Charlottetown: The North Lakes of the East Coast

I love it when a band sounds the way they dress. It feels honest rather than calculated, simple rather than complicated. For example, The White Stripes sound like lovers of dramatic color schemes, Emily Haines sounds like a romper-wearing cool kid, and Charlottetown’s newest band The North Lakes sound like the earnest, sheepish, shy, cardigan-wearing group they are. Remember The Wonder Years? The North Lakes are the band whose music would have been playing in the background when Winnie Cooper dumps Kevin for the first time. They wear button-ups and grandpa’s sweater, polka dots and wire-rim glasses. Basically, they dress and sound like your first heartbreak.

The North Lakes consists of Nathan Gil (vocals, guitar), Mike Carver(drums), Chris Francis(bass/harmonica) and Gillian Arsenault (vocals, guitar and piano)  and while the band has only been together a short time, they’ve already begun to attract attention. “Cold Ottawa Wind” has been getting play on CBC Radio 3, they’ve had shows in bars around the Maritimes and are currently working on an EP for summer. Their sound is a fusion of folk pop, and blues and I can hear shades of both Dylan and Rilo Kiley. I also double dare you to not fall in love with Nathan Gil’s voice. It’s stripped of cosmetics, raw and impossible to resist. Check out my new favourite band at myspace.com/thenorthlakes.