Down in Mount Pleasant, amidst the coffee shops and brunch spots, is a nucleus of sorts, containing some of the most talented musicians the West Coast has to offer. True to definition, it constitutes the beating heart of a handful of rising acts; among them – Twin River, arguably Vancouver’s next rock supergroup.
Back in 2010, Andy Bishop was manning a breakfast joint by day, and playing guitar in Red Cedar by night. Enter Courtney Ewan, burgeoning singer-songwriter-barista, a swap of some recorded material, cut to a jam session and ultimately, the birth of a side project.
Five years, one EP, a full-length album, and a few tours later, Twin River isn’t just sitting on the sidelines anymore.
The duo released their first full-length, Should The Light Go Out, earlier this year, and they did it with a little help from their friends.
And by “friends”, read, “a veritable who’s who of the Vancouver music scene”: Malcolm Biddle (Sun Wizard, Capitol 6, and Dada Plan), Rebecca Law Gray (Chains of Love, Mode Moderne and Yukon Blonde), Dustin Bromley (Pleasure Cruise), Francesco Lyon (Sun Wizard), and Jordan MacKenzie (White Ash Falls) all lay claim to the magic that is Twin River.
The album, produced by Ladyhawk’s Darcy Hancock and recorded by Colin Stewart (New Pornographers, Dan Mangan, BlackMountain) at the now defunct Hive Creative Labs, is a rock record that is as eclectic as it is creative.
“Should The Light Go Out is a pretty diverse sounding record,” Ewan says. “I’m really proud of that, I think it sounds like a complete record.”
It’s easy to listen to Should The Light Go Out and draw comparisons to the mystical and varied feel of Fleetwood Mac. Perhaps it’s the band’s ever-rotating cast, or Ewan’s catchy, soulful vocals set against witchy reverb, spinning tales of secret séances in tunes you can both dance to, or get completely lost in.
“A lot of people need to draw parallels to something they know, to feel comfortable about it,” Bishop says casually taking in stride a comparison to a beast like the Mac. “I don’t think you can make music today that isn’t influenced by something.”
Elements of pop, punk, alt-country, garage, folk, and psych are all there, but Bishop breaks it down simply, “I just say rock ‘n’ roll. Labels always bug me, these terms can mean anything, they’re so open-ended.”
“And limiting,” Ewan adds. “I think people think pop is a dirty word, and that can be tricky and confusing.”
Sitting over pints at a local brewery, it doesn’t take long to see why the two work so well together. They are quick to compliment one another, and often complete each other’s sentences.
“Should The Light Go Out was a really honest reflection of the two of us going from a two-piece, into being a band,” Bishop says. “By this time, we’ve kind of...”
“Learned how to write for a full band.” Ewan finishes.
A band that, by its very nature of is a rotating cast of supporting musicians, and always in flux.
“You have to look at what your concept of what this particular band is; is it something a bit more free, where people may come and go if they’re around?” Bishop muses. “People don’t always follow the same paths in life. And, I think that’s just the reality of the city we’re in.”
“Or the age we’re at,” Ewan chimes in – something she knows about firsthand, having relocated to Montreal temporarily for post-graduate studies.
The ebb and flow of constant change is what helps keeps Twin River alive.
The band is set to head out for the second leg of their Should The Light Go Out tour this week, with a hometown stop at the Fox Cabaret this Tuesday (Nov. 10), with Lyon on bass and MacKenzie behind the drums. A quick rip through the east earlier this year (with legendary British punk rockers, the Damned), took the band to Chicago where they played the famed Double Door, the venue featured in High Fidelity, which Ewan says, “blew my mind.”
The pair has their sights set on a new album for 2016, but like everything that seems to happen with Twin River, it’s being recorded as time allows. After an initial recording session this past August, Bishop and Ewan decided to scrap plans for an EP in favour of a full-length release. That means going back into the studio next month, with a hopeful release date of early in the new year.
Bishop is ready for fans to hear the new songs.
“You always say this about your new material, but I think it’s our strongest stuff.”
Twin River takes the stage at The Fox Cabaret Nov. 10 at 8pm with Failing and Invisible Ray. Tickets are $12 at Red Cat and TicketFly.com
