Grant Lawrence has championed them, audiences have flocked to their shows, WE readers chose them as their favourite local band and their journey to South By Southwest music festival even got the documentary treatment from the CBC. Now, in just a few short weeks, the Vancouver-based, indie rock five-piece will release its third full-length album, Little Mountain. And if putting out an album and plotting a massive tour werent hard enough, the bands also got an ambitious project to release a music video for every song on the record every Tuesday starting now and spanning 13 weeks, although local fans can see all the videos at a special listening party/screening at the Rio Theatre Feb. 25. WE spoke with co-singer/songwriter Tyler Bancroft about balancing art and commerce, his love of Elvis and little league baseball.
Ive noticed that about other Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»bands theres real innovation regarding the ephemera of music.
Without a doubt. Were over here on the West Coast; weve got to differentiate ourselves from the hubbub of Toronto.
What inspired you to name your album after my neighbourhood?
Its my neighbourhood, too! Four of us live, more or less, in Little Mountain. Im more Mt. Pleasant, but I grew up playing Little Mountain baseball. Little Mountain is also one of the top place names in Canada, but we wanted to name the record something that resonated with us at home but also make a connection for people not from Vancouver.
Where are you taking your inspiration from?
Oh man, honestly a lot of my musical inspiration comes from a lot of the bands weve met and toured with the last couple years. We Are the City, Aidan Knight, Dan Mangan, Mother Mother, Tokyo Police Club, Hey Rosetta!, the Arkells, Born Ruffians, Yukon Blonde, Hannah Georgas. We listen to all those guys all the time in our tour van. Its a ridiculous Canadian playlist.
So was singing your first love, or did you play an instrument?
I grew up loving music. The first music I was really into was 50s and 60s pop. I was a huge Elvis fan. I was actually an Elvis fan before I was a Beatles fan, so there that is. (Laughs) I played a bit of piano but I never learned to read music, I was more interested in ear-training. My musical background is just a wanton desire to play music rather than being classically trained or anything like that. Im a lover of pop music, so I write songs that I want to hear.
Said the Whales Little Mountain party happens Feb. 25 at Rio Theatre (1660 E. Broadway), 7pm. $10 from .
