Jonathan Pearce
Scott Freeman
Matt Godin
Dave Clark
Influences
Cans of Old Milwawkee
The Mohawk Lodge
Kids These Days
Octoberman
Precious Fathers
Pinback
Constantines
Jim Guthrie
Fugazi
Calexico
Dinosaur
Sebadoh
Pavement
The Marato
Mishima
Les Savvy Fav
The Lapse
Blonde Redhead
The Band
The Clash
The Jam
Wire
Husker Du
Television
Talking Heads
The No Shirts
The Abjects
Depravity Brown
Winchester Warm
Sea Snakes
Royal City
The Acorn
Greenfield Main
Home
Superchunk
The Soft Disaster
Snailhouse
Wooden Stars
Timber
The Field Register
Orillia Opry
Neutral Milk Hotel
BlueSkiesTurnBlack
What's been said so far about 'Our Burning Street'
“The songs on Our Burning Street have all the urgency and earnest appeal of a band with something to prove, but are delivered with the assuredness of old hands who have absorbed the lessons of the past and know how to deliver the goods.” - National Post
“It’s all drawn from college rock—but it’s grown up, more capable and broadly influenced, informed by a destabilized world, and stinging from the higher-stakes victories and defeats of adulthood. Poorfolk is the first volley of an updated genre: incendiary post-college rock.”
–Vue Weekly (Edmonton)
“Unless you are above throwing on a record and being able to listen without waiting for hundreds of instruments or intricate electro currents to clutter up the mix, I'm not sure how you can find fault with Poorfolk - a name that might be funny when they start getting the radio play this record demands.”
–HeroHill Album Review
"Our Burning Street suggests that Poorfolk have it in them to conquer rock radio across North America."
–i (heart) music.net
“The ideal end-of-summer soundtrack”–Montreal Mirror
“Our Burning Street conveys more than a trace of vintage R.E.M., Eric's Trip and Sebadoh in its sonic assault.”
–Ottawa Sun
“Ottawa’s Poorfolk is a four-man time travel band that takes us back, waaaay back, to the indie rock of the late '90s when dueling, noodling guitars and choruses sung in unison held sway. Recalling Pinback at their best, it’s a gentle, rolling ride.”
–Pop Montreal
“The group’s sophomore record Our Burning Street has superb hooks, charming backing vocals and an early eighties college record vibe to it that we can't get out of our head.”
-thefirenotefiredrills.blogspot.com
“I'm quite positive that Our Burning Street should net Poorfolk some new fans and please their current ones. Any fan of good indie rock should find something tasty in this release”
–Music Emissions
On Poorfolk
'Cannot fall into the familiar.' Perhaps this phrase, like none other on Poorfolk’s upcoming sophomore release best describes the sonic trudge forward of this Montreal-cum-Ottawa quartet.
If Poorfolk's first album was a work of classic bedroom rock, these new recordings showcase a different sound entirely: singer-guitarist Jonathan Pearce’s personal/political lyrics are still recognizable, but are now bolstered by a muscular rhythm section, frantic, dueling guitar interplay and gang-chanting choruses. So...what happened to that guy-and-a-four-track bedroom rock from the first record? Where did this sweaty indie-rock rave-up come from?
For Poorfolk it happened back on familiar ground. While 5,000 bands were busy crowding into Montreal’s shit-hot hipster clubs, Jonathan Pearce and Scott Freeman got out and back to their sleepy hometown of Ottawa, a place they once swore over a steely-eyed blood-brother stare they’d never return.
Whereas the first Poorfolk offering was written solely by Pearce in a lo-fi four-track setting, these new songs came together on home turf with the addition of new members Matt Godin and Dave Clark. Perhaps it was the capital city’s underlying rigidity or maybe just a harkening back to the local indie scene that the members cut their teeth on – but the music on Poorfolk’s forthcoming release is the result.
The music has definite echoes of the nineties indie rock the guys grew up on but increasingly the influences track back further...to the early eighties college scene and 'Reckoning'-era R.E.M. in particular.
Recorded at Ottawa’s Legendary Little Bullhorn Productions by Jarrett Bartlett and Dave Draves and mastered by Harris Newman in Montreal, Poorfolk’s “Our Burning Street” is set for official release in July 2008 on Vancouver’s White Whale Records.
Poorfolk has shared the stage with: The Dears, Of Montreal, Aaron Booth, Gentlemen Reg, Matt Pond PA, Greg Macpherson, Plants and Animals among others.
New song posted,,,if you need a band to open for one of your shows send us a mail It would be great to play with you guys Ou to hit the scene with you guys
Hi guys, this is dan from BEND SINISTER here. We are taking part in this MUSIC BC/PEAK radio station contest right now for a chance at a 150,000$ grant towards our musical career which as you know would be a huge help for any artist to continue making a living touring and recording. The contest is based on online votes and it only takes a second to vote for us in the contest. We are falling behind and could really use your support so if you have a second please vote at:
and if your interested, we have our new website up and we are offering free downloads of 10 our of favorite tracks from all three of our records. They are available here:
Thanks for the friend request, sorry it's taken so long for me to get back to you. Music sounds really great... 'Dead Pan Dance' caught me right away. Hope everything is well in Ottawa!
Tons Of Ontario Jan 29: Peterborough ON @ The Montreal House Jan 30: Toronto ON @ WinterCity: Steamwhistle Unsigned Series Jan 31: Wakefield QC @ The Black Sheep Mar 5: Peterborough ON @ The Montreal House w/The Staveley Project Mar 6: Hamilton ON @ PepperJacks Cafe w/Blind Mule Mar 7: Toronto ON @ Horseshoe Tavern Mar 8: St.Catharines ON @ Merchant Ale House Mar 10: Oshawa ON @ Atria w/The Stables Mar 11: Cobourg ON @ Oasis MAR 12 Brantford ON • Two Doors Down Mar 14: Windsor ON @ The Phog Lounge Apr 16: Thunder Bay ON @ The Apollo Apr 17: Saulte Ste Marie, ON The Arcadia
You guys have really shown out amongst the crowd of bands up in Canada...that's really impressive..and Thanks a ton for the MySpace friendship from us in Light Club. ! You are now friends with a rebel band (us)whose music is not allowed in China, check us out if you get a moment to find out why.