Elvyn ~ Internationally acclaimed album The Decline available now!

See us for free in August!

2011-07-09T12:05:00.001-04:00

Hey kids!

August is gonna be a sizzler, with two amazing Elvyn shows in the sights... Peterborough will be rocked on August 13th with The Hunter St. Hootenanny bringing Hollerado, Cuff The Duke, The Spades and, of course Elvyn to the downtown core!

Then, on August 20th, join us with Amos The Transparent, Parks & Rec and The Fast Romantics at The Horseshoe Tavern FOR FREE by getting on the guest list! Click the image below to get it done!

So, soak up that sunshine and join us for some great shows at the whopping cost of zero dollars! See ya soon everyone!

Summer in the city!

2011-06-25T15:35:00.002-04:00

Hey kids,

Wow, can't believe that NxNE has come and gone again! Thanks to Dan Burke, NeXT @ NxNE and the great crowd at The Silver Dollar, our festival was a blast.

The fantastic Chart Attack Magazine highlighted Elvyn on their controversial NxNE Report Card series this year, and we're proud to say we got the best review of the night! You can peep the whole thing by clicking here;

Recording is coming on nicely, and we're getting the artwork for the two part, 7" & LP combo all lined up with the great Rocket 57 Illustration from Ottawa. We're really jazzed on the music, and the collaboration with this awesome company should make these releases something super special!

Next on the live schedule, we'll be in Peterborough for the Hunter Street Hootenanny Festival, August 13th with Hollerado, Cuff The Duke, The Spades, The Wooden Sky and more! We'll have more details and line-up times for ya'll really soon, but it could be one of the highlights of your summer!

Then we'll be back in Toronto to follow up on the NxNE destruction with a really special show at The Horseshoe on August 20th... You'll have to stay tuned for the line-up, but here's a hint... That's ignoramus Ezra Levant doesn't like them one bit.

So, thanks for making our summer a great one, and we'll see you all really soon!

Busy times!

2011-05-07T12:52:00.001-04:00

Hey everyone,

First of all, we want to say thanks for the amazing support we have received for The Decline and for the band over the last year or so... It's been a tremendous ride, and without people like Marc & The Still Winter Hills, The Flats, The Ethers, Craig & Collective Concerts, Jon Hall, The Dress Whites, Danny Burke, Steve Parkinson, Eli, Ryan Kemp, Pete Carmichael & The Diableros and our amazing fans and friends all over Europe, the States, Japan and Canada it wouldn't be nearly as sweet.

We've been quieter that normal for the last little while, as our focus has been on new songs and all the blood, sweat and tears that go along with getting them down on tape. We've pulled out all the stops to bring you all our best music to date, and we can't wait to share it with you!

We'll be releasing a limited edition 7" late summer of 2011, and following it up with a full-length album in early 2012. We're very excited to be putting these out with a real focus on making them as cool and collectible as possible! There are so many great ways to get all you guys new music, like special one-off pressings, coloured vinyl, secret downloads etc. So make sure that you keep your ears to the ground as we ramp up toward these releases over the coming months!

A special thank-you has to go out to the awesome bloggers and music writers who helped make The Decline such a success. This is an open call to every one of you who has reviewed The Decline, posted up songs on Soundcloud etc. and generally worked so hard to spread the word for Elvyn;

Please get in touch with Jeremy at littlewagonrecords(at)gmail(dot)com, and we will make sure that you get every new song at least a full month before any other website or music publication! We truly value you guys, and we'd be honored to have you publish the first reviews!

So, stay tuned you guys... See you on the road!

Three bands, Three Towns mini-tour & more!

2011-01-05T12:35:00.002-05:00

Hey folks!

We're starting off 2011 with a bang, with three great shows with our friends The Ethers from Toronto, and Still Winter Hills (formerly The Woodrunners) from Ottawa!

Jan. 27th, The Dakota Tavern, Toronto
Jan. 28th, The Montreal House, Peterborough
Jan. 29th, the Elmdale House Tavern, Ottawa

So, if you're in the neighborhood on these nights, don't miss a night of spectacular music!

As 2010 has wrapped up, we've seen a tremendous wave of support from the music blogging and message board communities. Our latest album, The Decline, has made a number of Year-End and Best-Of-2010 lists;

Conqueror Of The Moon - Best Albums of 2010 (#7 of 20)
Absolute Powerpop - Top 100 of 2010 (#4 of 100)
White Russians Are For Saturday Afternoons - Top 50 of 2010 (#19 of 50)
One Chord To Another - Albums Of The Year 2010 (#7 of 40)

This is amazing without citing every forum members mention of us at the Obner.org board, the Teenage Fanclub board and the European powerpop message boards! We're very grateful for making so many of your 2010 lists (we have checked out every one!). We've also seen continued support from 107.5 fm in Madrid, 101.5 fm The Wolf in Peterborough, CKCU 93.1 fm in Ottawa and 101.3 fm also from Madrid.

So, we thank you all for a fantastic 2010, and we hope you'll stick around for the goodies to come in 2011!

A huge thank you, and plans for the future!

2010-11-23T11:31:00.002-05:00

Well friends, what a fun tour!

We really enjoyed every show, and we have a big list of thank-you's to send out... Marc Audet & The Woodrunners, Jeremy, Erin & Amber from Nightwood, Johnny & the boys from First In Space, Stevie Parkinson & The Stoney boys, Nat at The Elmdale Tavern, Kevin at The Boathouse, Jason & Chris at The MoHo, David Bash & Pop Overthrow, everyone associated with The Junction Arts Festival, Sara Collaton, and of course all the fans who have come out to support our music!

We love you all!

A very special mention goes out to Pete, Keith, Mike, Jordan and Ian. The Diableros have been one of our favorite bands for a long time, and made great tour buddies. Thank you so much guys!

We also have a new show to announce in support of a great band, Imaginary Cities from Winnipeg.

"Imaginary Cities is the musical duo of Marti Sarbit and Rusty Matyas. Marti had moved to Winnipeg from Brandon, MB, and was playing in a Motown cover band called, The Solutions. Rusty was no stranger to the Canadian music scene himself. His former band The Waking Eyes was signed to Warner Records, and he's currently the multi-instrumentalist in The Weakerthans. The band began playing live in May 2010, but made its big debut at Toronto’s NXNE music festival opening for Young Galaxy in June. Touring with a full band of musicians who lift the songs to new heights, it's still Sarbit’s voice that's known to shake the room. The band now has a full Canadian tour set up for fall 2010 opening for a number of reknown acts, such Rural Alberta Advantage and Ra Ra Riot. They head to Europe in January 2011."

We'll be playing a free show in Oshawa at The Thirsty Monk on December 4th, then the studio beckons as we begin the prep for our debut into the world of vinyl with a limited edition 7" single. We'll be following this up with a new album toward the end of next year, also on vinyl, CD and download.

We're very excited for the next few months, and we hope you are too.

To start off the new year with a bang, we'll be hooking up with two of our favorite bands, The Woodrunners and The Ethers for a three show mini-tour of The Dakota Tavern in T.O., The Montreal House in Peterborough and The Elmdale Tavern in Ottawa on the 27th, 28th and 29th of January.

See you out there!

Big in Europe! Another review from over the pond...

2010-11-02T09:09:00.002-04:00

Another great review has popped up for The Decline from our European friends! This time, the Belgian website www.rootstime.be has cast their ear over the album... Here's the best translation we could do from what Google Translate assures me is the original Dutch;

"Elvyn is a group that was founded in 1998 by the Ontario, Canada born Beerman brothers. (What's in a name?). They formed together with Jason O 'Reilly and Jeremy Knibbs rounding out the band. They were inspired by the 60's and 70's pop sound coming from sunny California. This is their third album along with an EP and an album "Ten Car Stereo" with which they already amassed some airplay on college radio stations in the U.S. and Canada.
Their biggest influences are Byrds, Beach Boys, Beatles and Big Star. From a later period: Replacements and Teenage Fanclub. The element in their sound that characterizes them is the strong vocal harmonies. Do not expect Midlake, but rather The Magic Numbers. Most of the songs were written by Ryan Beerman. Great songs that he can tinker together so that, from the first listen they nestle in your head from the first track. It's hard to choose favorites from this collection of 11 songs. Especially the first part of the disc is perfect pop.
With every listen it'll change, but the favorites right now are these: "I'll Come Back" with sparkling guitar and of course the beautiful harmonies of the brothers. But immediately afterwards there is the uptempo "Do not Leave, Do not Go" that drew inspiration from the best work of Tom Petty. The more rootsy work is apparent when you get to "The Big Bay" on an acoustic guitar where the voices and other instruments blitz. Sounds like the Flying Burrito Brothers at their best. The solid "Do not Fall In Love" will undoubtedly from an approving nod from the late Alex Chilton.
They succeed wonderfully in a love song like "Be Mine Today" (with nice harmonica playing), not to sound too silly. A bit like the Travelling Willburys at their best: near the border of kitsch, but with the taste to avoid stepping over it.

Let us say that one half of the plate plays in the Premier League, and a half in the second division. More than enough for these men to cherish and hopefully they will be picked up by the radio. It would only be fair."

Wow, thanks guys! You can check out this great website (if you're fluent in Dutch!) right here.

Back on the road, and some more Portland love...

2010-10-18T09:29:00.002-04:00

As we get back on the road this week, The Decline has made the 2010 honors list over at Dagger 'Zine from Portland, Oregon alongside great records from The Posies, Weezer, Owen Pallett and Nada Surf!

"THE DECLINE-(SELF RELEASED)- This is one of the more enigmatic records I’ve listened to in years. In a good way, that is. Because the band relies on simple song structures and even-simpler lyrics about simple topics (found love, lost love, desired love), I really want to hate it. Yet the record, a straight-ahead power-pop issue reminiscent of the Posies, is likable at its core and endearing at its very best. The secret lies in the halting hooks delivered by Ryan Beerman (who also plays lead guitar, a neat trick employed by few bands this side of the Apples in Stereo). Beerman’s outstanding voice, a low-tenor/high baritone, never wavers, holding its own alongside the band’s at-times attacking guitars and dead-on harmonies. The Decline does, indeed, decline a bit after the first half — making it like an LP dominated by Side One — but the first four songs are nonetheless especially strong. Special honors goes to “Lotta Lies,” with a beautiful guitar riff from REM’s Reckoning-era playbook, and “Don’t Leave, Don’t Go,” which, if there’s any pop justice, would be widely covered by some major-label artist who could make this band a mint - Andy Geigerich"

Wow, thanks guys!

The Decline Tour continues this week in Ottawa, Montreal, Kingston and Peterborough. We can't say enough great things about the bands that we have the privilege of playing with over the next few weeks... The Diableros, of course, with new material being showcased and sounding better than ever. The mighty Woodrunners from Ottawa, perfect roots rock grit and tunefulness. First In Space, from Ohio are getting some great buzz for their new disc, Geronimo... Alert The Medic, Nightwood, The Fine Print... So amazing.

See ya out there!

Elvyn @ The Junction Arts Festival

2010-09-14T07:07:00.004-04:00

We had a great time in Toronto at The Junction Arts Festival! Great vibe, great people and all-around fun!

Sara Collaton took some beautiful photos of our set, which you can check out at her website along with amazing shots of bands like Blue Rodeo, Gaslight Anthem, Zeus and loads more. Make sure you head over and see her work!

We want to say a huge thanks to all the folks who came out and saw us, to the wonderful organizers like Paul Reynolds, Aggie Luczkiewitcz (and Allan!), Ruth and the sound and stage crew and of course Sara Collaton for her awesome pictures!

Hope to see you again soon Junction!

Tour time!

2010-09-05T09:47:00.001-04:00

Well friends, the time has come! Elvyn are hitting the road throughout Southern Ontario, with stops in Quebec and Ohio in support of our new album!

We'll be playing shows in London, Kitchener, Ottawa, and more along with two great festivals in Toronto. We're also really happy to be meeting up with some great bands along the way, as well playing a good portion of the tour with the fantastic Diableros from Toronto.

So check the tour listings to the right of our page, visit the Facebook fan page for more details and we'll see you all real soon!

Super-cool update!

The special guest at The Junction Arts Festival will be Six Shooter Records artist Justin Rutledge! Make sure you don't miss this great evening of music!

Tour Updates!

2010-08-07T06:35:00.005-04:00

Hi everyone,

Hope you're all enjoying your summer! Elvyn are busy behind the scenes getting ready for a busy Fall of music and excitement! The tour van is getting overhauled, guitars set up and press and posters worked on...

Booking for our Ontario tour is underway. We'll be making a quick visit to Ohio to play a couple of shows with a great band, First In Space, who will also be joining us for a handful of Ontario shows. We'll be on the road with a fantastic Toronto band, The Diableros, as well as meeting up with The Woodrunners in Ottawa and more! Look out for tour dates to be posted in early September.

We're also looking forward very much to working with a great organization, Swim, Drink, Fish, Music. They are involved with great bands and artists such as The Great Lake Swimmers, Broken Social Scene, Gord Downie, The Sadies, Bill Frisell and Pete Seeger!

Here's some information from their website;

"The Swim Drink Fish Music Club is an online music and audio experience developed by Lake Ontario Waterkeeper in collaboration with other Waterkeeper organizations across Canada.

The Swim Drink Fish Music Club brings together artists, activists, and citizens just like you who care about clean water. By celebrating the Club's exclusive and rare music, you are contributing to the fight for swimmable, drinkable, fishable water in your community."

Elvyn will be releasing an exclusive track through the Swim, Drink, Fish, Music Club, so stay tuned for developments! You can visit their website by clicking the banner above.

Hazy days...

2010-07-06T13:05:00.004-04:00

Hey there music fans,

Wow, it's been a great summer so far for Elvyn and we've had tons of fun! NxNE was a lot of fun, and the record is getting such a warm reception from all over, and we wanted to take a moment to send out a message;

First of all, we want to say thank you to our local supporters. Allan Booke, Aggie Lu, Matt Holtby, Jason Schneider & Exclaim! Magazine, Dan Burke, Dave Spencer, Bobby B., Jer & Kara Dresar, Joao Carvahlo, Chris Lear, Noah Mintz & Laquer Channel, Loren & Indie Pool, Ryan Kemp & The Red Dog. You guys have helped us so much, and continue to do so. But Elvyn have become a bit of an international concern lately, and some folks have to be mentioned from overseas; Angel & Powerpop Action, Pedro Fernandez and our Madrid supporters, Altcountry.nl and our Netherlands friends, Simon & Beat Surrender in the U.K., the Powerpopaholic crew, Bruce & Not Lame Recording Co., Ray & Kool Kat Musik and Absolute Powerpop in the United States and Vesa from Finland.

Thank you all for your support, and thanks a million to the fans who have bought a record and come out to the shows. We have a lot planned for you all in the coming months, with new music to be released really soon! We're readying a 7" single for release in the winter/spring, and we already have 5 tracks demo'ed and ready to take into the studio for Elvyn's next full length record!

As far as live shows go, we're going to be supporting our friends The Diableros at their special hometown show in Oshawa on July 17th at The Thirsty Monk. You can find details here. Then we're really looking forward to September, with The Junction Arts Festival coming up fast.

So stay tuned everyone, and we'll keep you updated as new stuff happens!

A high-profile review!

2010-06-15T12:32:00.004-04:00

Esteemed Canadian author and music critic Jason Schneider has written a review of The Decline for the country-wide monthly Exclaim! Magazine...

"It's been quite some time — five years, to be precise, since their EP, The Big Bay, and eight since full-length debut Ten Car Stereo — since anyone's heard from Peterborough, ON quartet Elvyn. But on The Decline, they come back with a vengeance, offering 11 tracks that deftly blend Crazy Horse ragged glory with pure power pop craftsmanship..."

Wow! You can read the whole review here, and don't forget, you can pick up the new record at CDBaby, Amazon.com, iTunes and Kool Kat Musik!

NxNE Festival!

2010-06-14T09:11:00.004-04:00

Hi everyone,

First of all, a big thanks to all involved in a great show in Peterborough at The Red Dog on Saturday! Tim, Tian, Brett and Nat, Melissa, Ryan Kemp, Werner, Paul Rellinger and Karl Lawson, we had a blast and thanks for your support.

But now NxNE is right around the corner, and we're gonna be making the most of a great festival.

On the 17th we'll be heading down to The Hyatt for an interview with AUX t.v. before we mosey on over to Yonge & Dundas Square to take part in NxNE's Indie Music Market from 2pm - 4pm. We'll have all our merch there, along with a listening station where you can check out the new record.

Then at 8pm, Elvyn take part in what is probably one of the hidden gems of NxNE showcases with VIVIV, The Champion Heartache, Another Blue Door, The Diableros and The Stables for the 94.9 The Rock/NeXT at NxNE showcase at The Comfort Zone (480 Spadina). Elvyn take the stage at 9pm, when AUX t.v.'s roving camera crew are going to be shooting our set!

Then on Saturday, we'll be heading down to hang out at Joao Carvalho's 5th annual NxNE BBQ, and hear sets by Zeus, C'mon, Buck 65, By Divine Right, Hannah Georgas, Danny Michel and loads more!

So if you see us around T.O., come over and say hi and we'll hook you up with download of The Decline!

Another review!

2010-06-12T10:47:00.004-04:00

There's more Elvyn slathering teh interwebs today courtesy of the fantastic British website Beat Surrender.

They've posted up a short review of The Decline and some MP3's, including an exclusive pre-release version of I'll Come Back. So head over and check it out HERE.

Peace!

Direct from Holland...

2010-06-10T20:03:00.007-04:00

Here's a brilliant Google-translated version of Dutch music site Altcountry.nl's review of The Decline in all it's glory. You can visit the site, and practice your Dutch by clicking here.

No idea what "Bear Men" are though...

"A wonderful album this is from an unknown Canadian band that has been there since 1998. Elvyn was founded by brothers Joel and Ryan Beerman The Decline and this (Little Wagon Music) after a demo, EP and CD Car Stereo With the second album of pure powerpop with fine edges americana. Besides the two brothers, drummer and guitarist respectively, consists of Jeremy Knibbs (guitars) and Jason O'Reilly (bass). The Bear Men sing beautifully together, which she in a long line of classic rock bands join. And then of course the kind that knows that a good pop song does not have to take much longer than about three minutes. The Big Bay is reminiscent of Teenage Fanclub. It is not surprising that The Byrds here can be called very clearly that a song like "I'll Come Back. Because the songs of (mostly) Ryan Beerman so well here are no real epigonism. That a comparison could be made with the Dwight Twilley Band is no disgrace, as many do not. The fans of these timeless rock, which recently were already so spoiled by Elliot Randall, know enough. Available at CD Baby."

They awarded us 4 out of 5 stars, which stunningly is one more than the new Sadies album, Darker Circles! Hartelijk dank, guys!

Gettin' some newspaper love...

2010-06-10T13:05:00.002-04:00

Hometown party Saturday night... Come on out to The Red Dog, and we'll play you some songs!

New review!

2010-06-04T07:37:00.003-04:00

One of Virgin.com's top music blogs, Powerpopaholic has a great review of our new record The Decline up over at their site!

Here's some of what they had to say;

"Starting with the stellar "Those Were The Days" it's got a jangle similar to Teenage Fanclub and those rootsy folk harmonies like The Jayhawks... The consistent quality of the musicianship and songwriting is what puts this band over the top. It's not to be missed."

You can click the Powerpopaholic banner above to visit the site, check out their ratings and read the whole review, as well as loads of others.

Thanks Powerpopaholic!

CDBaby Podcast & more!

2010-06-02T13:32:00.005-04:00

Hey guys,

CDBaby.com is featuring a song from our new record The Decline on their popular Music Discovery Podcast, along with four other songs hand-picked from their best artists. You check it out by clicking the image below;

They've also chosen The Decline as #4 in their Top Country-Rock Albums list! We're really happy with the reception the record has been receiving. Thanks a lot CDBaby folks!

Onwards and upwards!

Awesome Update: Onwards and upwards indeed. The Decline is now #2 on CDBaby's Top Country-Rock and California-Pop Album lists!!!

Poster for the Red Dog show...

2010-05-19T22:38:00.002-04:00

Thanks to Miranda at Little Wagon Design for the hard work!

New show announced!

2010-05-13T13:41:00.003-04:00

So, on a rainy day a few months ago we saw Tim Chaisson & Morning Fold from P.E.I. perform a CMW showcase in Toronto.

We were impressed, and made some introductions. These thoroughly nice guys make some fantastic music with that distinct "Maritime" feel, and have been really busy with their tour, appearances on Explore music with Alan Cross, making a music video and all sort of other fun stuff. Their record "Broken Hearted Beats" was produced by Big Sugar's Gordie Johnson, and has co-writes from Johnson and Joel Plaskett!

The result of all this is a great evening of music at The Historic Red Dog in Peterborough, where we'll be opening for Tim and the boys along with Melissa Payne, a local country/folk songwriter.

So free up Saturday, June 12th and head out to The Red Dog! We'll see ya there...

Full line-up for NxNE announced!

2010-05-11T18:15:00.003-04:00

Oh boy, this is going to be great! Here's the full line-up for the 94.9 The Rock/NeXT @ NxNE Showcase... Click the band names for links to hear some songs.

Doors - 8pm
ELVYN - 9pm
The Champion Heartache - 10pm
Another Blue Door - 11pm
The Diableros - 12pm
The Stables - 1am

Wow... That's pretty much the perfect night of music! We're so happy to be part of the showcase, and to play with our good friends in The Champion Heartache, A.B.D. and The Diableros.

It'll be like old times!

Update...

2010-05-06T16:36:00.003-04:00

Things have been motoring along here at Little Wagon H.Q. with emails and phone calls buzzing through the air. We've been enjoying the great press from the music blogging community, and we've been surprised and pleased to see CD's and MP3's winging their way to Spain, the U.K., Holland, Finland and all over the States and Canada.

In fact it seems our new Finnish friend Vesa has got his copy of The Decline in the mail and has posted his review over at One Chord To Another, so head over and take a look.

On the home front, we've been really pleased and flattered to be invited to play three great festivals this year in Toronto. We'll be at The Comfort Zone for NxNE in June, The Junction Arts Festival in September where we're playing the main stage and then The International Pop Overthrow in November at The Rivoli on Queen Street.

It's been a great year so far for Elvyn, and it'll only get better from here! Look out for the full tour schedule for The Decline Fall '10 Tour coming soon, and we'll keep you updated as time goes by.

The first reviews roll in...

2010-04-19T21:29:00.003-04:00

Hi everyone,

Well, the first reviews of the new album are in and we're liking the tone! First up we have a great blog out of Florida, U.S.A. called Absolute Powerpop. Here's what they had to say;

"Lotta Lies" takes their sound into indie pop territory, as the double-tracked harmonies recall The Pernice Brothers; "Don't Leave, Don't Go" is a bright, upbeat pop number with a touch of melancholy, and "The Big Bay" has a Posies-like sweep. "Nature of Your Game" is straight-up Americana, in the manner of Joe Pernice's solo masterpiece "Bum Leg", and "I Was There" brings us full circle to Teenage Fanclub's more pensive moments. Wonderfully melodic, there's nothing in "decline" about Elvyn's sound and they've got a definite top 10 of '10 contender on their hands." - Read the rest of the review.

And to follow that here's what the One Chord To Another music blog all the way from Finland(!!!!) thought;

"It’s 3 am here in Finland and I’ve been trying to go to bed for an hour now. But I’m finding it hard to stop listening to Elvyn. It’s a Canadian pop group that I found tonight. They have a new album out and you can listen to it on their website... I was just so excited about them that I had to get this out of my chest and make a quick entry. This is simply fantastic music and I’m already in love with Elvyn." - Read the rest of the review.

High praise indeed! Thanks a lot to our new American and Finnish friends, and we'll keep you updated as news comes in!

Elvyn @ NxNE!

2010-04-16T14:35:00.003-04:00

Hey guys,
Big news! We're going to be playing NxNE this year as part of a showcase at The Comfort Zone organized by a couple of great friends of ours, Dan Burke and Matt Holtby (of Champion Heartache fame).

Stay tuned for details on the lineup as we get them...

New show dates in May

2010-04-13T12:51:00.003-04:00

Hey there kids! We've got a couple of show dates for you in May. We're going to play an afternoon all-ages show with Hamilton folk-rock group The Ophelia Syndrome on May 1st at The Spill Coffee bar in Peterborough at 2:30pm.

Then we're heading out to a band favorite, The Jimmy Jazz in Guelph on May 15th. Doors at 9:30m, and we'll keep you posted with the rest of the lineup.

Things are moving along fast here at Little Wagon Music, with the disc winging it's way to magazines, websites and labels as far afield as California, Madrid, Holland, the U.K., New York and France! We're super happy with the response we've had so far from everyone from fans to publications and beyond, and we'll keep all of you up to date with reviews and features as they happen.

Dates for The Decline Tour in the fall will also be forthcoming, so keep an ear to the ground (and by "ground" we of course mean "teh interwebs!").

Thanks for all the support, and we'll see ya soon!

Elvyn on the Radio!

2010-03-31T06:15:00.003-04:00

You'll be able to get your Elvyn fix over the FM airwaves in the Toronto and Bolton areas, and worldwide by the interwebs by tuning in to a couple of great shows. You can tune in or follow the links below to listen live;

Matt Diamond, between 2pm and 7pm weekdays on 94.9 The Rock

Songs from the Wood with Rick Jones on B105.5 Radio Caledon

Thanks to these great guys, and if you like hearing your boys on the big-time radio send an email and let them know at; rickjones@radiocaledon.com, matt@therock.fm, vanessa@therock.fm

Photos from the release party!

2010-03-29T18:40:00.006-04:00

Hey everyone! We had a total blast at The Silver Dollar on Friday night. We can't thank all of you enough for your support, and we hope you enjoy the new record! Don't forget to stay in touch with us through our Myspace, Twitter, and Facebook fan page (this is where most of the action takes place...). In fact, you can head over to the fan page to check out some great photos from the night by Jer Dresar by clicking the pic below;

A massive thank you also goes out to Dan Burke, Justin, Fab & Josh (our own biker gang who worked the door), Dave Spencer, Miranda, Sarah, Dave & Michelle (our best sales girl!), Chantel, Dean, Jer & Kara Dresar, The Champion Heartache, Michael Milosh, Bangladesh and every one of you awesome people who help make this all possible...

We love you all!

Elvyn featured on the Dyscultured podcast!

2010-03-28T20:35:00.003-04:00

Hi all,

The folks at Dyscultured, the great culture website & podcast will be featuring Elvyn on episode #76 of their awesome podcast! You can listen by clicking the banner below;
Head on over for a great talk show, and make sure you check out the rest of their site!

Hot off the press!

2010-03-21T14:18:00.002-04:00

The reliably excellent music blog "It's not the band I hate, it's their fans" has posted a fine review of our new disc The Decline which you can read here.

In addition, they're running a little contest to win a pair of spots on the guest list and a copy of the new record. So get your entries in!

Alex Chilton - 1951-2010

2010-03-19T16:43:00.002-04:00

Taking his final bow yesterday...
I'm getting sick of doing these "bummer" posts... I wish my favourite musicians would stop packin' it in!

The Decline release party line up!

2010-03-15T22:57:00.003-04:00

Oh boy! The line up is confirmed for our launch party for The Decline... click the names to see more.
Doors - 9:45pm

Home Movies (acoustic set) - 10:15pm

The Champion Heartache - 11pm

ELVYN - 12am

Bangladesh - 'til close.

We can't wait to see you guys at the show!

Inside the production of our new record!

2010-03-06T06:16:00.006-05:00

The release date for our new record is approaching fast! We'll be receiving the finished albums very soon, and hopefully some reviews and press will follow. For the time being, here's some of an interview that was conducted a while ago that we thought we'd share with you guys;

How long have these songs been around?

Ryan: Some a few months, others a few years. Two songs; "I was there" and "Nature of your game", were written only a few months after the release of the album "Ten Car Stereo"

Joel: As Ryan said, some of these songs go back as far as our first album, bits and pieces anyway. We've got a large chunk of music on tape and on paper that we've been pulling from for years, as well as a lot new stuff that we work on as we feel inspired.

Do you think there is a distinct "sound" or "feel" this time around, as opposed to previous Elvyn records?

Ryan: There's definitely a more consistent sound to this album. A modern take on the way songs use to be written thats very heartfelt, and the melodies are very important with hooks that should grab you on first listen. Intense at times but laid back enough that even your grandparents should enjoy them!

Joel: Absolutely! We've been working on this particular album for, I hate to say it, but literally years. This album really should have been "The Big Bay" in album form, at least that was the goal when we started "The Big Bay". But as the saying goes "better late than never". The sound is as we heard it in our heads, at least for myself as a fan of classic Power Pop and rock,was very distinct. There was a conscious effort to make every part whether it be a vocal or guitar riff...be as catchy as possible while still keeping the 3 minute (maybe a little longer) song structure in mind. The aim being that when the song starts you get the tune in your head, and when it's over it's bouncing around your head all day... hopefully! This idea has always been the same for every thing we've released, I just think we nailed it a little better on this album.

Jeremy: Growing up in the U.K., it was always American music that held the greatest fascination for me. I was into the Smiths and all the obvious stuff, but the music community can be very capricious back home. I remember getting a music magazine with a CD attached that had a Guthries song on it when I was probably in my early twenties, and I was blown away by the respect for tradition that musicians in Canada combine with a really adventurous streak. This record is interesting to me because it doesn't sound like it is of a certain period; it could be from fifteen years ago or yesterday, and I really think that's a cool thing.

What was the recording process like, and how did it compare to Ten Car Stereo and The Big Bay E.P.?

Ryan: The recording of this album was a very long process, but also quite an interupted one. The album was actually scheduled for a release about 3 years ago, with the 4 songs from the Big Bay E.P to appear on the final full length album in a remixed form. However life and family and having kids came into the picture, and although this slowed things down I believe the slower pace of recording contributed to solidifying the consistency of the album. It became quite the challenge to mash 5 years of recording together into an album that has a sonic consistency, but I think we managed to do it.

Joel: It felt like the longest process ever! We did everything ourselves for this album, which was a big load to bear. We wrote, produced and recorded the entire album ourselves with no outside input whatsoever. But all in all it was fun creating and restructuring the songs as we went along. Ryan spent more time mixing and re-mixing these 11 songs, more than myself, just because he could. Recording music has changed a lot over time and with current recording technology you can leave a mix for a few days, a week, a month and come back to it with fresh ears and almost always want to change something. The trick is to say when enough is enough. I think we made the tracks sound the best that we could with the equipment we had at our disposal.

How do the songs evolve from the initial ideas to the final arrangements?

Ryan:Most of the songs start out with a solid hook, either vocally or through a guitar riff or Bass line. If the song becomes a "problem song", where your stuck and feel uninspired then there's always something in the old "Elvyn Recording Vault" that can make things work. They usually get combined with something that may have been an idea from years ago, or taken from other problem songs. We try to make it a habit to always have some type of recording device at every practice. Once the song gets its basic format it gets developed from the basic 3 or 4 chord song into an orchestra of riffs, harmonies and other instrumental layerings until it reaches it's full potential.

Joel: It's a strange process, but it almost always starts with an idea that we've worked on at a practice session or something that we stumbled upon; a riff, a drum beat or a bass line. Other times Ryan will bring in full structured songs that just need some fine tuning or arranging.

What are the challenges of being an indie band, and what do you feel sets you apart from all the other bands out there?

Ryan: Being an indie band you can find yourself getting discouraged quite quickly. It's tough to be in charge of everything from booking shows, practicing, writing songs, promoting your music and shows and recording and it can wear you down. We've been playing for 13 years as "Elvyn" and sometimes we still barely clear our bar tab! Most indie bands would have ended years ago, but being close friends, and having the same love for the music keeps us going. We have no other agenda other than to sound our best when we play, and to have the most fun we can possibly have while we do it.

Joel: We take being in a band seriously, but not too seriously. The point is to have fun, if it's not fun anymore what's the point? Believe me there are times where you question why you're still in a band, for me anyway, but the good always outweighs the bad. As for what sets us apart, lot of bands style hop and we have never really done that. We've played with different sounds and directions but we've always maintained an identifiable sound. Bands nowadays sound of the moment; here today gone tomorrow. It can end up as a flash in the pan. I'd rather make songs that are accessible to a wide range of people, just that classic quality that makes a song enjoyable. Being in an indie band is a full time job and a lot of work. You get burned out really quickly, that's why we've always had periods of more intense activity. Touring, then taking breaks in between. It's not that we're lazy, just overwhelmed at times. A break does you good!

Do you have any plans for promoting The Decline, or for future projects?

Ryan: We're going to try to push this album a lot harder than previous albums, in respects of touring and promoting through press and radio. However, our goal of having fun while doing it is going to be the same as always. Also we're already picking away at a few new tunes that will surely lead to a quick follow up release to "The Decline"!

Joel: The goal for this record (which I believe is our strongest yet), is to promote it harder through the media and radio. If we can get a little radio buzz whether it be college or commercial it would help us immensely. Future projects? Mostly playing shows and working on new stuff for a new record. Hopefully one that won't take 5 years to put out! We'll try to put out a single or E.P. in the coming year.

Jeremy: As the guys have said, we'll be working the phones hard on this one. The songs are strong and we're making use of the wonders of Facebook and the like. This has been a great surprise to us, and we've seen the impact at the shows. We've always been kind of a "people's band", and the social network stuff allows us to make our friends and fans more of a part of the band than ever.

How about supporters and fans, any messages for them?

Ryan: Keep coming out to see us, and tell your friends and thanks for the support. You keep things fun!

Joel: We realize attention spans are short, especially with pop music but we think this album was worth the wait. Hopefully music fans do too!

Jeremy: I think people underestimate how much of an impact they can have on a band. Especially an indie band. Our supporters and fans are as much a part of Elvyn as we are. Without them we would have no fun at all. This one is for them!

"The Decline" release party!

2010-02-27T09:42:00.004-05:00

Hey folks,

Man, have we missed you guys!

Feels like ages since our last show, but fear not! Friday March 26th is the date. The Silver Dollar in Toronto is the place. When you walk through those doors a magic hand stamp will transport you via the Elvyn Way-Back Machine to a time when rock n' roll was great.

Our good friends The Champion Heartache will be helping us make this show the best Friday night possible with their "...roots-inflective rock, sweet harmonies, and a soaring, inspired, flight that straddles catchy pop sheen, alt-roots dynamicism of Wilco and Ryan Adams and the dreamy neo-psych sounds of Mercury Rev."

We'll be turning The 'Dollar into Elvyn-land for one night only with super low prices for the new album, some funky vibes, and most importantly you guys! It's our friends and fans that help make Elvyn what it is, and this show and this record are dedicated to all of you. We're looking forward to spending the evening with y'all!

Peace and love,

Elvyn

Mastering at The Lacquer Channel

2010-02-11T17:06:00.003-05:00

Ryan and Joel headed to T.O. for the mastering of "The Decline" yesterday and had a great day. Barring a couple of issues, she's done!

Next week we'll be heading to Little Wagon's secret Muskoka retreat for some rehearsals and other shenanigans (there will be a card game...) to get in top condition for our album release tour.

So a big thanks to Noah Mintz and The Lacquer Channel. Now it's time to make some CD's!

Album update!

2010-02-09T06:05:00.003-05:00

Hi everyone. Exciting news as "The Decline" goes to The Lacquer Channel for mastering on the 10th. The wheels are also in motion on a release tour with our Toronto album launch party at The Silver Dollar on Friday, March 26th!

The album art is also almost finished, and we have a few little suprises up our sleeves for you.

See you really soon!

It's goodnight from Jay Reatard...

2010-01-14T15:20:00.005-05:00

Sad news, but definitely a strong candidate for "Catch ya on the flipside" super-group along with George, Roy, Link etc. Guitars and Arrangements, I reckon.

Silver Dollar - Friday, Jan 8th

2010-01-06T09:31:00.003-05:00

Hi guys & gals!

We'd sure love it if you could come out to The Silver Dollar on Friday night. The line-up is great, and the vibes will be too! This will be our last show for a while, as we gear up for the release of "The Decline" and get our ducks in a row for a lil' tour.

So, if you'd like to come by and hang out for a while we'd love to see ya. We'll grab a beer and enjoy some great music! We hit the stage at 10:30, followed by The Hey Now at 11:40 and Nature Moves Faster sometime after that...

See ya later, alligators!

Elvyn @ The Phog Lounge - Video!

2010-01-03T09:13:00.001-05:00

Thanks to Phoggy Tom for the sterling work behind the iPhone! We can't wait to come back...

Phun at The Phog...

2009-12-20T12:14:00.003-05:00

Whew... Windsor was great (as always)! Thanks to Tom Lucier who's a stand-up guy, and serves a mean stout. The Matavaras rocked it, and through the magic of the interweb, Tom streamed their soundcheck live! Crazy...

Thanks also to all the folks who popped in for the show. You guys were a super-cool crowd! We'll be back soon enough, and with Phoggy Tom's help we'll hook up with a local act and see if we can't pack 'er to the rafters!

Love Ya!

Brand new songs!

2009-12-15T18:38:00.003-05:00

Hey there! You guys are patiently waiting for our new album, we know. So to help tide you over we've put up 3 brand spankin' new tracks exclusively on the Facebook fanpage!

Head on over to take a listen. The tracks are as they will appear on 'The Decline", which is due out in the new year.

Don't forget to leave a comment on the fanpage wall to let us know what you think.

Love ya!

Elvyn

Peterborough rocked!

2009-12-13T22:34:00.002-05:00

That was awesome! Thanks to all the fine folks who came out and just grooved with us. You guys made our night!
Of course James and The Spades (Tom & Chachi) threw down too. Thanks for a great night guys, and thanks too to Ryan Kemp and the great staff at The Red Dog. There are some more shots over at the Facebook fanpage, as usual.

Peace, lots of love and we'll see you again soon Peterborough!

Elvyn & The Spades @ The Red Dog - NEARLY SOLD OUT!

2009-12-11T10:19:00.003-05:00

If you didn't get tix yet to The Spades Show at The Red Dog in Peterborough on Saturday night, you better get a move on! According to The Wolf, where James and the boys did a few songs and an interview this morning, they've almost sold out.

If, however you did get a ticket, you're in for a treat. We're gonna kick out the jams for you, and The Spades live show is legendary. Let's do this...

New show added!

2009-12-06T19:25:00.003-05:00

Windsor, Ontario here we come!

We're heading down to The Phog Lounge with Nova Scotia/Toronto folk rockers The Matavaras. These guys state such influences as The Seeds, Big Star and The Band so needless to say we're looking forward to this one!

As usual tickets are available at the door, and stay tuned for prices and any other updates. In the meantime, go check out The Matavaras at their webpage or their Facebook where you can listen to some of their great songs.

Thanks everyone!

2009-12-01T19:32:00.003-05:00

Monday night was a blast at The Horseshoe thanks to our great friends who came out, the fine bar staff who kept things lubricated, Brian the sound man who mixed up a heady rock n' roll potion for us, and of course Craig Laskey.

In a couple of weeks we'll be in Peterborough to open for an old friend James McKenty and his band The Spades at The Red Dog on the 12th. You can grab advance tickets for ten bones at The 'Dog, and if you're Facebook-savvy you can check out the event details here.

FREE Horseshoe show - Monday Nov. 30th!

2009-11-27T05:48:00.004-05:00

Hey everyone, we're back at the Horseshoe Tavern on Monday night to start the week off right! We hit the stage at 9:45, so if your Monday is looking a little lackluster right now come on out, say hi and enjoy the tunes. See ya there!

New show(s) added - UPDATE!

2009-11-12T15:33:00.009-05:00

'Sup?

We like T.O. so much, we thought we'd keep coming back! We're returning to The Silver Dollar on January 8th for a show with Toronto's own indie-rock phenoms The Hey Now.

These guys specialize in hooky melodies and apparently don't mind the odd cup of Earl Grey! You can check them out at theheynow.com and their Myspace.

Elvyn take the stage at 10:40pm, followed by The Hey Now at 11:40pm. Garage-funkers Nature Moves Faster will funk the night away at 12:30am.

But first, we're staying close to home in December for a show at The Historic Red Dog in Peterborough with James McKenty & The Spades!

So if you're looking for some great music in The 'Patch, then come out to The Red Dog on Saturday, December 12th for Peterborough's native sons Elvyn and The Spades! Tickets available now for $10 from The Red Dog.

November album update!

2009-11-02T07:14:00.005-05:00

Well, it's getting colder every day. We're keeping things hot in the studio though, with our new record almost there. By the end of next week all the songs will be finished! Then we'll spend the usual evenings over beer & pizza scrapping over the track listing and cover art.

Once we get the track listing sorted out, we'll be picking three of our favorites to send out as far afield as Nashville, Tennessee, the U.K. and Halifax! We're hoping to get a little label backing for this record in an effort to get the songs out there to you, our friends, either at a live show in your town or on the radio waves.

We're also working hard on some special stuff for the release of the record, which will remain classified for now. So, buckle in kiddies 'cos it's almost time to go!

Elvyn @ The Silver Dollar - Review

2009-10-26T16:23:00.005-04:00

Here's a review of our Silver Dollar show in T.O. from the "It's not the band I hate, it's their fans" music blog;

"Brothers Joel and Ryan Beerman have been playing music together as Elvyn for just over 11 years now, and their professionalism and abilities have only increased during that time. Elvyn's mix of pure pop and alt-country is as catchy and accessible as it gets, filled with soaring harmonies and heartbreaking lyricism. If you've ever listened to either their 2002 release Ten Car Stereo or their 2004 EP The Big Bay, then you're likely scratching your head also as to why they've never had so much as a hit song, let alone nationwide success. Of course, with the overwhelming onslaught of music these days, I suppose this is just a product of the musical climate that we live in, and a band such as Elvyn has to settle for making an impression by playing as many gigs as they can and letting the buzz flow that way."

For the rest of the review, and some shots from the show head over to the "INTBIH,ITF" (phew) blog here;

It's not the band I hate, it's their fans"

And as always, hit up the Facebook page for more live shots and groovy updates.

That Elvyn Sound, Part 1.

2009-10-22T15:35:00.003-04:00

If you're anything like us, when you go to a show you wander up to the stage to peer at the gear up there. Over the next few weeks we'll be showing the gear each of us use. It's not always the most high-tech, but it gets the job done. First up, we'll look at what Jeremy uses.
O.k. pedal board first. In amongst the dust bunnies and used ear plugs are (left to right) An Electro-Harmonix Holy Grail reverb, a Monster Paper De-Layzer delay, an Electro-Harmonix Stereo Pulsar tremolo, a Boss e.q. (used for volume cuts, mainly), a Boss SD-1 Super Over drive (modded by Monster Paper Effects), a Mojo Hand Copperhead dual boost and a Boss TU-2 tuner.
Guitars! We have a Gibson Les Paul Special double-cut w/ P-100's, a Gretsch 6120 and a Fender parts caster w/ tone mods by Deadwood Sound.

And this is where the magic happens; a 15 watt Deadwood Sound combo in a solid maple cabinet with a single 10" Fender speaker from a Blues Junior. The circuit is loosely based on the famous 5E3 that we all know and love, but with a few significant (and highly secret!) alterations that really clean up the tone all the way to cranked.

So, there we go. Next up, Jason's Bass rig!

This Friday! ~Elvyn LIVE @ The Silver Dollar Room~

2009-10-20T07:45:00.003-04:00

Hey space cadets. When you're making your plans for Friday night, make sure you come to The Silver Dollar Room for a sonic holiday as Elvyn support St. Johns Nfld's Catcher on their tour.
You can check them out at their Myspace or Facebook pages...
So, we'll see ya there rock fans!

Ladies and Gentlemen...

2009-10-19T19:34:00.002-04:00

...On the Bass Guitar, Mr. Jason O'Reilly!

Wilco @ Massey Hall

2009-10-15T00:05:00.007-04:00

Man, those gallery seats are tough going! Despite that, Wilco blazed through about two hours of some of the most tuneful, edgy, and creative rock music. Worth every penny, and a cramped seat!

Liam Finn, the son of Neil Finn of Crowded House popped in for a song during the encore.

And it was every bit as great as I had hoped! A totally rocking set that covered almost all their records, with a bombastic "Monday/Outtasight (Outtamind)/Hoodoo Voodoo" guitar battle close-out.

Souldier custom guitar straps

2009-10-12T09:45:00.002-04:00

Hey there,

I guess this qualifies as another "product review" of sorts, but I found this little company through (where else) Wilco's links page. They have been using Souldier straps for ages it seems, as they are both based in Chicago. The Souldier website allows you to make pretty much any combination of fabric, hardware, leather or vinyl end tabs and the recycled seatbelt material that make up their custom straps. This is the strap I ordered for my Gretsch, and it's awesome as you can see. Super high quality, and so much nicer than anything I've seen in a music shop in years.

If you like the idea of getting exactly what you want for your straps, then follow the link to Souldier's website in the links sidebar.

Elvyn @ The Green Bottle

2009-10-10T14:25:00.003-04:00

We had a blast at Craig's place, as always. Proof of Ghosts and The Micronite Filters put on a great show, and the Powershift folks had a rockin' benefit. You know the drill, here's a few pics, and the rest will be on the Facebook page. Join up by clicking the button on the right of the page.

'Till next time...

Oh no! It's the fuzz!

2009-10-03T14:09:00.004-04:00

Wow. $285, but what an effect! Blackout Effectors Twosome Dual Fuzz is two discrete fuzz circuits in one enclosure that provide the most versatile fuzz tones imaginable. If you love vintage sounding fuzz, this is for you.

Let's hope it doesn't sell out before I can get one!

Yes!

2009-10-01T20:39:00.002-04:00

Less than two weeks guys! By the way, the red washers from flip-top Grolsch bottles make Wilco-approved strap locks!

Support your local Elvyn!

2009-09-29T18:04:00.009-04:00

Hey guys,

More rock shows in T.O.!

Elvyn will be playing shows at two of Toronto's music landmarks this fall, The Silver Dollar Room and The Legendary Horseshoe Tavern! We need you guys to do Elvyn a solid... Come on out to these great venues, and help us show them a rockin' party like they've never seen!

We're bringing a compact set of our rockin'-est tunes as part of a super-fun "Shoeless Monday" lineup at The Horseshoe on November 30th with support from T.O. singer-songwriter George Casey and his band, as well as The McFlies. This seven-piece cover all those awesome 80's classics with an all-acoustic twist.

I predict dancing...

But first, we'll be playing a full set with a handful of the finest covers at The Silver Dollar Room on October 23rd in support of St. Johns, Newfoundland's Catcher! Check them out at their Myspace.

Lineup update!

2009-09-18T16:51:00.004-04:00

Hey everyone,

We're really happy to say that Elvyn will be at The Green Bottle in Oshawa on October 9th with an amazing band, Proof of Ghosts.

check them out here; http://www.myspace.com/proofofghosts

You gotta come out to Craig's place for this one!

Elvyn @ Velvet Underground

2009-09-18T00:00:00.003-04:00

We had a great time at The Velvet with The Speaking Tongues & Black Diamond Heavies! Thanks a lot to all the peeps who came out, and thanks to the other bands and Dan Burke. Here's a couple of pics... For more, join the Elvyn Facebook page by clicking the button on the right.

Oh, hell yes!

2009-09-12T11:22:00.003-04:00

I will be stickin' around for these boys for damn sure. Get yerselves out for this show on the 17th @ Velvet Under Ground!

New show added...

2009-09-10T19:26:00.002-04:00

Hey everyone,

We're coming back to the Green Bottle in Oshawa in October! Stay tuned for the full lineup and further details.

"As Dark As It Is" - Live @ Jimmy Jazz

2009-09-06T14:20:00.002-04:00

As Dark As It Is ("Elvyn" LIVE)

Here's a rough n' ready video of a song from the first record captured by a fan, and it's still a crowd-pleaser! We did this off the floor, and the sound is actually pretty good!

Thanks a lot for coming out to Guelph, and for sending us the video!

"The Decline" - Brand new mix!

2009-09-03T20:06:00.003-04:00

Hey kids,

Here's the BRAND NEW MIX of "The Decline"! Quite a few changes from the last one, but we're diggin' it.

So? What d'ya think? Let us know through the Facebook, Myspace or at elvyn10@hotmail.com.

Adios for now.

Elvyn - No.7 in September!

2009-09-01T09:32:00.006-04:00

Elvyn made No.7 on the CBC-approved "It's Not The Band I Hate, It's Their Fans" top ten in September list for our show with Black Diamond Heavies at The Velvet Underground! Here's the skinny;
7. Black Diamond Heavies / Elvyn @ Velvet Underground
(Thursday September 17th; Cost: TBA)

Black Diamond Heavies are an American band that take everything that is raw and dirty about rock 'n roll and boil it into a soulful stew that is as loud and authentic as the music of any gritty garage band to emerge out of the Detroit scene over the last 30 years. Except they're actually from Nashville. And I haven't actually heard them yet. Still, from what I've read, it sounds like they put on a heckuva rawk show. Admittedly, the main reason that this show makes my monthly ten list for September is the fact that Peterborough's Elvyn will be kicking off the night, and they'll likely be showcasing some songs from their upcoming full length, which should be out in the near future. Elvyn revels in the kind of rootsy pop music that makes artists like Teenage Fanclub and The Jayhawks so great, and they're certainly worth getting out on a Thursday night for.

For the rest of the picks, head over to the blog at

It's Not The Band I Hate, It's Their Fans

Elvyn - "The Decline" album update

2009-08-31T10:09:00.004-04:00

Hey folks,

Well, things are progressing nicely here at Little Wagon Studios. One by one, the songs are getting their final mixes done. This record, tentatively titled "The Decline" will be a departure from Ten Car Stereo in that it has been written, recorded and mixed entirely by Elvyn at Little Wagon. The only stage that will be done outside of our studios will be the final mastering.

Needless to say, we're super happy with the results so far and it's well worth the extra time and effort to get just the sound we're after.

We'll also try to get new mixes up for you to hear as soon as they're ready. It'll give you all a chance to see how the songs evolve during the recording process, and hopefully when you see Elvyn live, the songs will be familiar to you.

Thanks to all of you for sticking with us for this new record.

Love,

Elvyn

New show added!

2009-08-29T11:38:00.003-04:00

Hmmm... Let's see. Swirling Hammond organ? Clattering drums? Raw-throated Nashville garage blues?

Alright! Black Diamond Heavies from Nashville, Tennessee are coming to town and Elvyn will be supporting them at The Velvet Underground in T.O. If you're a fan of stripped down garage blues in the vein of Dan Auerbach/The Black Keys, The White Stripes and The Kills then make sure you catch the show.

http://www.myspace.com/blackdiamondheavies

Backwoods tomfoolery...

2009-08-27T20:47:00.006-04:00

One of the side effects of getting a new record ready to put out is having to take promo pictures. Ansel Adams we are not!

Anyway, here's a couple of out-takes from half an hour in the woods with four dudes... ahem.

Elvyn @ The Jimmy Jazz

2009-08-25T09:26:00.002-04:00

Here's a video made by our friends The Reverb Syndicate from a Jimmy Jazz show a couple of years ago. Elvyn come on at 2:30 into the video, featuring the imposing Dean O'Reilly on guitars. We love ya dean!

So take a look, and if you like our cover of Angelyne by The Jayhawks, come on out to The Jimmy Jazz this Friday night for a great free show w/ The Fleece Elves.

Big news from Little Wagon Studios!

2009-08-23T20:11:00.003-04:00

Hello friends, Giles Toppingley-Smythe here all the way from Little Wagon Studios. I'm very pleased to announce that there are three brand new songs from Elvyn's forthcoming L.P. available to preview on our music player! They are;

"Don't Leave, Don't Go"
"The Decline"
"Be Mine Today"

We would very much appreciate your comments and feedback by means of the comment section of this post, our Myspace or our Facebook page, or simply at elvyn10@hotmail.com.

Thank you very much.

The Sadies, "The Horseshoe", from the Rat Fink movie

2009-08-23T18:43:00.004-04:00

Total badass-ery in every way. These guys are probably the best band in Toronto, and host the best New Years Eve shindigger out there, coincidentally, at The Horseshoe.

Yes!

2009-08-23T11:18:00.003-04:00

So stoked! Ticketmaster really suck though. 10am, sale begins. Two tickets please... Online? Nope. LiveNation? Nu-uh. Ticketmaster's automated phone line? No dice. At about 10:45 I got an actual live person at ticketmaster! Two tickets... yeah, no problem. WHAT?!

Anyway, enough of that. Joel and I will be there with some pals, and it'll be great! Photos will be forthcoming...

Jer.

Blog updates!

2009-08-21T16:40:00.007-04:00

Hey everyone, Carl the web guy here. We're getting used to this interweb now! I've taken a break from my World of Warcraft marathon and added some new functions to the blog, including direct links to buy CD's or MP3's from a cool .99 cents on the right of the page as well as a music player, a list of our upcoming shows and a bunch of links to bands that we love.

Also, check back soon for a SNEAK PEEK at one of the tracks from the new Elvyn record that we hope to see about the same time as the snow flies!

Thanks a lot for stopping in.

MojoHand Copperhead Dual Boost - Review

2009-08-21T11:37:00.002-04:00

Hey there folks. I doubt very much that product reviews will ever become a regular thing for two reasons; firstly, we don't change out effects or guitars that often, and secondly, this crap is expensive, and there ain't nobody flowing us free stuff!
That being said, I did buy a MojoHand Copperhead dual boost the other day. After several practices and using it live, I figured I'd throw up some info on it. According to the builder, this pedal is two of the same circuits on the same board. Each side of the pedal is a boost with volume and gain knobs, the main feature being the "cascaded" effect of using both sides together. Now, right off the bat there was no instructions in the box. No big deal, I hear you say. Well it kinda was. Powering this effect is quite finicky, and without guidance I bumbled along and was actually on the verge of sending it back!
The issue seems to be that the Copperhead munches power like a hungry T-Rex. I first stuck it at the top of my pedal chain powered by my Boss tuner/daisy chain thing. No dice. Anywhere south of cranked, the pedal sucked out volume and tone. Next I got my hands on a Godlyke Powerall, and used it in place of the boss. Now this baby pumps out 1.7 amps in comparison with the Boss' meager 500 milliamp supply. I got the same result!
Basically, you need to run a devoted power supply to this pedal. End of story. Now, the tone. On one side only, you can get a very transparent boost or turn up the gain for a fairly mild crunchy overdrive. Kick in the second side, however, and we're off to the races. Again you can dial in a very transparent drive/boost, or you can crank the gain knob for wailing Blackface-style overdrive. The pedal is built very well. I opened it up and the wiring is very tidy and economical. Overall, a solid and adaptable effect.

The "I did more research, and played at a bigger club" update...

O.k. turns out that this pedal is more af an amp pusher than an overdrive. At any volume it's way more boost than drive, and doesn't come into it glory until your amp is at 7 or 8. But when it is... Oh baby, she cries tears of tone. The best way to describe it is "your amp on 10, with just a bit more grit."
Jer.

Chance meeting...

2009-08-17T13:53:00.000-04:00

I ran into this cat a few days ago in The Acoustic Drum Shop in Edmonton.

Joel was in town to play the Folk Festival. Had a little chat, and talked tenor guitars. A real class act, and apparently his slot was one of the festival highlights.

Nice to see you again Joel.

Les Paul, 1915-2009.

2009-08-14T19:47:00.001-04:00

Paul pioneered overdubbing, delay effects, multi-track recording and phaser effects. Obviously, he put his name to one of Gibson's best-selling guitars, as well as having a signature model from Gretsch and recording 40 albums and selling millions of records.

Les Paul, R.I.P. and see ya later, alligator.

Justin Townes Earle - The Good Life

2009-08-07T20:04:00.000-04:00

"The Good Life" Justin Townes Earle

Love this li'l ol' tune. Enjoy, friends.

Fell in love with a drummer...

2009-08-06T18:50:00.000-04:00

A great friend to Elvyn, and mighty drummer; T. Craig Toutant.

All Is Lost music video

2009-08-06T11:19:00.000-04:00

From our Big Bay E.P. Enjoy!

Duesenberg Multi-Bender lap steel

2009-08-06T11:06:00.000-04:00

Wow. Pedal steel sounds from a lap steel. Want one!

Blast from the past...

2009-07-29T08:47:00.001-04:00

Found these old photos in the archives from way back in 2005. Ah, memories.

Shows added...

2009-07-20T14:55:00.000-04:00

We have two shows coming up in August. One for the G.T.A. fans and music lovers at The Green Bottle in Oshawa on Aug. 11th for 94.9FM The Rock, and for the rebel rousers in Guelph we're playing at the Jimmy Jazz on the 28th.

Open invitation everyone. Ride out, drive out, fly out. Just get there and we'll party!

We're comin' for ya Guelph...

2009-06-29T18:00:00.000-04:00

Ryan, Joel and Jay-boy at Jimmy Jazz. Brace yourselves Guelph, we're comin' back for more.

Shippin' Out...

2009-06-19T09:55:00.001-04:00

Welcome to the blog!

New show dates coming soon. Stay loose.