A brand new album is hot off the press and Yorkton and area residents had the opportunity to hear it live and in person earlier this week.
Montreal band "The City Streets" took center stage in Yorkton on June 23 as part of their summer tour. The band just released their latest album "The Jazz Age" which is receiving rave reviews.
Hailing from Edmonton, Alberta and now positioned in Montreal, The City Streets have released two full length albums and have toured North America extensively, visiting almost every province and state along their way.
The band is comprised of Rick Reid (lyrics, vocals, guitar), Matt Leddy (bass, backup vocals), and Mark Chmilar (drums).
"We've been together for about five years... we're a hard working band and an independent band, we just started our own label," detailed Reid in a recent interview with The News Review.
"We try to play as many shows as possible and release records."
Currently on tour promoting their latest CD, Reid says the album is the work the band is the most proud of to date.
"I know people say that all time but this the album we are finally completely happy with... it's our most rock based album and it's pretty cohesive all the way through. It deals with a lot of dark stuff lyrically and we did some pretty cool things in the studio."
Reid says incorporating a violinist and adding in string instruments as well as an organ and a piano completed the sound and the band is pleased with the outcome.
While the guys have many and varied influences, Reid says they tend to be partial to the sounds of the 80s. "We're really influenced by the kind of power pop stuff... and also 70s punk like the Clash... we also follow a lot of current bands too and jazz and hip hop too..."
Touring and taking their unique sounds out to their fans is what Reid says he and his band would love to do full time. Each works a day job when they're not on tour but gradually the music scene is taking over.
"Our humble but kind of hard to achieve goal is to have the band be a full time gig but in this day and age where few people buy cds it's kind of daunting but we keep doing it for the love of music.
"Sometimes I ask myself why I'm still doing this... it's what I'm good at and I think it comes down to me following my calling. Some people become carpenters... mine just happens to be a path where the future is a little more murky and financially unstable, but it's my passion and it fulfills me.
"As long as I'm writing records and touring I'm a happy man."
Needless to say, people can expect to hear and see much more from The City Streets.
"I try not to think too much about the future too much... on a business level we look to the future somewhat to book tours, we plan six months to a year ahead, but as far as how long will be a band etc... as long as we keep liking it, we'll keep doing it..."
When in Yorkton, Reid says residents can expect an exciting show.
"It's a really tight, honest rock and roll show. There's not a lot of bells and whistles but we have a good time on stage."
And that good time will be passed along to the audience.
"You might actually catch a smile... we get that comment all time... 'you guys look like you're actually having fun on stage,' and that to me is kind of sad that that's unique... we give it our best and we feed off the energy from the crowd. It's going to be a good show."
Learn more at citystreetsband.com where Reid says music is available for download for free.
