You can hear it in the first four bars of the album. A meaty, beaty, big and bouncy drum fill, followed by a glistening guitar line that could have been ripped from an old Rockpile album, and a breathy Hammond B3 so beautifully captured that it seems to conjure the dimensions of the room it sits in. It’s huge, but intimate. Heavy, but airborne. And the hook is strong enough that you could hang a whale from it.<br /><br />“In the end, we made sort of a two sided record,” says Trews guitarist John Angus MacDonald, of the band’s third album, No Time for Later. “It’s some of the heaviest stuff we’ve done, but it’s also some of the most out there artistically that we’ve ever laid down.” <br /><br />Too true. The Trews’ reputation is built on buffed and visceral rock songs, but on No Time for Later they cohere like never before. The structures are more compelling, the playing is more articulate, and the results more nourishing. If it’s the shrewd marriage of new and classic rock that accounts for the Trews’ remarkable multi-generational appeal – meaning they’re as welcome on MuchMusic as they are inside the pages of the UK’s Classic Rock magazine – then No Time for Later finds the band expanding at both ends of the spectrum. <br /><br />“Ocean’s End” clads Jack Syperek’s willowy bassline in AC/DC’s crunch, and then breaks down into phosphene psychedelia. In the snakey single, “Hold Me in Your Arms”, the Trews use a buzzsaw to mediate between the re-tooled 21st Century radio rock of Velvet Revolver, and the righteous groove of off-road, resin-stained headbangers like Fu Manchu. Similarly, “Burning Wheels” is a Tom Petty riff given a nitro injection and mag wheels. And that unhinged solo about half way through? “That’s Colin’s only solo,” confides John Angus with a chuckle, referring to his brother, vocalist-guitarist Colin MacDonald. “He wanted to do a solo, so we said, ‘Okay, fine,’ and that’s what came out. It’s like Kurt Cobain or something. It’s just, like, unbridled fucking craziness. It’s totally animal.” <br /><br />Continues John Angus, “But you need places to go. So much as you’d like to keep a somewhat consistent sound, if you want to keep making records that are at all interesting or fun to listen to, you gotta go places.”<br /><br />So where did the Trews go? According to Colin, “We were always big fans of CCR and REM and stuff, and those influences had to come out sooner or later. At one point we wanted to take everything off the record that sounded remotely heavy. We wanted to make a total roots rock album.”<br /><br />They didn’t of course – there’s no “unbridled fuckin’ craziness” on Murmur or Willy and the Poor Boys - but No Time for Later is elevated by a softer touch on tracks like the Fogerty-rooted “I Feel the Rain”, or the inspired “Will You Wash Away”, where melancholy meets uplift in a chorus that seems to enter the song sideways. If anything on the album points to their growth, it’s this song. Colin can’t say where it came from. Maybe he did what Neil Young claims to do, and channeled it. <br /><br />“I can only hope,” he says. “I just don’t know, because I’ve spent a lot of time working my ass off on songs that ended up being shitty, and this one literally came out really, really quickly. Me and John Angus were sitting around listening to Cat Steven’s Tea for the Tillerman, and we started jamming on this tune, and it literally came in five minutes. Honestly, that’s the most unconscious song I’ve ever ever come up with. It literally just came out.” <br /><br />Colin name checks Randy Newman as another abiding influence, which accounts for the sly sense of irony that pervades No Time for Later. “I Can’t Stop Laughing” addresses grief with a manic Celtic romp, propelled by Sean Dalton’s mighty tom workout; the furious “Gun Control” begins with a placid slide-guitar straight out of Ry Cooder’s Paris, Texas soundtrack; “Paranoid Freak” uses a skittery piano figure to capture the prevailing mood of our time, derived from all the hours the band has endured cooling its boots at US boarder crossings. And in the extraordinary “Man of Two Minds”, the Trews have produced a hymn to the worst corners of male psychology, dressed up in a romantic waltz-time melody worthy of Burt Bacharach. <br /><br />“A scumbag song,” claims Colin. <br /><br />“I thought it was hilarious,” adds John Angus. “It’s so blatant, (but) it’s honest. That’s the key.”<br /><br />In total, No Time for Later represents a major graduation for the band, right down to the Ralph Steadman-by-way-of-Warhol cover art designed by Syperek. Incredibly, it was the counter-intuitive approach of producers Gus Van Go and Werner F that the Trews credit for the breakthrough. The first thing the team did was take one of the best live rock acts on the planet, break it down to its constituent parts, and – starting with drummer Dalton -record each member separately in a painstaking exercise that Colin only half-jokingly describes as “our Rumours.”<br /><br />Syperek admits to being out of his comfort zone. “To tell you the truth, I wanted everybody in my headphones while I was playing,” he says. “I thought I would get more feeling. But as we got into it, it allowed me to listen to my parts and make them better, and go back, and improve things.” The bassist is one of the best feel musicians out there, but he’s convinced by the results. “This is the next step,” he concludes.<br /><br />Colin adds, “We wanted to go with younger guys who had a bit more to prove. And they were as hungry as we are. Guys who were willing to stay up for twenty-four hours to make sure a certain song didn’t come off cheesy.”<br /><br />“I don’t think we’ve ever been worked so hard by producers,” continues John Angus, who was looking for “a general vibe that we haven’t quite nailed in the studio yet. It was kind of like the first time we worked with Gordie (Johnson), where everything was new and a challenge. The only difference is back then we kinda sucked.” <br /><br />His modesty aside, John Angus can rest assured that their efforts have yielded the most fully formed work of the band’s already impressive career. All that remains is the listening. And this bio, of course; custom-designed to make you hear the record. <br /><br />“Bios are usually so embarrassingly flattering of the band,” snorts John Angus. “This band fucking GETS RAWK! Then you listen to it, and you’re like, wha…?”<br /><br />Readers should be advised that in this case, the praise couldn’t be any more sincere. http://www.imeem.com/thetrews Delta 0 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Dear Friends (& Total Strangers),<br />The hour is upon us. We are moments away from our first acoustic release and our first ever DVD release. If you've pre-ordered it then thank you! If you haven't, there's still a few hours left to do so <a href="http://links.imeem.com/24YNDUfQs_" title="http://thetrewsmusic.com">here</a>. And for those of you who are old fashion (like ourselves) it'll be on the shelves of record store everywhere tomorrow! Please tell everyone you know to rush out and buy a copy, heck buy two and give one away - you know how those suits like to see a high chart position on week one!<br /><br />Also, you can help get The Trews acoustic on the airwaves by requesting it at your local radio station, MuchMusic and MuchMoreMusic. <a href="http://links.imeem.com/24YNDVfQs_" title="http://thetrewsmusic.com/request.php"> Click here</a> for a complete list of stations in your area. <br><br>Thanks again for your early support and we can't wait to get out and see each and everyone of you on the road. Check out all the latest tour dates on our <a href="http://links.imeem.com/24YNDWfQs_" title="http://thetrewsmusic.com/calendar.php"> calendar page</a>.<br /><br />Love,<br /><br />The Trews<a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/canadian" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/bumstead" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/acoustic" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/heart" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/and" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/friends" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/out" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/gibson" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/sing" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/rock" rel="tag"></a> The Trews Trewsland http://www.imeem.com/thetrews/blogs/2009/10/05/M3lnDJpm/friends-total-strangers-is-upon-us Mon, 05 Oct 2009 19:13:16 -0000 n9prQ1XevA The Trews http://www.imeem.com/thetrews/music/wij4mZp_/the-trews-sing-your-heart-out/ Fri, 18 Sep 2009 01:48:38 -0000 <div><a href="http://www.imeem.com/thetrews/music/wij4mZp_/the-trews-sing-your-heart-out/"><img border="0" src="http://icons-p2.imeem.com/wij4mZp_.jpg" title="Click to play this song"/></a></div> 8etDGMZl9j Hey Everybody,<br><br><br /><br />To coincide with the upcoming release of our acoustic album, <b><i>Friends & Total Strangers</b></i>, we're offering you access to a pre-sale where you can order bundles that include the new album, digital downloads of the full concert & album, the DVD and an exclusive t-shirt. As a special treat, we've also got some exclusive goodies - 2 bonus videos and 3 bonus songs that are not available on the CD or DVD. Check it out our new home page for all the details - <a href="http://links.imeem.com/247rQ-2Vr_" title="http://www.thetrewsmusic.com">www.thetrewsmusic.com</a><br><br><br /><br />Surf around, go listen to the entire new album, check out new acoustic tour dates and the video for our new single, Sing Your Heart Out.<br><br><br /><br />Enjoy<br><br><br /><br />The Trews<a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/acoustic" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/dvd" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/tour" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/canada" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/new" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/trews" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/cd" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/sale" rel="tag"></a> The Trews Trewsland http://www.imeem.com/thetrews/blogs/2009/09/18/QDLJn1N4/new-album-new-video-acoustic-tour-dates Fri, 18 Sep 2009 00:35:22 -0000 fmWswmvAn_ Hey folks,<br /><br />Colin here writing to you from just outside Fort Collins, Colorado. We've been having a good time here in the US of A, the crowds have been small but appreciative, we're hoping they'll tell two friends then those friends will tell two friends and then those friends will tell two friends and so on and so on.....you get it.<br /><br />We've been riding in style on the Gibson tour bus which has definitely been a bonus. We drove eighteen hours from San Francisco to do a show in Vail, Colorado only to find out about an hour outside of Vail that the mountain road into town was closed due to weather. Fortunately it opened later that afternoon and we made the gig. Denver was a lot of fun, we played a cool little bar called the Walnut room.<br /><br />Today is the official release of No Time For Later in America. Calling all American Trews fans head down to your local record store and pick up a copy. See you on the road!!!<br /><br />Colin<br /><br /> <a href="http://links.imeem.com/243OFSKfh_" title="http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?id=308310442&s=143441"><img src="http://media.merovingianmusic.com/banners/tt/468x60paranoid.gif" width="468px" height="60px"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/itunes" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/for" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/american" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/music" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/fans" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/later" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/no" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/modern" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/time" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/rock" rel="tag"></a> The Trews Trewsland http://www.imeem.com/thetrews/blogs/2009/04/07/bxZg3rtt/no-time-for-later-out-now-in-america Tue, 07 Apr 2009 19:51:09 -0000 8GnXphmGn_ We have a fancy new widget to promote our US single, Paranoid Freak, which will be released tomorrow on iTunes. Our album, No Time For Later, will be available in the US on April 07, 2009. Help us out and share this widget with your friends, post it on your blog, MySpace and Facebook pages.<br /><br />Speaking of the US, we'll be heading out a mini tour soon. If you have friends living in these tour markets, let them know that we're coming their way soon.<br /><br />Colin<br /><br />Get it, share it and embed it - <a href="http://links.imeem.com/24sA3BkNf_" title="http://www.clearspring.com/widgets/499ac11fe28f93e9?p=499ae013fc5edd9d">http://www.clearspring.com/widgets/499ac11fe28f93e9?p=499ae013fc5edd9d</a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/hold" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/freak" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/arms" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/me" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/for" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/in" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/no" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/later" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/the" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/paranoid" rel="tag"></a> The Trews Trewsland http://www.imeem.com/thetrews/blogs/2009/02/23/-9bIGaBx/paranoid-freak-widget Mon, 23 Feb 2009 22:26:04 -0000 XCtuOJuMtc We just recently found out that we are nominated for two Juno awards!! Our album is nominated for Rock Album of the Year and we got nominated for Group of the Year. We are thrilled with this news, we've always been very proud of this album and we're very happy that it's getting recognized.<br /><br />We also received 4 nominations from the Independent Music Awards (aka The Indies), which takes place on March 14th in Toronto, ON during Canadian Music Week.<br /><br />We got the nod for Favourite Album, Favourite Single (Hold Me In Your Arms), Favourite Video (Hold Me In Your Arms), and Favourite Live Artist/Group.<br /><br />We can't thank you guys enough for the loyalty and support!!!<br /><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/canadian" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/bumstead" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/arms" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/hold" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/awards" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/cmw" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/in" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/for" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/juno" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/indie" rel="tag"></a> The Trews Trewsland http://www.imeem.com/thetrews/blogs/2009/02/14/iuOhaWdI/multiple-juno-indie-music-awards-nominations Sat, 14 Feb 2009 15:59:00 -0000 cs6TUg595K We'd like to thank all of the fans who made it out to our acoustic shows this past week. Thank you to the Hamilton and Peterborough fans for filling the bars on such short notice, you guys were great!!<br /><br />As for the Toronto fans, thank you for giving us two amazing nights in a fantastic venue. The Glenn Gould theater is something else, the acoustics are superb and the vibe is really cool. Hope you guys enjoyed the ambiance as much as we did. We're going to edit together audio and video from both nights and we hope to have something for you guys in the near future.<br /><br />In other news we just found out this morning that we are nominated for two Juno Awards!! Our album is nominated for Rock Album of the Year and we got nominated for Group of the Year. We are thrilled with this news, we've always been very proud of this album and we're very happy that it's getting recognized.<br /><br />Once again, we can't thank you guys enough for the loyalty and support!!! Until next time...<br /><br />Colin<a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/acoustic" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/for" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/no" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/awards" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/canadian" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/juno" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/rock" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/time" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/later" rel="tag"></a> The Trews Trewsland http://www.imeem.com/thetrews/blogs/2009/02/04/dEpY5TF8/two-juno-nominations Wed, 04 Feb 2009 14:25:05 -0000 nlg_2z1PqH I'm happy to tell you guys that our song "Hold Me In Your AYAAAaaarms" won the "Best Hard Rock" song category at the <a href="http://links.imeem.com/24IuHwMgd_" title="http://www.independentmusicawards.com/pages/awards.asp">8th Annual Independent Music Awards</a> in the US. We are thrilled with this news, and it couldn't come at a better time seeing we are about to release No Time For Later in the coming months for our fans living south of the border.<br /><br />There's more, while we were selected by a very prestigious panel of judges, we have yet to win the "people's choice" award, that's were you "the people" can help out. Just head on over to the <a href="http://links.imeem.com/24IuHxMgd_" title="http://www.independentmusicawards.com/imafinalist/Default.aspx?maincat=9&yr=2009&scat=8#tp">Independent Music Awards website</a> to register and vote.<br /><br />Thanks for the continuing support.<br /><br />Colin<br /><br /><img src="http://c.ilike.com/w/0279/500/0279500425_m.jpg"><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/for" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/best" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/arms" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/in" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/awards" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/hold" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/independant" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/ima" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/me" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/later" rel="tag"></a> The Trews Trewsland http://www.imeem.com/thetrews/blogs/2009/01/18/Ntxq4ALD/we-won-we-won Sun, 18 Jan 2009 13:34:17 -0000 kFBfn2luvD Hey folks,<br /><br />Hope you all had a great holiday season. I'm just dropping you a line to let you know about two upcoming Trews acoustic shows at the end of this month. On January 30th & 31st we'll be taking the stage at the Glenn Gould Studio in downtown Toronto. <br /><br />We'll be recording both shows and releasing an official acoustic album later this year. The set list will combine old favorites, unreleased b-sides and album tracks that we don't play at the electric shows. <br /><br />We're currently writing some new material so we might even include a couple of brand spanking new tunes to showcase. The Glenn Gould Studio has amazing acoustics and the setting is cozy and intimate. There are limited tickets available so snatch em up while you can. Hope to see you there. Bye for now.<br /><br />Colin<a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/for" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/concert" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/acoustic" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/later" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/canadian" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/glenn" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/live" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/gould" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/presale" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/no" rel="tag"></a> The Trews Trewsland http://www.imeem.com/thetrews/blogs/2009/01/05/lnrwELyf/an-acoustic-evening-with-the-trews Mon, 05 Jan 2009 16:15:07 -0000 3YQt4DKttK Hey Trews fans if you are near a movie theater over the next month get there early and check out a funny little commercial for Scene.ca that runs prior to the previews featuring yours truly.<br><br> <a href="http://links.imeem.com/24W_F0j4V_" title="http://www.scene.ca">Scene.ca</a> is running a contest where the prize is a private acoustic Trews show at a theater near you. All you need to do is tell us why The Trews should come to your hometown to play at the local Cineplex.<br /><br />Get all the details and enter at <a href="https://www.scene.ca/PromoDetails.aspx" target="_blank">Scene.ca</a><br /><br />Also check out an interview on "Uncovered", a new feature with Alan Cross (Ongoing History of New Music) on <a href="http://links.imeem.com/24X_F1j4V_" title="http://www.cfox.com/StationShared/Uncoveredtrews.aspx">CFOX</a>, <a href="http://links.imeem.com/24Y_F2j4V_" title="http://www.fm96.com/home/Music/UncoveredTrews/tabid/1488/Default.aspx">FM 96</a>, <a href="http://links.imeem.com/24Z_F3j4V_" title="http://www.power97.com/StationShared/Uncoveredtrews.aspx">Power 97</a> and <a href="http://links.imeem.com/24uRD4j4V_" title="http://www.edge.ca/StationShared/Uncoveredtrews.aspx">The Edge 102.1</a>.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.thetrewsmusic.com/scene/300x250.gif"><br /><br />Colin<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/cineplex" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/canadian" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/acoustic" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/freak" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/arms" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/contest" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/hold" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/for" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/later" rel="tag"></a><a href="http://www.imeem.com/tag/in" rel="tag"></a> The Trews Trewsland http://www.imeem.com/thetrews/blogs/2008/10/29/vSomPY6S/the-trews-takeover-your-hometown Wed, 29 Oct 2008 16:44:43 -0000 _298UiHOjS