By: Jarkko Ylänkö
Photo credit: Chris Reardon

Although we didn’t catch up with I See Rowboats during NXNE for an interview, they were kind enough to engage in a brief email exchange and send Torontoindie.com the following considered responses shortly after the festival wrapped up.

Halifax is such a great place for music. How does it compare to other cities you’ve played in? Where else do you love to play on the East coast?

Although Halifax is a smaller Canadian city, which in turn consists of a smaller musical community, the support we have received from local musicians, media and the community at large has been immense.  As the familiarity with our music increases, so does local audiences’ involvement, where customary applauding turns toward gestures of dance and hand clapping throughout songs.  In comparison to other Canadian cities, Halifax seems more excitable, yet this corresponds with the ever-present communal attitude existing in many cities towards “their” bands; each community wanting “their” team to win.  Other cities have been exceptionally responsive as well, yet we must serve to convince in addition to perform.

Other East Coast cities such as Sackville, NB, and Charlottetown, P.E.I, etc. have treated us well and we hope to revisit them in the coming months.

Some solid Canadiana comparisons have been made with I See Rowboats and the likes of Broken Social Scene, Arcade Fire, Final Fantasy, etc. Where do you see yourselves in the spectrum of today’s Canadian music scene? Are you forsaking the mainstream to forge new sounds in unexplored sonic territory, or standing on the shoulders of your musical forebearers and improving, refining, strengthening the bigger musical foundations they were a part of?

Being presented with heavy comparisons to such prominent Canadian bands is incredibly difficult, especially as an emerging band who is still working towards the kind of unity and firm sound that has been offered to us by artists such as Final Fantasy and Arcade Fire.  In the spectrum of today’s Canadian music scene I See Rowboats might offer a musical exploration into a slightly Maritime sound, one which stems from our immediate surroundings and, for some, our heritage (i.e. Newfoundland influenced forms of fiddling).

To fixate upon what has been done within the larger spectrum of contemporary Canadian music can easily hinder ones creative output; it can generate a kind of critical mind set that immobilizes the artist.  Though we possess admiration for many popular Canadian bands, we are trying not to preoccupy ourselves with what has been done, rather attempting to explore territory that stands personally unfamiliar and challenging.

When can we expect to receive a follow-up to your 2007 Hide & Seek Behind the Throne EP?

Currently, we are expecting to record a few songs, which were established shortly after the release of our EP Hide & Seek Behind the Throne in 2007, for a 45 record that will be released later this year.  Moreover, we have been trying to channel our energy toward writing new music.  The full length album is still in the process of conception, with the hope for recording dates this upcoming fall of 2008.

I See Rowboats can be seen and heard here:
www.iseerowboats.com
www.myspace.com/iseerowboats

This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 2nd, 2008 at 8:51 am.