From the Promoter

Renowned Toronto critic Ben Rayner once notably dubbed The Darcys “pathologically ambitious.” One of the band’s earliest champions, few in the media has ever better contextualized its career, or could set the tone for the record it’s about to release.

In simple terms, Darcys are an alternative pop duo from Toronto, Canada.Currently the band consists of singer and multi-instrumentalist Jason Couse and drummer / lyricist Wes Marskell. The duo is the group’s original core and also what remains of an ever- evolving lineup that’s delivered close to a half dozen releases in as many years.

In more detail, the November 2016 arrival of new studio albumCenterfold marks the latest from one of Canada’s most fearlessly creative, adventurously experimental groups, and represents the culmination of almost a decade of pursuing its own limitations.

Over the course of four official releases on Arts & Crafts, the Darcys have birthed two studio records (2011’s self-titled album and 2013’s Polaris and JUNO-nominated Warring), a full reimagining of Steely Dan’s AJA and a 20-minute Southern Gothic- themed instrumental track (2014 Record Store Day exclusive Hymn For A Missing Girl). They have worked with major producers and mixers, toured North America, Europe and Australia, self-produced subsequent releases, and been extensively covered by press from NPR to Nylon.

Through it all, the band remains as unique for its varied approach to writing and releasing music as they have at times been held back by it. But in 2014, with Couse and Marskell intent on forging ahead as a duo, it also set the stage for the band’s greatest self-imposed challenge – making a credible pop record worthy of global attention.

CueCenterfold: 10 sugary, glimmering songs that pull together glossy production and airtight hooks, including funk-tinged summer anthem “Miracle,” suburban romantic saga “San Diego, 1988” and the sparkling, desert-creased heartache of “Arizona Hwy.” The album, inspired by the shameless maximalist lean of 1980s classics like Back To The Future and Chinatown and the era’s grandiose pop efforts, be they from Bowie or the Bee Gees.

Evolving through a painstaking process wherein the band generated more than 50 songs, and over two years of extensive recording in New Zealand, Los Angeles and Banff, Alberta, the album was produced by Grammy-award winner Shawn Everett (Alabama Shakes, Julian Casablancas) with an eye to making truly expansive pop jams that are both retro-tinged but also rooted in the sounds of today.

Promoter