The Reason Ready New EP, Album

Hamilton post-hardcore band The Reason will release a five-song EP titled The Brilliant Disguise on Dec. 16.

The digital release will be available for download through iTunes and mymerchtable.com. It was produced by Dan Weston (Attack In Black, City And Colour) and features new versions of songs from The Reason's 2007 album, Things Just Couldn't Be Better, recorded with acoustic instruments. The title track is a Bruce Springsteen cover.

The Reason just finished recording the follow-up to Things Just Couldn't Be Better, and are now in New York City mixing the album, which should be done by Dec. 22. They recorded the disc in Asheville, N.C. with producer Steven Haigler (Big Dipper, Oleander) while growing "playoff beards."

"Our beards have gotten pretty intense," singer/guitarist/keyboardist Adam White wrote in a Dec. 9 MySpace blog entry. "We all agreed beginning of November we were gonna do 'playoff beards' and not trim or shave the things at all until the record is done (december 22). Mine has gotten pretty ridiculous. So has Ronsons [Armstrong, bass]. Everyone's pretty much, actually.

"I can't wait to trim this thing. Im getting food stuck in it. Sometimes to the point where its like....oh, what's that taste? Oh! Its ribs. From 2 days ago...nice."

The Reason created a video blog of their album recording process, which you can view (along with their food-filled beards and a Top Gun poster) here:

The Reason formed in 2003 and their Ravenna debut came out a year later. They're probably best known for Things Couldn't Be Better track "We're So Beyond This," which featured Tegan And Sara's Sara Quin. The Reason include White, Armstrong, guitarist/keyboardist/vocalist James Nelan, guitarist/vocalist Jeremy Widerman and drummer/vocalist Steve Kiely.

Here are the songs on The Brilliant Disguise EP:

"Brilliant Disguise"
"This Is Just The Beginning"
"Unquestionable"
"Is It Just Me?"
"If My Tongue Could Talk"
"I Felt A Song Inside"