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The Minor Canon: So there might not be much commercial potential in a seven-piece with a horn section, but the music is as heartfelt and inventive as it gets - los angeles times
Thursday night I made it out to Indie Schmindie to see The Minor Canon, Briertone, and Sparrows Gate. I had not listened to The Minor Canon or Sparrows Gate and this was my introduction to The Minor Canon. If I could just use one word for it, overwhelming. Seven members along with that the lead singer plays a second drum set in some songs plus three dudes playing saxaphone, trombone, and trumpet. There is alot of sound, and it all blends beautifully. I’m going to say it, think Arcade Fire. Amazing to watch, and I think they have an album almost done. Definately a band to watch. - music glob
Paul Larson certainly has an impressive CV. His previous work has seen him work with various members of Dntel, the Postal Service and Beachwood Sparks. His new adventures are taking place under the Minor Canon moniker and if 'A False Start' is anything to go by he could soon have Jose Gonzalez supporting him and his five band mates rather than the other way around. The song has a fresh intimacy, oodles of calming atmosphere and fleeting brass moments to die for. Towards the end there is an ill-advised jump to your feet sequence that lacks the coherency of what went on before. In saying that you'll spool many a cassette to find a demo as accomplished as this one. KD - mp3hugger
Discography
"no good deed goes unpunished" 2007
"mondays in spaceland" Live april 2007
"emptiness is form" 2009
Photos
Bio
the minor canon is an indie rock band from los angeles, calif.
described as “honest-to-god stellar-sad pop” (oc weekly) and “memphis soul on an indie bender” (blackbook magazine), the minor canon was also hailed as one of “10 bands to watch in 2007” by the los angeles times: “so there might not be much commercial potential in a seven-piece with a horn section, but the music is as heartfelt and as inventive as it gets.” the la weekly named the band’s debut album, “no good deed goes unpunished” as one of the “10 best local albums of 2007”: “the members of the minor canon are veterans of the silverlake scene and it shows throughout, with larson’s lyrical maturity and meticulous, layered arrangements.”
what started as a solo project of songwriter/singer/multi-instrumentalist paul larson (of strictly ballroom, dntel, athalia) has now evolved into a sextet ensemble with a trumpet, trombone, piano and an organ. larson’s guitar work can also be heard on dntel’s “dumb luck” album (sub pop), a project of jimmy tamborello (postal service), which also features conor oberst of bright eyes and jenny lewis of rilo kiley.
the minor canon has performed with acts such as jose gonzalez, johnette napolitano (concrete blonde), david bazan (pedro the lion), pity party, the little ones, the henry clay people and le switch. the band has also played several los angeles festivals, including the fuck yeah fest, the summer strummer and sunset junction.
“emptiness is form” will be the minor canon’s newest release on june 2, 2009, the follow-up to their 2007 debut album.
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