The Lonely Parade

There is a desire for the real and the raw on “Splenda Thief,” a title that reflects a need to strip away the artifice for an experience that can only be described as truthful. Slowly revealed over the course of the EP, The Lonely Parade use their music as a weapon of sonic destruction to strip away the feigned and the forced. The first half of their tape strikes physically, pulsating over a wall-of-sound and lo-fi vocals to awake the senses. Those physical sensations are brought into embracive light on the latter end, awakening a disclosure ceaselessly being uncovered but continuously being sought. - Weird Canada

Peterborough, Ontario's the Lonely Parade made their intentions clear right away, as the trio broke into a jittery opening that, like the rest of their set, seemed to take a left turn at every stop. Bassist/singer Charlotte Dempsey demonstrated on their first song her authoritative voice, which commands one's attention. But she and co-singer/guitarist Augusta Veno were supported from every direction by excellent musicianship, too.

Drummer Ani Climenhage drove the band through the breakdowns of "Depression Song," and Dempsey followed every twist in the rhythm sharply. Meanwhile, Veno's voice possessed a more anxious, pissed-off quality, conveying a sneer that was belied by her smile during one song that gave "a very detailed account" of puking in a significant other's house.

Their songs are unpredictable, jazzy, the type that require endless practice and substantial chops, and Climenhage punctuates it all with busy, persnickety rim hits that decorate the songs and underscore the youthful malaise of songs like "She Can Wait."

Guitar-driven indie rock can be boring, but the Lonely Parade bend and twist conventions to create inventive, compelling songs that evince a fluency in, and love for, a wide span of musical genres, often in the same song. Punk, jazz, psych, garage, surf — the Lonely Parade pull from a host of influences, and the result is captivating. - Exclaim!

The Lonely Parade completely caught me off guard the first time I saw them. Seeing this band play is like witnessing all of the smartest musical ideas unleashed in a 3-piece of creative freedom. I literally cried. With a drummer who can ride through almost any beat imaginable, a bassist who plays counter melodies with the guitar while cementing a sweet groove, and a guitarist who takes risks with refreshingly inventive riffs, you can’t help but smile-cry out loud, or just in your heart. Their songs keep you hooked, rolling out like a choose-your-own-adventure storybook, changing confidently to new and unexpected melodic territory that keeps you excited for the next turn.

When it comes to lyrics, The Lonely Parade draws on themes as old as the Greek myth of Icarus and as current as last night’s punk show. Though the members are young in age, lyrics like “I don’t want to have to pay just to make more money” show their insightful wisdom and passionate resistance towards the society they see themselves aging into.

With the creativity and passionate intention behind both lyrics and musical arrangements The Lonely Parade will fill your spirit with inspiration to go forth and start your own adventure! - Kazoo! Fest