CONTEST: Prize Pack featuring Bruce Peninsula, The Darcy's & Tom Fun Orchestra,

THE TOM FUN ORCHESTRA - YOU WILL LAND WITH A THUD

The press release I received for Cape Breton's Tom Fun Orchestra described them as Tom Waits singing lead for The Arcade Fire. In my experience, I've learned that press releases need to be taken with a grain of salt since they usually drop big names in order to grab a person's attention, even though, more often than not, the artist sounds nothing like what the big name comparisons would suggest. (BTW: would you believe that I used to think the expression 'grain of salt' was actually 'grain assault' as in 'being attacked by a massive stalk of wheat'? Just thought you'd get a kick out of that.) Anyways, where were we? Oh yes..The Tom Fun Orchestra's latest CD is entitled You Will Land With A Thud and upon hearing the opening track When You Were Mine, I was instantly amazed at the accuracy of the opening comparative statement. The instrumentation really does revel in atmosphere the way Arcade Fire does and the vocalist, who goes by Jonny Turbo, Ian MacDougall and Tom Fun, has a gravelly voice reminisent of Mr. Waits. However as the CD progresses, the Arcade Fire morphs into The Pogues, and the vocals start sounding more like Rowlf the Dog from The Muppet Show, but these are all good things.

The band is huge; its nine members playing instruments as varied as violin, upright bass, accordion, trumpet and banjo. The songs are unique, as they encapsulate genres as diverse as dirty whiskey shooting jazz (Run & Tequila), thunder & lightning inducing black snake blues (Highway Siren Song), drunken pirate sea shanty's (Bottom Of The River), latin tinged mob provoking rock (Tar Pond Tango) and full-on horn empowered nine minute epics (You will Land With a Thud.) More than all else though, this band is simply an enthusiastic traditional Maritime band who are inviting everyone to their out of control boat party where for the first time in history, angry pirates, scruffy deckhands and well dressed sailors can join forces for a cluster rock brawl that will not be forgotten any time soon.

Photo by Nathan Boone
Myspace: Tom Fun Orchestra
Video: Watchmaker on youtube
Download: Last Of The Curious Thieves mp3

Download: Highway Siren Song Breakdown mp3



CONTEST: This one is pretty awesome guys! I don't know what I'm doing to deserve such amazing opportunities to give away stuff but you'd better jump on it while it lasts. Tom Fun Orchestra are playing The Horseshoe on Saturday January 31st with Bruce Peninsula and The Darcy's.

The Darcy's are a shoegazey orchestral pop band whose live show has been described in Exclaim! magazine as a "sweaty, excruciatingly inspiring live set." Bruce Peninsula was 2008's fifth hottest band according to the recent I Heart Music survey and their A Mountain Is a Mouth LP has received a lot of notable praise. So here's what I've got to give away:

1) A pair of passes to the show at The Horseshoe on January 31st.
2) A copy of The Tom Fun Orchestra's 'You Will Land With A Thud' CD
3) A copy of The Darcy's 'Endless Water' CD
4) A digital download of Bruce Peninsula's 'A Mountain Is A Mouth' release.

If you're interested in winning this prize pack, email me at quadb2001 [at] gmail [dot] com with "Everybody Tom Fun Tonite" in the subject line and your full name in the body.

Myspace: The Darcy's
Myspace: Bruce Peninsula

Contest is now closed. Thanks to all who entered and congratulations to Kimberly for winning all of the schwag!