Arms of the Girl

Arms Of The Girl
Paper Copper Steel

Paper Copper Steel is the latest release by Ottawa’s own Arms Of The Girl. The album rests upon being either a Rock/Pop album or a Rock/Blues Album. It’s kind of a who you ask sort of deal with this one I would think. I pick up both senses throughout the album but I can still see it going either way again depending on who you ask.

The acoustic guitar is a definite strengthening attribute throughout the album. The Electric guitar is used in a couple of different manners and uses during each song. Either creating a lead moment in the track, creating a noise environment or being used as a filler between verses. When the electric guitar is used as a lead especially in the song “All Up To You”, ( you should see that solo being played live).

The lyrics throughout the album are also thoughtfully, and also experience driven songs as well. When you listen to “Calling You Out” and “First Overall” you will quickly see that you do not want to cross Carolyn or you may find yourself being Adele’d. The lyrics also prove that music can also be a remedy of the soul as well.

My favourite tracks off of Paper Copper Steel are in no particular order “Calling You Out”, “First Overall” and “All Up to You”.

“Calling You Out” has a double package deal within this track. I really like the acoustic work in the song but it’s definitely the lyrics that win with this track. Knowing that the lyrics are coming from the personal experience makes this song stand out that much more.

Using “First Overall” as the opening track was a great placing by Arms Of The Girl. Having such an electric and energy driven song at the beginning of the album was definitely the way to go. The use of the intro definitely gets you into the groove of the album. I found this album is best used as a sit down or lengthy drive album (per say my drive to Hawkesbury from Kingston every Monday morning). They really use the balance between the electric and acoustic to their full advantage throughout the track. The bridge work in the song is nicely done and not over saturated. - Kingston Music Reviews

Arms of the Girl are back with a fresh new EP and they are unleashing it with a show at Live! on Elgin (220 Elgin St) on Friday April 8th 2016. Their latest batch of tunes further strengthens the band’s catalogue with the blues infused rock the group has become known for. The new music is sure to impress live when the band pairs their energetic stage show with the intimate setting of the Live! venue.

Also on the bill are Ottawa’s Cody Allen and Weird With Cats. The three bands will complement each other nicely, making this an evening of local music not to be missed!

Advance tickets are only $5, or $10 at the door. Doors are at 8pm with the music hitting the stage at 9. - Spotlight Ottawa

ARMS OF THE GIRL

Just before the launch of their brand new EP, Paper | Copper | Steel, we caught up with the front-woman of Arms of the Girl, Carolyn Cote (CC). We talked about the band’s history, dream tour-mates and road-trip music choices. Check out their latest release and go support them at their official EP release party this Friday!

VITALS

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ArmsoftheGirl
Website: http://www.armsofthegirl.com/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/armsofthegirl
Latest release: Paper | Copper | Steel (EP, April 2016)
Upcoming shows:
Friday, April 8 - Paper | Copper | Steel Release Party at Live! On Elgin, with Weird with Cats and Cody Allen, 8PM. 5$ adv/10$ door

SA: How did Arms of the Girl first come to be?
CC: Arms of the Girl started with Afton Penny and me. We were both students at the Nepean School of Music and they had a band program to put young musicians in groups together. The current Arms came out of that program, and Afton and I have been playing together for more than 10 years now. Dave Cutler has been with Arms for about seven years, and Phil DesRoches just joined us this past fall. It’s crazy to think that it’s been around for so long, but the band has grown and changed as we ourselves have grown and changed. It’s been a constant, but at different points it still feels brand-new.

SA: What bands or musicians would you cite as the biggest influences on your sound?
CC: For me, it’s a lot of 90s alt-rock, and female songwriters like Sheryl Crow, Alanis Morissette, Melissa Etheridge. I’m a huge fan of Kathleen Edwards, too. There’s definitely a blues vibe to a lot of our songs, and a bit of a country twang.

SA: Thus far in your career, what has been the band’s biggest success?
CC: We played Bluesfest in 2011, which was fantastic and is still a big accomplishment on our show resume. More recently, we’ve done a couple of songwriting commissions for OPSEU. To be paid as a songwriter and asked to write songs professionally – that’s an amazing feeling. We’ve been lucky as well to get some featured play on the CBC, and on LiVE88.5FM and the local campus stations. Hearing us on the radio always gives me chills.

SA: On the other hand, what is the biggest challenge you have faced, and how have you dealt with it?
CC: I think the biggest challenge is just rolling with the punches. When you’ve been around for as long as we have, there are times when things aren’t working and the band has to revitalize itself and start to evolve. We’re finishing a bit of a rebuild right now, after a recent member change, and it was tough at first. But the payoff of finding a good place again is worth it.

SA: How do you guys approach the song-writing process?
CC: I usually bring in an idea to the guys – the basic melody, chord progression, and sample lyrics. They decide if it’s worth pursuing, then they start jamming on it and adding their parts. We decide on structure as a group. I love their input – they always make the songs 100 times better than what I do on my own.

SA: What are your thoughts on the Ottawa music scene?
CC: We have absolutely amazing people in the scene. I love the number of people I’ve met through music. There’s so much talent and so many people who care about supporting and promoting local music. Shout outs to Iconoclast, The Ven Dreddies, Danielle Allard, Airliner, Weird With Cats, Cody Allen, Ashley Newall, Eric St-Cyr, Slo’ Tom, Andrew Lacelle, Jamie Douglas and The Powergoats, Thrifty Kids, Monsun, The Dead Centuries, Erik Stolpmann, David Yazbeck, DJ Noah, Erick Sodhi… I could go on and on… I feel like I’ve missed listing a ton of great people… Love all our music friends.

SA: You guys are releasing your new EP, Paper | Copper | Steel on April 8th at Live! On Elgin. What can you tell us about influences for the new EP, and what fans can expect by attending the show?
CC: We’re very excited for the EP. We recorded it with Steve Foley at Audio Valley Recording Studios. He did a different treatment for each of the songs. It’s very cool – they work as a collection, but also stand-alone. It runs from bluesy to pop to country to rock.

And the show is going be to awesome – we’ll have ear candy, eye candy, and candy to eat! Weird With Cats and Cody Allen are opening and they are solid bands. Our set will have some surprise song mash ups and some guests onstage – lots of audience participation. The goal is to make it feel like a big party, and that you’re joining us for the celebration. Live! on Elgin has such a great intimate, home-like vibe.

SA: If you guys could pick any bands or musicians, big or small, to tour with on a world-wide tour, who would you choose and why?
CC: Tough to pick! I can only speak for myself… I’d love to do a Canadian tour with a big-name Canadian act like The Tragically Hip or Randy Bachman. But I’d also be happy to cram into a van with a bunch of close musician friends and journey the 401 corridor.

SA: Arms of the Girl is on the road to Toronto in May, heading to an out-of-town gig. Can the band members agree on what music to listen to on the drive down, and what would it be?
CC: An excellent question. It is usually driver’s choice. On our last trip, Phil had a pretty awesome collection of music in his car – it’s like a jukebox on wheels. One time, headed to Belleville, Afton had a Sirius satellite radio and I got to be in charge of the remote to change the stations. I was remote-happy all night. Another memorable night, Dave and I drove back from Toronto at 3am and we sang Backstreet Boys driving down the 401. I feel a singalong may occur again…

SA: Post-EP release, what can we expect from Arms of the Girl moving forward in 2016? All the best this year!
CC: We’re going to be doing some music videos for some of the tracks off the EP – the goal is to have a video for each songs and have an audio-visual Paper | Copper | Steel for next year. And then just playing shows, having fun – you never know what gig is around the corner or what cool opportunity is coming up. I always feel lucky with what I get to experience, and that I experience it with such a great group of guys. - Sometimes Always

Radio Interview
Flowing through this week: • an interview with Carolyn Cote, guitarist/vocalist of Arms of the Girl (Ottawa) • artists that have inspired/influenced members of Arms of the Girl • an early recording, a new release and a cover by Arms of the Girl And more as we ride the permanent waves from 11:00am to 12:00pm! Don't miss it! - CKCU931.1FM

Arms of the Girl is Ottawa’s solution to those looking for a little country with their folk music. This female fronted band consists of locals Carolyn Côté, Afton Penny, Chris Zimmerman and David Cutler. These four musicians are also teachers, “One thing that's unique is that we are all music teachers,” says frontwoman Côté. “It's amazing to share our time and watch our students grow.”

Their twangy take on a southern folk sound is unique to the rest of the folk landscape in the capital, and have been compared to artists like Alanis Morrisette, Sheryl Crow and the Barenaked Ladies. But don’t get too comfortable with their previous direction; they’re constantly changing their sound. “I think what's great about Arms is that we're constantly evolving,” Côté says. “Lately we've been working on a lot of mid-tempo rock songs, and trying to add different elements that we haven't used previously.” This is a slight difference from their faster, higher energy music, and adds some nice variety to an album. Some of their new material will be debuted at their show this weekend at Cafe Dekcuf.

Formed in 2006, they released their first EP in 2008 titled Recipe for Living followed by 2010’s Warning Signs. They released their most recent single All Up To You in December of last year, and are working towards releasing their latest album this coming Fall. They’ve worked with the likes of Steve Foley at Audio Valley, and look forward to collaborating with Mike Bond from Wolf Lake Studio for a portion of their upcoming album.

Known for their incredible performances, the band takes the stage this Saturday night at Cafe Dekcuf with Couchwrecked, Mat & Vee and No Fly List with doors at 8:30pm. Dekcuf is a favourite venue for Arms, as Côté puts it: “Love Dekcuf! So intimate-feeling […] We were just there in September with Paint (Toronto) and Thrifty Kids, with the Powergoats headlining.” Cote also reveals some fun facts about the acts they’re performing with. “My little sister is the Vee from Matt & Vee. She used to front the Cowards and we've actually never been on the same bill before. She opens the show with Matt, so it's a Côté sister sandwich!” Some healthy sibling rivalry doesn’t hurt, and Arms is excited to perform with the other bands as well. “I've heard good things about Couchwrecked and No Fly List, so it should be a great night,” says Côté.

If getting to hear their music isn’t enough reason to go, students only pay $5 (Cover is $7 otherwise) and there’s a draw for a Beer Store gift certificate available when the band’s merch is purchased. If you can’t make the show but want to stay up to date, check out their Facebook, Twitter or website for upcoming shows and festivals. - Couch Assassin

What emerges from Arms of the Girl’s EP is a strong sense of musicianship, as most of the songs effectively rely on Carolyn Côté’s sturdy and nuanced vocals, reminiscent of a healthier, less raspy, Alannah Myles, as well as on David Cutler’s playful guitar, Afton Penny’s rockin’ bass and Chris Zimmerman’s muscular drums. For their bluesy, twangy rock, the song selection is perfect. Côté’s delivery is sweet and sour on the lovely The Easiest Hangover, it calls the world to action on Mutiny, and it comes off as beautifully subtle on the breakup song Second Best. These versions of happiness are definitely making this guy quite happy. - Ottawa XPress / Hour Community

Radio interview - CBC Radio

When she was young, Carolyn Côté would go to Clarke Fields Park every Canada Day with her family to see the fireworks blast off.

But this year, the local rocker will be there as one of the day’s biggest attractions.

Côté and her band, Arms of the Girl, secured a wild-card entry through the Battle of the Bands to be part of Barrhaven’s Canada Day celebrations on July 1.

“I remember seeing people perform there,” Côté said, who moved to the Fisher Avenue and Baseline Road area two years ago. “It’s kind of neat that I get to do that myself.”

But the Canada Day show is just the beginning for what will be a busy summer for the 25-year-old and the rest of her group.

Arms of the Girl – a four-piece band also includes guitarist David Cutler, bassist Afton Penny and drummer Chris Zimmerman – will also performance another 45-minute set at Bluesfest on July 7.

Côté said the band’s inclusion in the festival came as a pleasant surprise.

“I was at work and it was 8 o’clock in the morning and I saw the email in my inbox and I was so excited,” she said. “All I wanted to do was call the other three guys in the band, but because it was so early, I couldn’t call them because they wouldn’t be awake.”

While the rest of her bandmates have the luxury of sleeping in, Côté’s full-time job is at Algonquin College teaching English.

Now 25, after earning a journalism degree at Carleton University and attending teacher’s college at University of Ottawa, Côté tries to keep her rock-star image low key.

She does admit, however, that it’s hard to hide her enthusiasm when she has to bolt from the classroom after Friday afternoon lessons to be on time for a sound check.

“In my day job, it’s really funny because not a lot of students know that I perform,” Côté said. “So I’m my nerdy, teacher self during the day with my big, chunky glasses on and then at night I transform and I get to be a rock star.

“It makes me feel so happy and complete to be performing or recording in a studio. I always think that I’m really, really lucky because not everybody gets to do that.”

Côté started the band, after first picking up a guitar in university, with Penny and two other women in 2006. It what was their first time starting a group.

“My guitar teacher was like, “You know Carolyn, your voice is pretty good too. If you keep at this, you might be able to turn it into something,’” she said.

They started starting touring some of the local establishments, including a highlight night playing at Zaphod Beeblebrox when some of the members were underage. Côté said it’s those types of experiences that have helped the band grow.

“I have completely learned everything with the band as we went along,” she said. “We made a lot of mistakes, but I guess we’ve done well enough that we were able to play Bluesfest and Canada Day.”

Côté describes Arms of the Girl’s music as anything from folk to rock with a bit of blues thrown in. She said she’s heard comparisons to Canadian bands like Blue Rodeo, the Cowboy Junkies and the Barenaked Ladies, which she considers an honour.

But now Côté believes it’s time for the band to continue making a name for itself. And what better time than Bluesfest where the Arms of the Girl has an indoor slot at the Barney Danson Theatre inside the Canadian War Museum?

“We’re in the only indoor, air-conditioned theatre so we’re hoping that it’s either going to be sweltering hot or pouring rain so then everyone’s going to want to come inside and see us,” she said. - Ottawa Community News

Vocalist Carolyn (Cee) Côté struggled with confidence in her own voice until her early 20s. David Cutler was a 13 year old looking for an identity so he reached for an old guitar. Afton Penny thought there was nothing cooler than being a young musician playing in a band with his friends. Phil DesRoches played his first gig as a drummer, fell in love with the singer and hit the road only to come back around again and marry the girl.

Their paths couldn’t have been more different but music unites. Today Cee, Dave, Phil and Afton are four musicians bonded together by stanzas of song, notes on a page, and melodies in the air wrapped tightly within the folds of their band, together in the Arms of the Girl.
Photo by WornLeather Media

While there is a guitarist in the band that first started playing in his early teens, Côté herself didn’t starting playing guitar until her first year of university. Dealing with the changes most students face -including a deep well of loneliness- she decided to turn the lows into art thinking the guitar might perk her up. She shyly admits she had other reasons to keep practicing.

“This is embarrassing, but my main motivation was that I thought my guitar teacher was hot. I thought that if I was a good student, then he might find me attractive also,” she laughs relaying it now. “The logic of an 18 year old.”

The aforementioned hotness aside, this teacher would be the first to really notice Côté’s vocal abilities, suggesting she take a couple of lessons. Later on he’d also nudge her towards song writing. She’d get over the crush but the music remained.

“I guess you could say that it’s always been a labour of love,” she says reflecting back.

Côté met Penny when they were both students and, as teenagers, they formed their first band. The natural musical progression of getting the pieces to fit moved them through inevitable changes but eventually Dave jumped in. Phil was found waiting for somebody, anybody, to answer an ad in cyberspace. After his first practice Cee knew he was what they’d been looking for and DesRoches and his drum kit were asked to join the band in the parking lot of James Street Pub.
Photo by WornLeather Media

“It was sort of serendipitous wasn't it?” he says. “I stopped into James Street for a drink and Arms of the Girl just happened to be playing a show. I went up to finally introduce myself in person when they were done their set, and we got together for a tryout later that week.”

Some are living to work and some are working to live. This band is working to play. Like a lot of artists, their passion doesn’t always pay the bills and the members of Arms of the Girl haven’t quit their day jobs. For now, when not making music, they’re holding down gigs for the government, teaching and passing you a case of brew at your local Beer Store.

Dave will tell you it’s not really so bad, playing music and selling beer, and Cee adds that they ensure their day jobs don’t encroach too much on their musicianship.

“Our jobs are pretty flexible to balance work life with creative passion,” she says.

Côté says her other profession in teaching is actually a snug fit for somebody pursuing the arts despite a few speedy outfit changes from time to time.

“I try and keep my musical side separate from my teacher side – kind of a Clark Kent / Superman thing, down to the times I’ve changed into gig clothes in school bathrooms!”

With the rent cheques paid, the band says their first obstacle after forming was simply knowing exactly what they should be doing, a process they are still working through a handful of albums and a lot of shows later. But, to them, the journey has been an enjoyable one and their sound in indicative of that camaraderie they share.

Arms of the Girl tries not to box in their genre, most comfortable exploring various musical avenues. They’re not hung up on direction. If they need to, they’ll just rearrange the street signs, toss out the map and roll forward with the notion that if you don’t know where you’re going any road will take you there. It's destination anywhere!

Take their recent release, Paper Copper Steel, an album your local record store clerk might have trouble figuring out exactly where to file. Rock? Blues? Pop? Does it matter?

Whatever you want to call it, these songs all translate into what Arms of the Girl have become known for, an energetic stage presence that showcases a group that keeps their steady forward motion one day at a time losing themselves to the music that brought them together in the first place each time they step onto the stage. There they are not in the studio. They are not in the classroom. They are not in the office or Beer Store.

They are in the now!
Photo by WornLeather Media

Ottawa Life talked with the band about their roots, the group dynamics, looking back, looking ahead and keeping their heads above the water in growing wave of the city music scene.

You’ve been performing for awhile now. How do you keep afloat in the growing music biz in Ottawa?

Carolyn: All of the lovely people we have become friends with. Other musicians are the key to this city, and we sincerely appreciate when they show up at our gigs. We try to reciprocate as much as possible.

Dave: I think one of the keys is networking and the best way to network in the music scene is to actually attend shows. You aren’t going to meet new people in the business if you don’t regularly get out there in the scene and interact with other bands/radio personnel/promoters, etc. We’ve been able to get some cool opportunities simply because of a relationship that we’ve developed over a period of time.

There was a bit of a gap between Versions of Happiness and Paper Copper Steel. What was the reason?

Carolyn: Just growing pains. The first two EPs (Recipe for Living and Warning Signs) were the typical recordings you do as a young band. You say, “I have all these songs – I’m going to record them all.” With Versions of Happiness, we started to be more selective. After we released that EP, the band went through a series of trying to figure out what we wanted to focus on – everything from what types of gigs we wanted to play, to how we wanted to work together. We wanted to put out better quality material and release something that we were solid on. The EP’s title, Paper | Copper | Steel, is a nod to the continuation of the band. It’s based on the idea of wedding anniversary presents (ex. paper for the first year, leather for the second, etc.). Phil is paper, as our newest member. Dave is Copper. Afton and I are steel. I did take some liberties with the concept to make the title sound good, but the match up of the years is pretty close!
Photo by Erick Sodhi

What would you say each of you bring to the band?

Dave: Carolyn encompasses the band, as she is the idea person and leader. She produces most of the song ideas and keeps us all in line. There would be no band without her. She is definitely where some of the southern blues and country influences on the band’s sound come from.

Afton brings a quiet sensibility to the band. He knows his stuff musically and when he decides to speak up he usually makes great points and has good ideas. I’ve always said that guitarists make the worst bassists so I can’t say enough about how glad I am that we have an actual bassist in the band. I don’t think I know a better bass player. Afton is also the resident soundman in the band.

Drums are the perfect instrument for Phil because he helps to keep all of us in time both musically and emotionally. It takes a lot to rattle him and he really helps to keep us all focused and put things in perspective. When we were looking for a new drummer, we only needed one practice to decide that Phil was the man for the job.

I feel I bring most of the blues-rock sound to the band as most my influences are classic rock and blues artists. I don’t bring as many ideas to the table as Carolyn but when something gets me really excited I definitely don’t hesitate to show it to the others.

How would you describe your approach to writing your own material?

Carolyn: Both solo and collaborative. I write the main idea: melody, lyrics, basic chords and song structure. I bring it to the guys and they decide if they like it or not. If they do, then they add their instruments and ideas for improving the song.

Dave: It’s a pretty collaborative process overall. It’s usually Carolyn or occasionally myself that brings an idea to practice and collectively we hash it out by getting input from everyone. There’s no real dictator style writing in this band where one person controls everything, and I think that works best for all of our personalities.

The latest EP really balances the acoustic and electric. How did you try to blend both for this interesting sound?

Carolyn: The credit goes to Steve Foley at Audio Valley Recording Studios. He did a beautiful job of bringing the acoustic and electric together. He did a beautiful job overall on the EP.

Dave: It really came down to how to best present the songs and what served each individual song best. I think you need to be willing to experiment a little with songwriting be honest with yourself about when something really works and when it really doesn’t.

What are some of your best memories of 2016?

Carolyn: Our EP release party at LIVE! on Elgin was the best time. We played with our friends in the Cody Allen Band and Weird with Cats, and we brought two of our friends in Iconoclast onstage with us for one song. It was a sell-out show, we made it a party atmosphere with a candy bar and balloons, and we had a signature drink in honour of the night made by Kirby. But best of all, I felt so in the zone, just enjoying being part of the music. So much fun. We had a great set.

What’s on the horizon in 2017 for the band?

Carolyn: We’re working on new material right now and are going to do some demos for it. We’ve got plans to do a cool music video with Worn Leather Media for our song, “Calling You Out.” We’ll probably release a new single this summer, more video content, and we’ve sent out some apps for festivals – so fingers crossed! You never know what opportunity is right around the corner. Our next gig is February 18 at The Rainbow with our friends in The Bristol Hum. - Ottawa Life Magazine

Vocalist Carolyn (Cee) Côté struggled with confidence in her own voice until her early 20s. David Cutler was a 13 year old looking for an identity so he reached for an old guitar. Afton Penny thought there was nothing cooler than being a young musician playing in a band with his friends. Phil DesRoches played his first gig as a drummer, fell in love with the singer and hit the road only to come back around again and marry the girl.

Their paths couldn’t have been more different but music unites. Today Cee, Dave, Phil and Afton are four musicians bonded together by stanzas of song, notes on a page, and melodies in the air wrapped tightly within the folds of their band, together in the Arms of the Girl.
Photo by WornLeather Media

While there is a guitarist in the band that first started playing in his early teens, Côté herself didn’t starting playing guitar until her first year of university. Dealing with the changes most students face -including a deep well of loneliness- she decided to turn the lows into art thinking the guitar might perk her up. She shyly admits she had other reasons to keep practicing.

“This is embarrassing, but my main motivation was that I thought my guitar teacher was hot. I thought that if I was a good student, then he might find me attractive also,” she laughs relaying it now. “The logic of an 18 year old.”

The aforementioned hotness aside, this teacher would be the first to really notice Côté’s vocal abilities, suggesting she take a couple of lessons. Later on he’d also nudge her towards song writing. She’d get over the crush but the music remained.

“I guess you could say that it’s always been a labour of love,” she says reflecting back.

Côté met Penny when they were both students and, as teenagers, they formed their first band. The natural musical progression of getting the pieces to fit moved them through inevitable changes but eventually Dave jumped in. Phil was found waiting for somebody, anybody, to answer an ad in cyberspace. After his first practice Cee knew he was what they’d been looking for and DesRoches and his drum kit were asked to join the band in the parking lot of James Street Pub.
Photo by WornLeather Media

“It was sort of serendipitous wasn't it?” he says. “I stopped into James Street for a drink and Arms of the Girl just happened to be playing a show. I went up to finally introduce myself in person when they were done their set, and we got together for a tryout later that week.”

Some are living to work and some are working to live. This band is working to play. Like a lot of artists, their passion doesn’t always pay the bills and the members of Arms of the Girl haven’t quit their day jobs. For now, when not making music, they’re holding down gigs for the government, teaching and passing you a case of brew at your local Beer Store.

Dave will tell you it’s not really so bad, playing music and selling beer, and Cee adds that they ensure their day jobs don’t encroach too much on their musicianship.

“Our jobs are pretty flexible to balance work life with creative passion,” she says.

Côté says her other profession in teaching is actually a snug fit for somebody pursuing the arts despite a few speedy outfit changes from time to time.

“I try and keep my musical side separate from my teacher side – kind of a Clark Kent / Superman thing, down to the times I’ve changed into gig clothes in school bathrooms!”

With the rent cheques paid, the band says their first obstacle after forming was simply knowing exactly what they should be doing, a process they are still working through a handful of albums and a lot of shows later. But, to them, the journey has been an enjoyable one and their sound in indicative of that camaraderie they share.

Arms of the Girl tries not to box in their genre, most comfortable exploring various musical avenues. They’re not hung up on direction. If they need to, they’ll just rearrange the street signs, toss out the map and roll forward with the notion that if you don’t know where you’re going any road will take you there. It's destination anywhere!

Take their recent release, Paper Copper Steel, an album your local record store clerk might have trouble figuring out exactly where to file. Rock? Blues? Pop? Does it matter?

Whatever you want to call it, these songs all translate into what Arms of the Girl have become known for, an energetic stage presence that showcases a group that keeps their steady forward motion one day at a time losing themselves to the music that brought them together in the first place each time they step onto the stage. There they are not in the studio. They are not in the classroom. They are not in the office or Beer Store.

They are in the now!
Photo by WornLeather Media

Ottawa Life talked with the band about their roots, the group dynamics, looking back, looking ahead and keeping their heads above the water in growing wave of the city music scene.

You’ve been performing for awhile now. How do you keep afloat in the growing music biz in Ottawa?

Carolyn: All of the lovely people we have become friends with. Other musicians are the key to this city, and we sincerely appreciate when they show up at our gigs. We try to reciprocate as much as possible.

Dave: I think one of the keys is networking and the best way to network in the music scene is to actually attend shows. You aren’t going to meet new people in the business if you don’t regularly get out there in the scene and interact with other bands/radio personnel/promoters, etc. We’ve been able to get some cool opportunities simply because of a relationship that we’ve developed over a period of time.

There was a bit of a gap between Versions of Happiness and Paper Copper Steel. What was the reason?

Carolyn: Just growing pains. The first two EPs (Recipe for Living and Warning Signs) were the typical recordings you do as a young band. You say, “I have all these songs – I’m going to record them all.” With Versions of Happiness, we started to be more selective. After we released that EP, the band went through a series of trying to figure out what we wanted to focus on – everything from what types of gigs we wanted to play, to how we wanted to work together. We wanted to put out better quality material and release something that we were solid on. The EP’s title, Paper | Copper | Steel, is a nod to the continuation of the band. It’s based on the idea of wedding anniversary presents (ex. paper for the first year, leather for the second, etc.). Phil is paper, as our newest member. Dave is Copper. Afton and I are steel. I did take some liberties with the concept to make the title sound good, but the match up of the years is pretty close!
Photo by Erick Sodhi

What would you say each of you bring to the band?

Dave: Carolyn encompasses the band, as she is the idea person and leader. She produces most of the song ideas and keeps us all in line. There would be no band without her. She is definitely where some of the southern blues and country influences on the band’s sound come from.

Afton brings a quiet sensibility to the band. He knows his stuff musically and when he decides to speak up he usually makes great points and has good ideas. I’ve always said that guitarists make the worst bassists so I can’t say enough about how glad I am that we have an actual bassist in the band. I don’t think I know a better bass player. Afton is also the resident soundman in the band.

Drums are the perfect instrument for Phil because he helps to keep all of us in time both musically and emotionally. It takes a lot to rattle him and he really helps to keep us all focused and put things in perspective. When we were looking for a new drummer, we only needed one practice to decide that Phil was the man for the job.

I feel I bring most of the blues-rock sound to the band as most my influences are classic rock and blues artists. I don’t bring as many ideas to the table as Carolyn but when something gets me really excited I definitely don’t hesitate to show it to the others.

How would you describe your approach to writing your own material?

Carolyn: Both solo and collaborative. I write the main idea: melody, lyrics, basic chords and song structure. I bring it to the guys and they decide if they like it or not. If they do, then they add their instruments and ideas for improving the song.

Dave: It’s a pretty collaborative process overall. It’s usually Carolyn or occasionally myself that brings an idea to practice and collectively we hash it out by getting input from everyone. There’s no real dictator style writing in this band where one person controls everything, and I think that works best for all of our personalities.

The latest EP really balances the acoustic and electric. How did you try to blend both for this interesting sound?

Carolyn: The credit goes to Steve Foley at Audio Valley Recording Studios. He did a beautiful job of bringing the acoustic and electric together. He did a beautiful job overall on the EP.

Dave: It really came down to how to best present the songs and what served each individual song best. I think you need to be willing to experiment a little with songwriting be honest with yourself about when something really works and when it really doesn’t.

What are some of your best memories of 2016?

Carolyn: Our EP release party at LIVE! on Elgin was the best time. We played with our friends in the Cody Allen Band and Weird with Cats, and we brought two of our friends in Iconoclast onstage with us for one song. It was a sell-out show, we made it a party atmosphere with a candy bar and balloons, and we had a signature drink in honour of the night made by Kirby. But best of all, I felt so in the zone, just enjoying being part of the music. So much fun. We had a great set.

What’s on the horizon in 2017 for the band?

Carolyn: We’re working on new material right now and are going to do some demos for it. We’ve got plans to do a cool music video with Worn Leather Media for our song, “Calling You Out.” We’ll probably release a new single this summer, more video content, and we’ve sent out some apps for festivals – so fingers crossed! You never know what opportunity is right around the corner. Our next gig is February 18 at The Rainbow with our friends in The Bristol Hum. - Ottawa Life Magazine

Vocalist Carolyn (Cee) Côté struggled with confidence in her own voice until her early 20s. David Cutler was a 13 year old looking for an identity so he reached for an old guitar. Afton Penny thought there was nothing cooler than being a young musician playing in a band with his friends. Phil DesRoches played his first gig as a drummer, fell in love with the singer and hit the road only to come back around again and marry the girl.

Their paths couldn’t have been more different but music unites. Today Cee, Dave, Phil and Afton are four musicians bonded together by stanzas of song, notes on a page, and melodies in the air wrapped tightly within the folds of their band, together in the Arms of the Girl.

While there is a guitarist in the band that first started playing in his early teens, Côté herself didn’t starting playing guitar until her first year of university. Dealing with the changes most students face -including a deep well of loneliness- she decided to turn the lows into art thinking the guitar might perk her up. She shyly admits she had other reasons to keep practicing.

“This is embarrassing, but my main motivation was that I thought my guitar teacher was hot. I thought that if I was a good student, then he might find me attractive also,” she laughs relaying it now. “The logic of an 18 year old.”

The aforementioned hotness aside, this teacher would be the first to really notice Côté’s vocal abilities, suggesting she take a couple of lessons. Later on he’d also nudge her towards song writing. She’d get over the crush but the music remained.

“I guess you could say that it’s always been a labour of love,” she says reflecting back.

Côté met Penny when they were both students and, as teenagers, they formed their first band. The natural musical progression of getting the pieces to fit moved them through inevitable changes but eventually Dave jumped in. Phil was found waiting for somebody, anybody, to answer an ad in cyberspace. After his first practice Cee knew he was what they’d been looking for and DesRoches and his drum kit were asked to join the band in the parking lot of James Street Pub.

“It was sort of serendipitous wasn't it?” he says. “I stopped into James Street for a drink and Arms of the Girl just happened to be playing a show. I went up to finally introduce myself in person when they were done their set, and we got together for a tryout later that week.”

Some are living to work and some are working to live. This band is working to play. Like a lot of artists, their passion doesn’t always pay the bills and the members of Arms of the Girl haven’t quit their day jobs. For now, when not making music, they’re holding down gigs for the government, teaching and passing you a case of brew at your local Beer Store.

Dave will tell you it’s not really so bad, playing music and selling beer, and Cee adds that they ensure their day jobs don’t encroach too much on their musicianship.

“Our jobs are pretty flexible to balance work life with creative passion,” she says.

Côté says her other profession in teaching is actually a snug fit for somebody pursuing the arts despite a few speedy outfit changes from time to time.

“I try and keep my musical side separate from my teacher side – kind of a Clark Kent / Superman thing, down to the times I’ve changed into gig clothes in school bathrooms!”

With the rent cheques paid, the band says their first obstacle after forming was simply knowing exactly what they should be doing, a process they are still working through a handful of albums and a lot of shows later. But, to them, the journey has been an enjoyable one and their sound in indicative of that camaraderie they share.

Arms of the Girl tries not to box in their genre, most comfortable exploring various musical avenues. They’re not hung up on direction. If they need to, they’ll just rearrange the street signs, toss out the map and roll forward with the notion that if you don’t know where you’re going any road will take you there. It's destination anywhere!

Take their recent release, Paper Copper Steel, an album your local record store clerk might have trouble figuring out exactly where to file. Rock? Blues? Pop? Does it matter?

Whatever you want to call it, these songs all translate into what Arms of the Girl have become known for, an energetic stage presence that showcases a group that keeps their steady forward motion one day at a time losing themselves to the music that brought them together in the first place each time they step onto the stage. There they are not in the studio. They are not in the classroom. They are not in the office or Beer Store.

They are in the now!

Ottawa Life talked with the band about their roots, the group dynamics, looking back, looking ahead and keeping their heads above the water in growing wave of the city music scene.

You’ve been performing for awhile now. How do you keep afloat in the growing music biz in Ottawa?

Carolyn: All of the lovely people we have become friends with. Other musicians are the key to this city, and we sincerely appreciate when they show up at our gigs. We try to reciprocate as much as possible.

Dave: I think one of the keys is networking and the best way to network in the music scene is to actually attend shows. You aren’t going to meet new people in the business if you don’t regularly get out there in the scene and interact with other bands/radio personnel/promoters, etc. We’ve been able to get some cool opportunities simply because of a relationship that we’ve developed over a period of time.

There was a bit of a gap between Versions of Happiness and Paper Copper Steel. What was the reason?

Carolyn: Just growing pains. The first two EPs (Recipe for Living and Warning Signs) were the typical recordings you do as a young band. You say, “I have all these songs – I’m going to record them all.” With Versions of Happiness, we started to be more selective. After we released that EP, the band went through a series of trying to figure out what we wanted to focus on – everything from what types of gigs we wanted to play, to how we wanted to work together. We wanted to put out better quality material and release something that we were solid on. The EP’s title, Paper | Copper | Steel, is a nod to the continuation of the band. It’s based on the idea of wedding anniversary presents (ex. paper for the first year, leather for the second, etc.). Phil is paper, as our newest member. Dave is Copper. Afton and I are steel. I did take some liberties with the concept to make the title sound good, but the match up of the years is pretty close!

What would you say each of you bring to the band?

Dave: Carolyn encompasses the band, as she is the idea person and leader. She produces most of the song ideas and keeps us all in line. There would be no band without her. She is definitely where some of the southern blues and country influences on the band’s sound come from.

Afton brings a quiet sensibility to the band. He knows his stuff musically and when he decides to speak up he usually makes great points and has good ideas. I’ve always said that guitarists make the worst bassists so I can’t say enough about how glad I am that we have an actual bassist in the band. I don’t think I know a better bass player. Afton is also the resident soundman in the band.

Drums are the perfect instrument for Phil because he helps to keep all of us in time both musically and emotionally. It takes a lot to rattle him and he really helps to keep us all focused and put things in perspective. When we were looking for a new drummer, we only needed one practice to decide that Phil was the man for the job.

I feel I bring most of the blues-rock sound to the band as most my influences are classic rock and blues artists. I don’t bring as many ideas to the table as Carolyn but when something gets me really excited I definitely don’t hesitate to show it to the others.

How would you describe your approach to writing your own material?

Carolyn: Both solo and collaborative. I write the main idea: melody, lyrics, basic chords and song structure. I bring it to the guys and they decide if they like it or not. If they do, then they add their instruments and ideas for improving the song.

Dave: It’s a pretty collaborative process overall. It’s usually Carolyn or occasionally myself that brings an idea to practice and collectively we hash it out by getting input from everyone. There’s no real dictator style writing in this band where one person controls everything, and I think that works best for all of our personalities.

The latest EP really balances the acoustic and electric. How did you try to blend both for this interesting sound?

Carolyn: The credit goes to Steve Foley at Audio Valley Recording Studios. He did a beautiful job of bringing the acoustic and electric together. He did a beautiful job overall on the EP.

Dave: It really came down to how to best present the songs and what served each individual song best. I think you need to be willing to experiment a little with songwriting be honest with yourself about when something really works and when it really doesn’t.

What are some of your best memories of 2016?

Carolyn: Our EP release party at LIVE! on Elgin was the best time. We played with our friends in the Cody Allen Band and Weird with Cats, and we brought two of our friends in Iconoclast onstage with us for one song. It was a sell-out show, we made it a party atmosphere with a candy bar and balloons, and we had a signature drink in honour of the night made by Kirby. But best of all, I felt so in the zone, just enjoying being part of the music. So much fun. We had a great set.

What’s on the horizon in 2017 for the band?

Carolyn: We’re working on new material right now and are going to do some demos for it. We’ve got plans to do a cool music video with Worn Leather Media for our song, “Calling You Out.” We’ll probably release a new single this summer, more video content, and we’ve sent out some apps for festivals – so fingers crossed! You never know what opportunity is right around the corner. Our next gig is February 18 at The Rainbow with our friends in The Bristol Hum. - Ottawa Life Magazine

ocalist Carolyn (Cee) Côté struggled with confidence in her own voice until her early 20s. David Cutler was a 13 year old looking for an identity so he reached for an old guitar. Afton Penny thought there was nothing cooler than being a young musician playing in a band with his friends. Phil DesRoches played his first gig as a drummer, fell in love with the singer and hit the road only to come back around again and marry the girl.

Their paths couldn’t have been more different but music unites. Today Cee, Dave, Phil and Afton are four musicians bonded together by stanzas of song, notes on a page, and melodies in the air wrapped tightly within the folds of their band, together in the Arms of the Girl.
Photo by WornLeather Media

While there is a guitarist in the band that first started playing in his early teens, Côté herself didn’t starting playing guitar until her first year of university. Dealing with the changes most students face -including a deep well of loneliness- she decided to turn the lows into art thinking the guitar might perk her up. She shyly admits she had other reasons to keep practicing.

“This is embarrassing, but my main motivation was that I thought my guitar teacher was hot. I thought that if I was a good student, then he might find me attractive also,” she laughs relaying it now. “The logic of an 18 year old.”

The aforementioned hotness aside, this teacher would be the first to really notice Côté’s vocal abilities, suggesting she take a couple of lessons. Later on he’d also nudge her towards song writing. She’d get over the crush but the music remained.

“I guess you could say that it’s always been a labour of love,” she says reflecting back.

Côté met Penny when they were both students and, as teenagers, they formed their first band. The natural musical progression of getting the pieces to fit moved them through inevitable changes but eventually Dave jumped in. Phil was found waiting for somebody, anybody, to answer an ad in cyberspace. After his first practice Cee knew he was what they’d been looking for and DesRoches and his drum kit were asked to join the band in the parking lot of James Street Pub.
Photo by WornLeather Media

“It was sort of serendipitous wasn't it?” he says. “I stopped into James Street for a drink and Arms of the Girl just happened to be playing a show. I went up to finally introduce myself in person when they were done their set, and we got together for a tryout later that week.”

Some are living to work and some are working to live. This band is working to play. Like a lot of artists, their passion doesn’t always pay the bills and the members of Arms of the Girl haven’t quit their day jobs. For now, when not making music, they’re holding down gigs for the government, teaching and passing you a case of brew at your local Beer Store.

Dave will tell you it’s not really so bad, playing music and selling beer, and Cee adds that they ensure their day jobs don’t encroach too much on their musicianship.

“Our jobs are pretty flexible to balance work life with creative passion,” she says.

Côté says her other profession in teaching is actually a snug fit for somebody pursuing the arts despite a few speedy outfit changes from time to time.

“I try and keep my musical side separate from my teacher side – kind of a Clark Kent / Superman thing, down to the times I’ve changed into gig clothes in school bathrooms!”

With the rent cheques paid, the band says their first obstacle after forming was simply knowing exactly what they should be doing, a process they are still working through a handful of albums and a lot of shows later. But, to them, the journey has been an enjoyable one and their sound in indicative of that camaraderie they share.

Arms of the Girl tries not to box in their genre, most comfortable exploring various musical avenues. They’re not hung up on direction. If they need to, they’ll just rearrange the street signs, toss out the map and roll forward with the notion that if you don’t know where you’re going any road will take you there. It's destination anywhere!

Take their recent release, Paper Copper Steel, an album your local record store clerk might have trouble figuring out exactly where to file. Rock? Blues? Pop? Does it matter?

Whatever you want to call it, these songs all translate into what Arms of the Girl have become known for, an energetic stage presence that showcases a group that keeps their steady forward motion one day at a time losing themselves to the music that brought them together in the first place each time they step onto the stage. There they are not in the studio. They are not in the classroom. They are not in the office or Beer Store.

They are in the now!
Photo by WornLeather Media

Ottawa Life talked with the band about their roots, the group dynamics, looking back, looking ahead and keeping their heads above the water in growing wave of the city music scene.

You’ve been performing for awhile now. How do you keep afloat in the growing music biz in Ottawa?

Carolyn: All of the lovely people we have become friends with. Other musicians are the key to this city, and we sincerely appreciate when they show up at our gigs. We try to reciprocate as much as possible.

Dave: I think one of the keys is networking and the best way to network in the music scene is to actually attend shows. You aren’t going to meet new people in the business if you don’t regularly get out there in the scene and interact with other bands/radio personnel/promoters, etc. We’ve been able to get some cool opportunities simply because of a relationship that we’ve developed over a period of time.

There was a bit of a gap between Versions of Happiness and Paper Copper Steel. What was the reason?

Carolyn: Just growing pains. The first two EPs (Recipe for Living and Warning Signs) were the typical recordings you do as a young band. You say, “I have all these songs – I’m going to record them all.” With Versions of Happiness, we started to be more selective. After we released that EP, the band went through a series of trying to figure out what we wanted to focus on – everything from what types of gigs we wanted to play, to how we wanted to work together. We wanted to put out better quality material and release something that we were solid on. The EP’s title, Paper | Copper | Steel, is a nod to the continuation of the band. It’s based on the idea of wedding anniversary presents (ex. paper for the first year, leather for the second, etc.). Phil is paper, as our newest member. Dave is Copper. Afton and I are steel. I did take some liberties with the concept to make the title sound good, but the match up of the years is pretty close!
Photo by Erick Sodhi

What would you say each of you bring to the band?

Dave: Carolyn encompasses the band, as she is the idea person and leader. She produces most of the song ideas and keeps us all in line. There would be no band without her. She is definitely where some of the southern blues and country influences on the band’s sound come from.

Afton brings a quiet sensibility to the band. He knows his stuff musically and when he decides to speak up he usually makes great points and has good ideas. I’ve always said that guitarists make the worst bassists so I can’t say enough about how glad I am that we have an actual bassist in the band. I don’t think I know a better bass player. Afton is also the resident soundman in the band.

Drums are the perfect instrument for Phil because he helps to keep all of us in time both musically and emotionally. It takes a lot to rattle him and he really helps to keep us all focused and put things in perspective. When we were looking for a new drummer, we only needed one practice to decide that Phil was the man for the job.

I feel I bring most of the blues-rock sound to the band as most my influences are classic rock and blues artists. I don’t bring as many ideas to the table as Carolyn but when something gets me really excited I definitely don’t hesitate to show it to the others.

How would you describe your approach to writing your own material?

Carolyn: Both solo and collaborative. I write the main idea: melody, lyrics, basic chords and song structure. I bring it to the guys and they decide if they like it or not. If they do, then they add their instruments and ideas for improving the song.

Dave: It’s a pretty collaborative process overall. It’s usually Carolyn or occasionally myself that brings an idea to practice and collectively we hash it out by getting input from everyone. There’s no real dictator style writing in this band where one person controls everything, and I think that works best for all of our personalities.

The latest EP really balances the acoustic and electric. How did you try to blend both for this interesting sound?

Carolyn: The credit goes to Steve Foley at Audio Valley Recording Studios. He did a beautiful job of bringing the acoustic and electric together. He did a beautiful job overall on the EP.

Dave: It really came down to how to best present the songs and what served each individual song best. I think you need to be willing to experiment a little with songwriting be honest with yourself about when something really works and when it really doesn’t.

What are some of your best memories of 2016?

Carolyn: Our EP release party at LIVE! on Elgin was the best time. We played with our friends in the Cody Allen Band and Weird with Cats, and we brought two of our friends in Iconoclast onstage with us for one song. It was a sell-out show, we made it a party atmosphere with a candy bar and balloons, and we had a signature drink in honour of the night made by Kirby. But best of all, I felt so in the zone, just enjoying being part of the music. So much fun. We had a great set.

What’s on the horizon in 2017 for the band?

Carolyn: We’re working on new material right now and are going to do some demos for it. We’ve got plans to do a cool music video with Worn Leather Media for our song, “Calling You Out.” We’ll probably release a new single this summer, more video content, and we’ve sent out some apps for festivals – so fingers crossed! You never know what opportunity is right around the corner. Our next gig is February 18 at The Rainbow with our friends in The Bristol Hum.
By: Andre Gagne - Ottawa Life Magazine