Columbus

Bio:

Columbus was initially manifested in 2002 as a studio project in which song master Chris Webster could fully revel in his secret passion for classic Art-Pop. Pop had become a dirty word in music and Webster questioned whether or not a public or even musicians would be interested in his true love. He was wrong and after intense hounding over pints by drummer Jesse Sherburne, convincing international reviews for his single Turn-coat released on Humblebee Recordings and a general call by many fans to appear live, the decision was made to form a group. Soon other bands began to loose their most coveted members to Columbus and a collective force harboring enormous potential began to appear live. Although experienced and highly talented, Chris Webster (guitar/voice), Jesse Sherburne (Drums), Tony Baker (Bass), Matt Pahl (Lead Guitar), had no inkling as to what the future had in store for Columbus. One of the fastest growing bands in Canada, Columbus success seems largely based on the power of their, now well thought of, Debut EP, which was snatched up by upstart indie label Pop Echo Records, and launched into the top twenty of the !earshot college charts in July of 2005. But, while their only release to date is surely a tasty slice of pop hooks and buttery vocals with just a dash of metropolitan angst added for flavor, it would be doing Columbus a disservice to chock their many successes up to a recording that features but a sampling of their talents. Indeed, hot off playing sold out tour dates with some of the hottest acts around, including Montreals Metric, New Yorks The Fever, and Halifax pop stalwarts, Sloan, it is clear that the band has the ability to captivate audiences. Their strong live performances combined with a fast evolving repertoire of material, has quickly made their name synonymous with a new Canadian pop movement geared towards those with restless ears and discernable tastes. Their music, which is often described as being reminiscent of the best mid-nineties brit-pop acts (read as: Blur, Sleeper or Gene), also reveals a certain penchant for blending contemporary sounds with their own secret lust for mid-sixties British invasion bands. Seeing as how in a recent internet podcast, put on by none other than Torontos Arpix Media (who chose the song Hesitate to feature in the YTV cartoon Girlstuff/Boystuff), their music was described as a mix between the New Pornographers, The Zombies, and The Smiths, it would seem that Columbus anachronistic sound has hit the proverbial nail on the head. And so, with tons of radio play backing up major media accolades, to date reaching ..13 on Canadas Earshot top 50, the four members of Columbus have retreated back into the studio, preparing not one, but three follow ups to their first successful release. Two seven inchs, one featuring an A-side and two B-sides from the upcoming album, the other, a Parisian release on Plastic Pancake Records, will see the light of day early 2006, while their highly anticipated full length album has been slated for spring of 2006. Featuring such crowd favorites as the up-tempo and sumptuously melancholic Find the Time, and Alone Together, as well as a host of unheard pop gems, it will no doubt be a treat for the sense as well as the soul. As Exclaim/Sun writer Fish Griwkowsky put it; like a secret whisper from a new lover, Columbus wakes you up and makes you think about the future of music around here. Bubbling with incredible artists, the band proves that good taste does cross as many genres as it feels like. Watch out for these guys. .. ..



RECORD LABEL CLICK ON PICTURE
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You can buy our songs including the new tracks from our upcoming 7" at iTunes





You can also buy our releases with PAYPAL


OR HERE!!!!

Member Since:

April 13, 2005

Members:

Chris Webster: Vox, Guitar, Jesse Sherburne: Drums, Percussion, Kyle Bjornson: Bass, Matt Pahl: Lead Guitar, Back-up Vocals

Influences:

Some of Columbus' influences: Air, The Aislers Set, American Analog Set, Apples in Stereo, Athlete, Ambulance LTD., Beatles, Beachboys, Belle and Sebastian, Beuhlah, Bloc Party, Blur, Bowie, Boyracer, Brian Jonestown Massacre, Broadcast, Campag Velocette, Camera Obscura, Catatonia, The Cardigans, Chapterhouse, The Charlatans, Chemical Brothers, Cinerama, The Clientele, Clinic, Death by Chocolate, The Dandy Warhols, The Doves, Echo and the Bunnymen, Flying Saucer Attack, The Fairways, Gene, The Go Team, Gorillaz, Happy Mondays, Heavenly, Hefner, High Llamas, Housemartins, The Hollies, Interpol, Ivy, The Jam, Joy Division, Kaiser Chiefs, Kanda, Kawaii, The Kinks, Ladytron, Lambrettas, The Libertines, The Lucksmiths, Luna, Magnetic Fields, Mando Diao, The Manic Street Preachers, Mercury Rev, Metric, Mojave 3, Morrissey, Oasis, Of Montreal, M 83, Novillero, The Postal Service, Phoenix, Phil Spector, Pizzicato Five, The Pipas, Portishead, Primal Scream, Pulp, Rialto, Ride, Rocketship, The very early Rolling Stones, Saturday Looks Good To Me, Sea and Cake, The Shadows, The Shangri-la's, The Searchers, The Shermans, Shed Seven, Sloan, The Small Faces, The Smiths, Sondre Lerche, Soundtrack of our Lives, Spacemen 3, Spiritualized, Stereolab, Stephen Street, Tahiti 80, The Stone Roses, The Streets, The Strokes, Suede, Super Furry Animals, Supergrass, The Supremes, Talulah Gosh, Teenage Fanclub, Verve, The Who, The Wedding Present, The Yardbirds, Yo La Tengo, The Zombies.

Sounds Like:

"Reminiscent of early Smiths" UNDER THE RADAR MAGAZINE

Number 3 EP of 2005 DAGGER ZINE

"The (pop) world was flat before Columbus" A DECOUVRIR ABSOLUMENT

"The giddy, twee power pop of Christian Girls may be the best song Belle & Sebastian havent recorded yet" FOXY DIGITALIS

5 out of 5 EP Review "I can't think of a single negative thing to say about this disc." INDIEPAGES.COM

Number 4 of the Best of 2005 EPs INDIEPAGES.COM

"The Columbus Debut EP, released on Pop Echo Records is the perfect amalgamation of indie rock and pop melodies." MOTE MGZN

"Killer catchiness, head-bobbing rhythms, super-sweet organ, jangly guitars, and handclaps conspire with Webster's sly lyrics to create frothy concoctions that would compel the most churlish audio snob to hum along or maybe even dance after a Stella or two." SEE MAGAZINE

"This is an intriguing, promising EP that has me eager to hear more" FOXY DIGITALIS

"Bouncing with animal joy somewhere soft between the Zombies, pre-contract David Bowie and Stereolab, the music is upbeat and nostalgic without staleness. It's dreamy and contagious, on of Edmonton's more distinct-sounding bands." THE SUN

"Pop hits like "Free Girl" are usually spawned by bands basking in the LA sun, or from Londoners who apparently are longing for it. But no, somewhere up in the cold, cold part of Canada (Edmonton, apparently) are four friends who are spinning out some of the best pop music since Rivers Cuomo was abducted and replaced by an evil clone in 1998." YOU AINT NO PICASSO

"The band clearly draws inspiration from bands including Stereo lab, the Beach Boys, and Scotland's Belle and Sebastian, but still manage to create a sound of their own." MOTE MGZN

"They play upbeat and jangly pop that bring to mind some of the greats, like Masters Of The Hemisphere, the Zebras and Hideki Kaji with hints of Lunchbox or Stereolab (in their use of organs)" INDIEPAGES.COM

"In a scene mainly dominated by Indie-Rock bands, Columbus infectious POP-Tunes are catching on like wild-fire." BEATROUTE MAGAZINE

Record Label:

..POPECHO