Something special happens when the four members of the Wilderness of Manitoba sing together, whether it’s in the basement of the house on Delaware Avenue in Toronto where three of them live and where the band recorded their EP Hymns Of Love & Spirits or in the garage out back where they sometimes stage their own shows including their live debut or on stages around town like the Horseshoe where they recently opened for their friends the Rural Alberta Advantage.
In the spirit of the shows and bands that were coming through Delaware House, Will Whitwham, Scott Bouwmeester, Stefan Banjevic and Melissa Dalton found themselves with acoustic based songs that were minimalist and full of vocal layers that would become the foundation of the new band. They would gather together on random winter nights to drink tea, record and play music. The collection of songs that makes up Hymns Of Love & Spirits were written while some of the members were experiencing real changes in their lives including the passing of Will's mother and Scott's grandfather. The songs began to take on a deeper meaning and a much greater importance to them. The recordings were the band’s best attempt to capture those feelings and emotions on disc.
Most of the songs were recorded late at night, when the house was quiet. The band was forced to deal with both the limitations and the benefits of recording in a non-traditional space that added a distinct character and feel to the songs. The late 60s model was very influential on the recording and the sense of community within the band. They learned not to rely on electric instruments, but rather the strength of their voices and melodies. The band says that, “Lyrically, songs such as Bluebirds, Manitoba, Dreamcatchers and Great Hall are still relevant to us as they all came from a real place and a real emotion that sparked an idea or vision”.
The song “Evening” was written sometime in the late sixties by Will’s mother. She gave him a recording of it and some other songs she’d written in New York. Will had wanted to do something with “Evening” for a long time and asked the band if they would cover it. Stefan took the song away and came back with a different arrangement, vocal phrasing and instrumentation. It clicked right away, tapping into something more suited to their haunting sound. For Will, it was a dream and hope that he could one day be able to play one of his mothers songs. For the rest of the band, it was a way to honour a great woman and a great song as well as constructively work through some really dark days. Two weeks after the song had been recorded as a live demo in the basement of Delaware House, CBC Radio 3 chose it as Track of the Day.
The response to Hymns of Love & Spirits has been immediate and positive. It has inspired the band to write a bunch of new songs which they have already started to record at Delaware House where it all began. The intention is to follow up the EP with a full length album in the new year. The band affirms, “We all love the Wilderness of Manitoba and love what we have accomplished with the EP and with ourselves in the past year”.
"The Wilderness of Manitoba have delivered an EP of stripped down folk that relies on gorgeous three and four piece harmonies to grab your attention. Most of the tunes don’t move faster than a snail’s pace, allowing a slightly plucked banjo to lead the way. What it lacks in speed, it makes up for in substance." - hearya.com
'it is all to easy to get cynical about those who run about championing things as the greatest this or that since, er…the last one. Yet, every now and then something or someone gets through the cracks, rises above the general morass and makes you sit and take stock, even for just a few minutes. From the moment I hit play on The Wilderness of Manitoba’s latest EP ‘Hymns of Love and Spirits’ I knew I was hooked. There’s a stark understated beauty to it’s 8 tracks, which combine perfectly executed four part harmonies intertwinned with muted banjos, solitary cello and subtle fingerpicked parts."
- thelineofbestfit.com
"Hymns of Love and Spirits - is stark and powerful - the muted banjo picks and ominous cello work set the tone for the incredibly personal subject matter - but the journey is warmed with spot on, effortlessly controlled four piece harmonies." - herohill.com
"A song called Evening makes two appearances on Wilderness of Manitoba’s eight-song debut EP. Fuelled by gorgeous, effortless four-part harmonies and gently plucked banjo, the first version wistfully evokes 60s Peter, Paul and Mary and leaves us imagining amazing things to come for this folkie, stripped-down Toronto five-piece." - NOW Magazine
"Hymns of Love and Spirits is a combination of the best parts of two of last year's breakout bands, Fleet Foxes and Bon Iver. The foxes-esque 4 part vocal harmonies are apparent from right out of the gate, but its the Bon Iver-esque strain and heartache that lingers under the surface through those harmonies that makes them meaningful." - (London, ON:) Burgeoning Metropolis
We listened to your album last night on the dark upstairs floor lit by the streetlamp and some beer then Starsky gave it 4 gentle tail slaps.... that's pretty damn good!!!
Im so proud of you guys. Did you know that for some reason while im typing this comment the writing is in white font so i cannot see what im writing at all??? HMMMMMMM.... LA LA LA... Anyhow the songs sound greatsooooooooooo i cannot wait to pick up the cd all your mixing neurosis was worth it. Also like your semi nudesque photos woohoo. Ok im going to do my best to make it on the 21st i have to work but after ill swing by. Ok i cannot take this not seeing what im writing anymore it makes me nervous that my fingers are not writing what is in my head. AHHH BY BYE
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