THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Elliott BROOD officially usher in their Country era, the second part of a two-album cycle that began with Town in late 2023. Playing on both the genre and its signpost sounds (twangy, electric guitars; sad but true lyrics tinged with humour, obligatory whiskey references) and the settings (the winding roads, a cozy abode, natural elements), Country deftly matches each of these touchstones with the other, creating a cross-border quilt full of stories that are both personal and from characters passing.
“Doing it the hard way for 20 years,” is a badge Elliott BROOD wear with honour. Two decades on, work, life and love have taken the trio in many directions, away from their hometowns and headfirst into an ongoing musical journey through distance and time. Now, Elliott BROOD are never more at home than in the wash of distorted, evocative strings and stomps that make their signature alt country sound.
Elliott BROOD appeared in 2008 as the new ambassadors of a roots, folk-rock and alt-country wave that flourished in Toronto’s early ’00s. The band’s arrival came with a level of buzz that launched them directly into the heart of a vibrant Toronto scene. Their live show, a maelstrom of frenetic energy and fuzz, has brought them back and forth across continents countless times on bills The Sadies, Wilco, The Black Crowes and many more. Their albums, meticulously crafted, detail-packed collections, have brought some of Canada’s highest musical honours and awards, including a Polaris Music Prize Short List and a Juno Award.
In their 20 years, the band have remained fiercely loyal to their mysterious namesake. The stylized, imaginary character has guided their travels over mountains and meadows, and through the more harrowing sides of history. Elliott BROOD have grown into a vessel for the trio’s shared history too, with new songs finding connection and communion in themes that hit much closer to home.With smile lines and guitar fingers long hardened with callouses, Elliott BROOD have been doing it the hard way, but making it sound easy.”
