The BelleRegards
Toronto, Ontario, Canada | Established. Jan 01, 2012 | SELF
Music
Press
The multilingual quartet The BelleRegards come from four different Canadian provinces, and their sound is equally diverse. On full-length debut Nothing To Lose, they prove to be more versatile than the typical folk combo, mixing in bluegrass, rockabilly, country, and old-time folk flavours. Their own description: "Bluegrass & Roots inspired acoustic Gypsy Mountain Folk". Spirited instrumentation and nicely-knitted vocal harmonies are signatures. They launched the CD with a Toronto show at the Rivoli last week, and their next local gig is at C'est What on March 31. A disc to hold in high regard indeed. - Kerry Doole, New Canadian Music
If you enjoy good folk or have a soft spot for a band like Mumford and Sons, then this is music you’ll be happy to hear.... a 4-piece group consisting of acoustic guitar, violin/fiddle, mandolin and stand up bass, lead by male and female vocals. Their live show isn’t one to miss, as it’s full of energetic, foot stomping tunes to hold a glass to. - Jo Hayward, View the Vibe Magazine
‘The BelleRegards’ performed an exceptional evening that tugged at North America's roots... Fabulous! - Anne Rector, The Intelligencer
Get your tramping shoes on because this one’s a footstomper. On this track the BelleRegards take a Nashville pop sound and add all the trappings of modern folk, giving us a song full of unadorned acoustic guitars, fiddles, mandolins and double bass with none of the sickly sweet over-production or faux-southern nonsense that permeates an awful lot of modern country. The energy of the single bass drum thudding along is a great counter to the accordion and mournful fiddle, stopping the track from becoming maudlin and mawkish without trampling all over them and ruining the atmosphere of the song. This is well produced, well written, well performed; and well worth a listen. - Searching Through the Drivel Blog
The BelleRegards, an indie folk band from Toronto; The Most Loyal, a folk, alterative-country band based in Toronto, and Jojo Worthington, of Waterloo, who sang and performed on the ukulele, won gigs at the Mariposa Folk Festival. The BelleRegards won audience favourite. - Sarah Carson, The Orillia Packet
Discography
Nothing to Lose, 2014
One Word (EP) , 2012
Photos
Bio
The BelleRegards are a four-piece folk band based out of Toronto and play what they like to call “rowdy folk”. With more than a hint of bluegrass and rockabilly, the band is identified by high-energy live shows, foot-stomping rhythms, trad breaks, and good humour. They love to get the crowd moving with them—whether to an upbeat 2-step or swaying to a ballad, their shows invite you to join in the fun. The members of the band hail from four different provinces and each bring a unique flavour to The BelleRegards' sound. Led by the raw vocals of Matt Kingsley and Melanie Hilmi, the singer-songwriter front is driven by the slap-rhythms and bowed upright bass of Mitch Thomson, and infused with
old-timey French-Canadian fiddle by David Poulin.
A passion for music brought each of the members to study audio production at the Harris Institute in 2012, and soon the boys had started jamming in Matt's living room and Mel wanted in too.
By the end of the year the four had launched a self-produced EP, "One Word". Throughout 2013 they produced and recorded their first full-length album entitled "Nothing to Lose", which was released March 13, 2014. The album was
recorded in a sprawling house along the Madoc River and captures the organic feeling of open space and old wood.
“On full-length debut Nothing To Lose, they prove to be more versatile than the typical folk combo, mixing in bluegrass, rockabilly, country, and old-time folk flavours... Spirited instrumentation and nicely-knitted vocal harmonies are signatures.”
- Kerry Doole, New Canadian Music
The spring of 2014 saw The BelleRegards venture to the UK where they had their first taste of haggis and played for lively audiences in Glasgow, Cardiff and London. They also performed at the Mariposa Folk festival in July and were well received there.
“The BelleRegards are an exciting up-and-coming band who were hired to play at the Mariposa Folk Festival in 2014. Their combination of strong vocals, excellent instrumentation and engaging stage presence earned them many new fans and supporters. Whether it was performing on the pub stage, doing collaborative workshops or even managing a singalong children’s session, this band was an ideal folk festival group. Let’s hope we hear more from them at other festivals and events in the future!”
-Mike Hill, Artistic Director, Mariposa Folk FestivalThe BelleRegards are currently planning to record a second album this fall for release in spring 2015, and are planning to follow-up on their UK tour with another visit to Europe, also in the fall.
Band Members
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