CD release highlights fresh sound of "A Few Innocent Civilians"

Posted Feb 2, 2012 By Hollie Pratt-Campbell

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EMC Entertainment - Success came as something of a surprise for A Few Innocent Civilians, one of the newest bands on the local music scene.

After a year of constant evolution, the band members - who describe their music as having a Canadian indie music sound with roots in blues, rock and folk - celebrated the release their first album, Let it Go, at Tir Nan Og Jan. 27.

It all started in late 2010, when co-workers Andrew Mack on guitar and Bryon McConnell on the keyboard began performing songs together at office functions.

"Apparently, we didn't suck, because people said (we should keep doing it)," says McConnell.

About two weeks later, they picked up Geoff Stephen on bass and mandolin, and had their first gig lined up at the Music Market in Napanee.

Things took off from there.

"It was the weirdest thing," says McConnell. "We started performing and people would say to us 'do you have a CD'? And we'd look at each other and say 'no', incredulous-like. What do you mean you want a CD? You like our music and want to hear it? And so that rather stimulated us to go into the studio last summer and record a disc."

While the band continues to play about two-thirds covers during live shows, Let It Go consists of 10 original songs, recorded over two days in August at Patunes Studio at Charleston Lake. The strict recording time limit band members budgeted for themselves ended up yielding a very unique sound.

"A lot of it was (recorded) live off the floor," says Mack. "It gives it a really natural sound. It's not overly mixed or produced...you can really hear the warmth and the natural feeling of the sound."

He notes that because band members have a very wide range of musical tastes and styles, the songs are very diverse:

"It's good listening because you don't get bored of the sound - it changes every song."

Since recording the album, the band has evolved even further, losing Stephen but picking up well-known local musicians Mike Pacey on bass and Rick Gravel on drums. The new members made their debut with A Few Innocent Civilians at last Friday's show.

"In some ways it's made it really easy for Rick and me to come into this whole mix of music because they've already taken the time to build these songs and craft them," says Pacey. "But it's also a good time for us to come in as well because (there's a lot of opportunity for this band)."

"It's really an evolution when you start blending musicians of different backgrounds," adds Gravel. "It's an interesting melting pot. I look forward to seeing what we sound like a year from now."

McConnell says that already it's been amazing to see how the band's sound has changed and improved over the past year.

"(When we started playing live shows) the keyboard had a drum machine built into it, so we used that (and it made a huge difference). And what's been astonishing to us is just how much better the sound is now that we have Rick playing live drums.

"And I think our live shows are even better because (the more you do) the better you get at it," he adds.

Indeed, the quality of A Few Innocent Civilians' live shows was one of the things that attracted Gravel to the band.

"One of the things I love about this band is the covers these guys put together - the majority of them are by Canadian artists," he says. "I can only think of three that aren't, and (they're) covered by other Canadian artists. It's kind of neat, I like that idea."

The band encourages everyone to not only check out Let It Go - which is available in CD form from the members themselves and at Renaissance Music, as well as on all the major music download sites - but also to come out to their live shows.

"The (original) material is the same (as the album) and the songs are similar, but the production and the intensity of the sound is so much more when you're there live," Mack remarks.

You can next catch A Few Innocent Civilians at The Mansion on Feb. 11, when they will open for the Waterloo-based band Long Range Hustle.

For more information about the band, please check out their Facebook page or their CBC Radio 3 online profile at www.radio3.cbc.ca/bands/A-Few-Innocent-Civilians. You can also stream the album for free at the CBC site.




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