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MP3 qr5 - Pharmakon
10 MP3 Songs
POP: Folky Pop, WORLD: World Beat
Details:
SOUND
Introspective music you can dance to, qr5 is neither traditional or progressive, but a singular combination of reggae groove, pop contagion, and folk sensibility.
Acoustic-ambient folk collides with a reggae influenced rhythm section. Atmospheric lead guitar fleshes out an aggressive acoustic, while hip-hop beats and a melodic but funky bass energize the sound. On a few tracks, epic and moody organ parts alternate--evoking a dramatic film-score quality.
Emotionally stirring yet eclectic lyrics resonate through vocals that alternate between an intimate, almost whispered delivery and sonically layered duets and uplifting choral outbursts.
The lyrically-centered music finds its roots in folk-tradition songwriting, usually collaborations between Ben and Matthew. In a band setting, the arrangements open up and become more fluid. In the quest to explore and reveal the song''s essence, the original guitar structure ripples into more sonic arrangements and instrumentation, with emotions and moods accentuated by subtle string and horn section parts.
CONCEPT
True philosophy tries to find a way to live and qr5 is its musical equivalent.
The positive vision at the core of the music does not exist in a vacuum. The darker underbelly of both the music and lyrics winds its way into the upbeat. Emotionally unafraid music, it travels through the positive into sombre territory and back in a redemptive cycle.
qr5 is about music as something you experience. It evokes curiousity through orchestrated developments in lieu of repetitive hooks tattooed on the psyche.
HISTORY
It began as a 10-year soundtrack recording/production partnership between Ben Bootsma and Matthew Maaskant. The band''s current roster is a collection of long-time friends but first-time collaborators who have now been playing together for the past year.
All four members of qr5 originally hail from small-town southwestern Ontario. Although an ambient and intellectual character dominates, the experience of being a live band connecting with small town audiences also gives the band a raw energy and a visceral, urgent sound.
Matthew Maaskant (lead vocals/rhythm guitar) is the songwriter and conceptualist. His talents in photography and web design gives the band its visual presence, bringing new dimensions to musical and lyrical content.
Trained in music composition and sound engineering, Ben Bootmsa (backup vocal/lead guitar/organ) is behind qr5''s uncommon sonic identity and string and horn arrangements.
The source of the reggae feel to the band''s live sound, Keith Stirling (drum kit) is a multi-instrumentalist who has also mastered guitar and bass. For the past decade, Keith has played in a number of bands on the Canadian music scene.
With a doctorate in philosophy nearly in hand, Jonathan Weverink (bass) shares insights beyond the instrumental through his lyrical contributions. He has an intimate role in refining the conceptual identity of qr5.
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