Thawing Spring Friends Release MP3s Like Interweb Tulips

Spring is almost here, and kids in Montreal are slowly creeping out of their holes, emerging triumphant bearing mp3s that represent the fruits of their 6 months of Seasonal Affected Disorder. The Amethysts aren’t the only ones who decided to throw a new track into the ether this March. Friends (and members) of Adam & The Amethysts have recently released some amazing music on the interwebz. And I’ll be damned if I’m not going to BLOG THE SHIT OUT OF THEM.

Mozart’s Sister is dear friend Caila Thompson-Hannant, whom I used to play with in Miracle Fortress way back when, and whom you might recognize from Shapes & Sizes and Think About Life. She just released this free EP on bandcamp that evokes Prince and Dirty Projectors and great times.

Generalessa is Scott Johnson Gailey, who just so happens to play bass and drums in the Amethysts. He released these lo-fi bedroom pop songs that are sure to please your sensibilities.

Code Pie is Rebecca’s band, and their new album of feel-good pop tunes is killer. Be sure to listen to the single “Operator.”

And they also cover Justin Bieber’s “Baby” which is not to be missed by anyone, please:

You can spot former Amethyst Rory Seydel in this new video for this awesome Pat Jordache song. Pat is a great and talented man who makes filthy arty pop music that I, you, and everyone else rightfully loves, and his band is among Montreal’s current best and brightest.

James Irwin is another dear friend and this song is just fucking brilliant. Plus it was recorded by Pat. He used to play in My People Sleeping (RIP), one of the best MTL bands, with former Amethyst, Katherine Peacock.

Oh yeah, and don’t forget to check out the PWYC album Odd City by Ancient Kids, the new band lead by occasional Amethyst drummer Jordan Robson-Cramer featuring me on guitar and keyboards. I’m not on this record though; it’s pretty much all JRC.

Adam & The Amethysts La Blogothèque Take Away Show #1

From La Blogothèque:

Crazy how a blow to the head can change someone. We had heard about Adam many times. His album was recommended to us, deliciously retro psychedelic, the type of music you would have loved to discover one evening during the summer of 1969,  that works just as well for this summer. We were told that he was the nicest guy in Montreal, that he was funny, full of ideas, enthusiastic.

But Adam was in another place. Like coming out of a long hallucinatory dream. The day before, with three friends, he had been in a car crash, scary but thankfully without any major injuries; the car had rolled like a barrel. He had a big bruise on his temple, a vague smile. Yet despite it all, he was willing to do the shoot.

And his state of mind rubbed off on our short journey. Gentle and dreamy, beginning with a sunset on the hills, meeting a taxi about which we improvised a song, and finishing like a strange dream. Canada had just lost to Philadelphia in a hockey game. The neighborhood emptied out, and there was this big road closed for work, empty, a space out of time, out of geography in the middle of lights. Adam and his Amethysts were sitting there. Yet we were elsewhere. We were in the dreamy visions of the nicest guy in Montreal.

Text by Chryde
Images & Edit by Mitch Fillion
Sounds & Mix by François Clos

Finally, our very own Concert à Emporter. La Blogothèque are doing a sort of world tour (sponsored by Paco Rabanne Black XS cologne, LOL) and spotlighting a few bands in a handful of cities around the world. We’re part of the Montrèal series (along with our buddies Land of Talk and a few others). I’ve been told that the second video (for “Bumble Bee,” shot in a graveyard at sundown) will also be going online soon. I’ll let you know when it is.  It’s too bad that Rebecca was in New York all that month; she couldn’t join us on cello. It’s true that my brain was pretty dazed when we did these shoots, but my Blogothèque friends were quite understanding and very lovely to work with. Hopefully next time I won’t be concussed and will be able to afford a little more enthusiasm.

Also, thanks to everyone who came out to our three shows last week. They were super fun.

xo a

Montreal Show Friday April 23 w/ World Provider at Casa Del Popolo

We’re playing in Montreal this Friday April 23 with our good friends World Provider at everyone’s fave Mile End showhole Casa Del Popolo.  It would be nice to see you there! Rebecca can’t make it because she’s in New York for a month, but I’ll be playing with the help of a rock four-piece line-up featuring Rory from Shapes and Sizes and Keiko and Jeffrey from the Acorn. This band is like a box of chocolates.

We’re playing first so be prompt. It’s $10 and doors are at 8:30.

And here‘s a free mp3 of a newer WP song from their most recent record.

Here‘s the FB event if you swing that way.

Spring Tour with Land of Talk

We have a little spring tour that’s starting to shape up. So far there are only a few dates confirmed but more should be added eventually. The confirmed dates are with the loverly Land of Talk. They look a little something like this:

April 6: Guelph, Ontario – Ebar w/ Land of Talk
April 8: Toronto, Ontario – Lee’s Palace w/ Land of Talk
April 9: Kingston, Ontario – The Grad Club w/ Land of Talk
April 10: Wakefield, Quebec – Black Sheep Inn w/ Land of Talk

Also, we’re playing in Montreal really soon at Il Motore for the first night of the 3-night Blue Skies Turn Black 10-year anniversary party. Here’s the massive lineup for the night:

Feb 25: Montreal, Quebec – Il Motore (Facebook event)

No Joy
Snailhouse
Adam and the Amethysts
Little Scream (with Becky Foon)
Shapes & Sizes
The Besnard lakes

Fun times!

xo a