The Charlies

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Charlies is a Canadian band originally formed in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan by vocalist Anthony Brockbank, guitarist Joel Povey and guitarist Matthew Maier. The name derived from a fascinating man they encountered on Thanksgiving.

1 Background Information
- 1.1 Concerts
2 Discography
- 2.1 Singles
3 External links

[edit] Background Information

Their music has been described as "beautiful, eloquent indie pop", characterized by lush instrumentation, nimble production and mixing, narrative lyrics, and soft but nuanced vocals. The band's style has evolved from a raw country sound as heard on "Old Mr. Lang" to more rock-based instrumentation on their last two songs, "Mindset" and "Pirates".

The band's breakthrough single was "The River Song", from their 2006 album I Can See The Music.... While released to minimal fanfare in Saskatoon in May of 2006, I Can See The Music... slowly gained a strong following and critical praise in the weeks to come.

All three band members reside in the Sutherland-Forest Grove area of Saskatoon.

Some of the band's songs, such as "The Beat", "Underage Drinking", and "The Country", have appeared on such movie classics as "The Matrix 2000" and "The Pink Panther: Diamond in the Rough".

On their website, they have much personal information that show insight to the band members lives as well as tour and show dates.

They have cited a wide variety of musical likes and influences ranging from Pink Floyd to Broken Social Scene, citing among others Radiohead, The Arcade Fire, Stars, Dire Straits, The Dears and Neil Young. Other indie artists have been guest collaborators on many of their recording sessions, especially during the early period of the band.

An excerpt from Rolling Stone : " The Charlies started one fateful day in Tito's room. With Jolie on acoustic guitar, the Mattman on piano, and Tito on the djemba, musical fusion was truly born. The boys instantly recognized that this unique bond was something profound and they weren't about to let something so special go to waste. Harnessing their mutual love for music, they agreed to take the band to the next level, and the next six months would prove to be some of the greatest times ever experienced by the band. With a combination of sweaty jam sessions, good hack circles, and refreshing titanics, The Charlies had found the ancient recipe that yields one badass band for the ages. Delving into the inner poet inside each of them, the boys continued to shell out smash hit after smash hit, pushing the boundaries of music further and further. Often using unorthodox musical instruments and techniques, as well as constantly switching up the instrumentation ala musical chairs, the boys set themselves apart from other bands emerging out of the Saskatoon music scene at the time. Labelled as the definitive band, the band realised the pressure placed upon them by their fans as well as their producers. However, once again the boys shocked the world by remaining true to themselves and using their musical gifts to forge their friendship forever. With their unique talents, astounding chemistry, and the relentless drive of their manager Will, The Charlies are a band that are ready to stand the test of time and remain at the top of the charts for years to come."

[edit] Concerts

On March 9th 2007, The Charlies played their first show in front of a crowd of 150 drunk people at Lydia's Pub on Broadway in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Aside from minor problems with a hippie sound guy and Joel Povey's Guitar cutting out during "Havin' A Blast", the show was one for the ages, espescially with the eleven minute long extended version of "The Beat" which prompted the raising of many womens shirts in celebration of what they had just witnessed.