Sparks Music and Ready Records are about to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of “Arias and Symphonies” with a special version of the album complete with new liner notes, rare photos and live tracks. The CD is set to be released via Sparks/Ready/Universal on November 13, 2012. The band’s CD release party is confirmed for Novembr 30 at Revival Bar in Toronto. Tickets are available HERE.

Spoons began with the coming of the 1980’s; a modest group of four suburban kids from Burlington, Ontario, who became the country’s new wave/techno-pop sweethearts. Gord Deppe, Sandy Horne, Rob Preuss and Derrick Ross would over the next two years be nominated for two Juno Awards, win group of the year at the 1982 U-Know Awards (now known as the Casby’s), have two top ten singles and be presented with a gold award for the sale of 50,000 copies of their sophomoric album ‘Arias and Symphonies’.

After signing to a small independent Toronto label called Ready Records, run by two recent college graduates (Andy Crosbie and Angus MacKay) their debut album entitled ‘Stick Figure Neighbourhood'(1981) was released. It was recorded at Grant Avenue Studios in Hamilton, Ontario with a then unknown engineer by the name of Daniel Lanois. The album attracted the attention of college radio, garnered rave press reviews and generated successful college chart activity.

Their follow-up was the widely acclaimed ‘Arias & Symphonies’. It was produced by John Punter who had been working with Roxy Music, Bryan Ferry and Japan and was an engineer at George Martin’s famous Air Studios in London. John came to know of the band while on a trip to Canada to do sound for Japan at their Ryerson Theatre shows. ‘Arias and Symphonies’ spawned the single “Nova Heart”. This prompted the band’s first music video, which led to major TV exposure (especially on Muchmusic which had just hit the airwaves that very same year). Commercial radio airplay followed and the band soon saw themselves opening for such acts as The Police, Culture Club and Simple Minds.

Fast forward to 2012, Sparks Music and Ready Records are about to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of “Arias and Symphonies” on November 13 and to celebrate that release with a release party at Revival Bar in Toronto on November 30.
Original keyboardist Rob Preuss will be returning to Toronto to join band-mates Gord Deppe and Sandy Horne for this special celebratory show!

Newfoundland born, Toronto-based singer-songwriter Brad Fillatre celebrates the release of his debut solo EP, For Your Weakness which is officially released in stores and online today. Download the new EP on iTunes.

In support of this new release, Brad will be touring both Ontario and the Maritimes this fall and will kick things off with a CD release show on Wednesday evening, October 17, 2012 at Drake Underground in Toronto.

Newfoundland born, Toronto-based singer-songwriter Brad Fillatre will see his debut solo effort, For Your Weakness released on October 16th, 2012 through Sparks Music/Universal Music Canada. It is Fillatre’s first release since the 2009 album with his critically acclaimed band, The Evelyn Room. For Your Weakness marks a transition away from the Corner Brook band’s alternative rock sound.

Fillatre spent much of his early life traveling with his family as they tended to their funeral business. Dark forests, rugged terrain and the North Atlantic coastline of Newfoundland are the backdrop for this new album about life, love and loss. The effect of the vast emptiness and harsh climate of Canada’s grittier east coast made a lasting impression on Fillatre. As he explains, the “environment is magical and foreboding. It casts energy that I’ve never experienced anywhere else.”

A similar thing can be said of the energy that For Your Weakness evokes in its listeners. The EP entrances with its quiet and contemplative tones woven from a distant voice, a heavy beat and a variety of strings both electric and acoustic. By drawing on a vast and eclectic collection of influences that include Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, U2, and Ryan Adams, Fillatre blends the folk/pop genre with signature east coast tradition for a unique musical experience. His songwriting has been compared to artists such as Radiohead and Sigur Ros.

In support of the October 16th release of For Your Weakness, Brad Fillatre will be touring both Ontario and the Maritimes. See below for complete listings.