I Heart the Music: Your Online Source for Live Music Reviews and Interviews in Toronto!

Often described as one of Canada’s best up-and-coming acts, Hey Ocean! are a young band with an extraordinary talent for blending various musical styles into a brand of infectious pop that is uniquely their own. Their second album, It’s Easier to be Somebody Else, was released in late 2008 and they’ve gone on to do extensive touring in Canada since; when we heard they were coming to Toronto we couldn’t pass up the chance to speak with them. iheartthemusic was first introduced to the foursome back in September when we happened to catch their performance at Mod Club and were immediately hooked by their laid back spirit and pop-folk sound, not to mention their sweet live performance skills! Hey Ocean! has already shared the stage with the likes of Bedouin Soundclash, Shad and gone South to play SXSW, and they’re making a name for themselves in a big way along the way. We caught up with Ashleigh (vocals/flute), David (vocals/guitar), Dave (bass) and Dan (drums) at Trinity Bellwoods Park. Check out what they had to say!

iheartthemusic: Traveling seems to be a huge part of your lives, Ashleigh and Dave actually spent some time in Costa Rica together, am I right?

David: Yeah, that’s actually where our name came from.

iheartthemusic: Yeah, there seems to be a lot of water references with your band, and not just in your band name, what’s thereasoning behind that?

Ashleigh: The name came from that trip [Costa Rica] where it had rained for, like, 14 days straight. We went down to the water and yelled, “hey ocean, why are you so mighty?” and started throwing things because we had cabin fever. We were just going nuts, so it came from this angry “hey ocean” and then came up again in a conversation when we were looking for a band name. Band names are really hard to get, but I think it kind of suits us because we are very tied to the West Coast.

David: As far as the oceanic references in the songs, we were actually talking about that the other day because we were writing a lot and some of the new songs for our next album have oceanic references too. I think for all of us the ocean connects everything in the world. You think of the ocean and you think that it’s out there and how big it is and how that connects you to other people. That’s kind of why it comes up.

Ashleigh: Or when we are travelling or touring we miss home, so we are kind of like drawn to this thought of the ocean and the mountains.

iheartthemusic: In addition to writing for this next album, you also just shot a video for “A Song About California.”

Ashleigh: We actually shot three videos!

iheartthemusic: Three videos! I’ve only seen the one so far, so how did you come up with the concept for it?

Ashleigh: We met with these guys called The Studio Movement and they really liked our band and wanted to do three videos in a really short time frame. Two of them were done overnight, like 8pm to 8am… we are all very tired! The concept for “California” was thrown together at the last minute. JP, who directed the video, at the last minute was like, “I got this idea about a laundromat and then it breaks into this musical theatre kind of world”, and we were all into it. I have musical theatre roots so I was totally into it. I got to do a dance break in the middle.

iheartthemusic: Was it shot out West?

Ashleigh: Yeah, it was a freezing day in December and the store owner had turned off the heat and I literally got in the dryer in between takes because it was so cold in there. I don’t think we did the dance break until 4:30 in the morning and the dancers were being so positive and great!

iheartthemusic: So you shot all three videos in the span of how long?

David: Probably about a week.

Ashleigh: We did another one for a song that Dave sings called “Fifteen Words” and also “Too Soon”, which will be the next video that comes out. It was an organized chaos thing that another director came up with.

iheartthemusic: You guys were one of the Canadian bands to play SXSW, what was the response like down there?

Ashleigh: It’s such a crazy, crazy place.

David: You are competing with like eighteen hundred other bands for audience. I think the show we did on the Friday night, we were competing with, like Metallica. There are just so many bands and so much music going on that your head definitely explodes with music.

iheartthemusic: Was there anyone there that you were able to check out that blew you away?

David: Sam Roberts.

Ashleigh: He’s got a man boner for him.

David: [laughs] It’s true, he’s awesome.

Ashleigh: Yeah! I also saw this crazy band from Seattle called Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head.

iheartthemusic: They actually opened for Lily Allen in Toronto a few weeks ago. Were they good?

Ashleigh: Very crazy! They are all super young and have so much energy. I felt like after every song they should be like, “end scene”, like an improv musical act.

iheartthemusic: Let’s talk about how you guys self-released your last album, what was that like?

Ashleigh: Great! It was so cool working with someone that just got what we wanted to do and was always there for us.

David: Releasing it on our own has been rad because when you are growing up as a band you kind of have the same insecurities that a lot of people growing up would have and, as a result, a lot of bands sign contracts earlier than they probably should have. They sign wanting someone else to help them out and because they’re nervous to do it on their own.

Ashleigh: Doing it on our own was pretty gratifying.

iheartthemusic: Has the recession affected you at all?

Dave: I think music is very important to people, especially in difficult times. You definitely see that in the previous depression, that was basically the time when jazz and swing exploded – it came in huge because that’s how people relaxed and got away from the stress of it all. So I think I’ve personally noticed more people coming to the shows.

iheartthemusic: Well, if anything, the live performance has become so important because people are not buying albums like they used to.

David: I think for us, we’ve never really been a band whose record is flying off the shelves – we’ve always made an impression at the show.

iheartthemusic: Funny you should say that because I actually caught you guys in September when you opened for Shad and went out and bought the album right away based on that performance! How did you get hooked up with Shad?

Ashleigh: We got introduced to him through friends and then he actually moved in with Dave.

Dave: I’ve actually played with him a bunch as well -playing bass for his band. He’s just a rad guy and what makes his music so great is that he doesn’t just listen to rap but listens to everything. He even tends to appreciate music that he doesn’t even like, so we are fairly similar in that regard. We all enjoy listening to a broad spectrum of music so that connection was pretty immediate.

iheartthemusic: Is there anyone that you aspire to play with?

Ashleigh: Said The Whale.

iheartthemusic: Aren’t you buddies with them?

Ashleigh: [laughs] Yeah, we want to tour with them.

Dave: I would love to play with The Cat Empire. That would be awesome. 

Ashleigh: Feist.

Dave: Cake.

iheartthemusic: It’s tough, there is so much talent to choose from, especially in Canada! I find there is such a sense of community amongst Southern Ontario bands, do you find that same vibe out West?

David: I noticed when we came here [Toronto] that sense of community amongst bands and the interplaying. Everyone knows each other – I like that. Vancouver is becoming more like that but it used to be a bit more of a competition. I remember when we first started playing gigs with other bands the opener and the headliner had a bit of a vibe between each other. We’ve definitely got a really good crew of bands that we are super tight with and we all go out to each other’s shows and support each other.

Dave: I think in the last six to eight years in B.C. there has been a movement going on and because of that more venues were opening up and more bars were doing open mics and people were starting bands and buying equipment and spending their time doing that. I think that now we are seeing that maturing a bit and there are some really dope artists coming out of B.C right now.

iheartthemusic: So what’s up next after this tour?

Ashleigh: We will be writing on this tour and then festivals in the summer and then hopefully in the fall getting back into the studio to record our new album.

David: That’s the focus, but we will hit some festivals this summer, which are always fun. We are really trying to hit Hillside and Virgin Festival Toronto. I’d like to come out here again in the summer. We really like coming here. 

Hey Ocean! put on a stellar show at the Horseshoe, playing to an almost sold out crowd! Their performance included a plethera of musical intruments such as the cow bell, glockenspiel, flute and more. They even had a surprise on-stage appearance by headliners for the evening, Spiral Beach. This group just keeps on getting better. Their videos for “Too Soon” and “Fifteen Words” are now out and can be seen on their MySpace!

photography provided by Kristin M.

After laying eyes on riveting UK band Noah and the Whale at the Mod Club, iheartthemusic was extremely eager to chat with the insanely talented quartet. Shortly after the performance iheartthemusic had the pleasure of chatting with lead singer Charlie while the rest of the crew held down the fort at the merchandise stand. While they were selling t-shirts and chatting with fans until everyone left the joint, Charlie took the time to fill me in on great Canadian bands, his love of film, and the new album, which is going to be quite a departure from your regular 12-track disc. Charlie was a pleasure to talk to and the music ain’t so bad either!

iheartthemusic: First and foremost, I love your music! You have many songs about love and heartache. What inspires you to go there lyrically?

Charlie: I don’t really know, to some extent I write from experience, but I think it depends, there are some songs that aren’t necessarily like that though. I guess it’s whatever comes to me when I write.

iheartthemusic: Life experiences?

Charlie: Exactly

iheartthemusic: I read in an interview that you describe yourself as “post-grunge folk.” Does this description transform when a new song or album is released and as the bands grows, or do you try to keep within this genre?

Charlie: To be honest, I find each definition as banal as the other one, so that one sounds good. I think the new record sounds pretty different to the previous record; I would never want to constrict myself writing one type of music.

iheartthemusic: I totally agree. You guys just performed at Coachella, what was that experience like?

Charlie: It was OK, I couldn’t sing at all, though! The funny thing is, people came up and said that they enjoyed it, but before I went on stage none of my pedals were working, my amp wasn’t working and I couldn’t sing.

iheartthemusic: Oh no!!!

Charlie: It looked like it was going to be a major disaster, but we made it through… it was kind of weird.

iheartthemusic: How does a huge festival differ from just traveling with the band?

Charlie: It was a surprisingly big crowd at Coachella, I wasn’t expecting that. I feel more comfortable in a venue like this [Mod Club], I feel more conversational and relaxed, where at Coachella, how do you expect to make an impression on the guy way over there? That is the challenge, I guess.

iheartthemusic: I also read in an interview that you were inspired by Canadian band Arcade Fire. Since we’re in Canada, any other Canadian bands that you admire or are inspired by?

Charlie: There are loads of Canadian bands we like. Actually, since we’re in Canada, today in the van since we listened to only Canadian bands. We’ve actually toured with Broken Social Scene and Feist. But the Arcade Fire is great! I love Neil Young, obviously… there are tons. The band and I were actually talking about it, apparently if you’re a Canadian band you get funding from the government, the government will pay to help you make a record. That’s Incredible! That is the best thing I’ve ever heard!

iheartthemusic: The Canadian government are great… sometimes. In being an important part of the UK music scene, do you think the scene is finally getting the recognition it deserves in other parts of the world?

Charlie: The music industry is really good right now; there are some good stuff and not so good stuff, but there are definitely a lot of great bands in England. It’s funny, I never really think if it like that.

iheartthemusic: I heard you guys were huge movie buffs… do films inspire your song writing?

Charlie: Yeah, a lot. Actually, I just made a film for the new album… The album has this kind of narrative and the film has a sort of dual narrative with the album. It’s hard to explain but essentially it’s like the film is set after the album and there are musical parts that help tell the story.

iheartthemusic: Is it like the Pink Floyd/Wizard of Oz thing?

Charlie: Sort of like that, but purposeful, I guess. But yeah, I like films by Lynch, Paul Thomas Anderson, Wes Anderson… lots of different films. Oh, I just thought of an amazing film that I saw recently, the Swedish Vampire film called Let the Right One In. [Emer's ed note: Such a good film!!! If you haven't seen it, remedy that!]

iheartthemusic: I’ve never heard of it.

Charlie: Incredible film, it’s phenomenal. I saw it in New York about two months ago, it’s out on DVD now.

iheartthemusic: I’m going to have to check that one out. Now about the new album, when will it be released and what shall we expect from it?

Charlie: I think in the UK it will be August, and the last I heard we are doing a dual release so hopefully in August here as well.

iheartthemusic: Should expect something very different with the film aspect?

Charlie: What we’re doing in England is a tour in cinemas, like show the film and maybe do some songs as well and maybe talk a bit. It would be cool to bring something like that over here as well. I know that there is talk of doing it in L.A., which is where our label is, there is a graveyard that shows films, we’re talking about doing it there. It’s like where all these movie stars are buried, Marilyn Monroe is buried there. So hopefully we can show the film there.

iheartthemusic: Finally, what should the fans expect from your live act? How do you want your fans to feel after they leave your gig?

Charlie: That’s a good question, I don’t really know. I guess, hopefully, some sort of sense of satisfaction. I have to admit, I don’t really feel guilty saying this but, I’m always totally touched and moved when people enjoy the music and enjoy the show, but I always have to feel like I’m doing it for myself as well, otherwise it doesn’t make any sense. The ideal is if the song is good enough for me it’s good enough for you.

iheartthemusic: If you’re feeling it the audience is going to feel it too, you got to be passionate about it.

Charlie: That’s the thing, you can’t sing a song that you feel totally disconnected from, it’s as you just said.

Interview by Kristen Tignaneli

Photography by Daniel Cheddie

The show that was dubbed “the one to watch” this month involved seven friends from the UK playing various instruments to very loyal fans. Of course we are talking about Los Campesinos! who played at The Opera House on April 1st. LC! played to an almost sold out crowd and iheartthemusic was there to get in on the action. We arrived fairly early, or what we thought was early, but upon arrival  we found opening act Sky Larkin was already halfway through their set! We were happy to find that this opening threesome, also from the UK, were incredible AND headed by a female frontman (frontperson?). Their sound is indie with a bit of Brit pop thrown in there (I mean, they are from the UK). Lead singer Katie’s voice was a cross between Feist and Lily Allen, and with no backing vocals she was able to take charge of the stage without a hitch. One song of note was “Beeline” which has a catchy chorus and also was able to showcase each member of the band individually (it also featured Katie playing guitar behind her head at one point!). For us, another one of the highlights was drummer Nestor’s onstage performance. He was incredible and captivated the crowd with each bang on his kit and decided to end their set by throwing his sticks up in the air. They were a perfect opening act and started the night off just right!

As it got closer to Los Campesinos! hitting the stage you could tell that the crowd was getting antsy. When they finally appeared on stage, the cheers and chants exploded and you knew this was going to be a great show! There was no introduction needed as the seven friends that make up Los Campesinos! went straight into their opening song, “Ways To Make it Through the Wall.” It was a great choice to start an unbelievable show with and was immediately followed by “The International Tweexcore Underground.”  Lead vocalist Gareth  pointed out that the video for that song was shot in the very room that they were playing in, so it felt “comfortable” to them. Well, they certainly looked comfortable on stage as they banged and strummed the plethora of instruments that they use to make that sweet, sweet sound. They played crowd favourites – including “My Year in Lists” and “Death to Los Campesinos!” – but by far the most well recieved was “You! Me! Dancing!” which opened to loud cheers and had everyone singing along. As if 14 songs weren’t enough to keep the crowd satisfied, the band put on an encore that solidified why fellow musicians like Broken Social Scene are huge fans! It was a great way to spend a Wednesday evening and made us even more excited to see what their third album (due out at the beginning of next year) will bring.

photography provided by James Blake