Ohbijou- "Mossy Lungs"

Here's a new one called "Mossy Lungs" from the Canadian band Ohbijou. It's beautiful and dreamy like everything else the band produces, with singer Casey Mecija's vocals floating through the track. The recently released song comes from their Metal Meets sessions, which apparently didn't make the album at the time. It's a song near and dear to the band about the house they used to live & practice in. Here's what Casey Mecija had to say about the song: "Mossy Lungs was a song written after myself and my sister got evicted from a house we used to live in. It was full of mold and as soon as we asked the landlord to get it checked out he started the process of evicting us. We lived, practiced, gathered at that house on Bellwoods Ave. and it was a big loss for myself and my sister."

Give a listen to "Mossy Lungs" below & be sure to check out their 3rd & latest album, Metal Meets, which is out now via Last Gang.



http://www.ohbijou.com/

Ohbijou- Metal Meets

Ohbijou lead singer Casey Mecija might have the sweetest voice in all of Indie music. Combine that with the cinematic dream-scape created by her bandmates and the rest is solid gold. I was a big fan of their last album, Beacons and our friends from Toronto, Canada are back with their third album, Metal Meets via Last Gang Records. The disc might be not only the bands most mature LP to date but also it's most experimental. Give a listen to the string laden beauty of "Anser" or the moody brooder "Niagara" to see what the bands about.

  Ohbijou - "Niagara" by indiemusicfilter
  Ohbijou: "Anser" by wearesolidgold

http://www.ohbijou.com/

get to know: Ohbijou

One of the best, and maybe most confusing descriptions I've heard to describe Toronto, Canada band, Ohbijou's music is, 'sad and uplifitng'. That might sound odd on the surface, but one listen to the bands new sophomore album, Beacons, and you might better understand. Beacons which came out this past Summer, is a building and sweeping orchestral pop gem, led by hush voiced singer, Casey Mecija, whose songs romanticize the streets and neighborhoods of her home city.
Mecija actually started out as a solo artist, before recruiting her younger sister Jennifer, later expanding the groups sound and arrangements to the now 7-piece ensemble.

Black Ice - ohbijou


Ohbijou on myspace.

new video-Ohbijou- "New Years"

Creating some of he dreamiest indie-pop to come out of Canada, the Ontario band, Ohbijou released their sophomore CD, Beacons back in June. Led by the innocent voiced Casey Mecija, the band manage to mix in acoustic guitar, electronics, and string arrangements on their newest disc, while blending the sweet parts with just enough melancholy.
The band just released their first video off the LP for the track, "New Years", which was directed by the folks at Exploding Motor Car, that somehow aptly captures the bands sound in video form.

Ohbijou - New Years from explodingmotorcar on Vimeo.

check out Ohbijou.com

'Friends in Bellwoods II' coming next month

If your like us and you're a fan of the Indie music scene that's coming out of Toronto, Canada, then you'll be sure not to miss the new compilation CD Friends in Bellwoods II. The album which comes out on August 25, 2009 on Out of this Spark, is a 40-song, double LP of rare, new and unreleased tunes from some of the regions best independent musicians, and follows up the first 'Friends in Bellwoods' compilation that came out back in 2007.
The idea for the discs originated out of Ohbijou’s Casey Mecija and her bandmate, James Bunton deciding to document some of the music being created in their home and around the neighborhood on Bellwoods Avenue in Toronto by friends also based in the area. All proceeds from the original and the second compilation go to The Daily Bread Food Bank. The first edition of the compilation raised over $11,000 since its release two years ago.

Some of the artists contributing to the LP are, Great Lake Swimmers, Forest City Lovers, The Acorn, Basia Bulat, Timber Timber, The Wooden Sky, Evening Hymns, Great Bloomers, and Ohbijou.

'Friends in Bellwoods II' track listing:
Disc One
1. Forest City Lovers – Minneapolis
2. Le Pigeon – Freezing Rain
3. Basia Bulat – My Heart Is A Warning
4. The Acorn – Slippery When Wet
5. Canadian Wildlife – Winter’s Moon
6. Double Suicide – Touch The Sun
7. Great Bloomers – Find My Way
8. Lisa Bozikovic – The Letting Go
9. Bellewoods – Kneel On The Apron
10. Kate Rogers – The Same Party
11. Timber Timbre – Water
12. No Kids – All That Heaven Allows
13. Snailhouse – Don’t Go Anywhere
14. Final Fantasy – Red Sun (Demo Version)
15. Sylvie Smith – On Our Own
16. Bruce Peninsula – In Parallel
17. Gentleman Reg – For Trust
18. Evening Hymns – Cedars
19. Kite Hill – Tom Thumbtack
20. The Bellwoods Crew – Staten Island Waltz

Disc Two
1. The Dinghies – The Right Honourable Stephen Harper
2. Bocce – Inspiration Bellwoods
3. Kids On TV - Poison
4. Katie Stelmanis – Believe Me
5. The D’Urbervilles – Magic Arrow
6. Sebastien Grainger – Home Is The Light
7. Violence – Living Off The Land
8. Ohbijou – An Ode To An End
9. Great Lake Swimmers – Send Me A Letter
10. The Low Notes – Glory Glory
11. Snowblink – When Pushed From A High Branch
12. lice - yggdrasil
13. Emma McKenna - Happiness
14. Richard Laviolette – Media Song
15. The Adam Brown – Joy Rider
16. The Phonemes – April, Let’s Send His Colleagues An Email
17. The Rural Alberta Advantage – Rough And Tumble
18. Tusks – New To Old Money
19. Hooded Fang – Highway Steam
20. The Wooden Sky – My Old Ghosts

Songs from the first 'Friends in Bellwoods' compilation:

The Wooden Sky - The Wooden Sky

Brokered Heart - The Acorn

Ohbijou setting up Beacons

For fans of Toronto's orchestral-pop group, Ohbijou, the wait is finally over for the bands new disc, Beacons. The band who had delayed the albums release several months after signing to the European label Bella Union have regrouped and the album is out digitally right now. You'll have to wait a bit longer for the physical release, which comes out on June 16th in Canada, and June 23rd in the USA. The group have a few festival dates lined up for the summer, and tours in Europe and North America planned for the fall.
You can download one of the albums new tracks, "Black Ice" by visiting the "sounds" section of their website.

Black Ice - Ohbijou

Ohbijou on myspace.

Ohbijou: good news/bad news

One of our favorite Toronto bands, Ohbijou, played the old game of good news/bad news with us recently as they unveiled two big announcements via their website. First we'll give you the good news, the band has officially signed on with European label Bella Union, which will ensure their new upcoming disc Beacons will be released to fans overseas. Now comes the bad news in the form of the group having to postpone the albums release date in Canada which was scheduled for next month, as well as their planned Canadian tour in April to handle all the business goings on.

Here's what the band had to say ..."Right now, there are some really great opportunities and changes that have come our way. Unfortunately, in order to make some of those changes and take those opportunities, we have had to make some tough decisions. As a result, we have reluctantly had to postpone the release of our upcoming album Beacons in Canada and the tour out west that we have scheduled for April and May".
Leaving things on an upbeat note, you can download one of 'Beacons' new tracks, "Black Ice" over on their website now if you click here.

Widths And Curves - Ohbijou

St. Francis (remastered) - Ohb...

Ohbijou- new album update

The Canadian folk/pop ensemble, Ohbijou have announced that they are all wrapped up with the recording of their new disc. Singer Casey Mecija said in a recent Myspace post..."I can confidently say with a celebratory hooray that our album is finished - mixed, mastered and off to the presses. The album is called Beacons and we will be releasing it sometime in April, so please watch for the unraveling details."
She went on to list some other band happenings, which include a future appearance in Austin, Texas this March for SXSW, as well as the group planning a North American tour for this coming April/May. Below you can check out a live recording of one of the bands new tracks, "Black Ice" from an LA Spaceland performance recorded several months back.

St. Francis (remastered) - Ohb...

Ohbijou on myspace.

Ohbijou: wrapping up new album

Back in 2006, Toronto Canada's Ohbijou released the indie-pop gem Swift Feet For Troubling Times, which featured the gorgeous track "St.Francis". The band has recently been holed up in the studio where they are putting the finishing touches on a new album, which now has a tentative release date of April 2009, and a title, Beacons. Earlier this year Ohbijou were chosen as one of three bands for the Banff Centre's first Indie Band Residency, where they had the opportunity to spend two weeks working with some top producers and recording engineers. You can preview one of the new track's, "Black Ice" on the bands myspace now, and also take a look at a live version of "St. Francis" from a recent concert in L.A. @ Spaceland.

The Acorn: new tour dates

One of the most overlooked albums of 2008 has to come from Ottawa Canada's, The Acorn. The band released their disc Glory Hope Mountain in early 08', which is a captivating concept album based around the biographical story of Gloria Esperanza Montoya, who happens to be Acorn songwriter Rolf Klausener's mother. The album retells her journey from her early life in Honduras to her eventual immigration to Montreal in 1972. The band who were nominated for Canada's Polaric Music Prize this year, are about to embark on tour with fellow Canadians and BTB favorites Ohbijou for some dates, as well as shows with The Shaky Hands and Calexico.

Upcoming tour dates For The Acorn:

10/18 - Portland, OR - Rock Creek Tavern +
10/19 - Bend, OR - Old Saint Francis +
10/21 - San Francisco, CA - Hemlock +
10/22 - Santa Cruz, CA - Crepe Place +
10/24 - Los Angeles, CA - Spaceland +
10/25 - Phoenix, AZ - Modified +
10/28 - Denver, CO - Hi-Dive +
10/29 - Omaha, NE - Slowdown +
10/30 - Minneapolis, MN - The 7th Street Entry +
10/31 - Madison, WI - Cafe Montmartre +
11/01 - Chicago, IL - Schuba's +
11/07 - Austin, TX - Antone's *
11/08 - Dallas, TX - Granada Theatre *
11/09 - St. Louis, MO - Duck Room *
11/10 - Nashville, TN - Mercy Lounge *
11/12 - Carrboro, NC - Cat's Cradle *
11/13 - Washington DC - 9:30 Club *
11/14 - Philadelphia, PA - Theatre Of The Living Arts *
11/15 - Tarrytown, NY - Tarrytown Theatre *
11/16 - Somerville, MA - Somerville Theatre *
11/20 - Pontiac, MI - Crofoot Ballroom *
11/23 - Omaha, NE - Slowdown *
11/24 - Denver, CO - Gothic Theatre *
11/25 - Albuquerque, NM - Sunshine Theater *
11/27 - Toronto, ON - Lee's Palace #
11/28 - Montreal, QC - La Sala Rosa #
11/29 - Ottawa, ON - Barrymore's Music Hall #

+ w/Ohbijou, Shaky Hands
* w/Calexico
# w/Ohbijou

Listen to The Acorn on myspace.

Ohbijou- add tour dates, readying new album

Toronto, Ontario's Ohbijou have just announced a new set of tour dates that will be bringing the band across Canada as well as their first extensive jaunt into the US this fall. Ohbijou just recently made their U.S. debut in May 2008, with two performances in NYC. On this tour the group will head out with, The Acorn, who they share a new 12" split-single. The 12" includes both bands covering a track of the other, and a new original song by each.
The band has recently been in studio working on their new sophomore full-length, which is expected to come out in early 2009.
Right now you can preview a new track "Black Ice", which is up on the bands myspace.

Ohbijou tour schedule:

Aug 22 2008 The Ford Plant - Murdered City Music Festival Brantford, Ontario
Oct 4 2008 Kingston: The Grad Club Kingston, Ontario
Oct 6 2008 Sault Ste Marie Sault Ste Marie, Ontario
Oct 7 2008 Thunder Bay : The Apollo Thunder Bay, Ontario
Oct 8 2008 Winnipeg: The Lo Pub Winnipeg, Manitoba
Oct 9 2008 Saskatoon: Amigo’s Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Oct 10 2008 Calgary : Broken City Calgary, Alberta
Oct 11 2008 Edmonton: Pawn Shop Edmonton, Alberta
Oct 13 2008 Kelowna: The Habitat Kelowna, British Columbia
Oct 14 2008 Vancouver: Media Club Vancouver, British Columbia
Oct 15 2008 Victoria: Lucky Bar Victoria, British Columbia
Oct 16 2008 Portland: Doug Fir Portland, Oregon
Oct 17 2008 Seattle: Tractor Tavern Seattle, Washington
Oct 18 2008 TBA in the US somewhere
Oct 19 2008 Bend: St. Francis Bend
Oct 21 2008 San Francisco: Hemlock San Francisco, California
Oct 22 2008 Santa Cruz: Crepe Place Santa Cruz, California
Oct 24 2008 Los Angeles: Spaceland Los Angeles, California
Oct 25 2008 Phoenix: Modified Phoenix, Arizona
Oct 28 2008 Denver: Hi-Dive Denver, Colorado
Oct 29 2008 Omaha: Slowdown Omaha, Nebraska
Oct 30 2008 Minneapolis: The 7th Street Entry Minneapolis, Minnesota
Oct 31 2008 Madison: Cafe Monmartre Madison, Wisconsin
Nov 1 2008 Chicago: Schuba’s Chicago, Illinois
Nov 20 2008 Hamilton: The Casbah Hamilton, Ontario
Nov 21 2008 Guelph: Dublin Street United Church Guelph, Ontario
Nov 22 2008 Peterborough: Montreal House Peterborough, Ontario
Nov 27 2008 Toronto: Lee’s Palace Toronto, Ontario
Nov 28 2008 Montreal: La Sala Rosa Montreal, Quebec
Nov 29 2008 Ottawa: Barrymore’s Music Hall Ottawa, Ontario

Ohbijou- Sneak peak

The Toronto based band Ohbijou, have just put up a brief teaser of new material that the band is working on in the studio for their next album. Although brief, the sneak peak sounds and looks promising as the band digs in and holes themselves up in the studio for the rest of the summer to complete the new LP which should be out this fall.
We last heard from the group back in 2007 with their indie, dreamy pop sounds off of Swift Feet For Troubling Times. The group also just recently came off their first ever stop in the US with a show in NYC.

Take a peak at what the band is up to:

Ohbijou - crossing the border for their first shows in the US

Is it just me or does it seem like every good new band your finding out about is coming out of Canada? And to be even more specific out of the Toronto, Ontario region. From The Wooden Sky, Hayden, to the Great Lake Swimmers & Serena Ryder, with the abundance of good new talent bein cranked out from our neighbors to the north it looks like Toronto is becoming the new Brooklyn??
The latest band making an impression is Ohbijou who also hail from the same Toronto area. The band is set to make their US debut this may 8th@ the Knitting Factory & May 9th @ Union Hall in Bklyn.
Ohbijou who had success in 2007 with their single "St. Francis" off of the album Swift Feet for Troubling Times, highlighting the soft vocals of Casey Mecija, complete with it's driving bass and violins.

The band is fresh off of it's 2 week music residency at Banff Centre for the Arts in the woods of Alberta, where they had their own cottage to write, practice, meet new producers & engineers, work with classical musicians & even recorded and mixed a new track. They are currently working on their second album which they say should be released possibly in Sept. or early fall??

-BTB