After a tragic beginning to the year, You Say Party are picking themselves back up. They recently released REMIXXXX, featuring ten new versions of tracks from last year's XXXX. They're also hitting the road with their new lineup and heading out on a European tour that will last from late October until early December. What's more, the group have started working on new material and are currently in the midst of a recording session at the Noise Floor studio in Ladysmith, BC.
In an email to Exclaim!, bassist Stephen O'Shea wrote, "We're currently demoing six songs that we've written in the last three months. At this point, we haven't talked releases. The plan is to write another six and see where we're at."
As for what the new material sounds like, he explained, "The sonic palette of YSP has been expanded with the addition of Rob [Andow] on synths. There's been a lot more atmosphere in our approach to songwriting."
New drummer Al Boyle has also been instrumental in the band's growth; he frequently collaborated with late drummer Devon Clifford, and according to O'Shea, "Devon used to study Al as they played shows together over the last ten years."
The studio sessions have been revitalizing for the grieving band. O'Shea wrote, "With a rock garden in the back, [the] main street just up the hill and the beach a ten-minute walk away, it's been extremely restoring through the very difficult time of returning to the studio for the first time."
While O'Shea emphasized that no plans have been set in stone, he revealed, "There hasn't been much talk about full-lengths, but instead of seven-inches and possibly an EP. With the band on tour in Europe during Oct/Nov/Dec, I wouldn't expect these to be released until sometime in 2011."
Until then, you may be able to hear You Say Party's new material during live gigs. Prior to heading to Europe, the band will be playing a handful of shows in BC and Alberta, including a collaborative performance with Grand Analog at the Western Canadian Music Awards Gala in Kelowna, BC. For the complete schedule, see below.
Tour dates:
10/20 Kamloops, BC - Pogue Mahone's
10/21 Calgary, AB - Ship and Anchor
10/22 Kelowna, BC - Habitat (BreakOut West)
10/24 Kelowna, BC - Western Canadian Music Awards Gala ^
10/28 Brussels, Belgium - Witloof Bar @ Botanique
10/29 London, UK - Barfly
11/1 Paris, France - Flèche d'Or
11/2 Zurich, Switzerland - Ziegel Oh Lac
11/3 Schorndorf, Germany - Manufaktur
11/5 Schaffhausen, Switzerland - TabTab
11/6 Salzburg, Austria - Yeah! Club @ Rockhouse
11/7 Munich, Germany - Atomic Café
11/8 Berlin, Germany - Comet
11/10 Prague, Czech Republic - Matrix Club
11/11 Innsbruck, Austria - Weekender
11/12 Bologna, Italy - Covo
11/13 Roma, Italy - Init @ Parklife Winter Session
11/15 Milano, Italy - Casa 139
11/16 Zagreb, Croatia - K-Set
11/18 Vienna, Austria - Flex
11/19 Aflenz, Austria - Sublime
11/20 Dresden, Germany - Starclub
11/21 Hamburg, Germany - Molotow
11/24 Stockholm, Sweden - Lilla Hotellbaren
11/27 Istanbul, Turkey - Bronx Pi Sahne
11/28 Athens, Greece - Gagarin
11/30 Brighton, UK - Freebutt
12/1 Cambridge, UK - Portland Arms
12/3 Manchester, UK - Sound Control
12/4 Glasgow, UK - Captains Rest
* with Tegan and Sara
^ with Grand Analog
In an email to Exclaim!, bassist Stephen O'Shea wrote, "We're currently demoing six songs that we've written in the last three months. At this point, we haven't talked releases. The plan is to write another six and see where we're at."
As for what the new material sounds like, he explained, "The sonic palette of YSP has been expanded with the addition of Rob [Andow] on synths. There's been a lot more atmosphere in our approach to songwriting."
New drummer Al Boyle has also been instrumental in the band's growth; he frequently collaborated with late drummer Devon Clifford, and according to O'Shea, "Devon used to study Al as they played shows together over the last ten years."
The studio sessions have been revitalizing for the grieving band. O'Shea wrote, "With a rock garden in the back, [the] main street just up the hill and the beach a ten-minute walk away, it's been extremely restoring through the very difficult time of returning to the studio for the first time."
While O'Shea emphasized that no plans have been set in stone, he revealed, "There hasn't been much talk about full-lengths, but instead of seven-inches and possibly an EP. With the band on tour in Europe during Oct/Nov/Dec, I wouldn't expect these to be released until sometime in 2011."
Until then, you may be able to hear You Say Party's new material during live gigs. Prior to heading to Europe, the band will be playing a handful of shows in BC and Alberta, including a collaborative performance with Grand Analog at the Western Canadian Music Awards Gala in Kelowna, BC. For the complete schedule, see below.
Tour dates:
10/20 Kamloops, BC - Pogue Mahone's
10/21 Calgary, AB - Ship and Anchor
10/22 Kelowna, BC - Habitat (BreakOut West)
10/24 Kelowna, BC - Western Canadian Music Awards Gala ^
10/28 Brussels, Belgium - Witloof Bar @ Botanique
10/29 London, UK - Barfly
11/1 Paris, France - Flèche d'Or
11/2 Zurich, Switzerland - Ziegel Oh Lac
11/3 Schorndorf, Germany - Manufaktur
11/5 Schaffhausen, Switzerland - TabTab
11/6 Salzburg, Austria - Yeah! Club @ Rockhouse
11/7 Munich, Germany - Atomic Café
11/8 Berlin, Germany - Comet
11/10 Prague, Czech Republic - Matrix Club
11/11 Innsbruck, Austria - Weekender
11/12 Bologna, Italy - Covo
11/13 Roma, Italy - Init @ Parklife Winter Session
11/15 Milano, Italy - Casa 139
11/16 Zagreb, Croatia - K-Set
11/18 Vienna, Austria - Flex
11/19 Aflenz, Austria - Sublime
11/20 Dresden, Germany - Starclub
11/21 Hamburg, Germany - Molotow
11/24 Stockholm, Sweden - Lilla Hotellbaren
11/27 Istanbul, Turkey - Bronx Pi Sahne
11/28 Athens, Greece - Gagarin
11/30 Brighton, UK - Freebutt
12/1 Cambridge, UK - Portland Arms
12/3 Manchester, UK - Sound Control
12/4 Glasgow, UK - Captains Rest
* with Tegan and Sara
^ with Grand Analog
