Every once and awhile a sound comes along that is completely different. A sound that produces a feeling of satisfaction, giving off more that a head bopping beat but rather a reminder of where we are from and who are now. Another North is not just another band- they are amazing. They are a piece of home with superior talent and a true love for music and art.
Another North started about six years ago.
“Vince, Aaron and I instantly clicked, so we decided to keep things moving in a new project,” recalled drummer, Brad Wells.
Bassist, Justin Hickey joined the band two years ago following an audition.
“The boys had gone through a couple of bassists but we were really compatible musically. Ever since then we have been continuing to grow as a unit,” explained Hickey.
The name Another North comes from a song Morgan had written before the band had formed. The song is about finding one’s own path in life which was fitting for the members at the time.
“Before Another North formed I had been writing my own songs for awhile, but I had always wanted to hear them in a full-band context,” said guitarist Aaron Morgan. “Many of the older tunes I had in my back pocket became the building blocks for our sound and it was really exciting for me to hear how they changed and evolved with the input of Brad, Vince, and Justin.”
Their new album Nomadic is an example of the band’s eclectic ability. Every time a new track comes on you wonder if the disc was changed. Somehow they manage to hit a variety of sound with each and every song.
“At the end of the day it is not a stretch to define Another North as an alternative band. We’re ok with that, we’re not attempting to avoid ‘genrefication’, but we are presenting a wide palate of songs on Nomadic, and we will continue to do that,” explained vocalist Morgan. “There are songs on the record that are folky pop songs and others that are progressive hard rock. This range is something we have always enjoyed exploring; and this approach will allow us to continue creating music that is fresh for us, and hopefully our listeners.”
Listeners can get their fill from just one album: a sense of joy and emotional upheaval are achieved through “Live like a Bear.” While, “Oh My Electrician” provides a fun-loving, feel-good tune that would have you stomping your feet at the local pub and “Ache and Wish” is a compilation that creates a sense of connection and community simply through one song.
“The thing that makes this band different is that we don’t subject ourselves to playing one style of music, not that there’s anything wrong with that. There are no limitations to our song writing and I think that is what makes us stand out in the crowd,” said Wells.
There is no doubt that Another North is an amazing show, their passion and commitment to the crowd, as well as their art, is obvious in everything they do.
“Our energy and our ability to connect with our audience through our performances is something I think is unique. We want to take our audiences along for the ride every time we perform,” said Hickey.
All four members draw from different inspirations and sources yet they combine together perfectly which allows them to produce so many levels of music.
The tunes are not the only artistic aspect of Nomadic. The insert has two spreads displaying paintings of characters connected to each song. The art concept was developed by the band in conjunction with an artist from Montreal by the name of James Farrell.
“Our idea for the concept was to have a character for each song on the album. We brought the idea to James and he ran with it. After much collaboration the art was tweaked to our specifications, and we ended up with a piece of art that, still to this day, blows my mind,” said the drummer.
Some of the characters are obvious representations of certain songs, while others have a deeper meaning. A raven on the booklet cover represents the song ‘Malthus’. In the image the bird is holding a dream-catcher, which is a direct reference to a lyric from the song : “the dreams that you have stolen.”
Another character, Charles Brand, the man selling rabbits feet, represents the song “You Ain’t Got Mine.” Brand was an American who made a living selling rabbits feet. He started in 1938 and sold over one million feet a year.
“The song is about having something special and unique within yourself; so it was interesting to pair that concept with an individual who sold superstitious wares to people who believed they needed to find that special thing externally,” explained Morgan.
“The art was a great way of bringing more cohesion to a group of varied songs,” continued guitarist Vince Neville.
For more information and a completely unique musical experience please visit the following sites:
https://anothernorth.bandcamp.com/
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