by Haley Cullingham
Anyone feeling a void in their heart for deliciously complicated folk music will be happy come July 5th. East Vancouver’s Language Arts brings their Canadian tour to Toronto to dazzle the city with their beautiful, summery sound. Language Arts songs jump from airy, delicate melodies with hippie lyrics, to darker efforts with Aesop Rock-type vocals, and at their best they combine both. Reminiscent of concrete streets, and staring out your apartment window at a blinking neon sign or a melting ocean sunset, rarely is something at once experimental, ground-breaking, and listenable in a very addictive way. It’s not every musician who could find her name in the liner notes next to ‘classical guitar and hip hop vocals,’ but that is the beauty and mystery of Kristen Cudmore and Language Arts. About their sound, Kristen says, “We’re like a family. We all bring different ideas to the table, which is exciting…[our sound] keeps re-defining itself and we’re OK with that.”

They’ve drawn crowds and sold-out shows at festivals, venues, and bars from coast-to-coast, (“You get to see so many different landscapes [touring Canada]…we are lucky to have all of this space!”) but this is their first time doing it all in one go. Next Saturday, go eat some nachos and drink some beers, and be the first to see a band all of your friends will be talking about come August.

July 5th, 11 pm @ Rancho Relaxo

http://www.myspace.com/languageartsnet