Todd Macdonald and Tyr Jami met at fishing camp when they caught the same fish. They've been inseparable ever since. In 1999 they began performing improvised cello and mandolin duets at "amsterdam style" speakeasies in Vancouver's downtown east side.
Over the next 7 years they toured in Canada, The US and Australia; released 5 limited edition cds, a full length on Ryland Bouchard's Swim Slowly Records and a split CD with Tights on Drip Audio/Universal.
In the fall of 2006, they released the critically acclaimed Birthday Party on Ache Records. Birthday Party was produced by the production team JC/DC (New Pornographers, Destroyer, Shapes & Sizes) and included the talents of Andy Dixon & Paul Patko (The Red Light and Secret Mommy) and Juno award winning violinist, Jesse Zubot. To celebrate the new album The Winks toured across Canada and resettled in Montreal.
2007 saw the release of an EP entitled "Chorus Girls" on Ache Records (CAN) & Rhino Flying Records (US) followed by a 63 date tour across North America.
Currently, The Winks are working on a new album with percussionist/violinst Josh Zubot and pianist Soren Brothers.
"An ocean of colorful textures, breezy psych-folk, lush strings, and a winding folly of aural-stardust. Cosmic dancers on a musical exploration."
-Lonely Vagabond
"great swells of instrumentation show the band maturing in real-time. For proof, look no further than the darkly elegiac "0[]." Or, if you'd rather stay on the celebratory side, stick to tracks like "Slumber Party Let's Go." Either way, you're getting a gift."
– Spin.com
"mandolin/cello, boy-girl, art-pop freakout immediately brings a smile to my face. Too talented to be dismissed as novelty act, this is pure musical lunacy at its best."
- Chart Attack
"Like Frog Eyes mashed with baroque chamber music filtered through early 60s girl-band pop. The Vancouver group eschews traditional indie instrumentation while embracing willfully obscure lyrics and calliope-esque melodies."
-See Magazine
They have shared the stage with The Sun Ra Arkestra, Akron/Family, Au Revoir Simone, Rusty Santos, Karl Blau, Architecture in Helsinki, Think About Life, Jesse Zubot, The Robot Ate Me, They Shoot Horses Don't They, SNFU, Secret Mommy, The Red Light Sting and hundreds more.
Todd & Tyr have appeared on albums by The New Pornographers & Secret Mommy. Tyr also sang on Raffi's Bananaphone album.
