Love and Mathematics

Stage lights illuminate Love and Mathematics. Squalls of effects-dappled guitar wash over an unsuspecting crowd. Swelling keyboards rise forth and create a kaleidoscope of dizzying sonics. As the lush atmospherics begin to lure listeners towards a dark place, a jubilantly melodic bass guitar intercedes. Drums join the fray, bashing out tribal beats and creating a pulsing rhythm that sets the dance floor writhing. A vocalist wracked with twitching intensity takes to the microphone and casts a hypnotic spell. A second voice chimes in. Working in tandem, they conjure a choir of celestial songbirds.

Esoteric yet immediate, cataclysmic but celebratory, paradoxical Love and Mathematics play spacey psych-pop at its most apocalyptic.

The Vancouver band can trace their beginnings to a longstanding partnership between Ian Somers (vocals/guitar/keyboards) and Shane Turner (bass/vocals). When the pair recruited Lucas Rose (guitar/keyboards), they found his monolithic, dissonant guitar work muddying their pristine pop stylings. Rather than reining Rose in, they embraced the opportunity to reinvent themselves entirely and explore a dynamic new direction. The sea change was complete once the three collaborators discovered talismanic drummer Kyle Koenig. Koenig’s controlled-chaos kit attack brought an urgent energy to the group. Christened Love and Mathematics, the four-piece drew from Built to Spill’s angular melodies, Mogwai’s textured mediations and Animal Collective’s spaced-out oddity to forge a sound distinctly their own.

Adjourning to Vancouver’s storied Hive studio, the band worked with producer Colin Stewart (Black Mountain, Pretty Girls Make Graves) to record a four-song, self-titled EP. Rather than duplicating their oceanic live sound, Love and Mathematics opted to explore a more nuanced approach with the recordings. The final result reflects a band invigorated and inspired by the wealth of new ideas and possibilities presented to them.

Out of the gates, the propulsive “Remember to Masticate” lashes into the listener with discordant guitars, lilting harmonies and rhythms that turn on a whim. “Copper Coin Bikini” brims and bristles with skittish energy as lyrics sketch out an abstract rebellion: “You are the emissary; I am the socialist; Gather the troops and rally outside the capital.” The disc’s most cathartic track, “Plan for a Better Year,” punctuates its emotion-saturated vocals with wails of buzzsaw instrumentation. Finally, the swirling “A Fight Between a Crow and a Seagull” ascends and cascades with an airy grace.

At present, Love and Mathematics are at work self-recording their full-length debut. On their off-nights, they can likely be found upon a darkened stage. With a live set hailed by Exclaim! and The Georgia Straight, the band has shared the limelight with Vancouver’s finest bands – The Book of Lists, You Say Party! We Say Die! and They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? – as well as touring acts Nada Surf, Okkervil River, The Rosebuds and The Appleseed Cast.

Having established themselves as fixtures of the Vancouver scene, Love and Mathematics have only begun to explore their potential as a band. The remainder of that self-discovery should prove equally enthralling for both the musicians and their listeners.

BIOGRAPHY

There was a house in Calgary with its own name, “Rock Central"... 1997…

It was an old house; however, for the individuals living there, it was affordable. Cheap living, more beer, music - it made sense. There were pimps and hookers outside. There were crack addicts. No one complained about anything though. There wasn’t any reason to.

The Dudes played loudly and endlessly in their filthy basement.

They were in close proximity to the infamous ‘Calgary Stampede Headquarters’. Customers attending the Rodeo would park in the streets, the back alleys, and on front lawns. The Dudes realized that for one day, they’d have an attentive audience for their four rock songs (or what they called ‘songs’).

They built a stage in their backyard, and they put on a Do-It-Yourself rock show. ‘Rock Central’ was, and continued to be a yearly event. People would enjoy free pancakes. They also brought beer.

Soon after putting on the first ‘Rock Central’ show, The Dudes became the ‘fill-in’ band for a nearby pub. They would play for a pitcher of beer as payment.

In the beginning, the band’s shows would closely resemble a circus. Rubber tire tubes were harnessed around each Dude, and fastened to wherever a screw could be drilled in. The members would lean forward at an impossible angle, and be sprung back, all while rocking out on whatever was awesome.

They also had a mascot. The ‘Dude Bomb’ wore a large blimp-like creation on his head. It was constructed out of left-over couch cushions, tape, and an orange blanket. The band had fully embraced the DIY entertainment of those that had inspired them, they had no limits.

With a growing indie fan base, The Dudes began recording on an old reel-to-reel. In 2001 the band released their first limited-press CD, titled ‘This Guy’s the Limit’. They achieved University Radio airplay.

They also realized that they had an extremely well-crafted songwriter in their midst. Dan Vacon, the lead guitar player began stepping-up to the plate – and local and national indie audiences began to notice the band.

The Dudes went through an array of drummers including the host of a day-time children’s show, a country troubadour, and a ‘prince of nacho chips’. The band finally settled with Scott Ross, who has done a great deal in developing the band’s current sound.

Soon the band found themselves chosen to share the stage with bands like mudhoney, 54-40, Joel Plaskett, The Supersuckers. They had success, and great possibilities were being presented to them.

In 2005 the band signed with Load Music, and up-and-coming player on the independent music scene. Russ Broom, a Juno-nominated producer, engineer and songwriter, was contacted, and the band launched into there most promising recording they’ve made to date.

Armed with their new CD, Titled ‘Brain Heart Guitar’, The Dudes are determined to inspire and uplift their fellow humans.

Though, before that ever happens, a name change took place. (extend).

The Dudes will do whatever they can to bring the music to the people, and they mean it, honestly and sincerely.

•  Slick!
•  Thanks to Stewie
•  Good Song: Perfect Summer Tune
•  Perfect Pop