Finding Their Way Home: An Interview with The Februarys

By Kate Xian

Unconcerned with numbers, Lucas Lawrence (vocals/guitar), Matthew Gibson (guitar), Matthew Bender (drums) and Brodie Tavares (bass) are more tickled with shear excitement about the release of their latest album We’ll Find Our Way Home than breaking sales records. After meeting in gym class, Gibson and Lawrence started The Februarys as an acoustic project and over time have evolved into a full-fledged band with Brodie and Bender rounding out the foursome. The Langley, BC based quartet, though new on the mainstream circuit, are far from rookies in the indie scene. With a small, but dedicated fanbase, The Februarys have honed their craft, spending time in an array of locales, including Toronto, New York and Nashville, all of which have left colorful imprints on their recording experience including drinking it up with Nashville locals on a Tuesday night and being right smack in the middle of the throng of 1.5 million Obama supporters during the Presidential Election in Times Square.

With the uber catchy and anthemic Rock N Roll’s Enemy its a wonder why these boys aren’t getting more airplay on MuchMusic and on radio waves. Fitting right in with some of the top rock acts of today, The Februarys are focused on making music with staying power than anything else. “Well written music is timeless for a reason, and we strive to make that kind of music. We don’t really label ourselves in a specific niche genre for that same reason,” says Brodie. Especially with the rise of dance infused rock, The Februarys can see themselves only in one position: lasting through it. Having grown up listening to classically rock and also classically Canadian artists like The Tragically Hip, Rush, Our Lady Peace, and fellow Vancouverite Matthew Good, its easy to see that they’ve learned from some of the best acts Canada has to offer. There’s no better school than learning from the cream of the crop. Having independently financed their first two albums, the EP All the Time in the World and the full-length follow up, Brighter Side of Things, clearly The Februarys are no stranger to hard work. And the results are clear, recently signing an international deal with Wind-up Canada (now Wax Records).

Determined to carve out their own little corner of the market, The Februarys draw influence from a variety of work. “We were listening solely to Lil Wayne when recording,” says Brodie. Er, what? Say that again? Kidding, Brodie follows up with “we listen to all sorts of artists all the time so it is nearly impossible to dissect who influences what on our record...Though Tha Carter III is a heavily spun disc in the van.” Good to know these guys have a sense of humour in addition to rockin’ out on a record.

With little interest in today’s music trends, these boys are more preoccupied with making music that’s distinctly The Februarys. We’ll Find Our Way Home having a diverse sound, these boys prove that they’re no one-trick pony. With tracks that boast fun and upbeat rock tunes, the album also treads onto the dramatic, epic even with the aforementioned Rock N Roll’s Enemy, and moves into the ambient/experimental Radiohead-sounding Headphones. Or maybe they just have a penchant for the melodramatic. “Life has ups and downs. Nobody is happy one hundred percent of the time and we let that come across in our music. We don’t have one single sound on the record because it doesn’t fully show who we are,” explains Brodie. “Any experience we have as a band or on a personal level definitely shapes our sound. We try to let our lives be a huge influence on our band to keep our music relatable.”

No doubt the four of them have experienced their ups and downs. You can literally feel it in their music. Birthday the majority favourite among the guys, is soulfully dramatic and My Weary Hand familiarly melancholic. “Every song is a different story, but this record was written to sum up a very specific time in our lives,” says Brodie. Enlisting some well known producers such as Aaron Nordean and Shawn Penner who have worked with Hot Hot Heat and Matthew Good, as well as Nick Raskulinecz of Foo Fighters and Rush fame have brought this young band into a sound with three dimensionality and emotional maturity. Along with their mainstream appeal The Februarys are sure to become Canada’s “next big thing.”

But at the end of the day Brodie, Lucas, Gibson and Bender are about making their experience worthwhile and soaking it all up. “We have so much fun in the studio that the real challenge is getting enough sleep,” Brodie says with a laugh. “Staying focused is a must for studio life.”

“And not being too drunk to record,” Brodie adds as another studio challenge. “And knowing what time the liquor store closes.” Thankfully they don’t take themselves too seriously. But regardless of whatever level of inebriation they recorded at, clearly they have some real musical chops. With the recent release of We’ll Find Our Way Home Brodie suggests checking out their site for news and updates. Oh, and he also wants to pass on a little piece of advice to all our readers: “always be prepared, a zombie outbreak could happen at any time.” Always the joker.