| Woodpigeon | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Calgary, Alberta, Canada |
| Years active | 2005–present |
| Labels | Boompa, End of the Road |
| Website | www.woodpigeon-songbook.com |
| Members | |
| Mark Hamilton Kenna Burima Michael Gratton Annalea Sordi Daren Powell Peter Moersch Foon Yap AJ Benoit |
|
| Past members | |
| Steve Kaye Malcolm Benzie Shawna Kelly Joel Danielson |
|
Woodpigeon are an independent rock band from Calgary, Alberta,[1] consisting of eight core members: Mark Hamilton (vocals, guitar), Kenna Burima (piano, vocals), Michael Gratton (bass), Annalea Sordi (accordion, flute, vocals), Daren Powell (drums), Peter Moersch (electric guitar, vocals), Foon Yap (violin), AJ Benoit (vocals). To date, the band have released three studio albums, and a number of EPs to mild critical acclaim.
When asked about the band's name, Mark Hamilton explains: "I've always been in love with the word Woodpigeon for as long as I can remember. When you write it in cursive, it looks like a rollercoaster".[2]
The band's sound has been compared to Sufjan Stevens, Grizzly Bear, Camera Obscura, Simon & Garfunkel, and Belle & Sebastian, amongst others. Band leader Mark Hamilton's main lyrical influence is The Kinks.[3]
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Woodpigeon's origins are found with primary song-writer Mark Hamilton writing songs in Edinburgh, Scotland. At this time, the band was named Woodpigeon Divided By Antelope Equals Squirrel,[2] and consisted of Hamilton alongside Steve Kaye and Malcolm Benzie (who went on to form Edinburgh slowcore band eagleowl). Hamilton states that he "was far too scared to ever sing, so all we ever played was a couple of stupid instrumentals and our only “performance” was in the streets of Edinburgh."[4] Eventually, Hamilton returned to Canada, and started afresh, with the shortened band name, Woodpigeon. Other band members fell in place, with Hamilton noting that: "the way it came together was simple: friends started hearing my songs and offering their sympathies."[4]
The band's first full-length album, entitled Songbook, was released in late 2006. Following its release, the band opened for Broken Social Scene, Iron and Wine, Grizzly Bear, Calexico and The Dears. With their popularity growing, Woodpigeon toured the UK, Ireland, and Germany in 2008. Most recently, at the beginning of October they performed a pair of "Homecoming" shows in Calgary and Edmonton as an opener for Iron and Wine.[5][6]
The band self-released an album, entitled Treasury Library Canada, in early August 2008, selling all 100 hand-folded copies within a few weeks. The band also re-released their debut album Songbook in the UK on September 29, 2008. Treasury Library Canada was officially released in February 2009.
The band's third album, entitled Die Stadt Muzikanten, was released on January 12, 2010, with Hamilton stating that it is "simultaneously a lot bigger, and a lot smaller. There’s definitely some big surprises on it."[4] The Boompa release of the album was accompanied with a bonus EP titled BALLADEER/to all the guys i've loved before.
In an interview with Xtra! in early 2010, Hamilton spoke in part about how his identity as a gay man influences his songwriting.[7]
In 2011, Hamilton participated in the National Parks Project, collaborating with musicians Laura Barrett and Cadence Weapon and filmmaker Peter Lynch to produce and score a short film about Alberta's Waterton Lakes National Park.