Carpenter Build Shrine To Mellencamp And Sign With Smallman
Friday March 28, 2008 @ 05:30 PM
By: ChartAttack.com Staff

Carpenter

Vancouver "farmcore" band Carpenter will release their Law Of The Land full-length debut early this summer after signing with Winnipeg's Smallman Records.

"Many of the SMR bands are bros and we have a ton of respect for their roster, both past and present," says lead singer Dan Sioui. "We searched high and low for some dirt on [Smallman co-founder] Rob [Krause] and Co., but couldn't find anyone to talk trash!"

Sioui was formerly in All State Champion, while his bandmates also did stints in other groups before Carpenter. Bassist Kelly Burnham was with By A Thread, guitarist Ryan Howlett was in Speaking Of Heroes and drummer J.J. Heath previously kept the beat for Daggermouth.

The group independently released their Town & Country debut EP in 2005 and followed it with the Country Mile EP a year later.

Carpenter recorded Law Of The Land's 10 songs at Vancouver's Mushroom Studios last fall with co-producers/engineers Shawn Penner and Aaron Nordean (3 Inches Of Blood, Bend Sinister). "You Can't Keep A Good Man Down" can be previewed on their MySpace page, which is dedicated to John Cougar Mellencamp.

Sioui claims the roots-rockin' American singer/songwriter influenced him to write songs that take a stance against corporate agribusiness and promote sustainable farming practices. The quartet even call their music "John Cougar Emocamp," so Sioui was obviously thrilled to meet the man when he gave the band backstage passes to his Vancouver show in February.

"Our meeting was brief, but it gave me an opportunity to give John some CDs and to thank him for pulling me out of my slump and getting me back into my favorite thing in the whole world: Rock N Roll," Sioui wrote in a MySpace blog entry after the historic occasion.

Carpenter will show off their woodworking skills at these Canadian shows:

• March 29 Vancouver, BC @ The Media Club w/Living With Lions, Broadway Calls and The Grave Life
• April 11 Edmonton, AB @ The Pawn Shop w/40 Thieves
• April 12 Calgary, AB @ The Castle w/Pine Tarts
• April 15 Medicine Hat, AB @ The Ottoman w/Horses and Malcolm Bauld
• April 17 Winnipeg, MB @ The Royal Albert Arms w/The Paperbacks and Anthem Red
• April 18 Regina, SK @ O'Hanlons w/Horses and Malcolm Bauld
• April 19 Calgary, AB @ The Stetson

Here are the songs on Law Of The Land:

• "A Different Life"
• "You Can't Keep A Good Man Down"
• "Off The Road"
• "Six Shots"
• "Don't Go"
• "Until The Sun's Up"
• "In The Country"
• "Help Me Out"
• "Tell Me"
• "Face The Rain"