In advance of the group’s long-awaited debut album, Fredericton’s Sentimentals share two tracks from upcoming release.
Matt Carter
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Sentimentals are almost ready to share their debut album. To get the party started, the band have posted two new tracks from the upcoming long-player, Hometown Heroes, which drops April 18 via Front Porch Records.
“Oh my gosh, it feels so great to have this album done,” said the band’s Cedric Noel. “I had essentially written a version of this album three years ago right before the band got together. I’m so glad that thing didn’t come out and now we have this far more complete and energetic collection of songs.”
Sentimentals is a major contrast to Noel’s other musical projects. Together with bassist Will Pacey and drummer Cam Corey, the trio mix noise rock and showgaze influences with heavy melodic shifts and blistering live performances.
“I’m so happy to be able to play in this band with Will and Cam,” said Noel. “They’re real musical studs in my opinion.
“Even though we’ve had most of these songs for a while, the recording process was actually pretty quick. We did all the live tracking (guitar, bass drums) in a weekend with Chris MacLean last August and then went back for three more session for vocals and other overdubs. We just really took our time with mixing which I think was necessary, it’s nice to live with different mixes sometimes. I like recording live, especially with this band. Energy was key.”
Noel relocated from Fredericton to Montreal last fall, leaving many wondering if the band’s album would ever be completed and for that matter, if the band would continue to perform.
“My move has changed some things,” said Noel. “We don’t get a chance to practice regularly and hang out with each other, which I miss. It also means we can’t get working on new material right away. I think we’re trying to understand how it’ll all work, I’m not really sure what my life is looking like in Montreal yet so we’ll see. Cam also moved back to Fredericton after spending some time in Woodstock so I think we sort of have an idea of how to be a band without being in the same city.”
Despite their geographic disposition, Noel doesn’t see Hometown Heroes as being the group’s swan song. Frequent trips back east playing solo shows and performing as a member of LAPS continue to provide valuable opportunities for Pacey, Corey and Noel to hammer out new ideas and pick up shows when they can.
“By no means do I understand this album as a swan song,” he said. “I understand this band as one that will keep being a band until we don’t want to do it anymore, independent of where we are geographically. It really doesn’t take us long to get our swing back. We are pretty comfortable musically with one another.”
Sentimentals will perform as part of this year’s Flourish Festival which takes place April 20-23 in Fredericton.
“I think we’d all like to do some touring this summer and fall so hopefully we can make that happen,” said Noel. “But for now we’re just looking forward to our show at Flourish which we’re taking the opportunity to treat as the release show for the album. I feel really grateful to be able to keep doing this band. It’s the most fun thing I get to do musically.”
Sentimentals + Smokes + Mauno + Heat + Look Vibrant | April 21, 2017 | The Capital Complex | 9 p.m | $20 or free with a festival pass | Learn more about Flourish Festival
