Toronto-based alternative rock group The Cardinal Dream has big plans, big dreams, and a big sound. With the release of their debut album this year, people north and south of the border will know it too. The Cardinal Dream’s five members - Dan Falconi on vocals, Rob Taylor and Chris Copobianco on guitars, Mitch Conrad on bass, and Michael Volpe on drums – have only been playing together for a year and a half. In this short time, these guys have been asked to play at bars and venues all around the city and, while doing so, have developed a strong following that they are hoping will grow across the country and into the west coast of the US with the upcoming release of their debut album. I've been lucky enough to connect with these guys and ask them a few questions about the band, their sound, and playing live music in Toronto:
Who would you consider your musical inspiration as a group?
We all listen to an array of artists and genres from hip-hop to metal, but the collective love for bands like Incubus, Circa Survive, Pink Floyd and Thrice is where we draw upon for our musical inspiration.
What is your favorite venue to play in Toronto?
We have played at venues all over the city in the past year and a half but our favourite has to be The Hideout. We had one of our best shows there. It’s an amazing atmosphere coupled with some fantastic sound and mixing. Definitely at the top.
I understand you are currently producing your first album. Can you tell me about it?
We tried to keep it about the music, so we chose the best 8-10 songs to record out of close to 15 written. Our songs are about our growth as musicians, and pushing ourselves musically to write progressive yet well rounded songs. Our sound, in parts, can be described as contrasting, heavy, but melodic and spacey at parts too. We all write collectively together, contributing to each others song writing process. Not one song was written by one individual. A song will stem from an idea or progression from one member and grow from there.
How has it been producing your first album all on your own? Can you tell me about the experience and its effect(s) on your sound?
Recording, producing and mixing an album yourself is definitely a challenge but has been a great experience so far. Doing it all yourself has huge benefits. We can really take our time, recording all day and all night if needed, and make sure everything is perfect without having to worry about studio time and other factors. No one knows our sound better than us, so there's no worry of compromising our vision in any way. It's a long process, but it’s definitely rewarding when it's all complete and exactly the way we all want to hear it.
You’ve been criticized by some local industry professionals for not being active or engaging enough with your fans on social media sites. Is this a conscious decision?
It is at the moment. That is something that will change with the release of our material this year. We want to make sure that when we make a big push online in social media that the potential fans we are pushing to has quality music, videos and artwork to make them visiting our pages worth their while.
One last question: What is your plan for the future? Where do you see your music taking you?
The plan for the future is to grow, travel, meet amazing people and see how far our music can take us. We want to contribute to the art form and innovate musically, to create something that can sound fresh, but accessible.
Not only are these guys some of the nicest, most down to earth group of musicians I’ve met, but also some of the most passionate. For them, it’s not about the fame or the possibility of fortune. It’s just about the music. They're in it to provide quality music that they've worked days and nights, all on their own, to bring to their fans.
Follow them on Twitter and Facebook to hear about upcoming shows and any updates on their upcoming album release.
P.S. - They're playing at The Hideout on May 24th. It's sure to be a great show, so I'll see you there!
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