Bend Sinister

The tale of Bend Sinister begins with good friends and a summer of infinite possibilities. The year was 2001 and the vibrancy of Kelowna, BC’s all-ages music scene provided the necessary inspiration for four ambitious musicians fueled by a variety of musical influences to embark on a journey that for lead singer Dan Moxon would continue to this very day. Having performed countless shows in every dive bar and venue that would have them, Bend Sinister established themselves as a household name in their hometown. As the buzz began to circulate throughout the rest of western Canada, Bend Sinister was determined to do whatever was necessary to make the creation of music the focal point of their lives. The move to Vancouver seemed inevitable. With a budding Indie Music Scene being fueled by the success of The New Pornographers and new musical talent at their disposal, Bend Sinister left the comforts of their home to explore everything that the new city had to offer. After selling out a four song EP and acquiring a new guitar player and drummer, the band was ready to record their first full –length studio album. With only $5000 in their pockets, the band sought out local producer Shawn Cole who agreed to produce what would be their 2005 debut release ‘Through The Broken City.’ Featuring well-constructed keyboard driven songs, enhanced by vocal flourishes and virtuoso guitar solos ‘Through The Broken City’ awed critics and audiences across the nation. Fusing together many different styles including Progressive, Psychedelic, Rock, and Pop, the struggle to categorize Bend Sinister had now become a losing battle. In support of their debut release, Bend Sinister hit the road, for three nationwide tours. With all the experiences from the road and many new tales to tell, Bend Sinister returned to the studio in 2006 to record a few new songs, which included the single ‘Time Breaks Down.’ Rated one of the top 10 songs of 2006 by Grant Lawrence’s CBC Radio 3 Podcast, ‘Time Breaks Down’ catapulted the band into uncharted territory. Grabbing the attention of Distort president Greg Below (Alexisonfire, Cancer Bats), Bend Sinister signed a digital deal with Distort to release a 5 song EP. Released in the fall of 2007, the EP garnered plenty of plaudits from press across Canada and landed the band a CBC Radio 3 sponsored tour across Canada. Distort’s Greg Below was so impressed with the feedback from both press and audiences alike that he decided to launch Distort Light, a sister label to Distort to provide Bend Sinister with an outlet to release their music. In February of 08, Bend Sinister headed into Mushroom Studios in Vancouver to record their follow-up to ‘Through The Broken City’. Determined to create an album that was much richer and fuller than their debut, Bend Sinister incorporated the talents of jazz veteran Bill Runge, as well as other guest musicians to enhance the tonal quality of the album through the use of strings, choirs and other instrumentation. On October 21st 2008, Bend Sinister unveiled their much anticipated sophomore album ‘Stories of Brothers, Tales of Lovers’ on Distort Light. Once again seeking out the talent of Vancouver’s up and coming producer Shawn Cole, the album is a 14-song concept album that features some of the most unique and fully formed compositions the band has created to date. The decision to create a concept album sprung from the bands love and appreciation for listening to albums as a whole. Instead of focusing on a couple of key singles on an otherwise mediocre record, Bend Sinister was determined to create an album where every song was integral and contributed to the overall theme that the band was trying to convey. After relentless compositional fury, every track featured on ‘Stories of Brothers, Tales of Lovers’ seamlessly fit together like puzzle pieces, enticing the listener from start to finish. Amidst all the excitement of touring, recording a new album and signing a record deal, Bend Sinister has seen various lineup changes. Though names and faces have changed, what still remains is the passion and love to create music that is always honest and refreshingly original. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.