Erik Lind & The Orchard

Fans of independent Canadian music were first introduced to a little-known Montreal band in January 2013, when “War Outside” – a brisk paced, high hat and kick drum-driven track by Erik Lind & The Orchard from their debut EP Great White North - made its debut at the #1 spot on CBC Radio 3’s popular R3-30 countdown. The song – and the genre-blending collection of sing-along melodies, rich vocal harmonies, and memorable hooks that make up the EP on which it appeared – had come out of relative nowhere to catch the attention of listeners, bloggers, and many in the industry. While the bittersweet lyrics penned by Lind evoke the frigid relentlessness of a winter in his home and native land, the album's six songs are insulated with musical warmth and richness that make Great White North a soothing piece of Canadiana folk rock. The band had taken shape two years earlier, along a remote, tree-lined stretch of Interstate 87 in upstate New York. At the time, singer and songwriter Erik Lind and bassist Lisa Perusse were in the midst of a long-distance attempt to rekindle a previous project with former bandmates who had relocated to Brooklyn. They had invited mutual friend and guitarist Mikael Tobias to join in on the latest sessions. Returning home along the dark stretch of highway after one of many marathon weekend jams, the trio of Montrealers found themselves throwing around the idea of starting a group with more manageable geographic boundary - one that wouldn't involve six-hour drives to rehearsals. By the time they had reached the Quebec border, a band name was in place and a first rehearsal was scheduled. Lind, Perusse, and Tobias were soon playing intimate venues in their hometown as The Orchard, crafting arrangements for a collection of Lind's home-recordings. From its core trio, the band grew to include drummer Michel Aubinais. In the spring of 2012, the foursome headed into Montreal’s Treatment Room Studios (Plants & Animals, The Acorn) to lay down tracks for their debut EP. After several concentrated days in studio, work shifted east a few blocks to the familiar confines of Tobias’s apartment in the city’s Little Italy neighbourhood where the intimacy of home-recorded elements began to merge with bigger sounds captured at the Treatment Room. It’s a contrast that can be felt throughout Great White North, from the crashing cymbals and soaring vocals in the closing bars of the title track, to the raw fret noise heard in the closer “The Kick.” Since the 2012 release of their musical ode to the hinterland, the five-piece group (keyboardist Francis Lehoux joined in 2013) has continued to develop a loyal fan base and hone their folk-inspired indie rock with a regular slate of shows in Quebec and Ontario and multiple festival appearances. The band’s music has been heard on CBC 1 and Radio 3, numerous campus/community stations, satellite radio and Galaxie Music, and has garnered favourable reviews. Along the way, Erik Lind & The Orchard has shared stages with such respected artists as Jordan Klassen, Amos The Transparent, Kalle Mattson, Motel Raphael, Ben Kaplan, Le Trouble, and The Elwins. The band is set to record their first full-length album in 2014. * * * "Superb songwriting enriched by warm, understated production... the magnificent title track is soothing and airy... a promising EP." Jean-Étienne Sheehy - 500khz Blog "A warm EP that might make you feel a little bit better should the weather outside be frightful... [Black Eyed Heart features] a perfect blend of emotion and buildup... a great starting point for this Montreal band." Michael Thomas - Grayowl Point "Smooth vocals and lovely harmonies... really nice guitar work by Mikael Tobias... reminiscent of ‘Wintersleep’, ‘The Great Lake Swimmers’, and a perhaps a mellower version of ‘Kings of Leon’. We were impressed from start to finish..." Label Records "Melodies that you can hum along to and lyrics that will touch your brain..." Amanda Putz - CBC Bandwidth "We can’t help but listen to the tight-knit group and be reminded of the likes of Wintersleep, Dan Mangan and Great Lake Swimmers... a well-produced album full of musical variation with dips and peaks... It’s evident there’s some sure talent present, and genre blending has been catapulted to new heights." Brontë Martin - The Main MTL "It wouldn't be surprising to hear [The Kick] as a radio hit… pretty incredible potential." Simon Savard - CKRL 89,1 FM "Soothing indie folks... I can guarantee a feel good night." Katie M. - CKUT “All I can say is wow! Really impressed me…” Ming Wu - PhotogMusic Blog (included in Top 12 EP's of 2012) Twitter: @ErikLindOrchard Bandcamp: eriklind.bandcamp.com Regular ol' Web: eriklindandtheorchard.com We're a band. Nous venons de Montréal. We parlons franglais. www.eriklindandtheorchard.com