weewerk release 009: Ongiara - 12" vinyl
"Tony Dekker takes acoustics very seriously. His haunting, somber ballads emit an otherworldly quality, due in no small part to the natural environment in which they're captured... Natural reverb and folkie arrangements complement Dekker's soft voice perfectly" - Rob Bolton, Exclaim!
Tony Dekker, the singer/songwriter behind the musical project Great Lake Swimmers, will release his third full-length album "Ongiara" in Canada on March 27, 2007. weewerk will release the vinyl version of the album, containing a special gatefold jacket, and the CD will be released by Nettwerk Records. Like the first two critically acclaimed albums ("Great Lake Swimmers" in 2003, and "Bodies and Minds" in 2005), "Ongiara" continues to explore the worlds of indie folk, roots music and alt-country pop, with a focus on lyrics and the craft of songwriting. The new record is permeated with a rich natural reverb, courtesy of London, Ontario's Aeolian Hall, which creates the magical background on which the songs are painted.
These ten new songs are largely inspired by Canada's majestic natural environment ("Your Rocky Spine") and our reciprocal relationship with the land ("Put There By The Land"). "Where In The World Are You", "Passenger Song" and "Changing Colours" touch on themes of grace and understanding in life journeys, and the latter reflects on the cycle of living and dying. "There Is A Light" is a love song thinly veiled as a protest anthem, and similarly, "I Am Part Of A Large Family" contains a message of peace. Album closer "I Became Awake" is a country-infused lullaby which speaks to revelation and self-realization.
In addition to the core band of Tony Dekker (voice, guitar), Erik Arnesen (banjo, electric guitar) and Colin Huebert (drums, percussion, glockenspiel, timpani), the new album features special guest appearances by singer-songwriter Serena Ryder (backing vocals, autoharp), Bob Egan of Blue Rodeo (pedal steel and dobro), Sarah Harmer (backing vocals) and Owen Pallett of Final Fantasy and Arcade Fire (string arrangements). Mike Overton (upright bass), Darcy Yates (electric bass), Mike Olsen (cello), and Mike Bonnell (organ) also contributed their talents to this recording.
The title of the album was taken from the Toronto Harbour boat that carried the band to their initial recording sessions on Toronto Island with Dale Morningstar. However, "Ongiara" was mainly recorded in the Aeolian Hall, the centuries-old acoustic jewel in the heart of London, Ontario. It was engineered by Andy Magoffin, and mixed at the renowned House of Miracles. Renowned artist and Juno nominee James Mejia (HolyFuck, Wintersleep) created the artwork for both releases.
Great Lake Swimmers have toured extensively in Canada, the United States, Europe and Australia since 2004, and has shared the stage with musical acts as diverse as Feist, Andrew Bird, Vashti Bunyan, Final Fantasy, Akron/Family, Jon-Rae Fletcher, Album Leaf, Crooked Fingers, Jason Collett, Amy Millan, and Joel Plaskett Emergency. The songs of Great Lake Swimmers have appeared on numerous compilations alongside such artists as Sufjan Stevens, Hot Chip, Broken Social Scene, Junior Boys, Mark Kozelek, Hayden, Beulah, Joss Stone, Hawksley Workman, Montag, Rheostatics, Tobin Sprout, Richard Buckner, and The Shins.
Great Lake Swimmers have been compared to Nick Drake, Iron and Wine, Red House Painters, and "After the Gold Rush"-era Neil Young. They were awarded the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's Galaxie Rising Star Award in March 2005 and were voted Favourite Folk/Roots Artist at the 2004 Canadian Independent Music Awards.
Great Lake Swimmers are
Tony Dekker - guitar, voice
Erik Arnesen - banjo, guitar, harmonium
Colin Huebert - drums, percussion
Julie Fader - backing vocals, keys, flute
Special Guest Appearances by
Serena Ryder - backing vocals, autoharp
Bob Egan of Blue Rodeo - pedal steel, dobro
Sarah Harmer - backing vocals
Owen Pallett of Final Fantasy & Arcade Fire - string arrangements
Mike Overton - upright bass
Darcy Yates - electric bass
Mike Olsen of The Hidden Cameras - cello
Mike Bonnell - organ
weewerk release 004: Bodies and Minds
Great Lake Swimmers' warm second album, Bodies and Minds, is filled with songs of heartbreak, rural nostalgia, and the search for spiritual transcendence. The album features gentle, thoughtful compositions and understated instrumentation, while also moving fluidly into alt-country pop territory with sweet harmonies, light orchestration, and even a few up-tempo numbers. The record includes songs about manic depression ("Various Stages"), the sense of a higher power ("Song for the Angels") and finding spirituality in nature ("I Saw You in the Wild").
Bodies and Minds was recorded in a lakeside church in rural southern Ontario, continuing the emphasis on atmosphere from the debut album (which was recorded in an abandoned grain silo). Engineered by Andy Magoffin (Constantines, Royal City) and mixed at his celebrated House of Miracles, the record has a sparkle and shimmer that is due in part to the cavernous surroundings in which it was captured.
The band that brings to life stories written by singer/guitarist Tony Dekker includes Sandro Perri (of Polmo Polpo) on lap steel, Erik Arneson on banjo, Almog Ben-David on Wurlitzer piano, and Colin Huebert on drums.
Bodies and Minds was released internationally in 2005: on March 15 on weewerk in Canada; on April 4 on Fargo Records in Europe; in October on Speak N Spell in Australia; and on October 11 on Misra in the USA.
weewerk release 001: Great Lake Swimmers
"Dekker squares the circle between Nick Drake, early Neil Young and Will Oldham" **** Uncut
"Beautiful bittersweet, drifting, late summer melancholia" **** Mojo
"Stark, yet appealing. A truly special record" ***** Classic Rock
Great Lake Swimmers make wonderfully understated, heart-wrenching music. Led by songwriter-vocalist Tony Dekker, their haunting sound finds its roots in vintage folk and alt-country colourings, shaped by accordion and piano, lap steel and acoustic guitar, with a voice that seems to come from the walls. This self-titled debut album, engineered by Victor Szabo, was recorded over several months in an abandoned grain silo in Southern Ontario. Its echoes of rural and urban landscapes include the ambient sounds of crickets and the Toronto subway. The record was issued by weewerk in March 2003, in Europe by Fargo Records in March 2004, and Misra in the USA in April 2005.
Press Pages for Great Lake Swimmers:
Great Lake Swimmers' Ongiara Press Page: here
Great Lake Swimmers' Bodies and Minds Press Page: here
Great Lake Swimmers' Self-Titled Press Page: here
Great Lake Swimmers' Live Reviews Press Page: here
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