The Darcys

Last updated
The Darcys
Origin Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Genres Alternative rock
Labels Independent
Website www.thedarcys.ca
MembersJason Couse
Wes Marskell
Past membersDave Hurlow
Mike le Riche
Kirby Best

The Darcys are a Canadian two-piece art rock band from Toronto, Ontario.

Contents

Currently independent, the duo was previously signed to a four-album deal with the record label Arts & Crafts. [1] [2] The third of those, 2013's Warring, was nominated for a Juno Award for Alternative Album of the Year, and was a longlist nominee for the 2014 Polaris Music Prize. [3]

Career

2007-2011: Formation and early work

The Darcys, who obtained their name from Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice , first began as the two-piece project of Jason Couse and Wes Marskell in Etobicoke, Ontario which gradually transitioned into a full band in Halifax, Nova Scotia with the additions of Dave Hurlow and Kirby Best. [4] In December 2007, The Darcys’ debut album, Endless Water, was released. In the years following, the group returned to Toronto, and Michael le Riche was added to the lineup. [4]

Days before their 2010 CMW showcase, Best had left the band, forcing them to frantically re-create the work of five into parts for four. [5] This brought about the solidification of the current four-piece lineup: Jason Couse, Wes Marskell, Michael le Riche, and Dave Hurlow. On losing Best and adding Couse on vocals, Marskell notes, "We became really close friends because of it, and it also made us willing and able to work through things that came up later down the line that became publicized and were difficult for us internally." [1] In the process of touring and recording their 2011 follow-up album amidst lineup changes, The Darcys continued to encounter hardships. This included stolen equipment, being held at knifepoint, and nearly losing their lives to a head-on collision on an icy road. [6]

2011: The Darcys (self-titled)

Despite the release of Endless Water, the band will argue that their "true" first release came in 2011 with their self-titled Arts & Crafts debut, which marked the first of a three-record deal with the Toronto label responsible for prominent Canadian acts such as Broken Social Scene and Feist. [7] The 10-track release received production from Murray Lightburn of The Dears and was mixed by Dave Schiffman (Rage Against The Machine, Weezer). The album was offered as a free download on the band's website, drawing many comparisons to Radiohead for its "lushly layered, lightly proggy arrangements." [8] A music video was released for the album's second track, "Don't Bleed Me".

2012: AJA

Only months after releasing their self-titled album, The Darcys released their interpretation of Steely Dan’s 1977 release Aja. [9] As Marskell mentions, the choice to cover the entire album "existed solely to redirect conversation" surrounding the band's self-titled release. [10] The release gained much criticism for recreating an album that "cannot be duplicated or reinterpreted", while also receiving praise for being ‘compelling’ and bringing out the ‘dark-hued’ nature of the lyrical content. [11] On November 11, 2012, the band presented ‘An Interpretation Of Steely Dan's Aja’ live at Toronto's historic Lee's Palace. A mini documentary was made by Adrian Vieni of Wood & Wires Productions, discussing the decision to re-imagine the album with interviews and live footage. [12] A music video was also released for the track ‘Josie’.

2013: Warring

In late 2013, The Darcys delivered the third installment of a three album series with Warring. The band discussed accomplishing the album in a statement explaining: "It's learning in motion. Competition and survival, letting go to persevere. It is anxiety about the future and the triumph of life in the moment. It's victory on will alone, the force that eradicates failure as an option." [13] The album is strongly influenced by the work of American novelist Cormac McCarthy, specifically his book Blood Meridian, which can be seen through the lyrical content. [14] The 10-track album features artwork done by Toronto artist/graphic designer Sara Cwynar, as well as production from Tom McFall (Stars) and mixing from previous contributor, Dave Schiffman. [15] Six music videos have been released to accompany the tracks ‘Pretty Girls’, ‘Itchy Blood’, ‘The River’, ‘Hunting’, ‘The Pacific Theatre’ and ‘Horses Fell’ from the album. Warring marked the band's first Juno nomination in 2014 for Alternative Album of the Year, and also earned a spot on the 2014 Polaris Music Prize longlist. [3]

2013-2014: Play In School Campaign and "Hymn For A Missing Girl"

The Darcys embarked on their Play in School campaign in November 2013, to support the continuation of public school music programs and engage youths in embracing the importance of the arts as a part of their development. [16] The band was turned on to the idea when the Toronto District School Board intended to cut its musical programs, in addition to receiving countless messages from young fans who were unable to attend their mainly 19+ shows. This campaign has enabled The Darcys to visit multiple high schools across Southern Ontario with the intention of encouraging students nationwide to "hold their school boards accountable to maintain and develop music programs." [2]

In celebration of Record Store Day, The Darcys released "Hymn for a Missing Girl" in 2014 as an epilogue to Warring. The 22-minute instrumental, split into five movements, continues the trend of its predecessor with inspiration being drawn from Cormac McCarthy’s Cities of the Plain . [17] The track was released online, though it was limited to 500 vinyl copies in North America.

The band has also released the track "Ultra Violet", a bonus track from the recording sessions of the 2013 album. In addition to working on a follow-up to Warring and touring rigorously, Marskell has been contributing to The Huffington Post by occasionally writing articles for their Canada Music section, mainly recounting The Darcys’ tour experiences. [18]

2014-present: duo and Centerfold

On December 17, 2014, The Darcys announced the band will be going forward as a duo consisting of founding members Jason Couse and Wes Marskell. [19]

On August 10, 2016, The Darcys announced their new album, Centerfold, would be released on November 4, 2016. [20] The album is said to be a drastic shift in sound from the band's previous records. [21]

The Darcys planned to release a cover of Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas is You" in December 2016. [22]

The Darcys were in the line-up for the Wayhome summer 2017 music festival in Oro-Medonte, Ontario. [23]

The Darcys were in the line-up on the headline stage for the Wintersong 2022 music festival in Stouffville, Ontario. [24]

Discography

Studio albums

Other releases

Singles

Related Research Articles

The Sadies Canadian rock and roll / country band

The Sadies are a Canadian rock and roll / country and western band from Toronto, Ontario. The band consisted of Dallas Good, Travis Good, Sean Dean and Mike Belitsky. Dallas and Travis are the sons of Margaret and Bruce Good, and nephews of Brian and Larry Good, who are members of the Canadian country group The Good Brothers.

Hayden (musician) Canadian musician

Paul Hayden Desser who records as Hayden, is a Canadian singer-songwriter from Thornhill, Ontario.

Stars (Canadian band) Canadian indie rock band

Stars is a Canadian indie pop/rock band based in Montreal, Quebec. Since forming in 2000, they have released nine albums and a number of EPs. Their music has been nominated for two Juno Awards and two Polaris Music Prizes.

Chad VanGaalen Musical artist

Chad VanGaalen is a Canadian musician and artist from Calgary, Alberta.

Shad (rapper) Canadian alternative hip hop artist

Shadrach Kabango, better known as Shad or Shad K, is a Canadian rapper and broadcaster. He has released six studio albums since 2005. Four of his albums have been shortlisted for the Polaris Music Prize, and he won a Juno Award for Rap Recording of the Year in 2011. In 2013, CBC Music named Shad the second-greatest Canadian rapper of all time. Shad hosted Q on CBC Radio One from 2015 to 2016 and hosts the International Emmy and Peabody Award-winning documentary series Hip-Hop Evolution (2016–present) on HBO Canada and Netflix.

No Warning (band) Canadian hardcore punk band

No Warning is a Canadian hardcore punk band from Toronto, Ontario.

Arkells is a Canadian rock band, formed in Hamilton, Ontario. In 2006, they signed with Dine Alone Records, and have since signed with Universal Records Canada and Last Gang Records. They are managed by Last Gang Management. They have released six albums, two EPs and a number of singles that have charted in Canada. The band has won multiple Juno Awards, including one for their album High Noon in 2015. The band headlined the 108th Grey Cup halftime show in Hamilton, Ontario on December 12, 2021.

The Rural Alberta Advantage

The Rural Alberta Advantage is a Canadian indie rock band that formed in 2005 in Toronto, Ontario. The band consists of Nils Edenloff on lead vocals and guitar, Amy Cole on keyboards, bass, and backing vocals, and Paul Banwatt on drums. They have released four albums and are signed to Paper Bag Records in Canada and Saddle Creek Records internationally. In 2011, they were nominated for a Polaris Music Prize.

Zeus (band)

Zeus is a Toronto-based Canadian indie rock band signed to the Arts & Crafts record label. Its members include Rob Drake, Carlin Nicholson, Mike O'Brien, and Neil Quin. The band have released three albums and one EP since 2009. They have also served as the backing band for Canadian musician Jason Collett.

The Halluci Nation Canadian electronic music group

The Halluci Nation, formerly known as A Tribe Called Red, is a Canadian electronic music group who blend instrumental hip hop, reggae, moombahton and dubstep-influenced dance music with elements of First Nations music, particularly vocal chanting and drumming. Based in Ottawa, Ontario, the group consists of Tim "2oolman" Hill, and Ehren "Bear Witness" Thomas. Former members include co-founder DJ Jon Deck and Dan "DJ Shub" General, who left the band for personal reasons in spring 2014, and was replaced by Hill. Co-founder Ian "DJ NDN" Campeau left the band for health reasons in October 2017, with the band opting to remain a duo for the time being.

PUP (band) Canadian punk rock band

PUP is a Canadian punk rock band formed in Toronto, Ontario in 2010, originally under the name Topanga. PUP's self-titled debut album was released on October 8, 2013, on Royal Mountain Records. In December 2013, PUP signed with SideOneDummy Records and re-released their debut album in the United States on April 8, 2014. The group was in the studio in late 2015 recording their second album The Dream Is Over which was released on May 27, 2016, through SideOneDummy. The band's third album, titled Morbid Stuff, was released on April 5, 2019. This Place Sucks Ass, a six-track EP, was released on October 27, 2020.

Alvvays

Alvvays is a Canadian indie pop band formed in 2011, originating from Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, and currently based in Toronto, Ontario. It consists of Molly Rankin, Kerri MacLellan (keyboards), Alec O'Hanley (guitars), Brian Murphy (bass) and Sheridan Riley (drums). Their self-titled debut album, released in 2014, topped the US college charts. Their second studio album, Antisocialites, was released on September 8, 2017, and won the Juno Award for Alternative Album of the Year at the Juno Awards of 2018. Both albums were short-listed for the Polaris Music Prize.

"Aja" is a jazz rock song, with elements of jazz fusion and progressive rock, by the American rock band Steely Dan from the album of the same name, their sixth studio album, released in 1977. Composers Becker and Fagen play guitar and synthesizer, respectively, on the song, with various studio musicians playing the other parts; Fagen sings lead vocals. Production duties were handled by Gary Katz; the album was released through ABC Records. Musically, it is a tonally sophisticated and structurally complex work that was praised on its release as the most ambitious track the duo had ever attempted. The song's lyrics center around the interior monologue of a man who runs to the title character to escape the stresses of his life "up on the hill." Fagen claimed that it was inspired by a relative of someone he knew, who had married a Korean woman named Aja. He has described the song as being about the "tranquility that can come of a quiet relationship with a beautiful woman."

Absolutely Free (band)

Absolutely Free is a Canadian indie rock band formed by bassist Mike Claxton, guitarist Jordan Holmes, singer/multi-instrumentalist Matt King and drummer Moshe Rozenberg after the breakup of their prior band, DD/MM/YYYY.

Dilly Dally

Dilly Dally is a Canadian grunge and alternative rock band from Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The band consists of Katie Monks, Liz Ball, Annie Jane Marie (bassist) and Benjamin Reinhartz (drummer).

Andy Shauf Musical artist

Andy Shauf is a Canadian singer-songwriter from Regina, Saskatchewan. He plays several instruments, including clarinet.

Weaves is a Canadian indie pop band from Toronto, Ontario, consisting of vocalist Jasmyn Burke, guitarist Morgan Waters, drummer Spencer Cole and bassist Zach Bines.

Odonis Odonis are a Canadian industrial and electronic music group from Toronto, Ontario. They are known for their 2014 album Hard Boiled Soft Boiled, which was a longlisted nominee for the 2014 Polaris Music Prize.

Haviah Mighty Canadian rapper

Haviah Mighty is a Canadian rapper from Toronto, Ontario. She rose to prominence in 2016 as a member of the hip hop group The Sorority, before releasing several EPs on her own, most notably Flower City, in 2017. Her first album, 13th Floor, was released in 2019, and won the 2019 Polaris Music Prize.

Ice Cream is a Canadian synthpop band from Toronto, Ontario, consisting of Amanda Crist and Carlyn Bezic. They are most noted for their 2019 album Fed Up, which was longlisted for the 2020 Polaris Music Prize.

References

  1. 1 2 Wheeler, Brad (November 20, 2011). "The Darcys: A new and momentous beginning". The Globe and Mail . Retrieved April 17, 2014.
  2. 1 2 Rayner, Ben (December 2, 2013). "Why are the Darcys playing the high school circuit?". Toronto Star . Retrieved April 17, 2014.
  3. 1 2 "Polaris Music Prize announces 2014 long list" Archived 2014-07-03 at the Wayback Machine . Aux , June 19, 2014.
  4. 1 2 Doherty, Mike (November 14, 2011). "The Darcys are going to be fine, with a little help from Arts & Crafts". National Post. Retrieved 2016-12-05.
  5. ↑ Bonifacic, Igor. "How The Darcys went from catastrophe to indie stardom". Blogto.com. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
  6. ↑ Trapunski, Richard. "Losing a lead singer can't keep a good band down". Nowtoronto.com. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
  7. ↑ "Artists". Arts-crafts.ca. Retrieved 2017-01-17.
  8. ↑ Young, Alex. "The Darcys-The Darcys". Consequenceofsound.net. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
  9. ↑ "Releases". The Darcys. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
  10. ↑ Lindsay, Cam. "The Darcys Explain Their Take On Steely Dan's 'Aja'". Exclaim.ca. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
  11. ↑ De Revere, Paul. "The Darcys-AJA". Consequenceofsound.net. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
  12. ↑ Hudson, Alex. "The Darcys 'An Interpretation Of Steely Dan's Aja' (documentary)". Exclaim.ca. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
  13. ↑ Adams, Gregory. "The Darcys Announce 'Warring' Album, Premiere New Track". Exclaim.ca. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
  14. ↑ Usinger, Mike. "The Darcys take inspiration from modern literary giant". Straight.com. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
  15. ↑ "Warring | The Darcys | Credits". AllMusic . Retrieved 14 October 2014.
  16. ↑ Marskell, Wes. "Play In School Campaign". Thedarcys.ca. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
  17. ↑ Hudson, Alex. "The Darcys 'Hymn for a Missing Girl' (EP stream)". Exclaim! . Retrieved 14 October 2014.
  18. ↑ Marskell, Wes. "The Darcys". The Huffington Post, Canada. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
  19. ↑ "The Darcys Downsize to Duo, Shoot for Mainstream Success". Exclaim! , December 18, 2014.
  20. ↑ "The Darcys want to escape to sunny "San Diego, 1988" on new song". Consequence of Sound , August 10, 2016.
  21. ↑ "Darcys Ditch the Art-Rock And Go Big With The Pop-Minded "Miracle"". Vice , April 20, 2016.
  22. ↑ Friend, David (December 5, 2016). "Indie rockers the Darcys change face, record Mariah Carey Christmas cover". CTV/The Canadian Press. Retrieved December 7, 2016.
  23. ↑ "WayHome Music & Arts". WayHome. Retrieved 2017-02-28.
  24. ↑ "Wintersong Music Festival Schedule". Wintersong. Retrieved 2022-03-25.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.