artist The Warped 45s

Rather than inundate everyone with lots of blogs i thought i'd put it all into one list incase you are interested. We'd like to thank everyone who "play-listed" and "Fanned" us here on CbC Radio 3 and of course raised shots of Tequila to the producers and on air hosts who played Pale Horse and Grampa Carl. Here is a roundup of the year end Critics picks and charts for "Matador Sunset" This the year before the end, 2011 . No.192 on the Earshot Top.200 for 2011 and No.10 for Folk/Roots /Blues (Full Charts here)http://www.earshot-online.com/charts/2011/top200.cfm and http://www.earshot-online.com/charts/2011/folk_roots_blues.cfm . Matador Sunset was the lucky 13th most spun album on Galaxie's Folk/Roots station -Here is the Top 30- Galaxie’s Folk-Roots (Canada) channel broadcasts uninterrupted 24/7 and is available from virtually all digital cable providers throughout Canada (over 9 million homes). > > > RANK -- ARTIST -- ALBUM TITLE -- LABEL > > 1 -- Fish & Bird -- Every Whisper is a Shout Across the Void -- Fiddle Head Records > 2 -- Sarah MacDougall -- The Greatest Ones Alive -- Rabbit Heart Music > 3 -- Norma MacDonald -- Morning You Wake -- Paperweight Music > 4 -- Mae Moore -- Folklore -- Poetical License > 5 -- Blackie and the Rodeo Kings -- Kings and Queens -- File Under Music > 6 -- The Good Lovelies -- Let the Rain Fall -- Good Lovelies/Six Shooter > 7 -- Katie Moore -- Montebello -- Purple Cat Records > 8 -- The Deep Dark Woods -- The Place I Left Behind -- Six Shooter/Sugar Hill > 9 -- Suzie Vinnick -- Me 'n' Mabel -- (independent) > 10 -- BettySoo and Doug Cox -- Lie to Me -- Borderline Talent > 11 -- Catherine MacLellan -- Silhouette -- True North > 12 -- Steve Dawson -- Nightshade -- Black Hen Music > 13 -- The Warped 45s -- Matador Sunset -- Pheromone Recordings > 14 -- 100 Mile House -- Hollow Ponds -- Hole In My Shoe Productions > 15 -- Ray Bonneville -- Bad Man's Blood -- Red House > 16 -- David Francey -- Late Edition -- Laker Music > 17 -- Madison Violet -- The Good in Goodbye -- True North > 18 -- Fearing & White -- Fearing & White -- Lowden Proud > 19 -- Trisha Gagnon -- A Story About You And Me -- Jam 'N Music > 20 -- The Laws -- Try Love -- thelaws.ca > 21 -- Ian Tamblyn -- Walking the Bones -- North Track Records > 22 -- The Wailin' Jennys -- Bright Morning Stars -- True North > 23 -- Pharis & Jason Romero -- A Passing Glimpse -- Lula Records > 24 -- Kim Stockwood -- Back to the Water -- TurtleMusic > 25 -- Lynne Hanson -- Once the Sun Goes Down -- lynnehanson.com > 26 -- Bruce Cockburn -- Small Source Of Comfort -- True North > 27 -- Genticorum -- Nagez Rameurs -- Roues et Archets > 28 -- Ken Whiteley -- Another Day's Journey -- Borealis > 29 -- Lynn Miles -- Fall for Beauty -- True North > 30 -- The Once -- Row upon Row of the People They Know -- Borealis We made Bruce Laperre's top 10 List of Albums of the Year in The Winnipeg Free Press. Maybe we should move to WinnipegBruce Leperre: 1. Decemberists, The King is Dead 2. Ryan Adams, Ashes & Fire 3. Deep Dark Woods, The Place I Left Behind 4. Black Keys, El Camino 5. Needtobreathe, The Reckoning 6. Emmylou Harris, Hard Bargain 7. Warped 45s, Matador Sunset 8. Elliott Brood, Days Into Years 9. Miranda Lambert, Four The Record 10. Carmen Townsend, Waitin’ and Seein’ We were Toro Magazines No 2 album of the year-www.toromagazine.com/music/music-reviews/53099b93-3d9f-3314-7901-f0db6f0fa595/Best-Albums-of-2011-/index.html Thanks to Jeff Robson at UMFM in Winnipeg for naming Matador Sunset the Album of the Year and for the very nice explanation of why.ALBUMS OF THE YEAR 1. The Warped 45s: Matador Sunset (Pheromone) *JR 2. Ron Hawkins: Straightjacket Love (self) 3. Matt Andersen: Coal Mining Blues (Busted Flat) 4. Middle Brother: Middle Brother (Partisan) 5. Steve Earle: I’ll Never Get Out of this World Alive (New West) 6. Gurf Morlix: Blaze Foley’s 113th Wet Dream (Rootball) Doug in Austin, Texas included Pale Horse on his best of 2011 broadcast KOOP Blogs - December 30/11 Playlist - Faves of 2011 :: KOOP www.koop.org/blogs/view.article.php?a8573 . Thank You to Kerry Doole for the nod to Matador Sunset for Toronto Roots recording of the year. http://www.dailyxy.com/article/music-2011-the-best-of-toronto/ Thank You Stu Reid for naming Matador Sunset your #5 Album of the year in Winnipeg's Uptown Magazine. Features - Uptown www.uptownmag.com Thanks to Tim Perlich of The Perlich Post for including us in his list of the Top 100 albums of the year. Thanks again and sorry if i missed anyone. Cheers,Dave McEathron

It's always nice to end the month with good news and finding out that we are on the Top 40 album chart for a second straight month makes us say "sweet justice". although down from last months chart position of 26 it is great to know that people are still spinning our album 3 months after it's release. Thanks everyone,Dave

It's been a busy 2 months of touring now and we would like to thank all of the great people we have met along the way for their continued support of our band. Some of those great people also happen to be campus and public radio Dj's who keep promoting our shows and playing tracks off Matador Sunset. Thank you for making Matador Sunset the # 1 album in Canada in campus radio play for the month of July in Folk/Roots /Blues and Number 26 on the Top 40. We are working our way East this weekend please come out and have a drink and say hello, Cheers,Dave

1 1 The Warped 45s Matador Sunset Pheromone 2 3 Blackie And The Rodeo Kings Kings and Queens File Under: Music 3 8 Lindi Ortega Little Red Boots Last Gang 4 6 Emmylou Harris Hard Bargain Nonesuch 5 -- Neil Young International Harvesters: A Treasure Reprise 6 2 One Hundred Dollars Songs of Man Outside 7 9 National Parks Project National Parks Project Last Gang 8 -- David Gogo Soul Bender Cordova Bay 9 5 Mark Davis Eliminate The Toxins Saved By Radio 10 -- K.D. Lang and the Siss Boom Band Sing It Loud Nonesuch re = re-entry to chart

The Take Media REVIEW/PHOTOS The Warped 45s (@thewarped45s) celebrates the release of Matador Sunset with NQ Arbuckle! http://bit.ly/iz7ob0

MUSIC REVIEWS SUBSCRIBESEND TO FRIENDDIGGFACEBOOKTWITTER POSTED BY: Jesse Skinner June 4, 2011 | Comments Bio | More from this contributor t’s less about history, more a day without labour. That’s Dave McEathron of The Warped 45s laying some witticism down in “Victoria Day,” keeping one eye on the past and one on the present, asking if we keep our national holidays around not because of pride, but because we love the free time. It’s also indicative of the band’s place in the ongoing Greater Toronto Area roots music revival; at a time when folk bands are all too eager to evoke the past without understanding it, to pick and choose cliches in lieu of taking chances with their own personalities, these guys do justice to their influences and work hard to keep the flame of respectful tribute burning. Their second full-length Matador Sunset is an instant high-point of the new roots wave, a collection that not only bests their full-length debut 10 Day Poem for Saskatchewan (2009), but just about every other record coming out of their hometown this season. Bright and unpretentious, it is what you might call country-folk music, in the same way The Tragically Hip were a blues-bar band. The surface is all rustic twang and genre debt, but deeper examination reveals a group writing dark, highly literate songs, hardly in tune with the romanticism of their peers. A lot of their success comes from McEathron, who is clearly interested in actual stories and characters, like the cynic of “Victoria Day”, or the put-upon “Blade-Thrower’s Wife.” He asks big questions, like how we responsible we are to other people’s children in “Talk About Evil,” without supplying easy answers. Occasionally, he and fellow songwriter/cousin/guitarist Ryan Wayne McEathron go for straight storytelling, like the ramshackle narrative of “Grampa Carl,” and the upbeat “Live Bait.” While 10 Day Poem divided its songs evenly between genres, going for full-on gospel, country, and modern rock tracks, Matador Sunset wisely pushes these elements together, creating a more cohesive, unique piece of work. As a lead-in to what will likely be a very hot, very extroverted summer, Matador Sunset overflows with back-porch singalong choruses and thoughtful lyricism alike. Album: Matador Sunset Pheromone Records, 42 minutes Rating: 4.5/5 Key Tracks: “Talk About Evil,” “Pale Horse,” “Victoria Day” 0 Comments | Add a Comment

If I live you’re the star of the show June 1st, 2011No comments Canadian culture is an odd thing. In a lot of respects it is as much a mirror of the pervasive American entertainment spectrum we’re inundated by through no fault of our own. But while Canada struggles to create mainstream, popular art in the film and television realms truly Canadian music is a lot easier to come by. You know it when you hear it, whether it’s the punk-tinged story songs of John K. Samson or the choral allegories of Bruce Peninsula or, yes, even the overtures to modern rock radio of The Tragically Hip. That’s a big part of what makes The Warped 45s’ sophomore LP such an unexpected delight for me. I’ve heard great things about their debut, 10 Day Poem for Saskatchewan, but I’ve never managed to find a copy of the damn thing. So when I got an email asking if I’d be interested in giving new record Matador Sunset a listen I jumped at the chance. And boy howdy is it ever Canadian. The easiest shorthand for describing The Warped 45s is probably alt-country, but they see it differently. Their bio suggests “northern gothic,” “back porch of the apocalypse,” or “alt-country noir.” They’re a little more country than The Wheat Pool, a little more rock (at times) than Elliott Brood. But they also don’t pigeon hole themselves, at times fully embracing either or all sides of that spectrum. Matador Sunset gets its hooks, both Can-con wise and musically, into the listener right from the get-go. A pure example of the band’s storytelling, “Pale Horse” paints a picture as stark as a Saskatchewan sunset, describing in vivid detail the visage of a stallion galloping out of a burning forest against the backdrop of a golden sunset. The band backs it up with some honky-tonk piano, loping bass, and lap steel guitar, a taste of the more country side of their particular brand of alt-country. This song is an antiquated oil painting flecked with specks of wind-blown dust, slapped together on a dirty canvas on a sun-baked porch in a Louis L’amour novel. But with, uh, words and music and stuff. The story-song gets a lot of play on this record, in fact. “Grampa Carl” is a detailed account of Ryan McEathron’s great grandfather, who was a rum runner who traveled across the border via Lake Eerie and the Detroit River during prohibition. The song chronicles the sudden rush of wealth he experienced after the beginning of those dark, dry days in the U.S. and the bad deal that eventually sent him home penniless. It’s a superbly-written tale that is backed up by a stellar, muscular rock guitar riff that carries the band into a meaty bridge that will no doubt be an overpowering moment on a live stage. There are splashes of genuine rock throughout the album, including the 50’s-era stomp of “Grime of Earthly Glow” (which features gospel-ish backing vocals and an energetic rhythm that would work equally as well for spiritual cousins The United Steel Workers Of Montreal) and “Live Bait,” an apparent long-time live favourite that found its home on this more upbeat album. It’s a lively number that seems like it would have had to come out of the west, not Ontario. The following track shows what happens when the rock edge wears off as the group gets downright old-timey on “Talk About Evil,” a fiddle-laden colonial-era country vibe that could practically give you the vapours. The intriguing musical mix might most readily bring to mind the band’s American contemporaries in Okkervil River, another band that has crossed and melded together many different genre lines over the course of their six LPs and numerous EPs and singles. The two diverge in that Okkervil saw a fairly gradual progression from the heavier country influence of their first record through to the rock/folk meld of Black Sheep Boy and beyond to the more typically-structured pop and rock of The Stand-Ins and The Stage Names. This is only the second album from the 45s but the mandolin-heavy tracks here are very reminiscent of Okkervil’s first effort. The outlaw country vibe on “Grampa Carl” and “Hurdle River Crossing” bring “Westfall”’s dark brilliance to mind while tracks like “Widow’s Well” and “The Blade Thrower’s Wife” (an incredible number about a woman who puts everything on the line night after night only to have someone else win the praise and applause) have the deft story-song element that makes so much of Okkervil River’s work (”A Stone” or “Okkervil River Song” are some of my favourite examples) so intensely evocative. And if were talking Canadian how about “Victoria Day,” a song that openly questions the need for continued celebration and/or recognition of the monarchy. The McEathrons sing, “It’s less about history than a day without labour” and insist that if we’re honouring history we should go back to before colonies and queens and borders and do it right, honour Canada and not the antiquated forbears that spurred its creation. Matador Sunset is a real accomplishment, especially for such a young group. Their alt-country sound covers enough territory to put them alongside Okkervil River, Drive-By Truckers, The Wheat Pool, United Steel Workers Of Montreal, Elliott Brood, and others but their detailed tales of pale, riderless horses, regretless rum runners, buffalo jumps, and mysterious river deaths will continue to set them apart.

THE WARPED 45s Matador Sunset (Pheromone/MapleMusic) ON their second release, Toronto's Warped 45s prove their exceptional debut was no fluke. With Elliot Brood producer John Critchley in charge again, the band employs banjo, pedal steel, violin, piano, mandolin and the usual instrumental suspects to weave their graphic imagery, something that's understandably been labelled "Northern Gothic" or "Alt-Country Noir." While the title track likens touring to "hard charging the red cape of a matador sunset," Hurdle River Crossing and Grandpa Carl are captivating exercises in epic yarn spinning. Grime of Earthly Glory and Talk About Evil are washed in the blood of both R&B and traditional country lambs respectively. Live Bait is a hard rockin' guitar-fuelled singalong that will reel you in. Victoria Day is an enchanting reflection on transformation. If your bookshelf holds Cormac McCarthy or Faulkner and your CD racks are home to The Decemberists, Blue Rodeo and the Drive-By Truckers, you need the Warped 45s. 'Ö'Ö'Ö'Ö1/2 -- Bruce Leperre

The Warped 45s — Matador Sunset By Scott Bryson (CHARTattack) May 31, 2011 12:12 pm MUSIC REVIEW ALBUM: Matador Sunset LABEL: Pheromone/Maple RATING: 4.5 / 5 Song titles like "Pale Horse" and "Talk About Evil" lend credence to The Warped 45s' claims that the style of their music is "northern gothic" or "back porch of the apocalypse," but this sophomore album is far too sonically joyous for that label to stick for long. The Warped 45s aren't fooling anyone; either they're happy about the end of the world, or they don't actually believe it's coming. The Toronto quintet have significantly upped their game since their 10 Day Poem For Saskatchewan debut. Even Matador Sunset's obvious weak link — "Grampa Carl," a spoken-word harangue about a band member's great grandfather that doubles as an electric guitar-strewn tribute to Al Capone — succeeds despite its devil-may-care arrangement. There's a little more Weakerthans and Attack In Black in The Warped 45s than there was before. They're comfortably moving at a faster pace on this one, and also demonstrate a preference for filled-out soundscapes over contemplative simplicity. Matador Sunset is more lyrically engaging than 10 Day Poem For Saskatchewan, and the melodies are more consistently catchy. "Grime Of Earthly Glory" is a Jon Rae And The River-esque sinner-be-healed stomper. "Victoria Day"— the album's one definitive stab at Canadiana ("Let's hear it for the monarchy!") — could be confused for a Tragically Hip song. The unlikely linchpin of this collection is "Live Bait" — a literal, rough-and-tumble singalong about a dude that sells worms. Matador Sunset is modern roots-rock done right.

By Kerry Doole Toronto, ON's the Warped 45s burst onto the scene in 2009 with full-length debut 10 Day Poem for Saskatchewan, which instantly catapulted them into the top ranks of Canadian roots-rockers. It actually merited greater exposure ― an oversight hopefully rectified this time out. The band again recruited John Critchley (13 Engines, Dan Mangan) to produce and engineer, and he does a masterful job. The quintet already have a full-blooded, harmony-laden sound, one added to via guest appearances from the likes of Casey Laforet (Elliott Brood), Joshua Cockerill and Jaron Freeman-Fox. Samantha Martin and Annelise Noronha add vocals to the gospel-inflected "Grime of Earthly Glory," while a full cast of backing singers add to the raucous feel of "Live Bait," a show favourite. Guitarist/vocalist Dave McEathron contributes nine of the 11 songs, though it's a tune by cousin Ryan Wayne McEathron that's generating early buzz. "Grampa Carl" is the true story of his Prohibition, rum-running great-gramp, and its theme and infectious energy make it a Canuck equivalent to Steve Earle's "Copperhead Road." Another highlight is the title track, which showcases Dave McEathron as one of our most evocative lyricists. For proof, how about "hectares of hay bales like curlers in an old woman's hair"? No song here is quite as transcendent and gorgeous as "Radio Sky," from the first album, though many come close. The consistent strength of Matador Sunset confirms the Warped 45s as the real deal. Was it deliberate to make this a more up-tempo record? Guitarist/singer Dave McEathron: Any part of a writing process is part conscious, part subconscious; it is more up-tempo than when we started recording. We actually recorded 14 songs and trimmed down to 11. Those we cut were slower, singer-songwriter-type songs. We have been playing a lot of shows and I think the adrenaline gets going. You start writing songs for the environment you're in. If we went and recorded Saskatchewan now, it would all be a third faster. Grampa Carl" is already a fan favourite. What led you to that song? Guitarist/singer Ryan Wayne McEathron: Growing up, I was always intrigued by great Canadian stories, especially the ones closest to home. Carl Kennedy was my great grandfather on my mother's side and I used to love the stories told to me about his adventurous lifestyle. When I started writing it, I went back to my relatives for information in order to give it accuracy. Most were quite supportive and helpful. My grandmother actually gave me some books about Ontario's involvement in running booze into the U.S. Do you bring songs in fully formed? Dave: Ryan and I are bringing songs in earlier now. There is a trust there; it is getting more integrated. There are so many more options now with so many different voices. We all sing more harmonies now than we did in the beginning; we play more instruments than we did before. A big difference in the sound of this album is that Ryan got a lap steel. I think everyone has more confidence now in what they can do. Writing is a very solitary thing. You bring a song or ideas into the band then Hamal [Finn Roye] will come back with a drum part and you go, "wow," and that gives you the energy to finish it and come up with new ideas. Excited about the impending release of the album? Dave: Yes, very excited. I started getting feedback on the album in the last couple of week and then I felt relief. About two days after the last album came out, people were going, "you realise you have to follow this one up?" I was incredibly conscious of that, as the principal songwriter. With all the touring we did, we knew we didn't have a lot of time for writing. We did it really fast this time, compared to the one before. The turnaround between albums has been pretty fast. Dave: It was September '09 for the release of the last one. It felt fast, but we didn't want to wait; we don't see any real benefit to waiting. We said all along that we hoped to have an album out every two years, or just whenever we felt we had enough songs. By the time we did pre-production, we felt confident we could go ahead. Ryan: Momentum is certainly important. As a band, we are constantly setting attainable goals and pushing towards them. Albums are a big part of this process. Bands today earn a career through a catalogue of strong music and rigorous touring. Having multiple songwriters in the band means that we are able to choose from a wider variety of songs when it comes time to recording an album. Hopefully this means we will also be able to record more often. Are they all new songs? Dave: Some of them were re-written for the band. A couple of songs were from a group of songs I had called "Back Porch of the Apocalypse." An idea I was going to work on for a solo project, but I gave up that solo thing. A couple made it on the last album as well: "Radio Sky" and "Why Have You Passed Me By Grim Reaper." It was something I rather abandoned, but then I substantially rewrote some others: "Pale Horse" and "Widows' Well." The longest one we had a band was "Live Bait." Obviously, 10 Day Poem for Saskatchewan wasn't as up-tempo as this album. That song always went over great live, but we were never sure how we could capture that; it would have stood out like a sore thumb on that album, I believe. It is still on the harder edge of anything we do, but I hope it fits. Do you come up with imagery and stories first then build a song around that? Dave: I think that is it. I used to have more, and different, ways of coming up with songs. I'd read books about musicians or authors and find their tricks for breaking out of slumps or staying inspired. I'd try them all. Like Leonard Cohen writes a novel to get four verses. I read that Bob Dylan had that phase where it'd have to be written in one sitting. That got your subconscious working. Way back in high school, I read that Jim Morrison had a notebook with him at all times, so I immediately started carrying a diary. I think that was grade ten. I still just about always carry a writing notebook. I tend to write a lot of lyrics then go back over them and find the lines that hopefully have some meaning to me, or double or triple meanings. I like to get enough lyrics to know where I'm going then get music that fits the mood. With that as a base, I try to keep moving forward. That is the way they tend to go now and I tend to write songs over longer periods. Some take three or four years. With "Matador Sunset," I wrote every day. I filled a 200-page writing book to get the five or six verses of that song. Are you pleased when your lyrics draw attention? Dave: It is satisfying, to me. There'll be a lot of people in the music industry who say, "lyrics don't matter; it is whatever sticks in someone's head for ten seconds. Music is disposable, just wallpaper." I have never felt that way. I've always thought it should be a bit more. At the same time, I have friends who are poets and they only have rhyme and structure to work with. I feel like I have a huge advantage by being able to set a mood and jump time and place with the wider power of music, and then with our band being able to spread it out even more. It is very gratifying when people sing my lyrics back to me, even when they're wrong! I still know a song has to have melody, energy, a dynamic and a good beat or I'd be playing solo still, writing ten-minute songs. What fuels your songwriting, Ryan? Ryan: I am very intrigued and inspired by the tales of those around me. I was fortunate to grow up around many storytellers: war vets, truck drivers, union men, musicians and joke tellers never quite able to decipher the difference between reality and fiction. That blurry in-between zone is what excites me the most. The uncertain truth is the beauty of a great story. Do you think all the touring since the first record has strengthened you as a band? Ryan: Absolutely. Touring gives you a focused opportunity to work on your weaknesses and hone your strengths, both individually and as a group, while learning to adapt to different settings and being fortunate enough to learn from other great artists along the way. The opportunity for five ordinary guys to get to experience such extraordinary adventures is a blessing. The fact that we get to play music along the way really is something.

 

Here's a NEW SONG just for this long weekend. "Victoria Day" from the new album Matador Sunset , released May 31-->The Warped 45s - Victoria Day

We love Alan Cross and not just because he has picked another of our songs for extra attention (Radio Sky was on songs you have to hear on CFNY the Edge and Explore music) But because we have listened to his shows and the ongoing history of new music for years. Thanks Again. You can get it here or listen on CBC Radio3 .ExploreMusic The Daily Download for Tuesday, May 10, 2011: The Warped 45s and “Grampa Carl” http://ow.ly/1cAnVN

We would like to thank CHARTattack for making "Grampa Carl" song of the day for April 25, 2011. This is truly AWESOME!!

To check out what else they had to say about the song visit them HERE

We've also just added the song to our CBC Radio 3 page too!

By Alex Hudson

Last year, Toronto, ON's the Warped 45s announced plans to record at Green Door Studios with John Critchley, the producer behind albums by the likes of Dan Mangan and Elliott Brood. The band have come out of these sessions with a new album, Matador Sunset, which will be coming out on May 31 via Pheromone.

Read the full article HERE

A couple weeks ago it was brought to our attention that we were nominated for a CBC Radio 3 Bucky Award (BEST NEW BAND NAME).

After weeks of voting and with a call out to all our fans, friends and family, we've made the shortlist!! We're honored to be chosen for the shortlist and hope we can make another plea to see if we can get enough votes to win this thing!

You can VOTE for us (once per day) HERE

 

Last year during our first west coast tour of Canada, we were lucky enough to invite our good friend Brent Orr to capture the trip. Brent is a seasoned TV/film editor who was excited at the opportunity to create a documentary using our west coast tour as the backdrop.

Well after months of capturing footage and editing his masterpiece, the documentary is just about finished....and it kicks ass too!! It's funny and honest and will definitely let you know who we are and what we are all about! We are hoping to unveil it soon so check back regularly for updates!

In the meantime here's a excerpt from the documentary. We performed "Trestle For a Train" in Canmore, Alberta Canada on an old bridge overlooking the amazing mountain backdrop (snow blocked the mountain view during filming....stupid snow!!!).

It was a lot of fun to shoot and we met a LOT of interesting characters while we were there playing...and boy did it get COLD and snowy that day!!

For the past year Hamal, our drummer has been filming everything and anything relating to the Warped 45s in hopes of someday putting together video blogs ("vlogs" for you media savvy people).

He's finally gotten off his drum throne and after hours of capturing and editing footage he's put together the first installment in a series of vlogs.

We now present to you The Warped 45s Video Blog Episode # 1

(Note: This is proof that we are a bunch of fun loving goofy guys that love a good laugh...even if it's at our expense!)

 

A special thank you goes out to Amanda Putz for picking "10 Day Poem For Saskatchewan" as the song of the day for July 20, 2010 on CBC Radio 3

I'm about to embark on my own 10 Day Poem for Saskatchewan. Saturday morning, at 4 a.m. MT, which is what the S'katch is on right now, I hop a plane for my hometown, Regina.

My parents have sold the house I grew up in and I'm going to say good-bye.

It's the last hurrah before they move to Vernon, British Columbia in August.If you've ever had to say good-bye to your family home, you'll feel my pain. From here on in when I go back to the city I grew up in, my home won't be there anymore. I will have a place to stay at my sister's or my grandparents', but it's not quite the same as the familiarity of a place you've known for 30 years. Thankfully this place they've built in Vernon is pretty frickin' awesome, but I think I will feel like a guest there.I guess it's one more tether come unbound to my beloved province.

This tune's fluttery mandolin mimic the way my heart's going to feel when I say good-bye to my family home next week. So, I take The Warped 45s words and music and dedicate it to the bricks & mortar of Wells Bay.

...and with it bid adieu to the coolest phone number anyone could have: 543-YOYO! -Amanda Putz

"The Warped 45's were on our "must see" list this festival not only because here at Toronto Music Scene we have developed in unmatched love for alt-country, but also because they're just THAT good. Their sound can be described as cottage country indie, with its rolling vocals, transient guitars and penchant for solid rock. " - Sheena Lyonnais and TJ Liebgott

Special Thanks to TJ Liebgott and Sheena Lyonnais for the awesome review of our NXNE showcase at The El Mocambo. You can see the rest of the review HERE

The van is all packed, GPS updated and our itinerary double checked. In a couple hours time will will be embarking on our second Canadian West Coast Tour. We can't wait to get started!!

Check out the dates below to see when and where we'll be playing during the tour. We hope to see and party with you all! We'll be making regular updates regarding the tour (Showtimes/Pics/Vlogs) so keep a lookout for that.

 

 

 

"For Canada’s largest and most populous urban area, Toronto sure has a lot of roots-rock bands, and they all try to sound like they just trekked in from north of nowhere. Most of them have crossed over our TORO radar at one time or another, but none is quite as brilliant and critically inscrutable as The Warped 45s."

Ryan and Dave had the opportunity to hang out with Jesse Skinner and be interviewed for NXNE. To see the rest of the interview click HERE

To help acquaint you with the multitude of acts playing North by Northeast Festival (June 14-20), The Ampersand has invited this year’s acts to write up a personal ad, in hopes of courting a few new fans, or reigniting an old flame:

To read what we wrote for our NXNE personal ad click the link below

 

"When people hear The Warped 45s, they hear a solid group of roots rockers that bring it every time they hit the stage and it’s that road warrior mentality has helped them fine tune a collection of songs that every roots fan should have on their shelf."

We would like to once again thank Bryan Acker for his continuous support of 10 Day Poem For Saskatchewan since its release.

5) The Warped 45s – 10 Day Poem for Saskatchewan

Over the last two weeks, The Warped 45s have been in and out of my Top 5 quite a few times in the last couple of weeks. Not because the record has lost any impact over the countless listens I’ve given it; in fact, it holds up better than I could have imagined and that staying power is why it beat out The Sadies, Yukon Blonde, The Besnard Lakes, The Barr Brothers (a record whose only crime is the fact I’ve had it for only a week or two and haven’t been able to absorb every nuance) and ultimately an artist I was smitten with and assumed would make the final cut, Bahamas and his Pink Strat.

But at the end of the day, the honest feel I take from Warped 45s release helped it win out. These TO transplants play each note with love; the love of playing music with your friends without the fear and pressure of hoping anyone else will “get it.” When people hear The Warped 45s, they hear a solid group of roots rockers that bring it every time they hit the stage and it’s that road warrior mentality has helped them fine tune a collection of songs that every roots fan should have on their shelf. “Let my headstone be my favorite jukebox, loaded with the songs of my friends.” Bryan Acker- Herohill.

To see the rest of Herohill's Polaris Music Prize Picks click HERE

We're honored to play Guelph, Ontario’s quite fabulous 2010 HILLSIDE FESTIVAL. Hillside is a long time fave summer destination for music lovers from Southern Ontario and beyond. Always held in late July this year Hillside runs from July 23 to July 25.

The schedule is highly diverse and eclectic, presenting a virtual musical smorgasbord of entertainment.

Tickets go on sale May 1 and will go fast!

Here's the lineup for the 2010 Hillside Festival so far:

The Acorn

Matt Anderson

The Beauties

Brasstronaut Basia Bulat

Calexico

The Canned Goods

Jason Collett

Digging Roots

Carlos Del Juno

Stephen Fearing

Flash Lightnin'

Frazey Ford

Good Lovelies

Gord Downie And The Country Of Miracles

Sarah Harmer

The Hidden Cameras

The Horse Feathers

Japandroids

Lee Harvey Osmond

Los Lobos

Corb Lund

Harry Manx

Minotaurs

Finley Quaye

Shad

The Skeletones Four

Tannis Slimmon

Stars

The Warped 45s

The Wooden Sky

Young Rival

Yukon Blonde

Zeus

Seeing them perform live was a real highlight for me, and something I recommend to everyone. Watching them at Moon Over Marin, I actually got to thinking about how good they all are together, and how I would believe it if told they were all cousins - they’re so good with one another, so in sync, that it would be easy to believe they were all family.

A few weeks ago, while playing a show in London, ON we had the opportunity to meet a writer by the name of Bobby Foley. He is an avid music fan and writer for Fanshawe College's Interrobang. He wanted an interview and we were more than willing to accommodate him. We sat down for a in-depth interview and talked about a few things we've never really had the opportunity to discuss before in an interview.

You can check out Bobby's column HERE

2010 is Shaping up to be a very good year for us. We're extremely appreciative for the acclaim the album has been receiving so far. The newest review is from Spill Magazine. A special thank you to Andre Skinner.

10 Day Poem for Saskatchewan is a solid start for The Warped 45s, who seem to have come out of left field and are now really making an impression. Extreme attention to detail is apparent on what looks to be a future classic Canadian alt-country album.

You can check out the rest of the review HERE

We would like to extend a special thank you to Shain Shapiro for the cover story on yours truly in this week's edition of View Magazine.

"One of Canada’s strongest musical markets, both domestically and internationally, is alternative country, or what has been labeled “Canadiana”. With a history that rivals any country – featuring the likes of Gordon Lightfoot, Joni Mitchell and Ian Thomas – a generation of new bands have taken the influences of old to heart, and created a community of roots music that consistently churns out unique and original material. So, without further ado, here’s an introduction to Canada’s next great export, Toronto’s Warped 45s. The quintent, obvious phonophiles and well aware of the history of the music they are appropriating, have created a well–worn tribute to the past, while offering sonic suggestions of what the genre is going to sound like in the future.Though their debut full–length, titled 10 Day Poem For Saskatchewan, The Warped 45s have a distinctly Canadiana release on their hands, complete with alcoholic ballads, tales of travel and of course, a provincial shout–out to round it all off."

To check out the entire feature story click HERE

(Cue Space odyssey Theme Music) 

The time has come to premiere one of the most searched, talked about events of the past decade. No it's not about Tiger Woods or any of his exploits, it's much bigger than even that! ...yes that's right we are talking about the premiere of our first music video for "Radio Sky" which, was directed by Vincent Scotti.

During the summer we had the opportunity to film a music video for "Radio Sky" while we were on our east coast tour. With the help of our friends Vincent Scotti and Graham Ford, we set out to create a masterpiece of epic proportions and completed the task flawlessly! 

This weekend we will be premiering the video on Sugartune so you can experience the euphoria we've felt ever since we saw it for the first time. So spread the word and euphoria and tell everyone you know about the music video!!

"This roots rock/alt-country band hail from Ontario and can claim many others as influences. Tom Petty, Neil Young, Wilco, Blue Rodeo, The Band and Merle Haggard to name but a few. These guys ooze harmonies, multiple voices and a very instant and accessible sound. Opening with the title track, things get better and better, and the opener is one of the best on the album."

 

We would like to thank Phil Edwards from Americana Uk for the great review of 10 Day Poem For Saskatchewan. Finding out that there are folks outside of North America that truly enjoy our music is a fantastic feeling. It's great that we have fans overseas and we hope to tour there someday soon.

In the meantime, if you want to check out the great review click to link below

Americana UK - The Warped 45s 10 Day Poem For Saskatchewan

 

 

We would like to extend a great big thank you to Jason Schneider and all the critics/writers for including us in their year end list. It was an honor to be included with such a fine group of artists.

From the opening sweep of the title track, this Toronto band's full-length debut immediately conjured up the rustic charms of great Canadian bands such as the Rheostatics and the Skydiggers.

You can check out this years list by following the link below Exclaim! Wood Wires & Whiskey: Year in Review

 

If you happen to be near a newsstand or bookstore, check out the November issue of ELLE Canada. We were fortunate to be featured as one of the Top 3 Cd's under ELLE's Radar. We would like to thank Mary Dickie for the nice review.

The Warped 45s' 10 Day Poem For Saskatchewan

  (Pheromone Recordings/Fontana North Distribution)

The McEathron cousins were raised in Oshawa and Algonquin Park, Ont., and their melodic country-rock sound, embellished by fiddle, banjo and piano, evokes the likes of Wilco, The Tragically Hip and early Van Morrison.

 

We are excited to announce that we will be playing with Elliott Brood (who were on the shortlist for this year's Polaris Prize) on October 30th at The Opera House. Also joining in on the fun are our good friends The Beauties.

This is one concert you don't want to miss!!!

Special thank you to Jason Schneider for the nice review of our debut album in Exclaim!

You can check out the review by following the link below

Exclaim! Recently Reviewed: The Warped 45s -10 Day poem for Saskatchewan

 

Ryan Wayne McEathron from the Toronto band The Warped 45s brings you stories from the life of a Canadian indie band making their first full-length album and searching for the ever-elusive record deal.

You can check it out at the National Post link below

The Warped 45s: The release - The Ampersand

Special Thanks to Benjamin Boles of NOW Magzine for his review of our new album and for naming us Disc of the Week!

To check out the review, visit the link below

NOW Magazine // Music // Warped 45s.

We would like to thank Chris Bilton for the feature in the August 20th edition of EYE WEEKLY

 

you can check out the interview at the link below

EYE WEEKLY Interview: The Warped 45s

 

We would like to thank Kerry Doole for the nice feature in Exclaim!

You can check out the story by following the link below

Exclaim News: Toronto Roots Rockers the Warped 45s Prep Debut Full-Length After Winning Over $10,000 in Cash and Prizes.

Over the next several weeks our very own Ryan Wayne McEathron will be sharing some stories from the life of a Canadian indie band making their first full-length album and searching for the ever-elusive record deal.

You can check it out at the National Post link below

The Warped 45s: Lobster omelets and the myth of the self cleaning suit - The Ampersand

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Over the next several weeks our very own Ryan Wayne McEathron will be sharing some stories from the life of a Canadian indie band making their first full-length album and searching for the ever-elusive record deal.

You can check it out at the National Post link below

The Warped 45s: Good news and new shoes - The Ampersand

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A special THANK YOU to Bryan Acker of Herohill for his review of our debut album "10 Day Poem For Saskatchewan" The album will be available everywhere Sept 1st.

You can check out the review at the link below

Herohill- Reviews:: The Warped 45's 10 Day Poem For Saskatchewan

The Rogers Fan Choice Award
—and its $10,000 prize—
won by Toronto roots-rockers
The Warped 45s

 
NXNE concert goers and music lovers have spoken, and The Warped 45s have come out on top to claim The Rogers Fan Choice Award.  Fans were
encouraged to vote for the best NXNE performer by texting in their favourite
Canadian artist or band’s name.  

The Warped 45s played to a packed house as part of NXNE on Saturday, June 20 at the Dakota Tavern.  This campfire concert inspired new and old fans to stomp along and vote.  The grand prize, which includes $10,000 cash, a brand new Gibson guitar and a pair of Chucks for each of the guys courtesy of Converse, comes just in time for The Warped 45s, as they tour their twisted country twang across Eastern Canada in July, and release an album, 10 Day Poem For Saskatchewan, in August.



Over the next few weeks our very own Ryan Wayne McEathron will be sharing some stories from the life of a Canadian indie band making their first full-length album and searching for the ever-elusive record deal.

You can check it out at the National Post link below

The Warped 45s: Bushes, beaches and sinus infections - The Ampersand

 

The Warped 45s would like to thank Jennifer Good & Jess Watt of CBC's "The Hour" Music Blog for the review of our Canadian Music Week peformance March 12, at the Silver Dollar."Then we rolled over to the Silver Dollar for a very refreshing surprise that goes by the name of Warped 45's. These unassuming, nice country boys in jeans and T's brought us back classic rock of the Tom Petty, Neil Young variety. Solid melodies and solid lyrics, remember when that's what good music was? They remind me of cottage nights in the woods around the campfire in Northern Ontario. This is the music of genuine heart and soul, at times they sounded like a happy Tom Waits, if that is possible. These guys are great musicians, I will be back for them."

The tiny “final issue” notice on the cover of country bible No Depression magazine’s May-June issue is further evidence that the twang trend is all but over. The writing was on the wall three years ago, when Gary Louris gave notice that the Jayhawks were finished and the only peo­ple surprised were those who had no idea the Minneapolis flagship group was still together.

Of course, country rock won’t go quietly. It will still be played and enjoyed in cities all across North America, particularly here in To­ron­to, just as it was in the years be­fore trucker caps were a fashion state­ment.

So while it may seem like a bad career move to release a new record inspired by the Gram Parsons-period Flying Burrito Brothers and the Band, the Warped 45s have gone and done it anyway. Not that singer/guitarist Ryan Wayne and his co-writer-cousin Dave McEathron are natural-born contrarians. They’re simply playing what comes natural­ly, having grown up in a family filled with strum-happy folkies.

“My dad and my uncle lived side-by-side with five sisters in the Algonquin Park area, and from the time we were little kids, Dave and I would sit around listening to their jam sessions and all the records they’d play,” Ryan says. “If you’re only ever hearing stuff by artists like John Prine and Townes Van Zandt, that becomes the standard. I just figured everyone wrote like that when I began writing songs as a kid.”

The warm reception the Warped 45s have been receiving, from club audiences to programmers at CBC Ra­dio 3 and Radio One to musicians on the local scene, has been very advantageous. Andrew Penner of the Sun Parlor Players adds vocals and lap steel sweetening to Why Have You Passed Me By Grim Reaper, the standout track on their self-titled six-song EP, which was produced by John Critchley of 13 Engines notoriety.

“Working with John was amazing. It was just like having him as a member of the group. He was very serious about getting everything to sound right. John likes to get a live feel in the studio by putting down solid bass and drum tracks and building from there, which worked for us because we were after a rawer sound… kinda like the feel of one of the Band’s early albums.”

With two prolific songwriters in the group, there’s no shortage of Warped 45s material (they’ve got three albums’ worth of new tunes ready to go), so they’re heading back into the studio in August.

“We’re still trying to decide whe­­ther we should do another EP or an album, and that’s got to do with money, or I should say lack of money.

“This band can make a lot of records for years to come. We’ll be here for a while.”

THE WARPED 45S The Warped 45s (Independent)

Toronto-based cousins, singers and multi-instrumentalists Ryan Wayne and Dave McEathron have both recorded as solo artists, but now join with Holy Microphone bassist Mark Gabriel, Flophouse keyboardist Kevin Hewitt and drummer/singer Hamal "Silky" Finn Roye as The Warped 45s. This six-song EP was produced by John Critchley (13 Engines, Elliott Brood) at his Green Door Studios, and its sound hits some familiar touchstones. The harmonies and southern gothic element of opener "Why Have You Passed Me By Grim Reaper" are reminiscent of The Band, you can hear Van Morrison in the somewhat somber "Radio Sky," and there's a Neil Young influence in "(Bring On That) New Depression." "I've Been Around," an up-tempo, melodic roots-pop number, is the disc's best track. There are rockier guitars on "Turners Alley," while things end on a mellower note with "Saint Christopher." There's promise here, and a lot more songs are apparently waiting in the wings, so keep an eye out for the next record. Steve McLean

The Warped 45s
By Kerry Doole

The cool name hints at a garage rock but this new Toronto outfit have a roots rock sound. A damn pleasing one too. The line-up includes Mark Gabriel (of the fine Holy Microphone) and cousins Ryan Wayne and Dave McEathron, and it's immediately obvious that these cats are no novices.

They cover way more terrain on these six songs than most groups do over a whole album. The disc kicks off with the full-blooded country gospel feel of "Why Have You Passed Me By, Grim Reaper." It's a bit evocative of the Band, as is the mandolin and piano-driven "Radio Sky," a lovely song with the following killer lyric: "Let my headstone be my favourite jukebox loaded with the songs of my friends." "Turners Alley" has a Counting Crows meets the Thrills feel, while "(bring on that) New Depression" features the strongest vocal performance. Different lead vocalists add to the dynamic range, as do cameos from Andrew Penner (Sunparlour Players) and Annelise Noronha. Keeping all the elements nicely on track is producer John Critchley (13 Engines). On the rollicking "I've Been Around," the Warped 45s sing, "Until I write a good song, this'll have to do," but they lied. They've come up with six winners here, and we want more. (Independent)