Richmond-raised rockers of the band City Walls, previously known as Louder than Love, are preparing for their album release and subsequent tour across Canada.
Their second album, Engines, is being released April 15 under their new label, Cordova Bay Records.
Lead singer Paul Lambert and bassist Tony Lambert, as well as guitarist Nate Parsons, all graduates of Hugh McRoberts secondary, talk about their musical journey.
“I think one of the biggest challenges is to find four people equally committed and dedicated to the cause, in any situation, is the hardest thing, because it’s essentially a team you’re working with, you know. Everyone has to be on the same level or else it’s never going to work,” said Paul Lambert.
“It also brings up the accountability level, too. You want to make sure you’re not letting your buddies down. It also helps that we have familiarity with each other, like me and Tony started playing together when we were 12 years old,” added Parsons.
City Walls’ unique sound can be attributed to the many groups and musicians the band members themselves have looked up to in their musical career. Hints of Pearl Jam and Red Hot Chili Peppers can be heard in their work, as well as more classic rock groups such as Pink Floyd and AC/DC.
“Me, personally, I really like classic rock, like your AC/DC, Led Zep. I’d say those two are pretty big on my list,” said Tony Lambert.
“Now I’m opening up my musical tastes a bit more. I like more indie vibe, like Arcade Fire, Foster the People — new bands that are awesome to listen to,” he added.
Another reason their latest album sounds so different, yet familiar, may be because they had the opportunity to work with two notable Canadian record producers, Arnold Lanni and Howard Redekopp of Our Lady Peace, Finger Eleven and The New Pornographers, Hey Ocean, respectively.
“It was a great experience (learning) so many things that only somebody who has produced so many hit songs and records can teach you, you know?” said Paul Lambert.
Social media and the Internet are also factors in the band’s success. But while City Walls is tweeting and posting with the rest of them, word-of-mouth is still king on the West Coast, said Parsons.
“Touring and how much you’re able to get out there matters. In Vancouver, word of mouth has gone a long way locally. But, because we’re not in Toronto, we’re not in Montreal, we’re not in Ottawa, we’ve got to rely on other forms of communication,” said Parsons.
“It’s like putting a whole package together and communicating the same message across all mediums,” he added.
While putting your work on the Internet can lead to file sharing and people downloading copyrighted works without paying, many artists have come to accept not much can be done about it, and this is the millennial generation’s version of the radio.
“I think you’ve got to be with the times, and now that’s benefiting us because it allows our music to get out there for a large number of people and, in turn, it sells tickets, which is where most artists make money these days, from live revenue sales. For us, it works well, and you either fight it or don’t, and we’re using it to our advantage,” said Paul Lambert.
City Walls kicked off their tour with a CD release party this past Friday at The Imperial
