"A day at the beach." That's how the summery Toronto indie rockers Midday Swim describe their music. "Our sound is deep and heavy, and it washes over you in waves, but on the surface it's carefree and sunny." It's also very catchy. "We essentially write pop songs," they explain, "we've had audience members singing along with us to brand new material by the time the final chorus rolls around (which is a really great feeling)."
Listening to a song like "Summer Eyes," it's clear the band is best suited to the carefree days of June, July and August. And while Midday Swim were busy during the cold winter months, too — playing the Horseshoe as part of Indie 88's Nu Music Night and releasing a brand new slow-burning single, "We Got The Feeling," among other things — this is surely the weather they're meant for. They'll be hitting the stage at Sneaky Dee's tonight (Friday) as part of the AB Co. NXNE showcase and will be in Trinity Bellwoods on Sunday for the Great Heart Festival.Before then, get to know them a little bit better:
VITALS
Members: David Krygier-Baum (Vocals, Guitars); Stephan Ermel (Keyboards, Vocals); Sebastian Shinwell (Guitar, Vocals); Craig Saltz (Bass, Vocals); Max Trefler (Drums)
Hometown: Toronto
FIVE QUESTIONS
1. If you could open for one current band that you haven't played with before, who would it be?
We’d love to open for Kurt Vile. I’m not sure how his fans would react to our music, but whenever we listen to Smoke Ring for My Halo.We’re blown away by how well crafted and intelligent his music is, while still seeming apathetic and sedative. You get the sense that his lyrics are very misleading. On the one hand he sounds like he sits around all day doing nothing, but you know there’s no way that’s actually true.
2. If you could play one venue you've never played before, what would it be?
It would maybe have to be a variation of tunes, but Roy Thompson Hall or Massey Hall would be a dream. Even with the best sound guy/girl, it sometimes feels like you’re fighting a venue’s acoustics. We’d love to set up our gear at Roy Thompson Hall and just start wailing.
3. What’s the craziest live show you've ever seen?
Crazy show? Back in their heyday a couple of us went and saw Sigur Ros live at Massey Hall. It felt like our faces were melting off. We might have just been crying though, it’s pretty emotional music.
4. Say, for some strange reason, all the music in the world is going to be destroyed, but you can save all the songs from one decade. Which decade's records would you save?
That’s an impossible question to answer! Does it make us huge nerds to admit that we’ve genuinely considered this in the event of a Zombie Apocalypse? It’s basically like the desert island question with way higher stakes, because it includes all of mankind. We would argue that any decade would be as important as the next. But if we had to choose, we would say the last decade. At least the totality of music would find its way in what is being created now and it would all survive as being influential.
5. If you were going to be a groupie for one band, who would it be?
Milk Carton Kids. Not many bands are making music as beautiful as them.
We’d love to open for Kurt Vile. I’m not sure how his fans would react to our music, but whenever we listen to Smoke Ring for My Halo.We’re blown away by how well crafted and intelligent his music is, while still seeming apathetic and sedative. You get the sense that his lyrics are very misleading. On the one hand he sounds like he sits around all day doing nothing, but you know there’s no way that’s actually true.
2. If you could play one venue you've never played before, what would it be?
It would maybe have to be a variation of tunes, but Roy Thompson Hall or Massey Hall would be a dream. Even with the best sound guy/girl, it sometimes feels like you’re fighting a venue’s acoustics. We’d love to set up our gear at Roy Thompson Hall and just start wailing.
3. What’s the craziest live show you've ever seen?
Crazy show? Back in their heyday a couple of us went and saw Sigur Ros live at Massey Hall. It felt like our faces were melting off. We might have just been crying though, it’s pretty emotional music.
4. Say, for some strange reason, all the music in the world is going to be destroyed, but you can save all the songs from one decade. Which decade's records would you save?
That’s an impossible question to answer! Does it make us huge nerds to admit that we’ve genuinely considered this in the event of a Zombie Apocalypse? It’s basically like the desert island question with way higher stakes, because it includes all of mankind. We would argue that any decade would be as important as the next. But if we had to choose, we would say the last decade. At least the totality of music would find its way in what is being created now and it would all survive as being influential.
5. If you were going to be a groupie for one band, who would it be?
Milk Carton Kids. Not many bands are making music as beautiful as them.
LISTEN
WATCH
LINKS
Website: www.middayswim.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/middayswim
Twitter: @MiddaySwim
Bandcamp: middayswim.bandcamp.com
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Meet
The Band is a regular feature in which we introduce you to bands we like.
Posted by Adam Bunch, the Editor-in-Chief of the Little Red Umbrella and the creator of the Toronto Dreams Project. You can read his posts here, follow him on Twitter here, or email him at adam@littleredumbrella.com.
1 comments:
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