09.23.07
Miracle Fortress, Agnes Etherington Art Centre, Kingston, 10 September 2007
photo by Tinycakevillage, taken at the kvrx/i eat records day party, March 16, 2007.
Tomorrow the second Polaris Prize will be awarded at a gala event in Toronto. I wasn’t really sure what to think when I first saw the list. There were a few names that I would love to see on the oversized cheque (Julie Doiron, especially) and one who I am not terribly fond of (Joel Plaskett - I just don’t dig it) and then a whole whack of acts that I think are really great and would be pleased enough if they won. One band that I was quite surprised to see shortlisted, and quite pleased to see that they were, is Graham Van Pelt, aka Miracle Fortress.
The debut full-length by Miracle Fortress nominated for the prize, “Five Roses” is filled with gloriously breezy pop songs constructed from gently delivered lyrics, fuzzy guitars, gauzy synths, and carefully measured doses of percussion. These elements are densely and carefully layered, to create a dreamy and entrancing sound. Performing live, the Van Pelt along with Jordan Robson-Cramer, Jessie Stein, and Adam Waito, do not so much re-create the sound of the album as re-interpret it. Van Pelt presents his music serenely, as might be expected, as the sonic layers are seemingly effortlessly laid down. I don’t know if Miracle Fortress will take home the big prize tomorrow, but if they do I think it would be well deserved.
Miracle Fortress, Agnes Etherington Art Centre, Kingston, 10 September 2007
* Maybe Lately
* This Thing About You
* Hanky Panky Nohow (John Cale cover)
* Next Train
* Have You Seen In Your Dreams
Be cooler than your friends - own the stunning ‘Five Roses’ before it wins the Polaris.
mike said,
September 30, 2007 at 4:29 pm
thank you! sounds awesome.
is this the complete recording? the tags seem to show more.
maria said,
October 1, 2007 at 12:09 am
wow! thanks so much for this!
rgsc said,
October 2, 2007 at 8:46 pm
Hey Maria & Mike. You’re most welcome.
Mike - you are right, this is only a few songs. Since you are interested I can upload the rest, but not until next week, when I get back home.
mike said,
October 2, 2007 at 8:47 pm
awesome! thank you
rgsc said,
October 10, 2007 at 7:48 pm
and heeeeere you go. The full set on megaupload let me know if you have any issues accessing it etc. As you can see a number of the tracks don’t have titles - either because they were new, or from the older album which I don’t have or were totally unrecognizable to me when i was editing it up. Anyway, if you happen to know the titles of the tracks which I don’t have titles for I would be most obliged. Enjoy.
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=RHV857UO
r
babymammal said,
October 10, 2007 at 10:24 pm
Thanks RGSC,
I love this band. So happy to have a boot of theirs.
Great site. As always.
babymammal said,
October 10, 2007 at 10:34 pm
By the way, the eleventh track is Poetaster off Five Roses. Just doesn’t sound very much like it is all.
babymammal said,
October 10, 2007 at 10:46 pm
And track five is Little Trees. Okay, that’s it, I’m done. Sorry not to have consolidated these.
rgsc said,
October 11, 2007 at 7:41 am
Thanks for the info babymammal (and no worries - more comments makes my blog look like it is actually read by people). When I was editing the file into tracks I felt that I *should* know most of the songs….but I just couldn’t pin down the titles.