If you haven鈥檛 heard of The Velveteins, it鈥檚 time to tune in because the band is on the verge of becoming the next big thing out of Edmonton鈥檚 music scene.
The three-member band has been making some big splashes since it released its first EP Fresh Claws in 2014.
Not only has the band opened for the likes of USS, Milo Greene and July Talk at venues around the world, it recently hooked up with Lincoln Parish the former lead guitarist with Cage the Elephant to produce its latest EP A Hot Second With The Velveteins.
鈥淧laying overseas has been so wild,鈥� said Spencer Morphy, the band鈥檚 lead guitarist, via email.
鈥淲e are still adjusting to meeting so many different people and the whole whirlwind of it all.鈥�
The indie rock band鈥檚 latest EP, which is actually a re-release of its first EP, has also been catching the media鈥檚 attention both at home and abroad.
In May, CBC鈥檚 George Stroumboulopoulos premiered several songs from its latest EP on CBC Radio 2, and the band has also been featured on several U.K. websites.
The latest EP is also available on Spotify, a digital music service.
According to Morphy, the first EP was produced immediately after he returned home from six months of travelling around Australia in the summer of 2014.聽
鈥淚 had spent the previous half a year vagabonding around, surfing and living in a van,鈥� explained Morphy.
After writing some songs he asked Addison Hiller, the band鈥檚 drummer who he knew through mutual friends, if he wanted to play with him and before they both knew it they were in the recording studio finishing their first EP.
Fast forward to today, the band has added Dean Kheroufi on guitar and has toured throughout the U.K., the United States and Canada to promote their latest EP, which was produced in Nashville.
鈥淚t was pretty cool,鈥� said Morphy, about working with Parish, who is widely credited for Cage the Elephant鈥檚 initial success before he left the band in 2013 to pursue a career in producing.聽
鈥淜ind of intimidating. But when we got down there we realized we were on the same page and it was really fun.鈥�
The band is currently working on its first full-length album and intends to continue touring across Canada in the months ahead.
Sam the Living, a confessional folk artist from Edmonton, will be joining the band for its show in Jasper.
To catch The Velveteins, head over to the Jasper Royal Canadian Legion on June 7 at 7 p.m. Advance tickets cost $15 and can be bought online at eventbrite.ca or at the legion.
Paul Clarke [email protected]
