Armchair Cynics: Anything But Cynical
Recently, a group of talented musicians did the impossible and breathed new life into this hobbyist’s decrepit anthology of old favorites. The name of this soulful group is the Armchair Cynics and their gift is arena-filling sound, evocative songwriting and an avant-garde yet captivating presentation.
His music is not only captivating when heard over the airwaves, but when heard live it’s amazing and I’m not the only one who shares this sentiment. Included on Armchair Cynic’s fan list is Nickelback frontman Chad Kroeger. Kroeger and his business partner Jonathin Simkin have signed the Cynics to a record deal with their label, 604 Records. This union led to their sold-out EP titled “Killing the Romance”.
Simkin told me that neither he nor Kroeger could get past Cynic’s ability to write top-notch songs that are not only melodic but also richly layered. That wasn’t the only attractive quality about him.
“We initially signed the band to a demo deal to make sure everyone felt good about working together. The first few recordings went so well that we decided to go ahead with a record deal. The band has many qualities. Great songs. Great show. Good similar. The whole package was great.”
Lead singer Kenn Coutu is a major vocal talent with a commanding stage presence and trademark frontman confidence. He recently took time out of his busy schedule to share his thoughts on his music and what they have in store for fans on his upcoming album.
JC: Tell me about the different personalities that make up the Armchair Cynics.
KC: When Armchair Cynics started, it was me, Aaron the bass player, and two other guys. I did most of the writing. Then Adam, our lead guitarist, showed up. At first he always said, “Hey, I write music too.” But I was so arrogant and I thought: “I don’t need your help!” Fortunately, when I heard some of his stuff, I realized, “Wow, this guy is really good.”
JC: So are you all from Vancouver Island?
KC: Yeah, it’s actually kind of funny because Ryan, the drummer, and I are originally from Langford, so we have a really good camaraderie. Aaron is from Brentwood Bay and Adam is from Oak Bay, so there’s a good rivalry between us (laughs). The most intense personality is myself. Adam is an incredibly talented boy. He can play the drums, the guitar, the keyboards. There are so many things that he can do. He is very good with computers and graphic arts.
JC: I heard you did the cover of ‘Killing the Romance’?
KC: He made it easy. He took everyone’s ideas and put them all together. Then there’s Ryan and he’s a hard working guy and very nice. He makes us laugh when we talk about how nice he is, but he’s talented and he plays the drums really hard. Aaron is a great guy. He is like the father figure. He is so diplomatic about everything. If it’s about personality, he works perfect for a band.
JC: So, as a band, what are your strengths?
KC: We focus on what is really important to us, which are the songs. Lots of bands write really catchy music and their songs are fun and great, but people often wonder what they’re trying to say. What are they saying? Nothing. We just try to write really good songs. The downside to that is that it takes a bit longer. We don’t hit them just for doing it.
JC: What was it like working with Kroeger and Simkin?
KC: One thing about Chad and Jon’s team is that they were very good at teaching us. It’s a little hard to explain, but they were telling us that they really wanted us to get excited about a particular part of a song. They didn’t say, “Do this.” But it was more like, “Show me how many different shades of emotion you have.” Eventually we would find the one that works. Sometimes I would sit there and try a bunch of things that I came up with and act like an idiot and make things up. Then Chad would say to me, “Kenn, don’t ever do that again.” (laughs)
JC: How much time did you spend in the studio?
KC: Recording was a long process. It took months and months of going back and forth to Vancouver and trying to work around Chad’s and the other producers’ schedules. We recorded at Mushroom Studios, Warehouse Studios, Greenhouse Studios. We recorded in something like five different studios.
JC: So what do you prefer, touring or writing?
KC: I love to write. Tours are like commercials and because you play them over and over again you get really good. Do not misunderstand. I love playing.
JC: You now have a huge fan base and one that is growing exponentially.
KC: We really wanted to root ourselves in Victoria and it worked really well for us because we have a great bond. The radio has been working fine. It’s amazing what the radio does. I can go out and play ‘Bang’ over and over again, but once people finally hear it on the radio, that’s when you really see them clapping. It’s amazing. We use MySpace a lot. Every time we went to a new city, we emailed everyone and told them we were coming.
JC: Without using labels, how would you describe your sound?
KC: It is very difficult. We went from a little ‘dancey’ to soft to hard and aggressive. I really enjoy bands that are classic, nothing too offensive or too general. Look at the Foo Fighters. They are a classic example. Watch ‘Learning to fly’. How pop was that? So different compared to their first album. You have a lot of producers who will say ‘you have to find your sound’ and it’s like, can we get over that now? It’s kind of a dinosaur approach because if you look at someone’s CD collection you couldn’t tell they have a sound. So it’s in the rock genre, but it can go in any direction.
JC: Was “Bang” the obvious choice for a single?
KC: Yes. It was up there. It was rock. It caught your attention. It was one of the last songs to be added to the CD, but with that being said, “Coalmine” was one of our other pics.
JC: Are the songs personal?
KC: Completely.
JC: They sound personal.
KC: Yes, I feel really weird at times, but I have dedicated myself to writing fictional songs with stories that I find intriguing. I will take real life and mix it with an interesting story. I’m evolving that way. That way they’re not all so personal. After a while, the guys make a big joke and call it “Things That Happened in Kenn’s Life Vol. 2” (laughs). I mean, come on, how many breakups can a guy have (laughs)?
JC: Has it been difficult trying to make it in Canada?
KC: I don’t know, right? I hope we find out. I think because of the type of music we play, we’ve been lumped in with Nickelback and Theory of a Dead Man, so we’ve had some backlash.
JC: What are the band’s short-term goals?
KC: The short-term goal is to do in Vancouver what we’ve done here. Maybe it’s a small idea on my part, but we want to slowly build our way to the east. The East has a very different music scene. And the States! We have a lot of fans in Washington and beyond.
JC: Long-term goals?
KC: The long-term goal is to make this a career that lasts more than five years. The music industry is really fickle. But the music industry needs you. They need musicians to fill those places. Who’s next, Our Lady of Peace? Who’s next, Matt Good Band? So musicians are as much in demand as they think they are not.
JC: If there was one thing you wanted everyone to know about the Armchair Cynics, what would it be?
KC: It’s all about the songs. We just try to touch people. That’s all I want to do. Know? Just make that good time in a song. Just to make people pull up in their car when you’re driving down the road and yell, “Yeah!”
JC: So that’s all I have. Thank you.
KC: Thank you so much.