Preview
THE PAPERBACKS
Saturday, November 29
Weeds Cafe
It's not surprising that The Paperbacks have gained national interest. For people who like their music moody and sweet, their heartbreaking lyrics and tragic melodies provide an atmosphere for poetry not typically seen in rock music.
They trade sarcasm for sincerity, offering a unique take on the prairie landscape. The mundane becomes inspiring – the world around them is small and intimate. The Paperbacks are too busy creating their own perfect pop universe to be self deprecating.
Speaking from a pay phone outside a movie theatre on his way to work, frontman and lyricist Doug McLean offers a glimpse into his love of finding the extraordinary in the everyday. He takes his time and listens as if he might miss something important and his openness and honesty come through in his songwriting.
"A lot has been made about the lyrics," McLean says shyly. "It was really important for us to not sound bitter or ironic. I work on it all the time. It's hard for me to write lyrics and it's not easy to get the ideas down. I struggle with it."
Hailing from Winnipeg, the Paperbacks, like many others are taking advantage of the affordable rent and a good standard of living. As a result, the city has become a hub for alternative culture and many of those artists and musicians have since been embraced by the international scene.
"Winnipeg is the way everyone says it is. It's very isolated and far removed from what's going on. No one's blowing smoke and that allows you to be free to do what you want," McLean says
Having first appeared on Endearing Records International Pop Exchange The Paperbacks have recently released An Episode of Sparrows, their debut full length. However, it's probably not the first you've heard of the band’s members. An assemblage of Winnipeg talent, The Paperbacks cull their performers from other favourite Winnipeg bands – The Bonaduces, Hushfeed, Transister Sound and Lighting Co. and The Mandarins. That fear of never quite capturing what you did before sparks the fragile undercurrent in their music. Their talent is balanced by a drive to get things right.
"The band's been together longer than the new record would imply," McLean says. "It's never over when you finish an album. It just builds momentum for you to do other things."
Listening to their music one can't help but look at the world a little differently, taking stock of all the trials and challenges that make life so completely absurd and bittersweet. The Paperbacks are a group of unassuming realists, focused on telling bittersweet stories and taking their cues from the everyday absurdities of life. |
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