Who are "The Canvas People"? Well, they are a promising, energetic, gig playing four-piece band from the Central Texas area. I discovered them over a year ago while sprawling around watching You-Tube videos. Luckily, I caught a Live Concert Video of theirs with around 4-5 Live Music Songs played via Concert. Unlike the thousands of other music videos I've previously watched, with the Canvas People's music I was instantly drawn-in and hooked!
Before we get into the actual talent and musical leanings of "the Canvas People", let me provide with you my personal musical history. My musical preferred premonitions may provide clues as to why I've become an avid fan and concert goer of this harmony pumping, airy rock-infused, and jovial band quartet.
As a current late thirty-something, my musical tastes and course of direction was influenced heavily by one specific friend and day. While mindless perusing the aisles at Waterloo Records in Austin, Texas, during the late 1990's decade, my fellow Austin High School classmate was simultaneously shopping at Waterloo Records and recommended I give a certain particular album a listen. This friend recommended the album titled, "Four Minute Mile" by the Get Up Kids. Back in 1997, Compact Discs or CD's were society's mainstream listening vehicle of choice. Upon listening to "Four Minute Mile," I was instantly sold on the album, and more critically, the emo, indie rock, pop-punk genre in general. After happily purchasing this album I learned to love almost all of the songs on it. I especially was impressed by the album's first song titled "Coming Clean." Post-musical emo-dive session, one could say I had......
"Found my place in the sun,
Lied my way there.
I look in your eyes
I'm coming clean."
The next truly stoic and perfect album that has forever sculpted my musical tastes is Jimmy Eat World's Clarity. Clarity was such a beautifully crafted album. During the EMO-era of rock and roll, the mostly male singers made genuine efforts to actually sing. Often the goal of Emo songs was to showcase a heartfelt emotional lyric or chorus, then return back to angsty and drowning rock and roll. With Emo, the sweet pretty boy vocals were the yin, and the plugged-in hardcore electric guitar rock was the yang. The muscial balance you could infer. Perhaps the best example from Jimmy Eat World's Clarity album as to the essence of Emo Music was the second song titled "Lucky Denver Mint." Clarity's 6th song, Crush, is another excellent example of energetic rock and roll style emo. The morphing of the guitars, melodic vocals, and youthful energy is immediately felt from the song's beginning to the end. The 10th song, "This is Heaven" is a gently strolling opus of musical genius! It is easy listening, thoughtful and a life inspiring tune. "This is Heaven" induces the listener to ponder and embrace life's frailness and promise. A classic emo technique is how the song gradually builds to a louder crescendo, then gently fades as the listener is let back down. It's just so good! Luckily I've seen Jimmy Eat World live 3 times now, 2x at the Stubbs venue on Red River in Austin, Texas and 1x during a live set at the ACL Music Festival. I'll venture out to see them live again another time, I hope.
The third band, which prominently shaped my late high school and early college youth was Seattle's and SUB POP's lesser-known Nirvana labelmate, Sunny Day Real Estate. Sunny Day's first 1994 released album "Diary" was a critic favorite. Click here for a YouTube Video of "Seven" live on the Jon Stewart Show. Wow! Powerful eh? I got to witness their live show once in Austin, Texas at the defunct La Zona Rosa, Downtown on West 4th street. I recall the Lead Singer Jeremy Enigk being a formidable and powerful lead vocal voice, while friends and I watched and wondered what drugs the non-eye opening, constantly tilting bassist was on that special night. Regardless of that one night's specific performance, Sunny Day Real Estate was, in essence, a true EMO-core band. One of their favorite songs of mine is "The Ocean," from their album titled, the Rising Tide.
Moving forward, Emo and Indie Rock's heyday and the most popular era was most likely during the 1990s to mid-2000's decade. Post the year 2010, Emo popularity was pretty much gone from the shelves. Post-college, my personal musical tastes took a back seat to work day realness. This coupled with my young adult struggles of merely getting by didn't leave enough time for new music exploration. Remember kids, use your college free-time wisely, as you never get back those personality molding free time hours. Also, Dear professional Music critics, don't forget to track the "College Top 40 Music Charts." Why? It gives us a glimpse into the future of music, what's current, bubbling under and where the future of music is going.
In the Post Emo-Rock era, a personal favorite band of mine is, "the Kings of Leon." Amazingly all 4 of the member's last names in the band are Followill. They must all be related somehow I guess. According to my research, the Kings of Leon Southern Rock and Roll band was formed in Nashville, Tennessee. In a unique connection, I recall once being in the same bar scene as Caleb, the model-marrying lead singer. I also specifically remember Chase Crawford, an actor of Gossip Girl TV Show fame also being in attendance. How? We were all knocking back drinks and yucking it up at the Rusty Knot Bar in the West Village of NYC. My friends and I had gone to this Rusty Knot bar, adjacent to the Hudson River and Westside Highway to celebrate after my friends successful West Village play production. What a fun night that was! Genuinely celebrating a friend's theatrical accomplishment, while simultaneously imbibing amongst TV and Rock and Roll Celebrity Power. Aww...I do remember being cool!
So now after reading and learning about my personal musical history favorites, you can understand why my brain and ears resonate so fondly for this newly discovered and joyful band, "The Canvas People." I've purchased their 2 published albums called, "Sirens" and "the City Boy Slump." The other night post-concert at the Mohawk in Austin, Texas, the lead singer informed me his favorite 2 songs from the "Sirens" album are #6. Happy if I'm Wrong & 7. "The Storm." I agree with Kyle, except I find the entire album enjoyable and worth listening to. The Canvas People's bassist has previously told me, they are fans and get some of their musical inspiration from Death Cab for Cutie and the Postal Service. Overall the Canvas People band has an airy rock and roll sound and could be compared favorably to another group called, Band of Horses. The Canvas People's modern 2019 sound is a melting pot of vocal harmonies, slowed tunes, rock and roll, lead guitar jams, keyboard synthesizers, and upkeeping pounding drums. The band displays and brings a very creative, genuine, fun and contagious energy to all of their live shows and gigs! Go witness them live yourself! I'm just lucky enough to call Central Texas home, so I usually just take a shot of whiskey and catch them live every so often. One of the Canvas People's band newer songs has some profound lyrics that really stick to me. The song title is, "Starlit." Click here to watch the MUSIC VIDEO for the song on YOU-Tube. The lyrics include lines such as....
"They say you're doing something right if your growing old....
Your only living a lie, if you can't afford it."
The moral of this ear-friendly, musical chapter is to embrace your own unique musical desires. Each of us has our own special musical leanings. Then allow your musical taste to morph and change with time. Be open-minded to discovering new bands and sounds. For example, I've personally expanded and adapted my own musical tastes to be receptive to the Country Music genre, in particular, Red-Dirt, Texas and Nashville styles. My personal Texas favorite Country artists are Pat Green, Cory Morrow, and Robert Earl Keen. Willie Nelson is an all-time legend.
It's bad timing, that I'm headed to South Padre Island for an upcoming beach-week vacation in early March. Why the forced vacation? It is because via the AIRBNB service, I rented my 400 sq. ft Clarksville Loft out to a Traveler for 200 bucks a night for this year's South by Southwest Musical Festivities. The South by Southwest Festival (SXSW), akin to the Sundance Movie Festival, located in Austin Texas is still the PLACE, to discover new bands, culture, and music. Sometimes my fellow ATX locals who reside, live and work in Austin, as the festival date nears arrival, say its time to South by South ESCAPE.
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