With fresh faces in the lineup and Nickelback's Chad Kroeger behind them, Victoria's Armchair Cynics are gearing up for their full length debut album on 604 Records this fall.
It's a big air sound for the fist pounders; stadium-loving rock for the modern rock radio set. And it's all for us at Queen's next Thursday night.
"We want to be part of the new generation of Canadian rock bands, following Our Lady Peace and the Matthew Good Band," says vocalist Kenn Coutu. "Pearl Jam and Soundgarden were my role models when I got into music. The great thing about those bands is that there was nothing sex, drugs and rock'n'roll about them. They were real bands made up of real people."
In their original incarnation, Armchair Cynics picked up a healthy fan base and 2002 BandFEST honours with indie release Coffee Shop Confessions.
This EP found its way into the hands of Kroeger who, after sussing out the guys, signed them to a development deal with his label 604 Records in Vancouver.
Original members Adam Sutherland (guitar, keys) and Coutu were joined by Aran Puritch (bass) and Ryan Rae (drums) and after a year of work the label offered them a deal. The seven song Killing The Romance EP was released last August and the band hit the road, hard.
Rae admits that while everyone in the industry talks about the importance of touring, the band didn't really 'get it' until they got out there and had to deal with gear failures, dodgy sound systems, and crowds small and large. He concedes extensive touring is the cornerstone of any band and when it comes to playing live, practice makes perfect.
About half of their current live set is made up of new stuff being road-tested. On the phone during a break at the studio in Victoria, Rae said, "We've got about five songs recorded... We're really looking forward to the new album."
While Coutu is the band's sole lyricist, the rest of the songwriting process has been a collaborative effort. Well-crafted 4/4 time rock anthems, these songs have the trappings of the heavy hitters at modern rock radio.
But it's playing live that excites the band. Last time through town saw the band play to an awesome crowd at Queen's: "We're super-stoked to come back on June 8," Rae says. Tickets are $12 at Queen's, Music Maxx, Lucid, and Transformations. Veer and Aeroplane open the show. Learn more about the band at www.604records.com.
- With over a decade in the trenches of the music industry, we're reasonably sure Alexandria knows what she's talking about: [email protected].