Formed in 2003 as a simple high school hobby for vocalist Liam
Trimble, Illfit Outfit had from the beginning taken on as its duty the
spreading of pure pop bliss to its oft-punk bogged hometown of
Edmonton, Alberta.
Never unconfident in marrying a fey hook to a bouncing rhythm,
Trimble & cohorts took the outfit to the stage, preaching the word
to teahouses and basements citywide, uncorking a steady stream of
accolades and praise along the way, convincing Trimble to continue on
past graduation.
In 2006 the departure of an original member and some role shifting
within the group caused the creation of a vacuum to later be fulfilled
by percussionist/multi-instrumentalist Jenni Roberts, whose
flexibility and style leant an immediate buoyancy to the groups
ebullient rhythms. Continuing in this steady vein, they began to draw
strong attention from much larger venues and promoters about town. The
group quickly became a fixture and a favourite among Edmonton music
press and pop lovers well into 2007, which saw the release of the
lauded Proudly Resenting… EP.
This release captured the group letting loose for the first time on
disc. A listen through its six brief tracks witnesses them stride
confidently through seaside shanties, retro-garage balladeering and
contemporary pomp while delivering many listens worth of progressive
riffs, dives and splashes. With support from multiple radio stations
and a series …
Formed in 2003 as a simple high school hobby for vocalist Liam
Trimble, Illfit Outfit had from the beginning taken on as its duty the
spreading of pure pop bliss to its oft-punk bogged hometown of
Edmonton, Alberta.
Never unconfident in marrying a fey hook to a bouncing rhythm,
Trimble & cohorts took the outfit to the stage, preaching the word
to teahouses and basements citywide, uncorking a steady stream of
accolades and praise along the way, convincing Trimble to continue on
past graduation.
In 2006 the departure of an original member and some role shifting
within the group caused the creation of a vacuum to later be fulfilled
by percussionist/multi-instrumentalist Jenni Roberts, whose
flexibility and style leant an immediate buoyancy to the groups
ebullient rhythms. Continuing in this steady vein, they began to draw
strong attention from much larger venues and promoters about town. The
group quickly became a fixture and a favourite among Edmonton music
press and pop lovers well into 2007, which saw the release of the
lauded Proudly Resenting… EP.
This release captured the group letting loose for the first time on
disc. A listen through its six brief tracks witnesses them stride
confidently through seaside shanties, retro-garage balladeering and
contemporary pomp while delivering many listens worth of progressive
riffs, dives and splashes. With support from multiple radio stations
and a series of incendiary springtime release shows, the limited print
was burnt through quicker than could be expected.
However, the same year brought another bout of change for the group
with some final farewells to original members and the installation of
ukulele auteur, Doug Hoyer, on bass guitar, whose strongly established
writing chops leant another layer to the blend.
Now reinvigorated as a raw trio, Illfit Outfit tackled the remainder
of 2007 with confidence. Travelling further a field and gathering
constant attention with their enigmatic noise, they set their sights on
2008 as year of the Outfit.
- J. Giles
The Pixies, The Smiths, Tom Waits, Elliott Smith, Modest Mouse, Jeff Buckley, Talking Heads, The Arcade Fire, Jonathan Richman, Dick Dale, Patsy Cline, Coxsone Dodds, R.D. Burman, Weezer
