(PR) Former Starling frontman Ian LeFuevre reunites with bassist Maury LaFoy and drummer Peter Von Althen to create The Hundreds and Thousands. The band will unveil their Nettwerk debut, The Hundreds and Thousands, on May 26. The album is a paired down, raw and jagged take on rock n' roll recorded live off the floor. Careful to not dilute the raw power of the three-piece, the vast majority of the record (vocals included) was recorded live in only a few short sessions; a testament to each musician's technical aptitude. As a result, the 11 songs on The Hundreds and Thousands swell with a larger than life sound.
Each member brings a unique and varied musical background to the group. Von Althen has collaborated with Kathleen Edwards, Jim Bryson and Skydiggers, while LaFoy's bass history cross-references the folk reverie of Sarah Harmer with K-OS' next level hip-hop.
As a producer and songwriter, LeFeuvre's recording credits are nothing short of exemplary. In addition to providing music for films and TV, the Toronto-based musician produced Lynn Miles' Juno Award-winning Unravel. Like LaFoy, he appeared on K-OS' 2007 release, Atlantis: Hymns For Disco, and will be featured on the forthcoming Yes! (March 2009). As chief songwriter and producer for The Hundreds and Thousands, LeFeuvre has combined his pop ingenuity with jagged sonics to create a deeply personal album that resonates with strength and vulnerability.
The first single, "Rat Race," is available now on iTunes. The song sets the tone for the album. "This record definitely is very much about facing the pressures of a grind," says Ian LeFuevre. "You get in this big city and start to work your ass off, and you start feeling like other parts of your life are slipping away. Sometimes it's fun to be caught up in the whole game, but sometimes you wonder how much you're losing touch with things you wish you hadn't."
By embracing the imperfections and adding touches of electronic color, LeFuevre and mixer Eric Ratz (Billy Talent, Big Sugar) have created a sonic depth of field that places the album comfortably between the glossy space-prog of Muse and the blue collar rebellion rock of The Clash.
The next single release is "Don't Talk To Me," which is available on iTunes today. Along with early showcase dates in Toronto starting in early Spring, The Hundreds and Thousands will be performing March 14th at ChartAttack's H-SHOE Showcase during Canadian Music Week.