From The Record

http://news.therecord.com/arts/NightLife/article/388410

JASON SCHNEIDER
FOR NIGHTLIFE

Sure, everyone knows that Montreal is still the coolest city in the world when it comes to modern rock. But artists like Angela Desveaux and United Steelworkers Of Montreal are also proving that its vibrant roots music scene is drawing just as much respect. The latest group to emerge from there is The Jimmyriggers, a trio whose sound draws heavily from the no-frills alt-country of the early '90s.

Indeed, their just-released debut album, Traveling Salesman, Killer On The Run . . . , brims with tales of dead-end day jobs and small-town neuroses, all delivered with that era's trademark punk-inflected passion. It's an approach that co-frontmen David Pearce and Andre Kirchhoff immediately realized they shared in common once they got to know each other after meeting at an open mike night.

"The first incarnation of The Jimmyriggers was Andre and I as an acoustic duo," Pearce says. "One morning after a long, long night of drinking at (drummer) Ram Krishnan's bar, we asked him to drum for us and I made the switch over to playing bass. Our influences are really varied. I like country music, but also a lot of pop, anything with a melody. Andre listens to music that's a little grungier, a lot of the dirtier side of classic rock. Ram comes from a heavy metal background; he grew up listening to anything and everything with big hair. Somehow when you put us together you get something that works."

Although the band's primary goal with the album was to capture their live energy, Pearce says he's also satisfied that they were successfully able to incorporate effective harmonies and vivid lyrical imagery into the songs. In Krishnan's view, "A song that people seem to gravitate to is one of Andre's called Ohio Motel Room. A line in it -- "Travelling salesman, killer on the run, makes no difference with the curtains drawn," actually led to the album title, as well as the concept for the artwork. We're pretty happy with the final product. I'd even say I'm as proud of the look of the album as I am of the sound."

The Jimmyriggers' current string of shows in Ontario is their first real tour outside of Quebec, and despite feeling a bit nervous about facing new audiences, they say that the strong support of others in the Montreal roots scene has given them a lot of confidence to strike out on their own.

"Not only do we have the good fortune of being part of such a great musical community in Montreal, most of the key players and songwriters are very close friends of ours," Krishnan says. "Being surrounded by so much talent is pretty overwhelming, but it's been a great kick in the ass for us."

Pearce adds, "We're really looking forward to seeing how people react to our music because we're a little louder than some of the other bands in the roots scene in Montreal. Anyone who comes to see us at the Boathouse can expect a lot of energy, a lot of great music, and very little whisky left at the bar after we play."