Elliott Brood is having a party, and ya’ll are invited!

Elliott Brood are a serious force of nature. Their sound is sympathetic to the past yet eager and adventurous towards the future. They have a live show that is raw, energetic and entirely unique. Pink Mafia was fortunate enough to speak with Casey Laforet before tonight’s show about their progression in sound, what the future holds for the band and Samsonite suitcases.

Most will agree the best live shows are the ones where everyone is intrinsically involved. Singing, dancing and feeding off each other’s energy. A party where everyone is invited to attend, something that Casey says the band strives for. “We always tried to make that effort to break down the barrier between the stage and the audience, to have that house party idea. What Elliott Brood does is try to make it a giant house party that everyone can join in. Make it an experience that is worth telling someone. I think that’s the way we got people on our side from the beginning. We’re really comfortable up there and we feel like our fans are our friends and family. It’s a very intimate thing for us, even if it is a big crowd.”

Their sound is as big as the crowds they draw; a combination of many things which shape it’s full body although they’ve taken a simplistic approach. “Mark and I write most of the lyrics and its the kind of music we like. Bob Dylan, Neil Young and oldtime storytelling. At the same time I was raised listening to a lot of grunge music like Dinosaur Jr., Alice in Chains…that sort of loud crunchy guitar. Casey describes in which their sound came to be as “kind of happening by accident, really.” Their level-headedness and creative control allows for their sound to remain, in fact, their sound. The lyrical content is refreshing. They aren’t singing songs of their own pain and sorrows, another nod to their lack of pretentiousness. Instead they write in narrative and take cues from folklore then juxtapose it with their distinct sound. “From the beginning we’ve tried to remove our own personalities from the songs. Its not us, its us telling someone else’s story. Conveying the story, not being the center of it.”

The band has come along way. Since releasing the critically acclaimed Mountain Meadows in 2008 they’ve headlined a tour, been shortlisted for a Polaris Prize and played Whistler for the 2010 Olympics. Yet through the success they’ve remained an entirely humble and approachable band. “We know that this could end at any moment and I think we take it all with a grain of salt. We’re very happy and proud its happening and its an amazing thing. Sometimes you don’t know why, you don’t control it necessarily. We go out and we play as hard as we can. We sweat it up and have a good time and it just seems like people just keep telling their friends about it.” Something that every band strides for no doubt, yet they seem to be surprise that it is actually is happening to them.

As up and down as the journey may have been through Mountain Meadows, they’ve taken that penchant for adventure and incorporated it into who they are as a band using various locations and even objects to round them out. “Mark has always said he considers the room an instrument. Wherever you are it gets into your head and gets onto the tape…it definitely comes through.” Their appreciation for how elements can impact the sound paired with their experimental nature makes them who they are. “We’re never shy about adding instruments that we don’t know how to play.” Evidently so, as they once used a Samsonite suitcase as a bass drum! “At first it was just Mark and myself and I would stomp the floor. When Steve became the drummer he wanted to replicate that as much as possible without it being a huge kick drum.” Although it has since been retired Casey maintains, “you never know, it may come back.”

So what does the future hold for the band? “I don’t know what to tell you about it other than the songs are going to be a little thicker.” He modestly adds, “we’ve learned a lot as musicians and we’re actually getting better! You can expect more traditional songs and some that are definitely amped up. There are going to be songs where you’re like ‘is this Elliott Brood?’ but you’ll hear it actually is..I’m really happy with them, and that’s huge because I hate everything!”

Catch the Brood tonight at the Phoenix playing along side Calexico. More information here. Come join the party, wont ya?

Words by Kate Masewich

Photos courtesy of Six Shoot Records