It's no accident that the music of
Woodpigeon encourages the mind to trace its' fondest recollections as it plays through. Leading man
Mark Andrew designed it that way. Woodpigeon's upcoming release
Die Stadt Muzikanten is itself the product of sentimentality; in this case, the lives of Andrew's grandparents.
Die Stadt Muzikanten came to be in a tiny apartment in Berlin when Andrews moved from Calgary to the city to work while employed by a stock photography agency. Surrounded by his grandparents' past, he would take in what he could, penning songs at night throughout his stay. "Upon arriving in the city, the sounds and smells triggered automatic recollections of my childhood, of two people who were endlessly fascinating to me, but whom I never really got to know as well as I would have liked to", says Andrews. "I know they always thought of the life they left behind for Canada, and of the importance of leaving a document of not only where you were going, but where you'd been."
Consider
Die Stadt Muzikanten a piece of that document. Due out January 12th on
Boompa Records, the record is a grand collection of 16 songs that while ambitious in scope, also manages to convey the kind of intimacy that lets the listener nuzzle up nice and close to the 19+ musicians involved. Think of it has Canada's answer to Sufjan Stevens.
Woodpigeon will be traveling from sea to shining sea of their native Canada next month as they take to the road in support of the album. We've got all the dates below. -
David Pitz
Woodpigeon on Tour
Jan 16 2010 - BILTMORE CABARET - Vancouver, British Columbia
Jan 22 - BROKEN CITY - Calgary, Alberta
Jan 23 - MAC HALL / CJSW 25th Anniversary Spectacular - Calgary, Alberta
Feb 10 - UNIVERSITY CENTRE COURTYARD - Guelph, Ontario
Feb 10 - Evening Show - Guelph, Ontario
Feb 11 - THE DRAKE - Toronto, Ontario
Feb 12 - TBA - London, Ontario
Feb 15 - THE CASBAH - Hamilton, Ontario
Feb 16 - THE TOWNEHOUSE - Sudbury, Ontario
Feb 17 - THE MANSION - Kingston, Ontario
Feb 18 - LA SALA ROSSA - Montreal, Quebec
Feb 19 - LE CERCLE - Quebec City, Quebec
Feb 21 - BLACKSHEEP INN - Wakefield, Quebec
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MP3: Woodpigeon:: "Empty Hall Sing-Along" - Die Stadt Muzikanten
MP3: Woodpigeon:: "Morningside" - Live on CBC Radio 2
Woodpigeon on Myspace