“Indie rock supergroup” sounds like a bit of a contradiction, but that’s exactly what we have in Minotaurs, the Guelph-based psychedelic eight-piece has featured members of Rheostatics, Constantines, Holy Fuck and Royal City, among others.
We talked with frontman Nathan Lawr (who has also worked with Constantines, FemBots, Royal City and Feist) about their new album, AUM. He describes the new album as a companion piece to the band’s last effort, Weird Waves.
“They’re sister albums, the loose concept behind them both is exploration and the outside world and where we sit within it. The first one was about space exploration, this one is about inner exploration.”
Consequently, he describes the album’s creative process as more of a continuation than their previous works.
“More of a continuation of the process. Fully continuing on the idea of what we’re trying to do as a band. There’s definitely more cohesion among the band members.”
That guiding idea, Lawr says, is to “take vintage funk and syncopated rhythms to a psychedelic dance aesthetic.”
His ambitions with the album are simple, only wanting people to “hear it and like it”.
With eight members, Minotaurs’ lineup is a crowded one, and Lawr acknowledges that working as a group can take some grace.
“You have to be a good listener. You have to pick your moments, you have to bite your tongue if necessary, and you have to be able to let go – you can’t do everything you want to do all the time. It’s like a family, it’s not easy.”
So what’s next for Minotaurs? More of the same, from the sounds of it.
“Make another record. We have another on the way, it’s going to be a little different, I think the songs are going to be a little tighter and more song-oriented, rather than the instrumental stuff from the last two albums.”
The show at Junction City Music Hall on May 19th was a great example of what makes this band special. It’s where their eight-piece arrangement really shines, where you can truly appreciate how complex and layered their sound is. There’s an “epicness” to nearly every song, and the brass section gives a boisterous feeling to the music. But that’s not the end of it, this band also knows how to engage an audience. Not one person was standing when they took the stage, but before long the entire audience was up and dancing. Definitely a live show that must be seen.
They may be different in almost every sense, but that’s all the more reason to check Minotaurs out. AUM was released on May 26th.
Post by: Dan Goldsmith
The Minotaurs Are Back With Their Second Album by Chart Attack | Chart Attack.
