Things Couldn't Be Better For The Reason

When a band has been together for four years, you expect them to improve. But Hamilton's The Reason have managed to make outright leaps in progress.

With the March 6 Smallman release of Things Couldn't Be Better, The Reason will transcend their aggressive roots and enter the realm of rock radio playlists. The new album was produced by Juno Award winner Gavin Brown (Billy Talent, Cancer Bats), and its songs are structurally sound, concise and catchy. Guitarist/vocalist James Nelan attributes this newfound efficiency to years of playing together and Brown's influence.

"Gavin lent a lot of experience to the process, helped us focus on our songwriting and made it more flowing from start to finish. Sometimes he asked us why certain parts were there, and they seemed really unnecessary, so we dropped a lot of them. It was an eye-opening experience."

That being said, Nelan is quick to defend the integrity of the band in advance of any likely antagonism.

"Gavin was always really respectful and made his opinion known, but at the end of the day it was still our band. It was really easygoing. He didn't make unnecessary changes, he was just right most of the time when he suggested things should be changed in the songs."

The Reason are not only stepping up their game in terms of songwriting, but the band also shot a video directed by Sean-Michael Turrell (Billy Talent) in December.

"It was shot on 35-millimetre film, which cost a lot of money," says Nelan. "I can't believe we got the budget approval for that."

Following the release of Things Couldn't Be Better, The Reason will hit the road across Canada with The Spill Canvas and Ten Second Epic. Nelan says the band would eventually like to cross the border and make an impact on the larger American market.

"There are so many people down there that ignoring it doesn't make sense. We're hoping that success in Canada will lead to bigwigs in the States hearing about us and working with us."

Despite the band's international goals, they're still a Hamilton band and Nelan isn't afraid to let everyone know about their origins and the city's flourishing music scene.

"There is definitely a steady rise in the popularity of Hamilton. It's tough growing up in the shadow of Toronto, being that it's recognized as one of the music cities. Also, people here don't have an exorbitant amount of money to spend on shows. That limits what a band can grow into when they are bound by what they get paid, and development is based on that money."

The Reason have managed to break the Hamilton mold and develop into a nationally recognized act. With the Canadian release of Things Couldn't Be Better, international success could be close behind.The Reason will travel to London, Ontario on Friday to play Call The Office and will hit the stage of Toronto's Opera House on Sunday.