Brian Borcherdt began playing music in rural Nova Scotia where he founded the not-for-profit collaborative label, Dependent. After a few years with Canadian indie pioneers By Divine Right, Brian went off on his own to pursue two projects: the world touring, Polaris/Juno nominated Holy Fuck as well as his own solo career.
TORCHES (the Ward Colorado demos). With a history of playing with some of Canada's most unique talents, Brian Borcherdt is a musician of many facets. While there is the epic experimentation of his globally renowned dance/noise outfit Holy Fuck, there is also the melodic and introspective craftsmanship of his solo work. These latter, more personal works are often released and given away in limited hand made packages or, in the case of Torches, unreleased and nearly lost forever.
Recorded in Toronto, coastal Yarmouth of Nova Scotia, and in the mountains near Ward, Colorado, Torches includes home demos and unfinished album attempts from 2004-2006. During a time when Holy Fuck was gaining amazing amounts of international exposure, it seems natural that Brian would seek solace in his more introspective and composed work. Due to a busy tour schedule these works remained simple and unadorned personal archives. As time went on, Brian admits that these songs were often forgotten, re-remembered, re-examined, and over-scrutinized. But what results is a compelling and personal portrait of a complete dedication to music, story, and expression.
The first day of 2009 nearly marked the end for Torches. Following a Chicago New Years performance, a taxi cab rushed off with just about every piece of Brian's recent recorded life locked in the trunk. His lesson learned: You can only hold onto something for so long. Time, and the occasional misstep, have a way of making things disappear. Upon the return of his belongings a tormented two weeks later, Brian decided to follow that sage happening, and finally release this collection of songs. To keep with their intended spirit he decided to release them for free online. Hand Drawn Dracula is pleased to bring you 'Torches (& the Ward Colorado demos)', an intimate collection of songs, almost never released, by one of Canada's most devoted cultural navigators. They are finally out of his hands so that they may find their way into yours.
COYOTES was recorded by long time friend Jose Contreras of By Divine Right. While on a break from Holy Fuck's tour schedule Brian performed a handful of recently written songs in Jose's living room. Most of the final selections were first takes. Little else was added to the guitar and vocal, maintaining the songs' intimate and delicate atmosphere. The album's textural paper sleeve features artwork by James Mejia, perfectly complimenting the haunting tone of these seven songs.
Brian Borcherdt's side project, Holy Fuck, has been recognized across continents as being one of Canada's influential bands of 2008/09 with fans such as Lou Reed, Michael Stipe and Radiohead. While Brian's solo career is worlds apart from the experimental Holy Fuck; both show a bold focus... where Holy Fuck is uncompromising in its weirdo beat driven noise, his solo work is uncompromising in its sparse and moody aesthetic.
Press
"Treasure of a record, the anti-thesis of Holy Fuck's instrumental freak-outs. The most intimate of his personal recordings yet... Not so much haunting as haunted, these seven songs demand you lean in closer. 4/5" (eye Magazine)
"folk songs that are visceral on a whole other level - as if Elliott Smith regained his voice via Neil Young's Dead Man." ( exclaim! Magazine)
"The simplest emotions hit the hardest, and Brian is able to deliver those emotions with only a few well placed strums and fret board squeaks. For such a stripped down effort, I find it remarkably easy to lose myself in dark beauty of Coyotes." (Herohill.com)
"Strummed and sung in a Hayden-like hush that creates tension through staying restrained, a private, heart-on-sleeve candor that needs the security blanket only headphones can provide to quell the self-consciousness of listening in the presence of others." (Soundscapes)
"a hauntingly stunning singing voice that requires little more than a few strings accompanying it to produce wonderful sounds that you want to hear
over and over again... STUNNING" (muchmusic.com)
