PHOTOS
Web Hires Photo credit: Hanna Hur and Laurie Kang |
Web Hires Photo credit: Hanna Hur and Laurie Kang |
Web Hires Photo credit: Reynard Li |
Web Hires Photo credit: Reynard Li |
Web Hires Photo credit: Reynard Li |
In September, 2011, Ohbijou return with their third album: Metal Meets. To be released in North America by Last Gang (Metric, Crystal Castles, New Pornographers), Metal Meets is the band’s most mature and creative offering. Recorded by acclaimed producer, Jace Lasek (also of Besnard Lakes fame) in Montreal’s Breakglass Studios, Ohbijou presents an album that cements their status as one of the most important bands at work in Canada. Ohbijou is renowned for their devotion to the city in which they live. Their lyrics and sounds have always paid homage to Toronto. Metal Meets, however, was crafted during retreats out of their city’s confines. This album is inspired by ventures to cabins in the woods, travel across Asia, Europe and North America (as they headlined tours), and lyrical reflections on familial bloodlines that move across borders. Taking inspiration from territories traversed outside of familiar realms was invaluable. Ohbijou has produced their most thoughtful and experimental record. In Metal Meets listeners will hear the band struggle to realign their sound, using delays, distortions and reverbs to capture a more pensive and experimental relationship to music. This is an album that will draw new audiences while expressing commitment to devoted fans.
Conceptually, Metal Meets draws on sites populated by rumbling volcanoes, deep lakes and haunted waterfalls, metals torn from damp earth, and dark desires usually uncommitted to words (Mecija sings, for example: "A parsing of this blood to find myself in you"). This is a poetic offering. The band retreated from the familiar in order to test the limits of their craft and attend to detail in a way they had not before. As a result, each song on the album is housed in a matrix of experimental effects and timbres. Listeners and audiences will feel Ohbijou come of age with this album, and their adulthood is more precocious and imaginative than their youth.
Casey Mecija, her sister Jenny Mecija, James Bunton, Ryan Carley, Anissa Hart and Heather Kirby demonstrate a relationship to each other and their instruments that is emotive and zealous. The band’s familial-like structure and unwavering support for each other is evident. Casey Mecija is a practitioner of love songs. Here, her audience is privy to a moody, more experimental lyricism and her words bespeak a passionate, rebellious desire. While producing a more complex sound, these songs remain hopeful, at moments pop-infused, and always melodic. Mecija’s vocals are layered atop her band’s skilled instrumentation. Each band member meticulously conditions the album’s narratives with haunting arrangements. Unique to this album are song-writing contributions from Jennifer and Ryan. This is a resonant and infectious offering, guaranteed to satisfy the appetite of critics and audiences anxious for the band’s return.
Shorter version
In September, 2011, Ohbijou return with their third album: Metal Meets. To be released in North America by Last Gang (Metric, Crystal Castles, New Pornographers), Metal Meets is the band’s most mature and creative offering. It is an album that cements their status as one of the most important bands at work in Canada. Ohbijou has amassed an army of fans and the string of accolades that follows them is enormous. The band (James Bunton, Ryan Carley, Anissa Hart, Heather Kirby, sisters Jenny and Casey Mecija) have a relationship to each other and their instruments that is emotive and zealous. Renowned for their devotion to the city in which they live, Ohbijou’s lyrics and sounds have always paid homage to Toronto. Metal Meets, however, was crafted during retreats out of their city’s confines. This album is inspired by ventures to cabins in the woods, travel across Asia, Europe and North America (headlining international tours), and lyrical reflections on familial bloodlines that move across borders. Casey Mecija is a practitioner of love songs. With Metal Meets her audience is privy to a moody, experimental lyricism and her words bespeak a passionate, rebellious desire. Each band member meticulously conditions lyrical narratives with haunting arrangements; unique to this album are songwriting contributions from Jennifer and Ryan. Conceptually, Ohbijou draws on sites populated by rumbling volcanoes, deep lakes and haunted waterfalls, metals torn from damp earth, and dark desires usually uncommitted to words. Ohbijou has come of age, and their adulthood is more precocious and imaginative than their youth.
Shortest version
Ohbijou return with their third album: Metal Meets. Their second release, Beacons, garnered international attention and chart-topping songs, and propelled headlining tours through Asia, Europe and North America. Metal Meets cements Ohbijou’s status as one of the most important bands at work in Canada. The album is the band’s most mature and creative offering. Conceptually, Ohbijou draws on geographies populated by rumbling volcanoes, deep lakes and haunted waterfalls, metals torn from damp earth, and dark desires usually uncommitted to words. Each song is housed in a matrix of experimental effects and timbres, and layered atop are Casey Mecija’s moody, tender vocals. Ohbijou has come of age, and their adulthood is more precocious and imaginative than their youth.
~ written by Hannah Dyer|
Web Hires Photo credit: Hanna Hur and Laurie Kang |
Web Hires Photo credit: Hanna Hur and Laurie Kang |
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Web Hires Photo credit: Reynard Li |
Web Hires Photo credit: Reynard Li |
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Web Hires Photo credit: Reynard Li |
Ohbijou - Teaser Trailer #2 from REYNARD LI on Vimeo.
Ohbijou - Album Trailer #1 from REYNARD LI on Vimeo.
Ohbijou Album Trailer from REYNARD LI on Vimeo.
Ohbijou encompasses all the best things of a Toronto band - they're clearly inspired by the streets of the city itself. Lead singer Casey Mejica paints a romantic picture of the city's intricacies and nuances - her lyrics hint at a mysteriousness and beauty often forgotten. Beacons has been receiving critical praise across the country since its release, and the band, fresh from a stint in Europe, is now poised for even greater things.
Jen Ford - BlogTOThe tuneful septet's true strength is in the orchestral leanings of their dense-but-agile dream-pop compositions and performances, the poised musical fluidity that gives Ohbijou a depth that most contemporaries often lose to the twee. No sophomore slump here, not even a stumble; Beacons further establishes Ohbijou as a vital creative unit amongst Toronto's best and most important indies.
Nicole Villeneuve - Torontoist“A curious concoction from Toronto, Beacons is album number two from the rather gorgeous Ohbijou. It’s a string-fuelled acoustic affair — folk music that swings…Ohbijou sound like a musical collective with a strong band-leader to these ears: Casey Mecija clearly at the centre… Standout tunes include … well, pretty much the whole album. New Years proves Sigur Rós don’t have a monopoly on songs building to a crescendo; Black Ice is a shot of cooling winter great for sultry summer listening; Wildfires is just good old-fashioned catchy. The album is a definite grower, too. Bet you a tenner they’re famous by autumn.”
Paul Bennun - BBC Music“With Ohbijou I wasn’t worried. They’d proven time and time again that they would turn in a sublime performance and again, they did. Their sweetly lulling orchestral pop was a fine fit for the season, the ideal soundtrack for either hiding under the covers or pulling on the parka and boots for a gentle romp in the snow.”
Frank Yang - Chromewaves.net“You'd never know it, but this house might just be the new epicentre of T.O.'s indie rock community. It's home to one-third of Ohbijou, the orch-pop crew who are becoming known as one of the city's most exciting bands.”
Sarah Liss - NOW Magazine“The great thing about seeing Ohbijou live is that it's so clear the band members have such a love for each other. They're all smiles and playfulness, kind of like a new puppy on Christmas morning. It made watching them feel as if you're intruding on a group of friends just hanging out for the evening. You know, if your friends were as talented as this group. Watching them, it became clear Ohbijou are slowly solidifying their role as a major player in the Canadian indie world.”
Cody McGraw - Soundproof Magazine
“There are few bands with the ability to sweep up a roomful of people the way Toronto's Ohbijou can. The thoughtful lyrics and angelic voice of Casey Mecija are always mesmerizing live, and they're bolstered by subtle and unique instrumentation by great players.”
Vish Khanna - Chart MagazineOhbijou are planning to tour North America in the fall of 2011, click here for tour dates.
