Slowcoaster
Slowcoaster | |
|---|---|
| Steven MacDougall performing at the Shoreline Festival in 2005 Steven MacDougall performing at the Shoreline Festival in 2005 | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada |
| Genres | Indie rock |
| Years active | 1999–present |
| Labels | Company House |
| Members | Steven MacDougall Mike LeLievre Devon Strang |
| Past members | Brian Talbot, Jordan Bruleigh |
| Website | www.slowcoaster.ca |
Slowcoaster is a Canadian indie rock band from Sydney, Nova Scotia.[1] The band's sound is rock-based, with strong influences of reggae, ska, folk and jazz.[2]
History
[edit ]Slowcoaster was formed in November 1999 by guitarist Steven MacDougall, drummer Devon Strang, and bassist Mike LeLievre.[3] To promote themselves, they founded their own management company, House of Rock, which has since become influential in promoting a number of acts from Cape Breton Island. The band performed locally and toured the Maritimes, releasing two EPs, Jody's Garden and Volume II.[4] Slowcoaster added percussionist Darren Gallop to the lineup in 2002 and released Leaves, with Accidents & Excuses following in 2003.
The band began touring nationally and their debut album, Where Are They Going? was released in 2004.[5] Steven MacDougall's song "Spanish Bay" placed second in the 16th Annual National Songwriting Competition the same year.[6] A video for the single "Patio" was released and saw national play on MuchMusic.[5] Drummer Devon Strang left the band around this time, with longtime collaborator Brian Talbot replacing him.[7]
Slowcoaster came to the forefront of the Maritime live music scene in 2005 and 2006, touring frequently and headlining at Nova Scotia's Evolve Festival [8] and Stan Rogers Folk Festival, New Brunswick's Sunseekers ball music festival, the Canada Day Countdown and Harvest Jazz & Blues Festival, and Prince Edward Island's Shoreline Festival.[9]
They won Music Nova Scotia's Alternative Group of the Year award in 2005, and an ECMA award for Alternative Recording of the Year in 2006.[10]
In 2007 the band released Future Radio.[11] A video for the single "Leave" was released in early 2008. They followed up in 2010 with the album The Darkest of Discos , again winning the ECMA for Alternative Recording of the Year in 2011.[12]
Their last full-length album, The Girls Downtown, was released in 2013.[13] They have since released a few further singles independently on their Bandcamp page, most recently "Haunt You" in 2020.[14]
Discography
[edit ]Albums
[edit ]- Where Are They Going? – 2004
- Future Radio – 2007
- The Darkest of Discos – 2010
- The Girls Downtown – 2013
- Apples & Oranges – 2023
EPs
[edit ]- Jody's Garden – 2000
- Volume II – 2001
- Leaves – 2002
- Accidents & Excuses – 2003
References
[edit ]- ^ "C.B. rock, Celtic acts get ECMA showcases: Slowcoaster, Roland, Graham will strut their stuff in P.E.I.". Cape Breton Post , October 24, 2000.
- ^ Eric Lewis, "Cape Breton's Slowcoaster blends great mix of sounds". Times & Transcript , October 24, 2007.
- ^ Marla Cranston, "A Slowcoaster ride from Sydney: Cape Breton funk trio brings toe-tapping tones to Mondays in metro". Halifax Daily News , October 8, 2001.
- ^ Garth Hurley, "Slowcoaster on right track". The Guardian , February 12, 2001.
- ^ a b Sandy MacDonald, "Slowcoaster on the fast track". Halifax Daily News , December 23, 2004.
- ^ "MacDougall sings his song: Slowcoaster frontman places second in national songwriting competition". Cape Breton Post , March 9, 2004.
- ^ "Charlottetown: Slowcoaster on stage tonight at Myron's". The Guardian , January 17, 2003.
- ^ Debbie Gwynn, "You say you want an evolution". Cape Breton Post , July 20, 2006.
- ^ Nancy Willis, "Top Atlantic musicians set for Shoreline Festival". The Guardian , July 7, 2005.
- ^ "Nova Scotia's Matt Mays & El Torpedo claim four ECMAs". The Western Star , February 28, 2006.
- ^ Laura Jean Grant, "Future Bright for Slowcoaster". Cape Breton Post , September 13, 2007.
- ^ Victoria Handysides, "Steven MacDougall slows things down; Unplugged, Slowcoaster frontman finds he can hear himself think". Here, December 15, 2011.
- ^ Bob Mersereau, "East Coast Music with Bob Mersereau", CBC News New Brunswick, February 6, 2014.
- ^ Alex Cook, "SINGLE: SLOWCOASTER RELEASE ‘HAUNT YOU’, HINT AT PLENTY OF NEW MATERIAL". The East, April 1, 2020.