Your Name:Casey Mecija of
OhbijouName Of Your New Album:BeaconsStory Behind The Name:We puzzled over a name for a while. We combed through lyrics, examined the last couple of years in search of something - a phrase, a word that could sum up our experiences with this record and then I came across "Jailbird Blues", the last song on our record. There's a line in that song that says, "No beacon truths can shed this skin, of jailbird blues I'm stirring in." That line struck me - one of my favourite on the album.
This record took us a while, we surfed highs and lows. We recorded in cottages, in basements, in the mountains...there were moments where it felt like the album would never get finished. Then there was a turning point where we collectively re-examined the music, we re-focused our relationships with one another and reinforced that we love playing music together. The word
Beacons seemed to encapsulate this turning point perfectly. We were stirring in stagnation - we needed a boost and found it together; we saw the positives, saw the
Beacons and moved forward.
What You Wanted To Do:With this record we wanted to push our abilities to write and arrange. We wanted to experiment with new sounds and create fuller and more vibrant arrangements. There are a lot more keyboards on this record; there are definitely moments where Ryan's wizardry with sounds are showcased. I feel like everyone's talents have shining moments on this record and we are excited to finally share it with everyone.
A Favourite Moment:One of my favourite moments was writing and recording "Black Ice", "Jailbird Blues" and "Memoriam" at the Banff Centre for the Arts. Ohbijou was lucky enough to participate in the inaugural session of the Banff Indie Residency at the Banff Centre. We were given a small cottage in the mountains to write and rehearse and had the privilege of working with two producers - Howard Bilerman and Tony Berg - to record with. The experience was definitely a highlight and we are forever indebted to the indelible mark it left on our lives and our perspectives on music.
A Least Favourite Moment: Hmmm perhaps rehearsing after James and Andrew have eaten rotis - not the nicest place to play unless there's a open window close by.
A Song You're Excited About:I am really excited about the song "New Years". While recording it at James' cottage we left Ryan to finish his keyboard overdubs with our friend and producer Chris Stringer. When we came back to check in on what they had accomplished they sat us down in this small little room and blasted the song through the speakers. The keyboard lines blew us away and for me this was the first time I started to feel really excited about the album.
The songs is about being patient with love. Allowing it to ebb and flow without it being a battle against each other but instead tackling the hardships of life together.
What Other Songs Are About:"Memoriam" is a song about the fire that took place on Queen St. and Bathurst last year in Toronto. The fire took place on a cold winter day and wiped out some beloved businesses and homes in that area. The image of the smoke and the icy relics of burnt buildings really resonated with me and so this is where "Memoriam" was born.
"Intro to Season" is about hiding in the basement and playing music while the seasons pass.
How It Feels:It feels so good to finally put this album out. We are so proud of it and want to share it with whomever is willing to listen. We really love playing music together and we are so grateful for all of the opportunities music has afforded us.
What You're Doing To Celebrate:To celebrate we are are throwing a big release party on June 25th at the Opera House in Toronto (735 Queen Street East). We'll be sharing the evening with the GREAT BLOOMERS (www.myspace.com/greatbloomers) and EVENING HYMNS (www.myspace.com/eveninghymns). There will be lights and projections by Exploding Motorcar and many other special surprises. The Tickets are $13 and are available at Ticketmaster, Rotate This and Soundscapes. So come and celebrate with us!
