Chris Morin
Saskatoon’s The Foggy Notions are celebrating the recent release of their debut full-length album entitled Beginning to See.
However, despite some Saskatonians remembering their start as a two-piece, The ‘Notions’ newest material is by far a fully realized band effort. As singer Kalon Beaudry, along with band mates Janice Weber, Gerard Saretsky and Charles Lemire, explains, the band has since coalesced into something far grander than their original incarnations.
“Janice and I started the Foggy Notions to finish and perform songs that I had originally written in other bands that probably would not have fit,” says Beaudry. “Charles, Janice and I had all played in the Vicious Crystals together and that was just a fit that was bound to happen. Gerard and I had written songs together previously and he has such a knack for sweet little melodies that it just made sense to start using him as another guitar player.”
An impressive debut, Beginning to See is effortlessly breezy-and-wistful summer pop, easily a soundtrack for haphazard roadtrips and improvised campouts. But, far from a pushover, there is plenty of stomp and moxie to counter the group’s hazier moments. And balancing he-said she-said vocal lines, the Foggy Notions achieve a genuine romanticism that most bands – or couples for that matter – never find.
However, Beaudry is quick to admit that the sounds on Beginning to See were initially unintentional.
“The album was started about a year ago, very early on. So early that Charles and Gerard barely knew the songs,” explains Beaudry. “I had lofty ambitions for recording. I really wanted a swirly-sounding record but the more we tried adding to the recordings the more it took away from the actual songs. The results were a far more guitar-based record.
“The next record will be far more daring I promise,” adds Beaudry. “We are starting to demo some new songs for the second release which will certainly be a different direction than the first album,” he continues. “I’m back listening to a lot of space rock again and I certainly want to embrace those influences.”
In addition to their show tonight, June 9th at Amigos, the Foggy Notions already have a fairly stacked summer ahead of them.
“We are getting ready to head to Sled Island for the CFCR showcase at Tubby Dog’s, which will be a lot of fun,” says Beaudry. “We are also playing the Poplar Arts Festival in Pike Lake and the band is starting to get serious about actually going on a little tour taking in Edmonton and Calgary and Regina.”