And yet, evidence of a stubborn refusal to play it safe abounds, most notably in the East Coast-bred, Toronto-based rock squad’s eponymous, electrifying new disc, The Trews. It tallies so many firsts that even band members Colin MacDonald, John-Angus MacDonald, Sean Dalton and Jack Syperek cop to being a smidge flabbergasted by their own achievements, 14 Top 10 Canadian radio singles (including two #1s) notwithstanding.
There is, first and foremost, the assured manner in which it was written (through the lens of real life), underwritten (by fan support) and recorded (super-fast alongside marquee producer Gavin Brown). Guests bring flourish – witness Serena Ryder’s smoky vocals on ‘In the Morning,’ a contemplative almost-ballad with lyrics co-written by singer/guitarist Colin MacDonald and his pal, songwriting dynamo Simon Wilcox and buoyed by cellist Anne Bourne’s melancholic accompaniment.
Add in the fact that of late the Trews have been piling up the accolades touring acoustically despite being certified rock brawlers and the net result is something you just don’t see every day: proverbial old dogs issuing some seriously new tricks.
“I think with every record, you are kind of re-applying for the job,” chuckles guitarist John-Angus MacDonald. “There are so many bands out there, so many good ones, the fact that we get to keep going is a privilege. And as much as you get better and wiser with your craft, you still have to be ear-to-the-ground competitive. There is pressure in that.”
There are also wicked-cool rewards in that, none greater than the Trews’ daring and wildly successful PledgeMusic campaign which offered their loyal fans coveted and highly unique access to the band and its recording process in exchange for financial backing.
Everything from Skype chats to drum lessons, lifetime guest list privileges to adding vocals and hand-claps in-studio to songs like ‘New King,’ ‘The Sentimentalist,’ ‘Age of Miracles,’ and ‘Under The Sun’ was snatched up by supporters during the roughly year-long PledgeMusic drive.
“It was so much fun bringing fans into the studio, putting 20 people around a microphone,” Colin MacDonald enthuses. “This whole campaign was a great way to have an even deeper connection with the people who have been supporting us all these years.”
Adds John-Angus MacDonald, “I’d be lying if I said we didn’t have some trepidation at the onset. But it was all about the fan experience. We got to tailor those pledges to what we thought our fans might like, and at the end of it, we got to make a record for fans while giving them access they couldn’t possibly have had otherwise.”
Of course, the whole PledgeMusic exercise would be academic if the Trews weren’t making freaking phenomenal rock and roll full of the hairpin stylistic turns you’d expect from four guys who’ve been playing together daily pretty much all their adult lives.
Take the new album’s blazing first single, ‘What's Fair Is Fair’ which Colin MacDonald describes as “A song I wrote about a relationship falling apart. Sometimes when you cross a line you can't come back.”
And then there is the quaking, spit-drenched ‘New King,’ a biting indictment of bullies on digital pulpits. “We were pissed off and we wrote a song about it. I mean, if you can’t use your rock and roll to tell somebody to go shove it,” John-Angus MacDonald howls, “what the hell good is it?”
At the other end of the sonic spectrum is ‘65 Roses,’ a song inspired by former Trews booking agent Paul Gourlie, who succumbed to Cystic Fibrosis last May at age 37. It is, says John-Angus MacDonald, an illustration of the band feeling comfortable turning the volume down thanks to their acoustic touring, and an example of the impact producer Gavin Brown (see Metric, the Tragically Hip, Billy Talent) had on the new disc.
“The song ‘65 Roses’ was originally presented as an upbeat and rollicking song but the subject matter is quite sad,” the guitarist confirms. “Gavin was really insistent on that song being played as an acoustic number without drums. He saw us performing at Paul’s memorial and I don’t think he would even consider it being anything else.”
Indeed, Brown brought a whole new way of working to bear when he gathered with the Trews – including long-time keyboardist Jeff Heisholt - last fall in their rehearsal space for pre-production before moving the show to Toronto’s Noble Street Studios for “a concentrated two-and-half week session with some additional recording in November, mixing in December and mastering in January,” Colin MacDonald recalls.
“Gavin takes awesome bands and makes them awesome-r,” the singer cracks playfully. “And I think with our band, self-production would be a one-way ticket to divorce. We all respect each other but it’s always good to have that sounding board. Gavin is a giant personality who works quickly with such precision. So we entered that orbit and it made for a really interesting time. I’d do it again tomorrow.”
“For us, working quickly is a function of having our material together,” John-Angus adds, noting that the group amassed some 30 songs between January and May 2013 despite all members “doing a lot of other things. Life was being lived, we were traveling, but I think that fed the writing.
“From there we went about arranging it and making it sound great in the studio which, in my opinion, is much easier than songwriting. With Hope & Ruin” – the Trews’ chart-topping 2011 release cut with Hip bassist Gord Sinclair – “we were writing and recording at the same time and that record took seven months. Taking a kind of church and state approach to writing and recording this time worked really well.”
“I think we are getting better at pinpointing when a song is good and when it’s not,” Colin MacDonald says. “That’s what happens when you make five albums and tour all the time – you can tell a timeless idea from one that rocks hard but gets old fast. If I have to sing these songs 200 nights a year,” he smiles, doubtless envisioning the Trews’ itinerary for the foreseeable, “I want them to be good.”
Hope
The Trews Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Living the dream
What we're doing
Is not what it seems
First to last
Best to worst
Ash to ash
If you break down
I'll pull you through
Hope and ruin
Gone too soon
Hope and ruin
Me and you
The sun came up
And the world turned 'round
But I saw right through it
It will go back down
If I break down
Will you pull me through?
Hope and ruin
Gone too soon
Hope and ruin
Me and you
And it's heavy now
And it weighs me down
Hope and ruin
Gone too soon
Hope and ruin
You were the best
Now you're through and
You're on to the next
So you're leaving now
Have you done enough
Will they hold you to it
Will you rise above
I will get through
Hope and ruin
Gone too soon
Hope and ruin
Me and you
Hope and ruin
Gone too soon
Hope and ruin
Me and you
Hope and ruin
Gone too soon
Hope and ruin
Me and you
The Trews's song "Hope and Ruin" is a soulful and poignant tribute to the ephemerality of life and the strength of human relationships. The lyrics focus on the contrasts between hope and ruin, the good and the bad, the blessings and the curses, as well as the way life unfolds, the ups and the downs, the dreams and the harsh reality. The singer acknowledges that what they are doing, living their dream, might not be what it seems, and that sometimes the weight of hope and ruin is almost unbearable.
The chorus is a conversation between two people who are struggling with hope and ruin. The first person says that if the other person breaks down, they'll pull them through. The second person asks the same thing, and the first person agrees to be there for them. They both acknowledge that hope and ruin are gone too soon, and that they will face the heavy weight of life's challenges together.
The bridge then talks about someone who was once the best but is now on to the next. The singer asks them if they have done enough and if they will rise above it. They assure themselves that they will get through, as long as they have each other. The song ends with a repetition of the chorus, reinforcing the idea that hope and ruin are fleeting moments that we can overcome if we have someone to support us.
Line by Line Meaning
Hope and ruin
Life can bring hope, but also the possibility of complete destruction.
Living the dream
Our current reality may not be what it seems or what we truly desire.
What we're doing
Our actions and decisions in life can have severe consequences.
Is not what it seems
Life can be deceptive and not always transparent in its meanings.
First to last
Everything has a beginning and an end.
Best to worst
Things can turn from a positive to a negative state gradually or rapidly.
Ash to ash
All things will eventually crumble and return to dust.
Blessed to cursed
A state of being blessed can change violently to one of being cursed.
If you break down
In times of weakness, we may need the help of others to pull through.
I'll pull you through
One can be there to support, console, and encourage during hard times.
Gone too soon
Some things may end sooner or unexpectedly than anticipated.
Me and you
Together, we can face life's challenges and experiences.
The sun came up
Life goes on regardless of the hardships we face.
And the world turned 'round
Despite our troubles, the world keeps on rotating and life continues.
But I saw right through it
The facade of life can be seen through, yet we must still continue to live in it.
It will go back down
The sun will eventually set and the day will come to a close.
If I break down
One may be afraid to show weakness and vulnerability to others.
Will you pull me through?
Asking for help is a difficult yet valid option in times of hardships.
And it's heavy now
Burden and pressure have weighed down on one and become difficult to bear.
And it weighs me down
The burden of life can cause a great amount of distress and suffering.
You were the best
Something or someone may have once given great joy and happiness.
Now you're through and
However, this source of joy may have run its course and come to an end.
You're on to the next
Life continues and new opportunities arise after endings and closure.
So you're leaving now
One may move on from their past and the people or things that have caused them sorrow.
Have you done enough
Before moving on, one may question if they have accomplished all they needed to in their previous experiences.
Will they hold you to it
Others may hold one accountable for their past actions and decisions that led to endings.
Will you rise above
Despite the hardships and struggles, one can overcome and move forward in life.
I will get through
With optimism and hope, one can persevere through life's hardships.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@robertbrooks5045
Man...Canada knows how to make rock bands!!!! Saw these guys open for Our Lady Peace in Buffalo NY. I've been a fan of OLP since 1995, now they've introduced me to this incredible Canadian band. I'm going to see Theory of a Deadman in a couple of weeks. I've realized that most of my favorite bands come from Canada. Rush is one of my all time favorite bands, and unfortunately I never seen them in concert.
@Jawmsie
These guys make me proud to be Canadian.
@beeffarmer8576
more proud 🇨🇦
@doosin8696
🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦
@petermaceachern4843
Some say the pride of nova scotia is Alexander Keith's I say it's the trews
@lorimurray2264
I first saw The Trews live in Halifax. They were one of the opening bands for KISS. It was pouring rain that afternoon. These guys came on stage and kicked ass. I’ve been a huge fan since
@pamelahamilton153
Canada rocks! We have amazing talent!!! I love these guys!!
@lisafry6380
My favourite Trews song...his voice gives me goose bumps!
@rac0716
im not gonna lie, i just typed random letters in the search box and found this....im glad i did =)
@antoniomari2730
Musics like these can help your soul