Meet The New Odds, Almost The Same As The Old Odds

02/27/08 6:30pm

Canada has a new record label, but its first signing involves two reunions.

Pheromone Recordings has been launched by MapleCore and former MapleMusic Recordings GM Kim Cooke, and the Fontana North-distributed label's first roster members are The New Odds. You may remember them as Odds, a Vancouver power pop band who had such hits as "It Falls Apart," "Love Is The Subject," "Eat My Brain," "Wendy Under The Stars," "Heterosexual Man" and "Someone Who's Cool" (which was used as the theme song for the short-lived 2006 CBS television series, Love Monkey) from 1991 to 1999. Cooke worked with the group when they were both affiliated with Warner Music Canada, and he's looking forward to renewing acquaintances with this new association.

"Craig Northey, Pat Steward and Doug Elliott are three of the finest musicians I have ever had the pleasure to know personally and work with professionally. With newcomer Murray Atkinson, The New Odds have picked up where they left off. Cheerleader is a bracing power pop record full of stellar playing, whip-smart lyrics and the proverbial tackle box full of hooks. I’m honoured for it to be the first Pheromone release. First single 'My Happy Place' drops in mid-March, and Cheerleader streets Tuesday May 20."

Cheerleader was recorded in Northey's Vancouver studio and mixed in the same city at the Warehouse studio by Paul Forgues (Barenaked Ladies). It was mastered in Toronto by 2004 Juno Award nominee Joao Carvalho (Protest The Hero, Neverending White Lights). Five songs can be sampled on the Pheromone website.

The guitar-playing Atkinson replaces singer/guitarist Steven Drake, who has worked as a producer with The Tragically Hip, 54.40 and his ex-wife, Kim Bingham, among others.

Following the Odds' break-up, Northey, Elliott, Steward and Simon Kendall formed an instrumental band called Sharkskin who backed the Hip's Rob Baker for his Stripper's Union project. Northey has recorded as a solo artist, written for others and teamed up with former Gin Blossoms frontman Jesse Valenzuela in Northey Valenzuela, who recorded the Corner Gas theme song, "Not A Lot Going On." Stewart was recently drumming in Matthew Good's band after stints with Bryan Adams and others.

The New Odds accompanied the Barenaked Ladies on their annual "Ships & Dip" musical cruise last winter and played nine shows in B.C. last summer. They returned from another BNL cruise at the beginning of this month. Look for more dates in support of the album.

Wave your pom-poms while checking out these titles from Cheerleader.

"Cloud Full Of Rocks"
"Write It In Lightning"
"My Happy Place"
"Getting My Attention"
"Breakthrough"
"Out Of Mind"
"I Feel Like This All The Time"
"Leaders Of The Undersea World"
"Jumper"
"I Can't Get You Off"
"Always Breaking Heart"
"River Is Cried"
"Good Times Rolled Away"
"Come To LA"