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Belleisle Longstanding Ships at Night It takes a fine artist to know a fine artist. As founders of quality Montreal label Ships at Night (Plants and Animals, Orillia Opry), Rebecca Silverberg and Jeannot Boudreau have shown impeccable taste in working with bands that value conversational intimacy. Their own elegantly subdued group follows that lead. The dual-singer approach pays off: Tasha Cyr is the ethereal one, Silverberg the earthy one, each maintaining her own personality while intertwining with the other. Even when the guitars are amped up, Longstanding has a soothing heart and an attentive eye to embroidery - a distant drone, a halo of reverb, a solitary trumpet colour songs that are rooted in a humble place but possess a humble power. Rating 3 1/2 Podworthy: Old Noise JORDAN ZIVITZ Belleisle performs Sept. 12 at Club Lambi, 4465 St. Laurent Blvd. Tickets available at the door.

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Recommended Listening: Three New Releases to Get Your Ears On
A lot of good music has come out lately and I’m hard pressed to find the time to give it all the top billing it deserves. That said, it’d be a shame to go without mentioning some albums that I’ve had on repeat lately, so below are three releases that I’d like to recommend:Belleisle - Longstanding With Longstanding Montreal’s Belleisle have created the musical epitome of serene. In fact, the album is so smooth that it crept below my radar for the first few listens, save for imparting an overall feeling of calm. There’s just something so enviably soothing about songs like album opener “Guitar (I Love You)” that leaves a peaceful afterglow every time.That’s not to say that the entire effort is an acoustic lullaby, as there are definitely some more driven numbers (“Flowers and Coffee” for instance). In fact, a lot of Longstanding boasts an almost Crazy Horse grit that would take on a new life completely with some more affected vocals. Far from a flaw, that’s simply a testament to the versatility of the addictive melodies and excellent musicianship on display. As it stands the delivery is so warm, laid-back and inviting that it’s hard not to feel relaxed with each listen (see “Better Than Reality” for a great example of a catchy song that gets in your head and leaves tranquility in its wake).Light some candles, run a bath—do whatever it is you do to unwind—and let the seductive melodies and halcyon vocals massage your mental ailments.

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The revolving door and bandmate swapping of Montreal's Ships at Night imprint is ever-fruitful. Members of each of the label's impressive bands would appear to moonlight in another. Turns are taken, microphones passed, and the distinct songwriting and stylistic vision of each is illuminated in turn. Belleisle represents another highly considered and strongly felt collection of songs from its fellows.

The band boasts two singer-songwriters, Tasha Cyr and Rebecca Silverberg, whose voices and compositions blend seamlessly on their debut Longstanding. The duo's folkish pop is beautifully understated and varied; Cyr's "Better Than Reality" contains subtle traces of Sade's cool romanticism while Silverberg's "Waking Up Slowly" builds from strummed acoustic jazz chords and brushed cymbals into a tough yet elegant climbing electric figure. But both are Belleisle, as are bassist David Tkach and multi-instrumentalist Jeannot Boudreau, who flesh out thoughtful arrangements that never feel overdone.

The exquisite closer "Trying" poses an apt question: "There's so many things to choose / How do we ever choose them?" First, an abundance of good choices appears to have precipitated both Belleisle and Longstanding. Second, the number of standout moments and songs on the record makes it difficult to choose favorites to single out for attention. And lastly, in what often seems a sea of musical sameness, you could choose far far worse than to set your sails for Belleisle.

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Belleisle
Longstanding (Ships at Night)
Creating magic moments with subtlety and simplicity isn't typically the domain of a rookie band, but this local quartet makes it happen on their debut album. Some would call it folk, with its acoustic guitars, plaintive underpinning and charmed harmonies by singers Rebecca Silverberg and Tasha Cyr, but the effect is much closer to the kind of misty, low-slung indie music made by longhaired boys and girls about 15 years ago, without the gratuitous grunge-hangover guitars. Instead, gentle infusions of organ and trumpet supplement the strummed strings and female voices, making music to sway to and daydream by. 7.5/10 (Lorraine Carpenter) CD launch at Divan Orange, Tues., Aug. 12, 9:30 p.m.

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Belleisle is a young group of old souls who jumped into recording to catch these sounds as they are coming together all early, earnest and yearning in the band-becoming-band process. Tasha Cyr's voice is particularly delicate, charming, soo soul sad and careful, thoughtful, dropping soft things in her phrasing. (Tasha is recording with the Darling Demaes now, which is really exciting.) When Cyr and Rebecca Silverberg (who is also co-founder of their label, Ships at Night) harmonize dearly over thunderous guitars or solo trumpet, with the trumpet crying in that way that can make trumpets sound like the hollow wells of the worlds long longing, well. It's just fine. Some tracks are stronger, both vocally and lyrically, then others (Track 1, 4 and 13 I relisten to a lot) but the label diligently pursues a feeling of incredibly high quality handmade, family and commuity and all the love and sorrow and sarcasm in it. Even the packaging is beautiful, and a sound that's haunting, layered and edged, music loving with streetsounding instrumentation (Plants and Animals, Orillia Opry, Percy Farm, Timber, Field Register) and if you like this sound and feeling then you'd like our neighborhood in Montreal very much, and you'll like this album. And if you're looking for a new music gift for a smart, folk rock-loving young woman this would be one I'd recommend.

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The good people at Ships at Night Records are putting out quality release after quality release. First and foremost, they exposed us to Plants & Animals, as well as terrific acts like Orillia Opry and Percy Farm. The quirky pop they delivered consistently overachieved and helped make the small Montreal label one worthy of our attention.

Well, next on their release schedule (Aug. 12th/08) is the debut record from Belleisle. On the surface, Longstanding, might seem to be another solid mix of folk and sunshine, but when you sit down and soak it the songs you notice the edges creep into the shadows and the girls have a darker side that is brought out by the band and supporting players.

Tasha Cyr and Rebecca Silverberg started out as friends, trading songs long before they started writing together. Over time they developed a song writing rapport and used that to start a band. While that might sound like everyone you know, when it came time to add other members, their songs had already evolved into a single sound, but one that could morph with each new perspective that was added. Guitar (I Love You), starts as a simple folk track that probably was born on a couch or back porch. It's not much more than Tasha's voice and guitar, but the underlying organ and drum flourishes her band mates add take the polish off the song without stripping away the intimacy. It's that urban city grit that surfaces (throughout all the songs really) that makes this record work.

There is no denying that both girls have terrific pipes and can write ear pleasing melodies (Talks a Lot shows Rebecca taking the lead equally well), but both prefer to muddy up the mix to add a sense of reality to the songs. Whether it's Kess Dekker's (who also recorded this recorded and Plants & Animals latest and greatest) feedback filled guitar or Ben Lemieux's distorted bass, the bands always seems to add a bit of gruff muscle that prevent the songs from becoming all too perfect folk. Lots of women have the voice and syrupy sweet guitar sounds, but good records need more than good voices.

Sure, songs like Flowers and Coffee, Coasting and Winter Under Covers might be those weightless, summer tracks we all love, but it's pretty obvious that Belleisle isn't living a fairytale existence. The brutal honesty of the slinky Better Than Reality changes the vibe of the record, and even Waking Up Slowly breaks the lazy stretches of the morning sun with a quick snap of the electric. The notes on Geography crash like waves on a stormy coastline; a perfect wash of textures and fuzz that hides the power of the song and lets the clarity of simple piano line pierce through and grab your ear.

Thirteen songs might seem like a bold number for a acoustic driven debut, but Bellisle is more than up to the task. In fact, the album closer - Trying - is one of the most adventurous and engaging on the album. The melodica, tapped percussion and trumpet that shape the song fit together perfectly and make it impossible to not fall in love with the song. Longstanding is a record that is destined to be left on repeat, as the mood of the songs seem to move perfectly alongside yours, no matter what that mood may be.

Some great shows coming up! Daniel Isaiah Schachter of Percy Farm will be opening for Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks at La Tulipe on July 17th at 9pm. As well, David Macleod will be opening for the Letlowns and Joan of Arc on July 18th at 9pm.

Ships at Night has had a busy year so far. We've been getting ready for the launch of our 9th release scheduled for August 12th, 2008- a band called Belleisle. The band features members of The Field Register, Giant Sons, Orillia Opry, Magnetic Hill and The Darling Demaes. It was recorded by Kees Dekker (who also recorded 'Parc Avenue' by Plants and Animals) at Montreal's 'Treatment Room' Recording Studio. For more on the band and the album entitled 'Longstanding' CLICK HERE.
The launch will take place Tuesday August 12th, 9pm at the Divan Orange. Belleisle will be joined by openers Magnetic Hill. It's going to be a great night of music. See you there!

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Orillia Opry
Lighthouse For Stragglers' Eyes
( Ships At Night ) - 2007
» Chronique
le 14.01.2008 à 06h00 · par Eric F.
Repéré grâce à son excellent premier album, Pandion Haliaetus, Orillia Opry n'hésite pas à nous prendre à contre-pied sur ce deuxième album, sorti seulement un an après le premier. Daniel Noble et Emma Baxter, en bon Canadiens qu'ils sont, rendent un vibrant hommage à Neil Young et ses guitares électriques le temps d'un Shadow Shadow dont la détermination surprend, tout en sachant nous séduire en même temps.

N'allez pas pour autant croire ces deux-là quand ils vous déclarent "I Lied" et ralentissent le jeu : Orillia Opry a manifestement réussi à dompter la fée électricité et étoffer son registre, ce qui se traduit également sur le disque par une assurance plus marquée.

Toujours un peu fragile mais pas trop, à deux doigts d'une rupture qui ne viendra finalement jamais, la voix de Daniel Noble semble repousser ses propres limites pour porter l'album de bout en bout, aidé en cela par une Emma Baxter radieuse d'économie et d'interventions judicieuses. On ne soulignera d'ailleurs jamais assez à quel point il est rare de nos jours de rencontrer des groupes qui savent intégrer le silence dans leur compositions, et Orillia Opry en fait indubitablement partie, assurant avec une classe incroyable des passages d'un minimalisme saisissant (You Should Tell Me So, à tomber par terre).

Parfois construites à partir d'un pas grand chose, les chansons du duo de Montréal n'hésitent pas une seule seconde à (parfaitement) négocier un virage pop, comme sur l'électrique Riverside 2 qui dépasse même l'excellent I Live In A Loft Like An Osprey de Pandion Haliaetus, et dont la fin nous laisse penser que le groupe a dû passer du temps à écouter Built To Spill... (quel dommage que cette conclusion ne s'étire pas plus !).

On ne s'étonnera pas que Daniel Noble revendique son adoration pour Smog, tant il parvient à se hisser au niveau de ce dernier le temps de quelques phrases assassines comme ce vengeur "If you come back, you'll come back with a heart attack" sur I Lied. Le registre de composition s'est tellement étoffé que ça sera à la fameuse série "Les Experts : Miami" que l'on devra le dyptique Riverside 1 & 2. A croire que le groupe aurait pu tout tenter sur ce disque... et le réussir.

Véritable confirmation plus que surprenante de la part d'un duo étiqueté folk, Lighthouse For Stragglers' Eyes semble être touché par la grâce et, à l'image de sa conclusion, le réjouissant Peace Will Come, devrait dessiner un large sourire de satisfaction à quiconque croisera sa route.

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Reviews:: Orillia Opry Lighthouse for Stragglers' Eyes
Trying to unearth a young band's influences for the sake of a review is kind of a double edged sword. You want to find those subtle nods that show an appreciation of music (and more importantly the potential for the band to grow into something fantastic), but you never want a band to sound too derivative. Orillia Opry is a fantastic example of why you never want to look too hard.

This Montreal folk duo - Daniel Noble and Emma Baxter - have finished up with their second release and it's gaining well deserved credit. The record should push help them move from being "a band with potential" into the spotlight. The vocal interplay seems effortless, especially when Emma's vocals float above the mix, showing off an understanding of melody that bands would kill for, but instead, people seem focused on who they sound like.

Noble, admittedly, is influenced by Neil Young but you could say that about any Canadian musician who plays an acoustic. Every folk duo you hear opening a show samples from the same library, but for the most part those songs go unnoticed. You could try to type cast Orillia Opry, but the success of the project makes them note worthy. I take comfort in the familiar, I really do. Traditional folk music is like warm soup or a blanket when you are under the weather, and Noble and Baxter could easily write folk songs that draw you close, but this reaches past that.

They experiment with different styles and textures, refusing to stay in the simplistic mold we reviewers rely on. You could listen to the duo harmonize on Beacons On or I Am Just a Bug and be satisfied. The songs pop, but they push their own comfort level throughout this record (the jazzy nuances of You Should Tell Me So or the frantic guitars and build of Shadow Shadow) and the attention to detail is staggering at times.

Riverside 2, on the surface, is another strummed acoustic track but the dark cloud that encompasses the song is something fresh and exciting. The summery electric riff that balances the aggressive strums, crashing drums and morbid lyrics (a death and discovery of a prostitute) stretch the limitations of the band in every direction. The song is creepy and enjoyable at the same time, and the rough breakdown that ends the song doesn't fit but works nicely.

But the band is best when Noble uses a biting narrative. I Lied is a terrific f&ck you from a lover scorned. The cold, even tone of the song resonates more than screaming yourself hoarse in frustration. We are both a mess, flawed to our core, killing each other slowly. It's over, move on. Nothing can save this now.

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Unbefitting a music critic, my impulse of late has been to jealously guard the music I enjoy rather than dissect it, for myself or anyone else. As the days have grown shorter, I've clung to albums like Orillia Opry's Lighthouse for Stragglers' Eyes much as I did its predecessor, 2006's Pandion Haliaetus, for light and warmth. How foolish, like everything on Montreal's treasured Ships at Night label, Lighthouse for Stragglers' Eyes deserves a wider audience for its comfortable, confident, and adventurous mien. Like their debut, Lighthouse features mostly delicate, acoustic folk-based arrangements, but it can also snarl and burn like Crazy Horse in their prime. Opener "Shadow Shadow" is all shrug and lurch, with disarming shifting rhythms and keening harmonies between Daniel Noble and Emma Baxter. Elsewhere, foot-tappers like "Beacons On" beam out no less energy and intent for being unplugged. It might be just the kind of music to want to curl up and hibernate with, but ultimately, and especially when faced with songs as vibrant and true-ringing as the closer "Peace Will Come", why would anyone want to keep such a wonderful band to oneself?