The Young Novelists

The Young Novelists play Isis Restaurant and Music Hall at 7 p.m. April 8.

•“You can’t handle the truth.” That line, delivered by Jack Nicholson in the movie “A Few Good Men,” has become something of a punchline, but many of us would readily admit it — we can’t handle it, nor do we want to. When it comes to delivering or receiving, truth can be ... well, overrated.

When people begin a sentence with, “If I can be perfectly honest,” my first instinct is to go running in the other direction. If a documentary is described as “unflinchingly honest” in the synopsis, there’s no way it’s ending up in my Netflix queue. In my opinion, truth is just another one of those things that is best in moderation.

The average person tells lies all the time, even if they don’t realize it. Studies have shown the average person lies about three times in a 10-minute period.

It’s interesting to note how the nature of these fibs falls along gender lines. Women lie more often to make the listener feel good whereas men lie more often to make themselves seem better or more competent. These kinds of lies are called prosocial, actually viewed positively — they keep the wheels of society running smoothly.

Psychologists have also concluded that deception of oneself, or delusion, can be positive (in moderation). Most happy people overestimate themselves — their attractiveness, intelligence and social standing. All you self-knowledge seekers beware — if you succeed, chances are, you’ll end up depressed.

So given all this, you can understand why I would view a group like The Young Novelists with a high degree of suspicion. The bio on the band’s website indicates a serious over-romantic honesty: “Through their rich but rustic sound, Toronto roots-rock outfit The Young Novelists deliver a dose of honesty in audible form.”

It continues: “Honesty and transparency. They’re at the very core of ‘made us strangers’ (the band’s most recent album), from the lyrics to the music to the way it was recorded, and that’s sure to foster closer connections between The Young Novelists and their current and future followers.”

Listening to The Young Novelists music, I was relieved to find that my fears were unfounded. Though honest in both content and delivery (many takes from their album involved no pitch correction, and some cuts were actually captured entirely live off the floor) the music doesn’t make you feel bad about yourself or the least bit depressed. This is folk-rock at its best, and truly happy music.

The band began as Graydon James & The Young Novelists, a six-piece outfit, but gradually James began to tour more as a duo with his wife, Laura Spink. It made sense to drop the name “Graydon James” and The Young Novelists was born.

The band benefits from the recent comeback of a less polished and more rootsy sound in the music industry. They could be just one “Ho Hey” away from being the next Lumineers; James and Spink share vocal duties, and the feel of its music is similar to bands like The Head and the Heart and Civil Wars.

The group is wrapping up some online fundraising that helped finance its second album, “made us strangers,” set for an April 28 release. The band is known in its homeland of Canada for the warmth and quality of their live performances. This intimate show — only 50 tickets will be sold — at the Isis is sure to be a treat. - Asheville Citizen-Times

Toronto Life Magazine (Toronto, ON)
May 2013 Issue
Maybe there’s something in the water, but Toronto has a weird ability to keep producing unerringly classy country-rock bands who know their way around four-part harmonies and Gretsch hollow-body guitars. James and friends have been together for four years, releasing In the Year You Were Born, their first proper album, last fall. May 2. $20. Hugh’s Room, 2261 Dundas St. W., 416-531-6604, hughsroom.com. - Toronto Life Magazine (Toronto, ON)

Times & Transcript (Moncton, NB)
August 26, 2013
Their music has earned comparisons to Blue Rodeo and the Band but make no mistake, Toronto-based roots band Graydon James and the Young Novelists are carving a path all their own. Following up a pair of 2011 releases, the group’s most recent full-length effort, In The Year You Were Born, has earned them widespread praise. Their songs have been deemed thoughtful and heartfelt while the band is also earning a reputation for their stellar live shows.

As Graydon James and the Young Novelists have become busier over the last two years, potential life-changing decisions are also being made. Thus far, James and his wife, Laura (who also plays in the band) have balanced band commitments with family life and day jobs. The latter is about to be removed from the mix, however:

“Over the past couple of years, we’ve been lucky that we have been playing better shows in venues and places that we haven’t played before,” Graydon says. “We are seeing some good momentum behind the band, playing a few shows every week while still balancing our day jobs. So I made the decision to take a leave of absence from my job for the next two years to see how music pans out for us.”

Understandably, it was not a decision Graydon made without thoroughly thinking matters through. He admits being rather nervous and slightly stressed at the thought of willingly walking away from his security blanket, of sorts. Of course, the consolation is that if music doesn’t quite pan out, he can always return to his job.

“I’m pretty fortunate to even have that as an option. The state of commerce for the arts is tough for everyone in the world right now.”

Fortunately for Graydon, he has more than one trick up his sleeve. This past April, he released his first novel, The Mall of Small Frustrations. The book is about various characters who work in a shopping mall and how they deal with various life situations.

He began work on the book about three years ago but had to put it aside temporarily to concentrate on the musical side of his work with the Young Novelists. When the time came to revisit the book, Graydon found that taking time away from it was the best thing for the finished product.

“I had tried to balance writing the novel along with writing music and just found it too difficult to balance the two.

“When I came back to the novel, it was as if I was completely re-energized. At the time, I stepped away from the novel, I had spent a significant amount of time editing and going over various things. But when I came back to it a few years later, I found that it was much easier to identify the problems that I hadn’t found before. I ended up doing a fairly extensive rewrite and added in quite a bit of material and am quite pleased with the end result. I didn’t like having to leave it for as long as I did but gaining some life experiences helped give a different perspective on what’s important.”

While In The Year You Were Born is a fairly recent release, Graydon says the group is already looking forward to recording its next effort. The band has been in rehearsal and writing new songs with the goal of heading into the studio late this fall to begin recording. Given that music will soon be his primary occupation, he recognizes that now is the time to throw himself into the band’s next record.

“We’ve been talking to a few different producers for the record,” Graydon says. “We have somewhere between one-third and one-half of the amount of songs that I would like to have written. Ideally, I’d like to go into the studio with somewhere between 30 and 40 songs to choose from.”

Songwriting is very much a group effort with Graydon James and the Young Novelists. And no one is happier for that fact than Graydon himself as it relieves him of being solely responsible for all Young Novelist songs. He says that songwriting follows a very natural progression with the band. Both he and his band mates bring new song ideas forward and work away at them until they are sufficiently pleased with how far they have developed the initial seeds of a song.

“It is definitely interesting to have an idea brought into practice and see how it changes and develops over time,’ Graydon says. ‘I really enjoy the back and forth when it comes to songwriting. Getting our songs to sound the way we want them to sound can sometimes take a long time but it’s all worth it in the end. Everyone in the band has an ear for what they want. Everyone has their influences.

“I grew up listening to Crosby Stills & Nash and the Eagles, so those influences end up showing through in the songs I write. I realize it’s not necessarily cool to like the Eagles but I just can’t seem to escape my influences.”

What: Graydon James & The Young Novelists
When: Tuesday August 27, 9:00 p.m.
Where: Plan B Lounge, 212 St. George Street, Moncton

By Ken Kelley - Times & Transcript (Moncton, NB)

Ear to the Ground Blog (Ohio, OH)
September 7, 2013
I found Graydon James and the Young Novelists how I find a lot of artists on the bountiful supply of new music that is bandcamp. Initially blown away by the songwriting and harmonies, I couldn’t wait to get a copy of In the Year You Were Born. I can safely say the album fulfills my high expectations.

Jumping off from an uptempo opening track, “I was a young man’s son” has the ethereal hard-working ethic typical of the country music root James and company use as their base. It’s really the kind of concept that a lot of people have experienced, but few would think to write about. He’s a young man’s son, meaning having young parents really influenced his life. Throughout the track there are several references to hard work and perseverance. Good stuff.

“In Your Defense” is precisely the kind of song that brought me to this band in the first place. Starting with a wonderful two-part male-female harmony and a nice driving pop rock rhythm, the song gets toes tapping from the outset. More rock than country, this song reminds listeners of the Spring Standards and their musical antecedent, Fleetwood Mac. It’s a great song and the guitars are just prominent enough to make the overall sound really click. The vocal blending on the bridge is so phenomenal that it puts it in conversation for track… not just of the album… but of the year. If this band is so talented that they can layer vocals like that, why not do it on every track?!

“Standing Still” is a stripped down track that puts a smile on my face. The beginning is almost Civil Wars worthy. As the full band comes in, the sound becomes a little more “early 90s country music.” It’s a break up song… or maybe a song that reflects on a bygone relationship. It’s sad, but sincere, so it works with the sound. In a similarly reflective vein, “Smalltown Hymns” also keeps things slow. Again the vocals shine over the track. The lyrics on the chorus are particularly inspiring, from my perspective. “And it begins with these small-town hymns carrying through your heart and all your limbs.” It’s just sweet and delightful. It’s not even about “hymns” per se, but values and ideals that permeate who we are. What a wonderful sentiment.

The waltz “It Takes All Kinds” has pop country music written all over it. Seriously from the vocal blends to the guitar licks, it’s got the whole package. If I had any contacts in Nashville, I’d send them this track for immediate air play. It’s a modern country song, complete to its theme. The artist is singing to someone about a relationship gone wrong, apologizing, and knowing his apology doesn’t make it any easier. Whew. Bartender, pour me ‘nother.

By Greg Jones - Ear to the Ground Blog (Ohio, OH)

Rating: 4/5

“Music doesn’t really matter much without an audience,” writes Graydon James in the liner notes to his second album. It’s like a blue-collar take on the ancient koan about a tree falling in the woods, a bit of accidental wisdom disguised as sentiment.

James's populist, friendly attitude serves him well. The chords to each song on in the year you were born are included under the lyrics. The album’s strongest song, “Standing Still,” is led not by he but vocalist Laura Spink. He seems deeply inspired by the prospect of working with, and for, other people; “{The Young Novelists) are all far, far better at their instruments than I’ve ever been,” he told us this past June with some unwarranted self-deprecation.

But with the same focus that made his 40-track debut goodnight, young novelist an unexpectedly breezy listen, James stays on task. Despite introducing additional players and apparently encouraging their own creative input, in the year you were born never feels like a kitchen too full of cooks. The tracks are never left to wander. The longest son (natch) “Long Long Long” deserves to be. As eager as he may be to defer singular credit, James is still the essential centre of his group.

By Jess Skinner
September 25, 2012 - TORO Magazine

"In these days of seemingly endless variety and specialization, pop music can claim to be a great many things, but “wry” is rarely one of them. Consider, then, this telling excerpt: “Oh I know you so well, don't say that I don't/ I put you through hell, as you already know . . . ” It’s those last four words, reading as though they should be muttered under the breath and simultaneously making fun of the song’s narrator, that establish the tone of this sardonic yet graceful waltz. For fans of Blue Rodeo, The Band, and pre-weirdness Wilco, here are three last words: Step right up."
'Take Your Time' from 'A Small Town Eulogy' - Toronto Star

Graydon James and the Young Novelists
Maybe there’s something in the water, but Toronto has a weird ability to keep producing unerringly classy country-rock bands who know their way around four-part harmonies and Gretsch hollow-body guitars. James and friends have been together for four years, releasing In the Year You Were Born, their first proper album, last fall. May 2. $20. Hugh’s Room, 2261 Dundas St. W., 416-531-6604, hughsroom.com. - Toronto Life

Graydon James & the Young Novelists put together a great bill to celebrate their release of In the Year You Were Born. And to add to the great bill, the band made the atmosphere so welcoming by offering tea. Graydon James fronts this band with Alex Dodd on keys, Shawn Jurek on bass, John Law on guitar, Mike Paddags on drums and Laura Spink singing backup vocals. The band plays feel good folk/roots music and attracted a good-sized crowd to help celebrate their album release.

The band focused their set on songs from the latest album, but they also played a few songs released in 2009, “Alyson, Everything I Know is Wrong” and “For the Record” from Goodnight, Young Novelist and “You Don’t Feel Young Anymore” from Mistakes, Outtakes & Unfinished Business. The band is undeniably prolific, but the songs all come across as thoughtful and heartfelt. The same is true for their live show, as James’ sincerity on stage is obvious.

As the set was nearing its end, the band played some of their more upbeat tunes, “The Way it Was” and “I Was a Young Man’s Son,” which were personal favourites in the set. You can stream and/or purchase any of the band’s albums via their Bandcamp.

Buying Shots For Bands Blog
September 23, 2012 - Buying Shots For Bands Blog

Graydon James & the Young Novelists put together a great bill to celebrate their release of In the Year You Were Born. And to add to the great bill, the band made the atmosphere so welcoming by offering tea. Graydon James fronts this band with Alex Dodd on keys, Shawn Jurek on bass, John Law on guitar, Mike Paddags on drums and Laura Spink singing backup vocals. The band plays feel good folk/roots music and attracted a good-sized crowd to help celebrate their album release.

The band focused their set on songs from the latest album, but they also played a few songs released in 2009, “Alyson, Everything I Know is Wrong” and “For the Record” from Goodnight, Young Novelist and “You Don’t Feel Young Anymore” from Mistakes, Outtakes & Unfinished Business. The band is undeniably prolific, but the songs all come across as thoughtful and heartfelt. The same is true for their live show, as James’ sincerity on stage is obvious.

As the set was nearing its end, the band played some of their more upbeat tunes, “The Way it Was” and “I Was a Young Man’s Son,” which were personal favourites in the set. You can stream and/or purchase any of the band’s albums via their Bandcamp.

Buying Shots For Bands Blog
September 23, 2012 - Buying Shots For Bands Blog

Folk music has made a glorious comeback — and Toronto is blazing the trail. With bands such as Great Lake Swimmers and Cuff the Duke getting mainstream air time, local indie groups have to work overtime to give us something refreshingly unrivaled, and at the same time, something wonted. Which is exactly what Graydon James and The Young Novelists gave us last night — and will continue to do every Wednesday night this month.

Postman by day, cavalier crooner by night, frontman Graydon James delivered (get it?) an intimate set at The Cameron House on Wednesday. Backed by the full Young Novelists band, most of us in attendance felt as though we were seeing an old familiar friend that just happens to have killer jam skills. But the show was far from habitual.

Another local (Hamilton counts, right?) songstress, Paula Perri, warmed up the crowd and cajoled us with her honeyed, lulling voice, which was punctuated by blustering drum beats and smoothed by the fluidity of keys.

When it came time for the The Young Novelists to take the stage, it was immediately clear that they would keep true to the folk resurgence, and they performed in full-blown symphonic form. That included four-piece vocals, a trumpet, double keys (of both the old-school and electronic variety) and a tambourine, amongst traditional drums and guitars. So it’s no surprise that their brand of raucous bluegrass has likened them to other folk heavyweights such as Blue Rodeo and Wilco.

Instantly, the band jumped into its first full-length record, In The Year You Were Born, which was released in September (and seemingly an eternity after their critically-lauded EP, A Small Town Eulogy). Hands down, “It Takes All Kinds” remains the fan favourite, so kicking off the set with such a warming and winsome tune had us eating out of the palms of their hands for the remainder of the night. A veritable country-fried cacophony.

The cowboy-boot-mobiles dangling from the ceiling, plush couches and romantic lighting make for an undeniably cozy venue with serious acoustic abilities — but it’s obvious that the Young Novelists need a bigger space to hold their sound. Even now, my tinny iPod headphones aren’t powerful enough to handle the loudness of the studio album, let alone the live set, the latter of which you can (and probably should) experience.

By Sabrina Nanji
October 11, 2012 - PostCity.com

Rating: 4/5

The latest album from this Galaxie Rising Star Award winner is a bunch of folk-roots tracks that are as poignant as they are heartfelt. There are no gimmicks or studio trickery here, just good old-fashioned musical talent that combine soaring three-part harmonies, a host of instruments and storytelling to create an end result that emotes and entertains. The collective is at its best when it gets down with its folk-rock stompers, as on "I Was a Young Man's Son" and "Make the Same Mistakes." Each track tackles a facet of life, from joys to sorrows, with a fresh take that avoids cliched pitfalls and keeps the listener engaged from start to finish.

By Meaghan Baxter
September 19, 2012 - VUE Weekly

Graydon James & The Young Novelists bring together an assortment of music styles with sweet vocal harmonies in their exceptional EP, A Small Town Eulogy.

A short release compared to their previous effort, a 40 song album called Goodnight, Young Novelist, the band incorporates folk, country, and rock with a rich and warm sound that steadily evolves through the EP. It’s a sound that punches-up the basic singer-songwriter type tunes.

“It Takes All Kinds,” like the album as a whole, evolves. Beginning with a simplistic piano and guitar combination, it grows into a multi-instrumental hit, complete with a wondrous guitar solo.

Throughout the EP, the strength in not only James’ voice but Shawn Jurek’s as well, which provides a strong foundation. Additional vocals by Laura Spink, which are fully revealed in the outstanding “Left Behind,” liken to that of Marketa Irglova from the Irish folk-band The Swell Season, and are used to perfection.

Ending A Small Town Eulogy is “Take Your Time,” summarizing everything right about the band. As the most toe-tappable track, the vocal harmonies – plus the banjo – leave you impressed with Graydon James & The Young Novelists. - spillmagazine.com

Graydon James & The Young Novelists bring together an assortment of music styles with sweet vocal harmonies in their exceptional EP, A Small Town Eulogy.

A short release compared to their previous effort, a 40 song album called Goodnight, Young Novelist, the band incorporates folk, country, and rock with a rich and warm sound that steadily evolves through the EP. It’s a sound that punches-up the basic singer-songwriter type tunes.

“It Takes All Kinds,” like the album as a whole, evolves. Beginning with a simplistic piano and guitar combination, it grows into a multi-instrumental hit, complete with a wondrous guitar solo.

Throughout the EP, the strength in not only James’ voice but Shawn Jurek’s as well, which provides a strong foundation. Additional vocals by Laura Spink, which are fully revealed in the outstanding “Left Behind,” liken to that of Marketa Irglova from the Irish folk-band The Swell Season, and are used to perfection.

Ending A Small Town Eulogy is “Take Your Time,” summarizing everything right about the band. As the most toe-tappable track, the vocal harmonies – plus the banjo – leave you impressed with Graydon James & The Young Novelists. - spillmagazine.com

L’an dernier, le groupe ontarien Graydon James & The Young Novelists débarquait par surprise dans ma liste d’écoute avec un disque enregistré en concert au Dublin St Church de Guelph. Leur folk canadiana ressortait pleinement en spectacle et mettait en vitrine les nombreuses qualités du groupe étant donné cette chimie unique en spectacle.

J’ai pu en témoigner récemment lors du dernier arrêt de leur tournée des maritimes, grâce à cette bande sonore faite sur mesure pour mettre fin à l’été. Il faut préciser que Graydon James et ses jeunes romanciers rentrent parfaitement dans la catégorie du bien bon monde, avec le coeur à la bonne place. Le sympathique groupe d’amis a avant tout bien du plaisir à jouer sur scène ensemble, qu’importe le contexte. Vous voyez le genre?

L’occasion était idéale pour découvrir les chansons de leur nouvel album, In The Year You Were Born. C’est donc la tête pleine de mélodies et le pied qui tape toujours au rythme du groupe que je suis plongé dans l’écoute du disque. Difficile de ne pas résister aux nombreux mérites des douze chansons. Les arrangements sont bien dosés, les mélodies sont accrocheuses et Graydon James possède une superbe plume qu’il met en vedette grâce à de multiples comparaisons et métaphores afin de brillamment illustrer les musiques. Malgré tout l’aspect introspectif de ses textes, il se fait invitant. À preuve, les accords des chansons sont inclus dans le livret.

Les Young Novelists s’inspirent de toutes les parcelles du courant roots pour se l’approprier, sans sacrifier la saveur unique au groupe, rappelant au passage une version plus enjouée d’Harrison ou Plaskett. La bande des six propose un produit bien peaufiné, entre la sudiste I Was A Young Man’s Son et l’hymne rock The Way It Was. Mentionnons l’excellent travail au niveau des harmonies vocales et des constructions mélodiques. L’alternance entre la présence de James et de sa compagne, Laura Spink, ne fait qu’ajouter une tout autre dimension, dont l’intention se rapproche du folk des années 1960.

In The Year You Were Born est une solide collection de douze chansons qui viennent tous nous chercher à l’écoute. Graydon James & The Young Novelists y ont su transposer leur esprit familial propre à leurs spectacles, pour notre plus grand plaisir. Au niveau de la musique roots aux influences rock, qui dit mieux? D’ici le prochain concert, je vais fredonner In Your Defence. Un bien bon groupe qui fait de la très bonne musique.

500khz blog
September 4, 2012 - 500khz blog

Toronto six-piece Graydon James & The Young Novelists offers a textbook example of how to do things right. This latest release is pure James Lee Burke, spinning miniature stories masterfully and evoking images of small town life, capturing the spirit of untainted optimism and delivering every song with the kind of smart sounding earthy-pop we've come to expect from Blue Rodeo. Graydon James and his cohorts have won widespread praise and the chatter about this one is likely to be more roar than whisper. The launch party is at The Horseshoe tonight (Sept. 7) with Harlan Pepper, Strumbellas and the Unseen Strangers set to warm up the house.

New Canadian Music
By David Farrell - New Canadian Music

"James and his Novelists are straddling a line that's exactly between the Two-Minute Miracles and Attack In Black. When they go at their folk-rock fiercely, they'll blow your mind. When they approach it cautiously, they're a perfect fit for back-porch relaxation. They're clearly able to write catchy songs from both positions."

Rating: 4 / 5

By Scott Bryson
March 10, 2011 - Chartattack.com

I bore witness as the veteran Toronto based band, Graydon James and the Young Novelists strolled into the back room of Cameron House and threw down some old school rock n' roll. The underground (aka unsigned) band has quite the following of loyal followers in this city who all came out to shake a tail and clap along to some furious and melodic beats.

The band's folk rock/psychedelic pop sound draws heavily on classic rock greats like The Beach Boys, The Byrds and Buddy Holly. You can also hear notes of Wilco, The Shins and Ben Folds Five in their tunes.

Front man Graydon's soulful voice is simultaneously smooth and rough, echoing a young Dylan, and is backed up by the ethereal vocal harmonies of Laura Spink. In case you can't hear the love in their music, Graydon and Laura are husband and wife. The Band is also made up of the multi-talented and fast fingered Noel DiTosto on guitar/banjo/mandolin/trumpet, the resounding Shawn Jurek on bass and the energy-laden Mike Paddags on drums.

The show had a very casual and intimate vibe, as anyone who's ever been in the back room of the Cameron House might have guessed. Tech. problems provoked some playful wisecracks from the band between the rare jems that are their tracks. Stand out songs include 'It's Been A Long Time,' 'These Small Crimes' and 'Damn All Those Critics.' These guys are the genuine article, you can give their tunes a listen on their Radio 3 profile at http://radio3.cbc.ca/bands/Graydon-James.

By Laura Good - CBC's "The Hour" Music Blog

"Graydon James and the Young Novelists washed some folk-rock-ish type sound over the audience, who loved every bit of it – some have said they’re one of the best indie bands out there right now; this show could attest to that."

By Liz Gareri
November 25, 2011 - THE iNDiE MACHiNE

On the surface, Graydon James and his Young Novelists are nothing more than another roots rock band who owe their existence to the Band. But there is more to the crack sextet than meets the eye. Easy going and amiable on stage, James's songs come from the heart; many were about his own family. But it was his ability to connect with the spartan crowd that really won over the gathered few. He, bass player Shawn Jurek and singer Laura Spink even managed to coax those in attendance into singing along with their gorgeous three-part harmonies for the band's final song. Toronto's plentiful roots rock riches mean that bands like this often get lost in the shuffle. But if James keeps delivering performances like this, there's no way he won't rise to the top.

By Ian Gormely - Exclaim.ca

J’ai souvent beaucoup de difficultés à apprécier les enregistrements en spectacle. D’un côté, il y a ces disques qui sonnent artificiels. Vous savez, ces albums qui bénéficient d’une post-production excessive où on corrige chaque faux coup de tambour, chaque fausse note et où on ajoute des épaisseurs inutiles de bruits de foule. Il y a aussi les disques qui ne sont pas peaufinés où on ne retrouve aucune nuance et où il n’y a pas l’ambiance typique d’une salle de spectacle ou d’un bar. La formation folk torontoise Graydon James & The Young Novelists lançait récemment un enregistrement d’un spectacle au Dublin St. Church, à Guelph en Ontario.

C’est ce que je retiens dès le départ: James et sa bande sonnent naturels. Ils sont sept sur scènes et pourtant, tout tombe bien en place. En écoutant l’album, on sait immédiatement qu’ils sont en spectacle et il n’y a pas de débordement. Au contraire, entre leurs harmonies vocales et la synergie extraordinaire de la formation , il y a une retenue qui laisse la place à l’atmosphère de l’endroit. Cette simplicité fait en sorte qu’on apprécie pleinement les choeurs et les nuances, bien présentes chez Graydon James & The Young Novelists.

Le folk-rock canadiana de Graydon James & The Young Novelists fonctionne pleinement dans le Dulbin St. Church, église de pierre construite en 1874. À notre plus grand bonheur, l’instrumentation rock et l’énergie folk est à point. Si en spectacle, certains groupes n’hésitent pas à jouer avec les effets, les transitions et les passages, ici le groupe se limite à savoir faire: ses chansons. C’est de cette manière que la formation s’amuse en spectacle, ça se dégage jusqu’à nos oreilles.

Malgré les transitions très sèches de chansons en chansons, je garde une très bonne impression du groupe. Ce disque live de Graydon James & The Young Novelists est un très bel ajout à n’importe quelle collection de disques canadiens. Chaleureux, intime et réconfortant.

Dec 1, 2011 - 500khz Blog

Au cas où vous seriez resté insensible à leur excellent titre Exception To The Rule, placé en 2ème position sur la compilation @diffuser Vol. 3, voici une séance de rattrapage pour découvrir le talent folk de la joyeuse bande constituée de Graydon James & The Young Novelists.

Ces six Canadiens savent y faire avec les instruments acoustiques propres à ce genre musical, que j’apprécie de plus en plus depuis un an ou deux. Et pour ce 4 titres savoureux, ils ont même invité d’autres instrumentistes à les rejoindre (violon, clarinette, cornet à pistons, double basse). Ajoutez à cela une guitare électrique et quelques claviers et vous obtenez une instrumentation très riche… mais sans l’être trop, les arrangements des différentes chansons étant vraiment bien maîtrisés.

Comme on ne fait pas d’excellentes chansons sans de bonnes mélodies et de jolies voix, vous avez là les deux ingrédients qui viennent compléter cette douceur musicale mitonnée par un groupe assurément talentueux. A titre personnel, j’apprécie vraiment beaucoup chacune des deux voix (masculine et féminine) mais également la façon dont elles sonnent lorsqu’elles se marient, tout en harmonie.

S’ils ne révolutionnent pas le genre, Graydon James & The Young Novelists parviennent néanmoins à nous offrir des chansons qui sortent des sentiers battus de la folk, à l’instar des rythmes syncopés des 2 premiers titres ou du final de Left Behind.

Si comme moi vous trouvez cet EP un peu court, jetez un œil sur leurs précédents opus, et notamment leur dernier double album (40 titres !). En ce qui concerne l’avenir, il se murmure qu’un album live serait en préparation… vous pouvez d’ailleurs en écouter quelques extraits sur le compte Soundcloud du groupe !

Et comme pour une fois le groupe utilise la fonctionnalité « Name your price » de Bandcamp, je m’en vais de ce pas leur donner quelques dollars canadiens…

September 29, 2011 - @diffuser.net Blog

Back in June when I interviewed Graydon James he mentioned that he and the Young Novelists had been sitting on a live album, wondering what to do with it. Happily, they chose to release it.

The live album features 12 tracks that stem from goodnight, young novelist and a small town eulogy as well as new material. As a bonus, it was recorded in a church. Naturally, the acoustics are incredible and the sound translates well.

I mentioned in the review of the band’s latest EP that James found a new confidence with a full backing band, and the live album is only further proof of this. Hearing his older tunes like “Alyson, Everything I Know is Wrong” get the full-band treatment is literally music to my ears.

Another goodnight, young novelist track, “Older Bros. Never Listen” sounded particularly incredible. Before starting the track, James mentioned that the previous night’s show had been at a university and was crazy. He introduced the song as a “hootenanny” and what a hootenanny the song is now. The song’s general craziness was upped by the clapping heard in the background and definitely conjured images of a hoedown.

As a complete and polar opposite to that track, “Tell Me What You’ve Done” shows that James can be just as good with a fraction of his band. The song is a subdued but effective. In the same “subdued” vein is the song “Scarecrow” which James said he wrote while bandmate Laura Spink was in the shower. The song’s backing instrument is just an acoustic guitar and shows off the absolutely gorgeous harmonies that James and Spink produce.

Other highlights include the strength of new songs “Amelia, I’ve Seen Other Girls” and “Long Long Long” and the just-as-stunning-as-the-EP rendition of “Left Behind” which begins with Spink on lead vocals. Also, Anna Atkinson, the Toronto multi-instrumentalist, lent a hand in a few songs to boost up the strength’s sound.

Live albums can always be a gamble, especially for an indie band, but the choice to release it was the correct one. Live at Dublin St. Church is a picture of a strong band continuing to put on a strong performance.

Stream/purchase the album via Bandcamp.

Top Tracks: “Older Bros. Never Listen”; “Alyson, Everything I Know is Wrong”; “Left Behind”

Rating: Proud Hoot (Really Good) +*swoop*

December 5, 2011 - Grayowl Point Blog

Galaxie's Rising Star Contest awarded a prize of $3,000 to Graydon James & The Young Novelists on Sunday afternoon at Burlington's Sound Of Music Festival.

From Friday night until Sunday afternoon Cogeco Stage Performers at the Music Festival had the option to compete with fellow artists with a "song of their composition" - for a Grand Prize of $3,000!

A panel of industry experienced judges critiqued the participating artist's self selected song from their set and ranked it based on quality, composition, lyrics and style.

This year's choice of Graydon James & The Young Novelists was extremely difficult to make, the judges confided, when taking into account their fellow semi finalists of Madison Violet, Royal Wood and Jill Barber. All performers were amazing.

A big "thank you" has to go out to Galaxie for sponsoring this Rising Star Contest, and to all the performers who participated.

June 20, 2010
Rick Rossini
Communications Director
Burlington's Sound Of Music Festival
rossini@rossinimagic.com - 2010 Burlington Sound of Music

This double CD offer titled Good Night was too good to pass up and so I embarked on a musical journey about life from a different perspective. The first song “Country Kids” immediately caught my attention with its infectious melodies and slighty fuzzed guitars. Well written and mixed this song has biting lyrics under the happy music. All 40 songs are for the most part good songs but it could have been a single CD of 12 or 13 really good songs. Another song “It Seems to Happen All the Time” is folksy and whimsical in its melodies. The vocal harmonies really work well with this song. And the acoustic guitar work is solid. All in all when you've got the time this outing is worth at least one listen through before making any decisions.

By Jade Sperry
February 14, 2010 - NxEW Blog

"The 4-song EP carries such maturity, with each song distinct yet fitting together so nicely. Having such an extensive catalogue with only a few releases under their belt, it’s impressive that Graydon James & The Young Novelists still find a way to be fresh, while staying true to their comforting sounds." - Buying Shots for Bands Blog

Click Link for Video

"In the middle of a snowstorm, we made the trek to Toronto, and met The Young Novelists at a beautiful mansion on the campus of a private high school. The band delivers a classic folk sound, but make it so rich and full with guitars, violin, mandolin, organ, and several vocals which create wonderful harmonies."

Filmed on January 24th, 2011
By Adrian J Vieni - Wood & Wires Productions

Ever since Leonard Cohen realized he’d become more famous writing songs rather than books, the line between music and literature has been blurry. Although Toronto musician Graydon James doesn’t have tremendously lofty ambitions to write prose, his latest release, Goodnight, Young Novelist, certainly tells a broader story than the average album.

With 40 songs spread over two discs, James says that the idea behind it was actually quite ordinary. “I started the recording process in the wake of my previous band breaking up and I really just wanted to get good recordings of the songs before I forgot how they were played,” he says. “That might sound ridiculous, but I did have 50-odd songs and the previous band had only learned about 20 of them — and I do have a terrible memory.”

Upon finishing the album, James quickly assembled a new band, suitably named the Young Novelists, and ironically set about learning the material all over again. That was a year ago, and he says that the group’s sound has been steadily progressing from the rough-hewn indie pop heard on the album.

“Goodnight, Young Novelist is a bit of a curiosity for me, because it is sort of the reason the band exists,” James says. “We were formed so that those tracks could be played live, but the band has really surpassed what was recorded. It’s different and far, far better. I’m grateful for the experience of recording the album; it has been our calling card for a while now and we have had some major opportunities because of it, but I hope people get to see the band play the hell out of these songs live.”

Whether heard on record or live, it’s clear that James’ songs display both a keen wit and melodic skill. In the musical climate of 20 or 30 years ago, Goodnight, Young Novelist would be considered a treasure trove of radio singles. However, today James and his band are saddled with the tag “indie pop,” something that doesn’t totally sit well with him.

“My feeling is that most indie artists make the music that they want to make, and then hope that people will connect with it. Mainstream artists make the music they think other people will like, and find a way to make it their own. I do sometimes wonder, though, how much of their own music any artist likes, and how much cognitive dissonance is involved in their careers; whether they end up liking their music because they have to perform it.”

Right now, that’s not a problem James is dealing with. In fact, he and the band are previewing new material in their live show along with dipping into the vast reservoir of songs on Goodnight, Young Novelist.

“We have enough new material now that most shows are about half and half,” he says.

“I have an equal connection to all the material, but the band has had more input on the formation of the new songs and so we are all itching to perform the new stuff. Certainly I don’t feel like anyone is tired of the older songs, but it’s just always exciting to see how people will react to material that you have had a hand in creating.”

October 20, 2010
By Jason Schneider, for Nightlife - The Waterloo Record

"As I sit just off stage left, I wonder what I am in store for. I am in a familiar place, Maxwell's Music House in Waterloo, Ontario, a venue quickly becoming a favourite to both local artists and those touring through the area. I am here this particular evening to check out Graydon James & the Young Novelists, a six-piece folk-rock group that takes after my own heart in their preference to use lower case and a typewriter-esque font, but has also embraced what may be the future of the industry in their own way – their show this evening is in support of their online release for the double album entitled goodnight, young novelist. You read that correctly, a double album, in a time when consumers are buying less CDs, and almost leaning more towards downloading single songs from iTunes (or their preferred digital download site, legal or not). Graydon James & the Young Novelists take it a step further, and are giving that double album away for free...

No introduction, catching me (and others, I'm sure) off guard in a way, I hear three-part harmony break into “alyson, everything i know is wrong”, and I'm sucked right in. From this point on I know I can't write this objectively anymore, as I feel like they're singing this song for me, in a good way...a really good way. The set continues and I fall further deep, as Graydon James (lead singer and songwriter for Graydon James & the Young Novelists, which makes sense) tells the audience that the band is about to “melt their faces”, and kicks into a ballad, singing “Tell me there's a light shining out for us tonight”, inspiring the tech to point lights at the now spinning disco ball. They deliver note for note, harmonies abound, seamless transitions to new instruments (melodicas, mandolins, banjos, and more), and as the songs end, the banter begins, and they somehow become even more endearing.

Graydon finally tells the audience what I was starting to write before “Alyson” stole my heart – what I believe to be something that other artists would benefit from doing – that they are presenting their album in a “pay what you want” capacity. He encourages the audience to take home the physical CD (because they do have those as well) of goodnight, young novelist and pay the band what they wish, be it $0, $20, or something in between. It's a strategy that has some people scratching their heads, wondering why an artist would put all the money into producing a record, and then offer it freely to their audience. For a quick buck, it makes no sense, but when it's about the music, it's brilliant.

The band breaks into “coming down”, the featured single off the compilation of 40 songs, and I'm drawn in again. They are gracious for the opportunity they've been given, there's energy, and they look like they enjoy playing together. A break in the song, the band members are smiling, a trumpet makes an appearance, and I realize that I, along with the others at Maxwell's this evening, are in the presence of something special. It's no wonder Graydon James & the Young Novelists have secured a spot at this year's Winterfolk Festival in Toronto, that they're opening for the consummate professional, tirelessly touring Craig Cardiff, and that they are able to give their record away for free, because I'm sure none of us will ever pass up the opportunity to see them again.

With this tour taking them to Belleville, Montreal, Ottawa, Peterborough, and culminating at Winterfolk in Toronto, music fans in those areas should check out Graydon James & the Young Novelists live, pick up (or download) the record, and thank themselves for listening."

By Preetam Sengupta - LAMA (Letting Artists Make Art) Blog

"...Graydon James & the Young Novelists, focused on Canada. With the online release of "Good Night, Young Novelist", the hardworking band did two separate tours of the east coast this year, as well as Winterfolk in Toronto, NXNE, Niagara’s In the Soil Festival, and the Burlington Sound of Music Festival, where they were awarded the Galaxie Rising Star Award. Their competition for that award included Royal Wood, Jill Barber, Catherine MacLellan, and Madison Violet.

Their clever lyrics and infectious harmonies have filled venues throughout Ontario this year, and most recently, the band showcased at COCA Central in Hamilton. While they await the arrival of the newest Young Novelist (vocalist Laura Spink sported a pretty nice baby bump during the COCA performance), the band looks forward to a new record in 2011 to coincide with their Canadian Music Week performance. They also have plans for heavy touring, hopefully including festival performances throughout the summer, and campus shows across the country in the fall."

By Preetam Sengupta
ISSUE 2, December 2010 (Page 8) - Canadian Organization of Campus Activities (COCA) Notes

"Graydon James and The Young Novelists are a six-piece folk-pop band with beautifully layered arrangements of vocal harmonies. Within James’ extremely vast catalogue of songs, you will hear hints of a 90's ear East-Coast sound come through as well as some of that dirty country-rock that seems to grow so naturally in the concrete walls of Toronto. Tea lovers might take extra liking to the band for their Young Novelists loose-leaf tea. Pick from one of your favourite flavours, such as Harmony (peppermint), Banjo (green jasmine), or Beard (earl grey & vanilla)! Their recordings are fun to listen to and they are equally as fun to watch live."

November 3rd, 2010
By Meaghan Bent - Toronto Sun.com (Indie TO Blog)

"Their set was full of heartfelt and sometime cheeky lyrics (see “alyson, everything i know is wrong”). This six-piece maximizes their size with layers of instrumentation and beautiful 4-part harmonies. I’ve been hearing great things about Graydon James, particularly after the release of goodnight, young novelist, an impressive 40-track double-album. I must say that Graydon James & The Young Novelists lived up to the good things I’ve heard and I’m looking forward to catching them again."

January 12th, 2011 - Buying Shots for Bands Blog

"Graydon James have a wonderful folk sound, and have their harmonies and guitar riffs are so tight! These guys know what they’re doing, from a waltz to a folk rock song that will knock your socks off. Reminds me of what I felt watching Yukon Blonde last year. As their set progressed, they just keep pumping up the energy and the crowd. They have a fairly large following already, so I feel lucky to have gotten the chance to see them in such an intimate venue. The female lead has a sweet voice, I was hoping to hear her a bit more. The band is from Toronto, so I’m hoping to catch them many more times around the city."

March 10, 2011 - Folk City - Toronto Blog

"Remarkably, with only four songs on this "teaser" EP (leading up to a full-length later this year), A Small Town Eulogy is quite a fulfilling listen. The record greets us with "It Takes All Kinds," a perfect slice of Canadiana folk rock that'll have you pining for an outdoor folk-fest binge. Follow-up track "Exception to the Rule" is more reflective, but no less compelling. Closer "Take Your Time," where fast-paced harmonizing meets a frenzied banjo while a piano rag goads them all on, is just bursting at the seams. Graydon James & the Young Novelists need no gimmicks for cred. Attesting to talent that's real and only just begun, A Small Town Eulogy is a work of unpretentious brilliance."

By Nereida Fernandes
March 9, 2011 - Exclaim.ca

"Remarkably, with only four songs on this "teaser" EP (leading up to a full-length later this year), A Small Town Eulogy is quite a fulfilling listen. The record greets us with "It Takes All Kinds," a perfect slice of Canadiana folk rock that'll have you pining for an outdoor folk-fest binge. Follow-up track "Exception to the Rule" is more reflective, but no less compelling. Closer "Take Your Time," where fast-paced harmonizing meets a frenzied banjo while a piano rag goads them all on, is just bursting at the seams. Graydon James & the Young Novelists need no gimmicks for cred. Attesting to talent that's real and only just begun, A Small Town Eulogy is a work of unpretentious brilliance."

By Nereida Fernandes
March 9, 2011 - Exclaim.ca

Last month I reviewed Lit From Within by the Paperbacks, a whopping 35-song double album. Well, Toronto’s Graydon James and the Young Novelists have put out an even more whopping release- a 40-song double album.

If you check out the band’s MySpace you’ll see that Graydon James has been inhabiting the music scene for a while now, and he finally has put together a six-piece band. And boy, does he use that six-piece band well.

Goodnight, Young Novelist is a collection of songs which span genres, song lengths and themes. It begins with “Country Kids,” a song with fuzzy electric guitar and ends with “I’m Not the Only One,” a song over seven minutes long which changes tempo several times. I just wonder how the band will come up with new material for any future albums.

While James is the primary singer, Laura Spink provides backup vocals for most of the songs, and in one song, “Goodnight, City” she takes the lead position and at times reminded me of Rae Spoon. The two usually provide great vocal harmonies, such as in “It Seems to Happen all the Time,” one of the album’s strongest pieces.

As mentioned, the songs also span different themes. There are, of course, songs about love, but there are also songs which seem to be reflective pieces, the type of music you would hear in a movie where the protagonist is experiencing great inner turmoil and watches the sun set.

There are two songs in a row- “Alyson, Everything I Know is Wrong” and “Emma, Keep my Stuff (Safe)”- which feature a girl’s name in the title. The former is a song which wonders “If you are the one, then everything I know is wrong.” The latter is about “Emma, another guy has got your number/And he’ll probably call you up and you’ll go out with him.”

This is highly recommended listening for a road trip- why not just bring this instead of one CD that you’ll listen to a million times, subsequently annoying everyone else in the car?

And now something for Graydon, who showed me the album- GRAYDON JAMES!!!

Top Tracks: “Older Bros. Never Listen”; “It Seems to Happen all the Time”; “Damn All Those Critics”; “I’m Not the Only One”

3 Hoots (out of 4) +*swoop*

February 18, 2010 - Grayowl Point Blog

Compared with James’ previous mammoth, 40-song double album goodnight, young novelist this four-song EP seems miniscule. But if you hear both albums you will hear a huge difference in the two recordings’ sound.

To put it simply, this new EP just sounds a lot fuller. While James had other vocalists and instrumentalists on his double album, a full band has been put to maximum use here. The recording quality may have also had a hand here- everything on a small town eulogy sounds a lot cleaner, as well.

The opener is “It Takes All Kinds.” The difference in comparison to anything from goodnight young novelist is immediate, with James sharing vocalists with Laura Spink. There is also a really neat guitar solo that melds well with keys.

The track is followed by “Exception to the Rule” which starts with just an acoustic guitar and is a more folk-sounding than the previous track.

The third track “Left Behind” is a phenomenal piece. A few long notes on an organ start the song off, and Spink begins singing first. James then joins her, making the song sound somewhat like a hymn. The middle of the song sees a huge jam session of sorts, with crashing drums and guitar solos (probably amongst other things). Eventually it calms down and the hymn-like sound returns.

Spink again starts off singing the final song “Take Your Time.” This time around a banjo plays the biggest part of the song, definitely giving this song a country-roots type feel. It’s a nice refreshing end to a great listen.

As I’ve already said, listening to this EP just shows how much Graydon James & the Young Novelists has grown as a band. I can’t wait to hear what a full-length with sound like with their new-found band dynamic.

You can get this EP over at the group’s Bandcamp page.

Top Track: “Left Behind”

Rating: Proud Hoot (Really Good)

Posted on April 25, 2011 by glasspaperweight
reviewed by Michael - Grayowl Point Blog

Singer-guitarist Graydon James and vocalist-multi-instrumentalist Laura Spink, pared down from the five-piece, Graydon James & the Young Novelists, bookended the night wonderfully with warm, melodic songs and wonderful close harmonies. - The Art Bar Poetry Series Podcast & Blog

January 16, 2010

Folk/rocker Graydon James is a veteran of the Toronto scene. He's performed in numerous bands but is now braced to make a big impact fronting his own six-piece band, Graydon James & the Young Novelists. That impact comes in the form of the mammoth double album, Goodnight, Young Novelist, which comes out February 4th.

The double CD is crammed with a whopping 40 tracks of folk and roots based rock music, much of it featuring great musical harmonies and solid hooks. - T.O. Snobs Music Blog

"[The] Ominous Panda EP, from Graydon James, has a subdued vibe to it and most of the tracks have acoustic guitar work that is
terrific." - TheCelebrityCafe.com

"Although his style is distinct, he is unafraid to openly display his inspirations. “Scarecrow” would be a Neil Young classic, if only Neil Young had written it years ago. The simple, beautiful melodies played on acoustic guitar, with all vocals complemented by a female backup singer, are a few minutes of Harvest Moon-worthy genius." - SoundOpinion.com

By Bobby Foley
April 2, 2015

I write about random things a lot. I write a lot about random things. On a hot summer evening in 2014, The Young Novelists gathered together a small group of friends, insiders and network contacts and held a listening party in Toronto to share material they had been working on for a new album.

The gathering was abuzz from start to finish; the band – fronted by Graydon James and Laura Spink and rounded out by Shawn Jurek, Mike Paddags, Alex Dodd and John Law – mingled with guests, scattered in socks throughout the house with glasses of wine and clipboards to make notes on the music of the evening. Roughly 20 songs, in different states of completion from skeletal demos to rehearsal space recordings, were sampled and weighed for possible inclusion.

The result is finally upon us; new album Made Us Strangers is available on April 28. The band prepared the album independently but has launched a campaign through PledgeMusic.com to offer unique pre-order incentives and experiences, from vegan-baked goods to shopping trips to private performances. Get details on those and many more at tinyurl.com/theyoungnovelists.

The Young Novelists are also appearing here in town only days later, performing at the London Music Club on May 2 as part of its album release tour. The band is supported by local duo The Marrieds, tickets are $10 or $7 in advance at the Club. Doors open at 7:30 p.m., 8 p.m. show.

Preceded by the singles “Brothers in the Garage” and “Always Make the Mistake,” which premiered at the beginning of March and April, respectively – the album marks a period of transition for The Young Novelists for a number of reasons, including the band’s first time working with the notable Toronto producer.

“It was a nice experience having Carlin involved, because he had a lot of ideas,” James said. “As much as we’re democratic [among the band], we’re also pretty insular – someone else comes in out of the blue and has all these different ideas, and you start thinking, ‘oh yeah, there are different directions we could be taking this.’ That was a good move for us, and it expanded our sonic range.”

After the summer listening party, James, Spink and the ensemble used the feedback they received to whittle down the song selections for Made Us Strangers. They shared the results with Nicholson, who encouraged them to pursue the tracks for which they felt most passionately.

“He didn’t want to limit or restrict our idea of what the album could be, but when we got down to individual songs he was like, ‘let’s change this, let’s move this around, let’s put that there,’” James said. “Which is kind of a good thing – as a group we have our story, and he’s just trying to help us tell it in the best way.”

The year is already shaping up to be a busy one for The Young Novelists, who are committed to a touring schedule that will see them in the U.S. as much as here north of the border. For the more distant shows, James and Spink travel as a duo to be as economically efficient as possible, although their experience this spring and summer may impact the lineup moving forward.

“We’ve gotten comfortable as a group of six, but two of our band members are moving on to other things – one co-owns a bakery and the other, a teacher, is about to be married,” James said. “So there’s been a lot of shifting of what the band is and what it means, it’s much more of a transitional time than I thought it would be.”

“But that’s all post-album; it’s not something that fed into what the album was or what we were making at the time, but there is kind of a sense of, ‘well, that was one era of the band,’ and now we’re going to go through a lineup change and the band will just naturally be a different thing.”

For more on The Young Novelists or its coming album Made Us Strangers, visit them online at theyoungnovelists.com or follow along on Twitter @young_novelists. The band’s PledgeMusic campaign will extend right up to the album release date of April 28, and pledges of only $10 will receive a digital copy of the album, direct artist updates and exclusive downloads from the band.

And for the latest music news, album streams and concert previews, follow this column on Twitter @fsu_bobbyisms. This is the sixth school year I’ve closed on the Interrobang team; I’m thankful to John Said and Stephanie Lai for the opportunity and the rest of the Interrobang team for making the paper look so good in print and online every week. Be safe this summer, I’m out of words. - Interrobang

by Tyler Munro
April 1, 2015

The Young Novelists have spent the last five years building buzz the right way and later this month will release their sophomore album, made us strangers, to the fans who helped them make it on PledgeMusic.

For fans who can’t wait until the album’s release on April 28th, we’ve gotten our hands on an early taste. “always make the mistake” is the hyper-harmonized third track off made us strangers, and carried by Laura Spink’s vocals and Graydon James’ folk-y acoustic guitar work, it has a timeless quality about it.

Sometimes a duo, sometimes a band, the textural weight of the song speaks to the band’s full potential: beneath it all, pianos play along, the percussion beats and layered vocals carry in and out. Recorded live off the floor, “always make the mistake” and made us strangers as a whole bridge the gap between the group’s live and studio experiences. Catch the other side when they play the album’s official release party at Little Trinity Church in Toronto on May 22nd. Check below for the full list of upcoming Canadian dates. - AUX.TV

By Sarah Murphy
March 1, 2015

Rootsy Toronto outfit the Young Novelists won over folk fans with their debut In the Year You Were Born, and they have now revealed plans for their full-length follow-up. Titled Made Us Strangers, the new record will be released independently on April 28.

The band enlisted the help of Zeus' Carlin Nicholson to produce the new record, which marks a significant growth in sound for the group.

"We were looking to inject a bit of excitement and edginess into it this time around," said primary songwriter Graydon James in a statement. "But we also wanted the recordings to be more organic and true."

The result is a collection of songs that sound grittier than anything the Young Novelists have put out before. Nicholson helped them achieve the effect with a minimalist approach to the process — nixing pitch correction and click tracks, and even cutting some tracks live off the floor.

A published author, James' lyrics have always heavily influenced the band's songs, and the new set of tunes is no different. Although his influences were drawn from his own experience, he hopes they convey universal feelings.

"As personal as the songs are, I hope they're connecting to other people in a way that goes beyond the situations," he said.

In addition to the album announcement, the group have unveiled a brand new song from Made Us Strangers, which Exclaim! is pleased to premiere. "Brothers in the Garage" starts off as a subtle, drum-driven folk tune but builds into a full on roots-rocker that'll have anyone stomping along.

The Young Novelists will also be heading out on a North American tour this spring. You can see the full list of dates below. Scroll past those for your first listen to "Brothers in the Garage." - Exclaim.ca