a misnomer. Their sound, a grungy sort of pop-rock, came across like being hit by a freight train – a heavy load with a lot of momentum. It’s a well-oiled machine, too. Despite the iffy sound at Jimmy Jazz, the band offered a tight performance, perhaps in part a reflection of how close the band members are to each other.

“[Emma and I] have lived together our entire lives,” said Sara Bortolon-Vettor, adding that the two still room together. “We were in the same womb with each other. We have some sort of telepathic… fucking something. I don’t know what it is. […] Emma and I will get the same song in each other’s head and start singing it at the same time, with each other. Explain that! What is that?”

One night, they both dreamt of the same guitar riff.

While Sara noted it is a love-hate relationship at times, the fact that they are sisters always triumphs. Emma added that playing music together every day provides a moderating influence, too.

“It’s actually pretty great. It’s almost therapeutic,” said Emma. “Mainly because when you are a twin, you know someone so well that you can easily get under someone’s skin. What’s really nice about music is that it’s a perfect way to talk to each other without any sort of conflict. And if there is, you just play louder music.”

But it’s not just the twins who share a close relationship; the entire band lives in the same apartment building.

“You learn the patterns really quickly, of how they fight and how to be quiet at the opportune time,” as well as when to take a side, said guitarist-vocalist Mark Ferrari of the band dynamic.

The Folk have come a long way since they played Guelph’s Hillside Festival in 2010.

“Initially we wanted it to be a little bit more electric instruments – electronic. Drum machine, synthesizers,” said Sara. “[…W]e didn’t have a drummer when we played Hillside the first time, which was cool, but actually that performance made us go, ‘We want a fucking drummer. We want to be a rock band.’”

Adding drummer Patrick Rody to a lineup that already included Ferrari and bassist Liam Magahay, The Folk filled out their sound and completed the transition to rock and roll. The band subsequently recorded a pair of EPs, You Say, I Say and Say It Again. They are currently working on a full-length album, We All Say, in a studio just outside of Guelph, which is expected to come out in the spring. - The Ontarion


"New Release: The Folk - Say It Again EP"

It appears as though Guelph indie-rock quintet THE FOLK have picked-up right where they left off with their last release You Say, I Say… and by that I mean, they’ve given us another collection of incredibly catchy and memorable songs.

Say It Again was just released today and to be completely honest, we’re rather smitten with the first track Rules Of Youth – check it out in the embed below along with the title track and When I Go Away. The EP was mixed and engineered by Nick Biffis and mastered by Scott Lake at Metalworks Studios.

On another note, if you’re in the Guelph area, the band plays E Bar on June 27th – maybe a little road-trip from Toronto is in order? - The Indie Machine


"AM Gold - The Folk, "In Silence""

The Folk have never been much to shy away from what they want to say. In their latest effort, the Toronto 5-piece alt-rock group, full of roommates, long-time friends, and even a pair of twins, fearlessly fills their sound to the brim with the voice of each individual member. On paper, tracks such as their single, “In Silence,” should clash, but the swarm of different influences converse rather than fight for center attention. Listen to the single below. - IMPOSE Magazine


"DiSC of the Week: The Folk - We All Say"

Excerpt: "After a series of three-song releases, Toronto-Guelph ON band The Folk set about to record a full length debut record... It is the culmination of their origin story, rather than a summarization, as none of the songs appeared on either of their two previous releases. The result, We All Say, is an album that I didn’t know I wanted The Folk to make, and didn’t know they could... I’ve used “organic” and “natural” to describe music before, but I can’t think of an example that so perfectly epitomizes those descriptors as “In Silence” and “Subtle Play” do... You can actually feel the point where The Folk lock into each other, focus their energy and attention and hit that sweet spot where the music blossoms and bears fruit... This music geeks says that We All Say succeeds on all fronts, elegantly, and I’d be willing to go tow to toe with anyone who says otherwise... This record is that good." - Quick Before It Melts


"Breakout Bands: The Folk"

Excerpt: "This band churns out a personalized concoction of alternative rock n' roll goodness, with powerful and chill-inducing melodies... The Folk's music is like a fusion of your parents favourite vinyl records and your cool downtown cousin's CD collection... A keystone of their sound involves the objective to communicate inter-personally through their instrumentation, conversation style. They set out to achieve this feel by using a live-off-the-floor style of recording without the use of a metronome. The humanistic synchronicity behind We All Say provides for rich subtleties in dynamics and emotional delivery, along with an overall sense of blended intuition." - BlogTO


"The Folk – You Say, I Say EP Review"

We recently came across Toronto/Guelph 5-piece The Folk and boy are we glad we did. Their new EP has been on serious repeat at The iM and if you haven’t had the opportunity to check it out, now is your chance.
Below you’ll find You Say, I Say up for streaming via their Bandcamp page – we’re really digging the whole EP but we’re particularly smitten with Right And Wrong. - The Indie Machine


"Review - Say It Again - The Folk"

It took me an embarrassingly long time to finally get around to listening to this Guelph/Toronto group. They seem to be around all the time, and I always seem to just narrowly miss them. Most recently, I almost saw them during NXNE this year but couldn’t due to their late time slot.

So it was nice to finally sit down and listen to the latest offering from this band, a three-song EP. Despite their calm-sounding name, this group is anything but. The group can get loud and crazy, and it’s pretty fun to listen along to.

The opener on this EP is “Rules of Youth,” which starts out with fuzzy-sounding drums before some distorted vocals come in. The fuzziness and loud instrumentation give the song a really dreamy atmosphere and may even make you feel a little pumped up. As the song progresses the guitars grind a little more and some “la la la’s” add even more to the dream-like atmosphere.

“When I Go Away” doesn’t waste any time, beginning right away with loud guitars. A different vocalist begins this time, but by the time the chorus comes in you can hear at least two different sets of vocals. The tone of the song is fairly angry: “Don’t act like you give a fuck” is one of the more prominent lines of the song.

The last song is the comparatively calm title track. This song makes it even more apparent that this is a group effort. You will never hear less than two people singing this song, and the song is backed by one guitar mostly, though a second can be heard a little bit. There’s a lot of raw passion in this song, and I could see some future version of this song absolutely exploding into a frenzy.

The Folk are steadily increasing their offerings to the world, having released another EP in December. The tiny increments make it a little difficult to gauge the band overall, but Say It Again is most definitely a sign that we can expect some awesome things.

-Michael Thomas - Grayowl Point


"The Folk - You Say, I Say EP Review"

QRO loves its Canadian neighbors up north! Here's a northern ensemble, based out of Toronto & Guelph, called The Folk. They've released a sweet little EP, You Say, I Say, a three track essay in up-tempo, anthemic indie rock. I have the feeling this band would really knock it out of the park live -- these songs were made to light up the concert hall, with big choruses, big refrains, big sounds. - QRO Magazine


"I Like This"

Another recommendation from the Lonely Vagabond. - Alan Cross


Discography

Still working on that hot first release.

Photos

Bio

It has been four years since the first show we ever played as The Folk. In that time we became best friends, then roommates, we grew a member, fought and loved, and we made a lot of music together. People tend to notice -- one consistent comment on our live set is how obviously our friendships shine through the performance. Our sound is that of a band in conversation, a concept that has transferred over to our music. The You Say I Say (2011) and Say It Again (2012) EPs began a The Communication Series, a conceptual trilogy of releases focusing on the interactions we have with each other and those around us. Completing the series is We All Say, our upcoming debut LP. It is a 10-song album highlighting the variety of songwriting contributions from the band. The album will be available on March 11th on vinyl and digitally. We will also be heading out on an endless tour of Canada and onward beginning in March.


Note: We All Say is available to stream via Sonicbids, or through this private Soundcloud link, https://soundcloud.com/the-folk/sets/we-all-say/s-KMqnn.

Band Members