Caught in the Carousel

Sylvie

By Alex Green

Sylvie

Combining the cataclysmic churn of Built To Spill and the metallic melodicism of R.E.M.’s Monster, Sylvie are a band that knows when to attack and when to retreat into the shadows and let the shadows do the talking. The Canadian’s outfit’s sophomore album Trees And Shade Are Our Only Fences is a hook-laden indie rock stunner that blasts dreamily away with awe-inspiring control and jaw dropping musical intensity.

Produced by J. Robbins (Against Me!, Jets To Brazil) Trees And Shade is a dark and stirring work. “Satellites” is filled with twists and surges; “Dark Ages” is a twitchy dose of nervy new wave and the dense, but impossibly catchy sonic landscape of “Please Make It Home” brings to mind Lotion, circa Nobody’s Cool. Elsewhere, there’s the jumpy post-punk of “Instruments Of War”; the driving “Mallets” and “She Sells Sea Shells” which comes across like a confluence of Joy Division and the Tragically Hip.

The album’s standout track, “Breakout For Summer” finds singer Joel Passmore at his Stipe-throated best. Singing over a whirlpool of an arrangement that comes replete with dappled keyboard paths and gyrating guitars, the frontman somehow finds the emotional center through all of the songs’ many circumvolutions and the result is nothing short of riveting.

Allow us to introduce you to Saskatchewan’s Sultans Of Surge: This is Sylvie.

Sylvie

YOUR FULL NAME: Joel Passmore

BAND NAME: Sylvie

YOUR ROLE IN THE BAND: Vocals and guitar

BAND MEMBERS: Riva Farrell Racette – Bass and vocals, Jeff Romanyk –
Drums, Chris Notenboom – Guitar and vocals , Erin Passmore – Keys and
Vocals

HOMETOWN: Regina Saskatchewan, Canada

WEBSITE: http://www.sylviemusic.com

RECORD LABEL: Wednesday Records / Smallman Records

DESCRIBE YOUR SOUND IN ONE SENTENCE: Swirly, whirly, loud and proud.

PROUDEST PROFESSIONAL MOMENT: CMJ ‘08 at Webster Music Hall

ODDEST PROFESSIONAL MOMENT: Streakers danced on stage. I could smell balls…

FIVE BEST BANDS TO EVER ROAM THE EARTH: TV On The Radio, The Jesus Lizard, Fugazi, DD/MM/YYY, Ghosts Of Modern Man

DESCRIBE YOURSELF AS A KID: Skinny with a bad temper

THREE THINGS THAT KEEP YOU UP AT NIGHT: Debts, debts and puppies.

LAST TWO BOOKS YOU’VE READ: The Reader, How To Fix Anything

THINGS WE’D FIND IN THE TRUNK OF YOUR CAR: Window scraper, recycling, Yamaha rx-21 drum machine.

HARDEST PART ABOUT BEING A MUSICIAN: Self-doubt

FAVORITE LATE NIGHT TV SHOW: The First 48, Conan

IDEAL BREAKFAST: Egg white omelet

DRINK OF CHOICE: Beer

BEST ALBUM TO PLAY AFTER A BREAK-UP AND YOU’RE HOLDING A BOTTLE OF VODKA AND SOMETHING SHARP: Young Widows—Old Wounds

INDULGENCE YOU REFUSE TO GIVE UP: Music

WORDS TO LIVE BY: “This is awesome!” – Patton Oswalt

Internet:
www.sylviemusic.com
www.myspace.com/sylviemusic
www.wednesdayrecords.com

Trees And Shade Are Our Only Fences is out now on Wednesday Records