BADGE ÉPOQUE ENSEMBLE ANNOUNCE NEW EP

NATURE, MAN & WOMAN OUT DECEMBER 6 VIA TELEPHONE EXPLOSION

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“It's heartening to hear a Toronto band like Badge Époque Ensemble cutting an album that's just an instant stone cold classic.” - Exclaim (9/10)

“Groove oriented wah wah odysseys — instrumentals that push you and pull you, that chip away at the walls we put up, that urge your primal soul to dance like no one could film you for their social feeds.” - Dominionated 

“The set of seasoned improvisers glide gracefully on the murky waters of an almost instrumental album.“ - Le Devoir 

Photo Credit : Colin Medley // DOWNLOAD HIGH-RES

It’s been a few short months since Badge Époque Ensemble released their self titled debut, an ambiguous collection of woozy, narcotized funk. And yet already we have Nature, Man & Woman - a simmering new platter containing 3 songs, producing 26 minutes of dank flute-oriented atmosphere. 

The disco-sleeved 12” EP provides a revealing glimpse of a musically omnivorous approach. On “Badge Theme” we find the group upping the ante of the sound of their debut, unspooling 14 minutes of sensual Ike Hayes indebted oomph, sure to thrill future generations of loop diggers (cut live off the floor no less!). 

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The A side contains 2 songs, which seem to hint at diverging future directions this eclectic combo might take moving forward. Opener “Zealous Child” comes as something of a sequel to the debut LP’s sole vocal featuring track “Undressed In Solitude”. This go round BÉE have teamed up with Toronto singer Dorothea Paas to ruminate on notions of spiritual wisdom overtop a progressive and climactically bombastic homebrew. Title track “Nature, Man & Woman” closes out the side with 6 ominous minutes of mysterious provenance. Somewhere between a live performance and a collaged tapestry, the group make more explicit than ever before their affinity for beat- centric loop music. Sounding like Lonnie Liston Smith gone trip-hop for a broadcast prohibited episode of Law & Order, BÉE posit themselves here as amongst the moodiest of contemporary instrumental collectives. Little wonder that library music enthusiasts around the world have made emphatic note of the Ensemble. 

2020 will see the group returning to the studio, refining new arrangements. Until then we have a generous and unusual second helping to help us puzzle over what sounds Badge Époque Ensemble may investigate next. 

MORE PRAISE FOR BADGE ÉPOQUE ENSEMBLE

"The jazzy, progressive instrumental sextet are experts in groove, building each one as a vessel for adventurous melodies that snake from restless funk to wild explosions of dramatic psych"
- NOW Magazine

“Twig’s writing is sure to appeal to anyone who likes late-’60s prog from the Canterbury scene”
- Vancouver Sun

“...trippy groovefest...that takes more twists and turns than a bag of pretzels” - Tinnitist

"Will throw you back into a time when pop orchestration was king"
- Laurie Brown’s Pondercast

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NATURE, MAN & WOMAN TRACKLIST
A1. Zealous Child: 5:45
A2. Nature, Man & Woman: 6:10
B1. Badge Theme: 14:39 

BADGE ÉPOQUE ENSEMBLE IS:
Jay Anderson - Drums & Percussion
Chris Bezant - Guitar, Electric Sitar
Alia O’Brien - Flute Ed Squires - Congas, Percussion
Giosue Rosati - Bass
Maximillian “Twig” Turnbull - Clavinet, Rhodes 

BADGE ÉPOQUE ENSEMBLE LIVE

 Dec 12 – Toronto, ON – Lula Lounge with André Ethier

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LITTLE SCREAM SHARES “ONE LOST TIME” FROM UPCOMING LP

LISTEN AND SHARE “ONE LOST TIME” HERE

SPEED QUEEN OUT OCTOBER 25 VIA DINE ALONE RECORDS

TOUR DATES WITH PATRICK WATSON BEGIN OCT 31

PRE-ORDER SPEED QUEEN HERE

Photo Credit : Zach Hertzman // DOWNLOAD HIGH-RES

Little Scream’s forthcoming record Speed Queen began as bits of prose written while touring Cult Following across North America—observing the slow entropy of the US, ruminating on her own low-income upbringing in a flyover state, and, as Laurel Sprenglemeyer (Little Scream) says, “taking it all in from the privileged position of being a new Canadian.”

Ahead of that record’s October 25 arrival via Dine Alone Records, Little Scream now shares “One Lost Time”, accompanied by some words about why listeners will find the names of indigenous territories in Speed Queen’s credits. 

LISTEN AND SHARE “ONE LOST TIME” HERE

“On Columbus Day and Canadian Thanksgiving, I wanted to explain why I chose to mention the indigenous territories that Speed Queen was recorded on. I am fortunate enough to live in a community where land acknowledgements have become so common that there is skepticism about their value. Many indigenous people point out that they let settler culture off the hook by offering a means of lip service without action. I take this to heart. There is a difference between truth and reconciliation. And mentioning a truth is far from reconciling it.

I acknowledge this, and yet I still included mention of these places by name in my album credits. It’s a small and imperfect gesture towards truth.

I know that my record is going to go to many different places. Places like my hometown in the American Midwest where acknowledging the indigenous history of the land isn’t commonplace. Places in Europe that don’t have the same history of settler culture, and who might not think about the implications of it in North America. Even the act of writing the acknowledgement forced me to sit down and educate myself about the most basic histories of Montreal, the Ottawa region, and Vancouver Island. It got me closer to thinking about the privileges I’ve had living and working on this land. It didn’t get me closer to figuring out what reconciliation might look like. But it did get me closer to knowing I will support it however I can.”

Speed Queen was recorded on unceded Algonquin, Anishinabek territory in Studio Quyon, on land of the K’ómoks and Tla’amin Nation in Studio Hidden Well, and in studios Skybarn, Mixart, and The Bridge on traditional territory of the Kanien’kehá:ka. 

LISTEN AND SHARE “DISCO BALL” HERE

MORE ABOUT SPEED QUEEN

On her third album, Little Scream offers us a reflection on class and poverty in America. Speed Queen began as bits of prose written while touring her last album across North America. The title, which alludes to the opiate crisis, actually refers to a washing machine. Little Scream says, “When you’re struggling, nothing says you’ve made it more than getting your own washing machine. Speed Queen is about the dream of making it, and feeling desperately close but missing it.”

The album is gently accusatory. She doesn’t let herself or any of her listeners off the hook. In “Privileged Child”, she reminds wealthy people who like to adopt the style of the poor and working class that “poverty’s a feeling money just can’t buy.” On “Dear Leader,” she reminds those opposing migration that “when the waters rise, it’s gonna be you, Miami,” warning them that when they’re needing help, “…you will ask your God, but he’ll be busy getting risen, and the rich will be too busy buying stock in private prisons—that’s where they’ll send you for talking about socialism.” The biting commentary served with a sense of humor softens its presentation but doesn’t detract from its power. This is a theme throughout Speed Queen, where humor and warm heartedness prevail despite some of the darker subjects touched upon. 

LISTEN AND SHARE “STILL LIFE” HERE

 Montreal-based songwriter and guitarist Laurel Sprengelmeyer has been playing music under the moniker Little Scream since 2008. In 2011, she released The Golden Record, which Pitchfork dubbed “a stellar debut” and NPR called “an absolutely captivating record.” It was included in NPR’s Best Albums of 2011 list, and the New York Times evoked its “hints of the divine,” including Little Scream as one of the best new acts to follow at SXSW. Her second album Cult Following, which features guests including Sufjan Stevens, Mary Margaret O’Hara, and Sharon Van Etten, earned Little Scream new band of the week status from The Guardian and received five stars from Bust Magazine. Cult Following included the catchy Prince-inspired single “Love As A Weapon” which, according to the liner notes, she and her sister hoped would buy their mom, a cleaning woman in Illinois, “unlimited gift certificates to the Red Lobster.”

Since the release of Cult Following, Little Scream has stayed busy as a member of Richard Reed Parry’s Quiet River of Dust, touring with and co-writing songs from the albums Vol. 1: This Side of the River and Vol. 2: That Side of the River. A natural collaborator, she has appeared as a vocalist and/or guitarist on recordings for The National, The Barr Brothers, Will Butler, and Saltland, among others. She has appeared on two Red Hot compilations as well as charity singles to benefit the ACLU, Planned Parenthood, and Standing Rock. 

WATCH AND SHARE “DEAR LEADER” HERE

TOUR DATES
Oct 31 - Rimouski, QC - Salle Desjardins-Telus %
Nov 1 - Saint-Casimir, QC -Théâtre Les Grands Bois %
Nov 8 - Montreal, QC - Ursa Minor
Nov 9 - Montreal, QC - Ursa Minor

% w/ Patrick Watson

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SPEED QUEEN TRACKLIST
01 Dear Leader
02 One Lost Time
03 Switchblade
04 Disco Ball
05 Still Life
06 Forces Of Spring
07 No More Saturday Night
08 Speed Queen
09 Don’t Wait For It
10 Privileged Child

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ANDRÉ ETHIER CELEBRATES LP RELEASE WITH NEW VIDEO

WATCH AND SHARE “FROGGY” HERE

CROAK IN THE WEEDS DUE OUT TODAY VIA TELEPHONE EXPLOSION

BUY / STREAM CROAK IN THE WEEDS
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“...as peaceful as dew on grass...a journey that deliberately avoids a destination, a relaxed freak-folk jaunt that carries a sense of wonder for the natural world and all its idiosyncrasies.” - Exclaim! (8/10)

“Ethier continues to layer languid guitars over minimalist rhythm box backdrops and swampy synth-pop. His vocals occasionally recall a friendly Bill Callahan, young Gilberto Gil, or an oddball James Taylor. ...Keep this one bookmarked for a rainy day when you need a smile.” - Aquarium Drunkard

“A raw and sparse meditation on nature, aging and existence, it’s unhurried and subtly clever – like a Canadian Bill Callahan.” NOW Magazine 

Photo Credit : Colin Medley // DOWNLOAD HIGH-RES

Today, ex-Deadly Snakes frontman André Ethier celebrates the release of Croak In The Weeds with the new video for “Froggy”. On the track, Ethier says : “It's like Froggy Went a Courtin' except this time Froggy is courtin' existential collapse.“

WATCH AND SHARE “FROGGY” HERE

Out today via Telephone Explosion Records, Croak In The Weeds was created in collaboration with Sandro Perri (producer) at his Toronto studio in late 2018 / early 2019.

On the LP, Ethier explains: “I was imagining a pond at the swamp. A pond gets murkier the deeper you dive. Frogs are amphibians. They’re in and out of the pond like it’s no big deal, but we stay mostly on the shore and only peer in. Then, when the weather is right, the pond rises in a mist and we can breathe it too. We can be in the pond but also on the shore.”

Croak In The Weeds continues Ethier and Perri’s musical relationship which was originally established on 2017’s Under Grape Leaves. Croak expands upon that album, deconstructing synthetic elements to a point of raw organic beauty. Lyrically, André’s approach has shifted to the natural world, focusing heavily on flora and fauna. Almost every track on the 34-minute album references animals, with central characters ranging from pigs to dragons. 

This is André’s third attempt at a trilogy of records. Previous attempts have stalled for various reasons; disillusionment with genre, unrealistic sense of self, arachnophobia... Though it would not be inaccurate to suggest that he now has completed a trilogy of unfinished trilogies (he would thank you for your optimistic reasoning,) and is still planning to finish this one. Regarding trilogies, André opines: “In the first you establish the tools and build yourself a room, in the sequel you live in the room and imagine what’s outside, finally in the third.... you escape?”

He doesn’t know, he has never gone all the way…

WATCH AND SHARE “DREAM ON PIGS” HERE

MORE ON ANDRÉ ETHIER

André Ethier has been steadily creating a body of work over the last 20 years. An artist who works in two mediums, music and painting, he does so both synergistically and separately, depending on his whim. He currently enjoys a humble, cult-like status with concertgoers and gallery patrons alike.

He began his career releasing four albums with seminal garage-rockers The Deadly Snakes, the last of which, 2005’s Porcella, was Polaris Music Prize-shortlisted in the award’s inaugural year. He then released five solo albums, taking a nine-year hiatus from releasing music after the third to raise a family. In 2018, he returned with Under Grape Leaves and a sound that fell directly in-line with the thickly stroked and wryly humorous characters in his newly discovered style of painting, revealing a new world that is connected both sonically and visually.

André’s career has seen all the ups, downs and transcendent moments that come with two decades of experience. His paintings have been reviewed in the New York Times and continue to be shown in galleries worldwide. He sang the Canadian national anthem at a 2007 Los Angeles Dodgers game (the team’s then-outfielder was also named André Ethier.) Afterwards, he received a congratulatory hug from Lisa Loeb, who sang the American version and was suffering from an extreme bout of stage fright. Anyone who listens to André’s recent work will attest to the fact that he has undergone a musical resurgence. André's work has never felt as fresh, full of life and truly unique as it does today.

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PAST PRAISE FOR ANDRÉ ETHIER

“André Ethier is a world-class storyteller-songwriter on Under Grape Leaves” - Now Magazine 

“Slow, soft-spoken and built around spare voice/guitar/drum-machine arrangements overseen by esteemed Toronto experimentalist Sandro Perri, Under Grape Leaves adopts a pensive tone to match Ethier’s ruminations” - The Toronto Star  

“Andre Ethier’s ‘Under Grape Leaves’ leaves you with a sense pure calm” - Broken Pencil 

“Under Grape Leaves, a soothing but still powerful journey through the lush, untamed expanse of the mind and soul.” - Dominionated

“Under Grape Leaves is a nuanced collection of intimate songs recorded by Sandro Perri.” - Northern Transmissions

PERFORMANCE DATES
Oct 26 - Toronto, ON @ Lee's Palace (with the Sadies & Ancient Shapes)
Dec 12 - Toronto, ON@ Lula (with Badge Epoque Ensemble)

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CROAK IN THE WEEDS TRACKLIST
01 Dream On Pigs
02 Croaks In The Weeds
03 Wedding Band
04 Two Dogs
05 Jenny The Blues
06 Sigfried Slays The Dragon
07 Summer Evening Pigs
08 Froggy
09 Foolish Love

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