With Wildfires, The Mohawk Lodge sheds their dirty folk leanings in favour of blue collar indie soul. Whereas debut disc Rare Birds catered in campfire songs, the band’s sophomore record is a musical forest fire.
While early Lodge material often relied on homespun charm, every track on Wildfires seems an act of desperate catharsis. This time around the band’s songwriting manages to nod as much to Springsteen as Smog, while their playing manages to bridge the gap between Fleetwood Mac and the Constantines.
Melodic opener “Hard Times” confronts the doubts inherent in modern life and suggests that “a little love can pull us through.” Armed with a strident rhythm, “Wear ‘Em Out” unleashes a poetic war cry complete with an anthemic chorus while choir-backed “Calm Down” and lilting “Timber” play out as lullabies assuaging further anxieties and paranoia. Rugged “Heart of Lovers” brims with sanguine defiance, while impudent “Why Would You?” provides a self-effacing look at the life of an artist. The centrepiece of the proceedings is title track “Wildfires.” Stretching over seven gripping minutes, the track melds the epic with the introspective.
Overseen by producer Darryl Neudorf (New Pornographers, Neko Case), Wildfires explores new lyrical depths for the band and evidences an emboldened musical direction. As vocalist/guitarist Ryder Havdale wails, an exhilarating sonic backdrop is forged by duelling dustbowl guitars, swirling keyboards, melodic bass, driving percussion, atmospheric brass and a boisterous chorus. It took nothing short of a small army to achieve such devastating results. Rob Josephson (drums), Arch (guitar), Samir Mallal (bass) and Cory Price (guitar) were already card-carrying members of the Lodge.
However, Wildfires would have never raged without honorary recruits Dan Boeckner (Wolf Parade / Handsome Furs), Jesse Gander (Ghost House), J.P. Carter (Great Aunt Ida), Marc Morrissette (Octoberman), Tiffani Mohammed, and Jason Starnes (Bells Clanging).
Since their inception, The Mohawk Lodge have left concertgoers sated and stages sweat-stained as they entrench their reputation as a live band to be reckoned with. Bringing their working man’s ethic to the fore, the Lodge launch a three- pronged guitar assault supported by an airtight rhythm section backed up by the soaring melodies of a stage full of friends.
The Mohawk Lodge have recently returned from a month long tour across Canada sponsored by CBC Radio 3. They’ve played showcases at CMJ and SXSW and opened for a number of notable acts including Constantines, Besnard Lakes, Chad VanGaalen, Athlete, Handsome Furs, Blood Meridian and Apostle of Hustle. The record reached #3 on CBC Radio 3, Top 10 on the Earshot charts and was featured in CMJ.
“the Lodge seem to have discovered their inner Crazy Horse with this hugely impressive follow-up” UNCUT
“a crunchy, hugely melodic album. Part drowsy-daydream and part epic celebration in the moonlight – we’re loving the ragged, droning guitar pop found within” ITUNES INDIE SPOTLIGHT
