Teen Sleuth is a Montreal art rock band. They have become known for their multi-disciplinary performances of their ope-raw Teen Sleuth & the Freed Cyborg Choir, which feature live puppetry, dance, costumes, and video projections-- all illustrating the music. Teen Sleuth also plays shows as a band where footage of these live theatrics is incorporated into their set. After a year of recording/band focus, Teen Sleuth recently reunited with their Freed Cyborg Choir to bring
their ever-evolving ope-raw to Toronto’s centre for creative music: The Musicgallery. It was part of The Musicgallery’s AVANT-POP series and ran two nights.
Teen Sleuth was an official selection for the 2010 edition of Montreal Studio XX’s HTMlles Biennale of Media Art. Digital Culture and Women. Teen Sleuth self-released their debut EP ”Where the Animals Trace the Stars”, as part of the Montreal Fringe Festival 2010. This outdoor, under the stars performance romanced an estimated crowd of 500 with music and video. The EP recently received a four and a half star review from Montreal arts weekly Hour and Teen Sleuth was named band of the week Nov. 26 on rock media guru BP Fallon’s NYC based radio show.
Teen Sleuth had a successful 5 show run of their ope-raw in Pop Montreal 2009, of which their last 2 shows sold out. This led to a well attended, surprise 6th show. During Pop, Teen Sleuth was featured in the Montreal Gazette, on CBC Radio, the Hitlist of the Hour, Nightlife, and was named as one of 10 bands to watch out for by La Presse. Teen Sleuth also had positive reviews in the Concordian and in the Globe & Mail, stating:
”A multimedia, hipster pop- opera may not sound appetizing but it was hard not to be won over by Teen Sleuth and the Freed Cyborg Choir, which ran every evening in a small theatre upstairs on St-Laurent. Equal parts high- school glee club, Andrew Lloyd Webber, eco-feminist honours thesis and Godspeed You Black Emperor!, its projections, puppetry, dance, pageantry and song burst with youthful talent,” (Carl Wilson, The Globe & Mail)
Successfully debuting at the St. Ambroise Montreal Fringe Festival 2009, Teen Sleuth had 6 well received ope-raw shows, garnering them the Frankie Next Stage award from Mainline Theatre. This award is given to a production with exceptional potential. Teen Sleuth was the feature cover story of the Hour during fringe and had positive reviews in the Montreal Gazette, Hour, and Voir.
“Teen Sleuth are nothing if not ambitious, as was made abundantly clear during their fantastical and fun debut at the 2009 Montreal Fringe. What began as a multimedia pop-classical psycho-sensual brain-party performance piece has now evolved into a pop-classical psycho-sensual 13-piece brain-party band. There are tints of pink (Floyd) in the grey matter of the prog-tastic. That Humanoid Is Haunted, which burnsbrighter than an Arcade Fire, and shades of greatness in the epic post-punk, old-soul swing of Pine Tree/Circle Path. At only three songs, the most satisfying 20 minutes you’ll hear this week. Or possibly any other. Very, very impressive” 4.5 stars/5
(Jamie O'Meara, Editor of Hour, Review of “Where the Animals Trace the Stars”, Oct 28, 2010).
“Band of the week” (BP Fallon NYC based radio show, Nov. 26, www.bpfallon.com)
“Teen Sleuth’s debut album, “Where The Animals Trace The Stars” (independent) is not only mind-bendingly original but also terrifically uplifting.” (Carla Gillis, NOW Magazine)
“The music is fantastic” (Pierre Landry, CBC Radio Montreal)
“Catchy pop music. The band’s EP is as eclectic..., songs unexpectedly shifting tempos and timbre in a positively operatic (ope-rawtic) manner.” (Allan Wigney, thewig.ca)
“Mesmerizing” (Pat Donnelly, Montreal Gazette)
This EP is available on ITunes and at Montreal indie record stores (Phonopolis, Cheap Thrills, Atom Heart and l’Oblique. Stay tuned for Teen Sleuth's full length release in 2011!!!