The Populars

THE POPULARS carry the torch of great power-trios passed on by THE POLICE, NOMEANSNO, HUSKER DU, THE JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE, ETC...

Now, 3 years since parting ways with seminal roots-rocker MIKE PLUME, THE POPULARS mark the first chapter of a story too strange to believe with the release of the vindicator LP,

From living in Nashville-touringNorth America andEurope constantly, to having only a van and the conviction to continue as career musicians, THE POPULARS moved toPrescott,ON. A quiet small town on the shore of theSt. Lawrence River. Back to their homeland with a back yard view of the dream they had to leave behind. In an area historically known forCanada's great battles for independence, the band prepared to make their stand-as their own nation under their own flag.

Produced by Thomas Ryder Payne, the vindicator LP is the record THE POPS have dreamed of making since childhood. The album blends the many influences of the band in a way that one could expect from only THE POPULARS. A rock album like no other- the vindicator LP, sounds as sci-fi as it does lo-fi. Drenched in furious guitar, spine-tingling feedback, synth pads and digital noise, the album is inexplicably riddled with hooks and melody-and showcases a young band full of veterans. Three career musicians defining and refining their talents and sound.

A true record of the three years spent in Prescott, the vindicator LP was recorded primarily in the basement of THE POPS' house. In a spasm of creativity, THE POPS defined their band, their sound and their lives in a 12 song volume.

The record starts with an invitation to the complacent that dare to believe otherwise – “Hurry Up and Die”. "We made a throw-down record", says drummer Ernie Basiliadis, "'Hurry Up' is a call to arms. We felt that we made a real statement with the vindicator LP, and there was no better way to start the album". From the moment the track starts-and until it's blazing finish-THE POPS intent is clear. Musical revolution. To burn down the house that rock built, and rebuild with fresh intensity, raw emotion and pure passion and commitment. "We had the chance to do something really big, to clear the air in what we consider a tepid artistic climate. With the vindicator LP, we know we have succeeded".

The album's torrid pace continues with "Always Without". Years of frustration and longing wrapped in a 2 minute venting, 'Always' showcases Lead Singer/ Guitarist Dave Klym's wit and cynicism. "Nothing to hate, I can hardly wait till it's over. Always without the things you mean to me- the world to me means nothing at all". The inferno builds with "Megalove", which the legendary Nick Blagona- who mastered the album- lovingly dubbed 'Heavy-Metal Duran Duran', and "These Days", a Clash-inspired ode to impatience and expectation. "It's not so much about being bored," opines Bassist/Vocalist Meck Myers, "It's about the promise of better things and the road getting there".

One of the many hallmarks of the vindicator LP, is its diversity of style and shifting mood. From the pop-rock bombast of the first third of the album, the vindicator LP suddenly morphs into a dark and volatile affair, starting with "Shadow That You Cast", a combination of 60's psychedelia and modern electronic overtones, that-by its climax-sounds more akin to a satellite transmission than a rock song.

The theme continues with tracks like "Everything You Are", and "Head In The Stars". Both tracks showcase a band with uncanny musical chemistry, a formula that can only be created with thousands of miles and thousands of live shows. "We know that our live show is what makes us THE POPS," says Dave, "Our chemistry is what makes our live show so exciting. We give everything we have to our fans AND our music. Jamming and experimentation are the result".



The militant feel of the vindicator LP, is not by accident-as evidenced by such tracks as "Smart Bomb" and "Broken Arm Brigade". "In making this album, we felt we were going to war. The three of us, united against the world. "We have always felt vital and unique as musicians and artists. We have also felt isolated because vitality and originality are rarely rewarded in popular culture. the vindicator LP, is our defining moment as musicians" Meck explains. "We have vindicated ourselves- proven our worth as artists to ourselves."

The vindicator has won the battle.

The Broken Arm Brigade continues to fight the war.