Language-Arts ranges from beckoning choruses with bright hooks to meandering, lyrical sagas. Insights poke out with subtle nuances, sparkling and inquisitive...
With its genre-defying qualities, Vancouver’s Language-Arts’ sophomore release “Where Were You in the Wild?” is expected to turn ears to a new side to indie rock; celebrating obscurities and word entanglements with poetic poise, paired with an alt-rock foundation yet fleshed out with classical instrumentation. Confused? Don’t be- it all comes about very naturally, aided in part by Cudmore’s vast reserve of words and ideas, delivered with a “clarion-like voice”.
“Where Were You in the Wild?” is Language-Arts’ full length follow up to 2007’s self titled debut as well as their now out of print 2008 teaser EP “Small Run” While charting well on Canadian campus and community radio, Language-Arts have toured extensively around the west coast and across Canada, appearing on stages with artists such as Xavier Rudd, Portable Payback (Jurassic 5), Vancougar and Great Aunt Ida. The band has appeared at festivals such as TD Atlantic Jazz festival, Halifax Pop Explosion, Sled Island, and NXNE.
Member Kristen Cudmore originally hails form Nova Scotia; an ode to her home province is a common subtext to many of their songs. Sitting somewhere between Suzanne Vega and Buck 65, Language-Arts delve into images steeped with secrets both deep and dark that feature sophisticated arrangements and art …
Language-Arts ranges from beckoning choruses with bright hooks to meandering, lyrical sagas. Insights poke out with subtle nuances, sparkling and inquisitive...
With its genre-defying qualities, Vancouver’s Language-Arts’ sophomore release “Where Were You in the Wild?” is expected to turn ears to a new side to indie rock; celebrating obscurities and word entanglements with poetic poise, paired with an alt-rock foundation yet fleshed out with classical instrumentation. Confused? Don’t be- it all comes about very naturally, aided in part by Cudmore’s vast reserve of words and ideas, delivered with a “clarion-like voice”.
“Where Were You in the Wild?” is Language-Arts’ full length follow up to 2007’s self titled debut as well as their now out of print 2008 teaser EP “Small Run” While charting well on Canadian campus and community radio, Language-Arts have toured extensively around the west coast and across Canada, appearing on stages with artists such as Xavier Rudd, Portable Payback (Jurassic 5), Vancougar and Great Aunt Ida. The band has appeared at festivals such as TD Atlantic Jazz festival, Halifax Pop Explosion, Sled Island, and NXNE.
Member Kristen Cudmore originally hails form Nova Scotia; an ode to her home province is a common subtext to many of their songs. Sitting somewhere between Suzanne Vega and Buck 65, Language-Arts delve into images steeped with secrets both deep and dark that feature sophisticated arrangements and artisan song crafting. Cudmore's classical guitar blends beautifully with the double bass and the occasional string quartet. The songs themselves range from beckoning choruses with bright hooks to meandering, lyrical sagas. It's no secret that many of these songs began as dreams- insights poke out with subtle nuances, sparkling and inquisitive. "If all there was to eat was candy, which would be the most healthy? ..and would we even bother, filling the cavity?"
"If one thing becomes clear while chatting with Language-Arts’ Kristen Cudmore, it’s that the pint-sized singer/guitarist is pretty fearless...smart arrangements with Cudmore’s classical guitar virtuosity, verbose lyrics and a singing style that’s part Joanna Newsom innocence and part gutsy, quick-fire rap... she brings her love of classical guitar and underground hip-hop." -Now Magazine (Toronto ON)
"As I suspected, Language-Arts proved themselves to be just as stunning live as they are on record, with their four members creating an orchestral sound that is remarkably full... I was immediately impressed with the professionalism of the entire outfit. The band set up and tuned quickly, enabling them to begin their set quicker than usual... I found it hard not to remain fixated on what was taking place on stage. Cudmore's vocals are high and pixie-ish in a way that is slightly reminiscent of Joanna Newsom or Suzanne Vega, but perhaps more accessible. The music itself is one of constant wonder in the sense that there are certain songs where you think that you've got the groove figured out and then they throw in a tempo change, or similar progressive tangent that takes your head journey in a totally different direction... where the classical tag proves itself appropriate both in its instrumental sense of musical adventure, and in the vocal style that Cudmore almost raps her wordy lyrics in a way that distracts from how cumbersome they would be if left in other hands... I was left in awe, not only of Cudmore's ability to remember all of those lyrics, but also in the way that the band has managed to carve a niche that is all their own, and present it on a live stage in a way that never alienates, but endears. I'll certainly be seeing them again." - It's Not the Band I Hate, It's Their Fans (Toronto ON)
EARSHOT TOP 40 ARTISTS OF THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER 2009, Language-Arts are 26 on the national charts which are posted on EARSHOT or the back of EXCLAIM! Magazine!
"VANCOUVER — Vancouver art poppers Language-Arts aren’t afraid to be a little out there for the sake of their music... twisted around interesting, other-worldly melodies. In other words, it’s a fun listen." - The Vancouver Sun (Vancouver BC)
"...(L-A) takes a lot of people by surprise. Vocalist Kristen Cudmore's delivery has been described as "rapid-fire pixie-rap." But her verses aren't set against beats -- rather Cudmore and her bandmates craft an indie-pop-with-classical-influences sound that's being compared to Stereolab and Suzanne Vega. The overall effect is whimsical and refreshing." - The Province (BC)
"This album is mostly soothing and subdued, with Kristen Cudmore's voice making quick, pointed gestures. It's a colourful contrast, but one that has morphed into a setting that's more a lively painting than a basic rainbow." - Exclaim Magazine (Canada)
"the group’s ability shines. “White Socks in Birkenstocks” is this collection’s clear standout, the hooks coming quick and often during its cello-laden verses and synthy breakdowns... it’s an effectively eerie mood piece, its delicate arrangement proving that there’s more to the group than kitschy genre-mashing." - The Georgia Straight (Vancouver BC)
"Language-Arts has polished off another beauty with its sophomore release ‘Where Were You In The Wild?’... caringly crafted numbers, endearing, almost addictive musical wondrousness, stream-of-consciousness ‘pixie-rap’, and you might say it’s somewhat of a grower... This band sounds amazingly tight live, and for anyone who’s been listening to ‘Where Were You In The Wild’, you can just close your eyes and feel like you’re listening to the album. This is how a live act should sound! Beautiful harmonies, rapid-fire flow a-la Kristen, and precise instrumentation in a genre most critics would call ‘etc’... For me, it doesn’t get any better than that watching that balancing act. For fans of inventive, creative, inexplicable music, this was a dream performance from top to bottom." - The Skinny (Vancouver BC)
"This is a band aware of their sound, and they execute it fantastically. While the music sounds simple on the surface, it possesses rich layers of violins and cellos, acoustic guitar and electronic sounds... your ears may thank you for introducing them to something new." - The Peak SFU (Burnaby BC)
"(Where Were You in the Wild?) ...is a record made for the music geeks. No, not because it presents a certain bookish aesthetic. But because this eleven-track masterpiece contains some of the most original and inventive music available for blogging purposes. Sadly, it’s only those who are constantly on the hunt for fresh sounds which will appreciate this (Truly) genre-defying bliss...the slant that these two Vancouverites take on acoustic twee-pop is just too blatantly charming to ignore... Where Were You In The Wild breaks conventional indie-pop rules as it hops gracefully from track to track with the poise of a wild rabbit and the curiousity of a newborn baby." - Skope
"diese lässige folknote, ohne in tradition zu verharren, den pop, der dich beschwingter durch den alltag ziehen lässt, die memorable idee, das unsteife in der harmonie und doch manch schlanken dreher beinhaltend." - Das Kleinicum (Germany)
"Quirky would be appropriate, but the music seems too accomplished and the lyrics too adept for such a condescending word. The reality is Language Arts have whittled out a niche all their own... This is a very good album, one that flaunts as much lyrical dexterity as it does heart. It swings dramatically in theme and style not just from song to song, but from verse to verse - all the while remaining distinctly Language Arts. -" - Scene and Heard
"A+... it was the best show of the night!" -Tangible Sounds (Toronto)
"Last night I fell in love with them... Score 1 for team Canada." -Much Music (Toronto)
"I was blown away and captivated." - NXEW (Canada)
"For rarely are we treated to an act so unique and cutting-edge." -RC Joseph, 24 Hours Magazine (Vancouver)
"The playing is expert, not over-indulgent. Cudmore delivers a steady flow of conscience contemplations, with an unaffected clarion-like voice." - Sean Flinn, The Coast (Halifax)
"Language-Arts flood their verses with word-jumbles and playful imagery. dense and classically trained instrumental passages form the base... double bass lines swell under Cudmore's rapid-fire pixie -rap. Essentially, they're blending disarming indie-pop with classical influences and have an ear for jazzy hip-hop textures... If Small Run is an accurate sampling of said album (upcoming album Where Were You In the Wild?), it should be well worth the purchase... There's a wealth of creativity here, more than most bands use for an entire album." - Jeff Gready, Two Way Monologues (Toronto)
"Language-Arts spun a lovely lyrical lilt and yet dolled out complex time signatures... imagine a female junglaist M-C wearing your grandma's old cardigans." Turqouise Wave Sights (Saskatoon)
more quotes at www.language-arts.net
