The John Punch Band

The John Punch Band haven't sauntered onto the music scene ? they've jumped right in. Fences Have Been Planted, Thorns Have Been Built whisks you off your feet from the get go with the stirring tempo of opener "Tippin' Boats," an effect that Ottawa band members Cory Thibodeau, Chris Bradley and Dylan Roberts were clearly aiming for. On the other hand, "Our Lovers" welcomes you gently with sweet guitar plunking, as if coaxing your heartbeat to sync with its rhythm. Just when you're smitten and willing to let it lead you wherever it wants, the melody confidently carries you around on a series of breathless spins with the ebb and flow of crashing cymbals and Thibodeau's expressive voice, both soft then urgent, while the bass anchors you steady. Fences Have Been Planted, Thorns Have Been Built is a compelling five-track EP that reads like a tacit promise of a follow-up full-length album worth waiting for. (Independent)

By Nereida Fernandes - Exclaim!

Packing a Punch (and i(heart)music presents The RAA)


For the last few months, I've been getting regular e-mails from The John Punch Band about their soon-to-be-released debut EP, Fences Have Been Planted, Thorns Have Been Built. Questions about cover art preferences, thoughts on the quality of certain songs, info about the recording process -- frontman Cory Thibodeau has done his best to keep me in the loop, even though I'm fairly certain that I consistently failed to give him any kind of worthwhile feedback.

Now that the EP is out and I've had the opportunity to get a measure of the thing in its entirety...I'm even more baffled as to why he thought he needed my opinion. Simply put, it's an excellent debut. Thibodeau and his bandmates have put together five extremely well-crafted folk tunes that, as others have noted, are sure to garner the band significant attention from the usual suspects...but also from beyond those communities, if there's any justice. The band is extremely tight-sounding, while the presence of an upright bass gives songs like "One Design of Teeth" and "Tippin' Boats" the hint of a jazzy swing.

About the only thing wrong with Fences Have Been Planted... is the relative lack of political content. Given their name (borrowed from the first black slave in North America) and my own knowledge of Thibodeau's political leanings, I was expecting The John Punch Band to be a little more outspoken in their views, but outside of "Stars and Stripes", this is a fairly apolitical album.

That's not even a flaw, really -- after all, music that tries to put its politics first tends to not be that enjoyable. And if there's one thing that Fences Have Been Planted, Seeds Have Been Built most certainly is, it's an extremely enjoyable listen.



People in Ottawa will have the opportunity to find out just how enjoyable first-hand, in fact, when The John Punch Band open up for The Rural Alberta Advantage on August 6th at Mavericks. The RAA will be touring in support of Hometowns, an album that was one of last year's best and that is sure to garner a lot more praise south of the border now that it's being re-released by Saddle Creek. Anchors will be rounding out the bill, and it's bound to be one of the best -- and most well-attended -- shows to come through Ottawa this summer. Grab advance tickets now from this site (or wait a few more days to pick some up from stores), because realistically, they're probably going to go pretty quickly!










http://www.iheartmusic.net/serendipity/index.php?/archives/1599-Packing-a-Punch-and-iheartmusic-presents-The-RAA.html - I(heart)music

Sunday Morning Coffee::

The John Punch BandWhen this Ottawa three-piece kicks off their debut EP with the country rock, road trip ready Tipping Boats, you can’t help but be won over. The tight pocket of sound is bigger than you’d expect and Cory’s vocals really channel a passion from the band’s name sake. You foot starts stomping and your head starts nodding along before you even get through the first listen.

Obviously, when you explode out of the starting blocks with such thunder, it's hard to keep that intensity. The rest of the EP isn’t quite as passionate as the opening track as they follow up with more standard acoustic folk, heavy on lyrics and picked/strummed melodies – but that’s not a slight. Well placed harmonies (Our Lovers) and pleasing sounds float around the room, and you really feel like Cory puts every ounce of who he is into the songs.

The debut EP - Fences Have Been Planted, Thorns Have Been Built - is just getting pressed now, and it's the type of record that will undoubtedly lead to better things. If they can continue to create the energy of Tippin' Boats and the dynamite closing track, Stars and Stripes this Ottawa band will be one you see on stages at folk festivals soon enough.


http://www.herohill.com/2009/06/sunday-morning-coffee-john-punch-band.htm

- Herohill