Montreal indie group still strong despite their long distance relationship
Long distance relationships are ridiculously hard – call it emotional masochism – but Montreal’s Cobra & Vulture have managed to find strength in separation.
Since frontwoman Amber Goodwyn has relocated to Regina, the indie three-piece has maintained a prolific output, including two EPs and their latest album entitled Grasslands, which is now available for streaming on the band’s site.
So what’s the secret to living with distance without letting the heart go wander?
“Moving to Saskatchewan wasn’t originally in the plans but I think there’s something incredible about having worked on a prairie inspired record for a couple of years and then unexpectedly living here,” says Goodwyn.
“I miss practicing and playing with the band on the regular, I think we all do, so that part is a bit tough. But the plan is to release the album online and pre-order this month and then to tour across the country in support of a physical release in April. I’ll be flying back to Montreal for that and will head back few times a year and will schedule in recording and band time in and around those trips.”
Not that anyone has anything to worry about – the members of Cobra & Vulture, which is rounded out by Erin Ross and Jeremy MacCuish who also plays drums in the band Parlovr – are in it for the long haul.
The trio originally began gigging over five years ago in Montreal as Nightwood, and released an excellent full-length album entitled Carta Marina in 2010.
“Erin and I have been writing together since we were teenagers and the band is pretty good at keeping in touch and sharing demos with each other,” adds Goodwyn. “So I hope it’ll continue to work out well while I’m out here.”
Cobra & Vulture are led by their intricate guitar work, with lots of bizarro-but-boffo double tapping and off-kilter leads. And with both Goodwyn and Ross simultaneously rocking the mic, the end result is a lush melodic folk sound that often veers into blistering indie rock anthems.
And while Saskatchewan is culturally (and oft-literally) worlds away from Montreal, Cobra & Vulture take on prairie themes on Grasslands and make them their own – the artwork, says Goodwyn, comes courtesy of the Saskatchewan History & Folklore Society (individual credit goes to Everett Baker).
However, despite two-thirds of the band currently located in Montreal, us prairie dwellers will eventually have a chance to see all the members reunited in the spring.
“We’re planning to play in Regina and Saskatoon and maybe a few other Saskatchewan places along the way out to BC and back,” says Goodwyn. “We’ll be releasing a few videos over the next few months and then some performance videos after the tour too.”
– Grasslands album artwork credited to Everett Baker, with thanks to the Saskatchewan History & Folklore Society.