by Chris Morin
Karpinka Bros.
Saskatoon’s answer to a hug that never stops, The Karpinka Bros. have already captured the love of an entire city by being the musical equivalent of warm longjohns and a stiff glass of rye. Rumour has it they are putting out an album on vinyl in 2012. I can’t wait for the interviews I am going to do with them…
Source: www.ominocity.com/2012/01/05/bands-to-look-for-in-2012
by Kathy Gallant
You could hear the soft tapping of socked feet at a warm and lovely ‘haus’ show on Monday as the Karpinka Brothers and Oldseed christened Sheena Miller’s new pad, hosted of course by viveMusic.
This was my first house show, and as awkward as I can be sometimes, I didn’t feel that way this night. Hospitality + new faces + beer/wine + amazing music = awesome.
I’ve wanted to see the K-Bros. – Shawn and his currently ‘Movembered’ brother Aaron – for a while now, and I’m super glad I got to see them at this quaint and intimate house show. They played a few new songs and some of their classics like “Little Boxes”. They even sold me a CD for the grand total of a high-five! Their music is warm and inviting, and they are fantastic storytellers.
Oldseed, aka Craig Bjerring, has lived all over the prairies but now calls Castle, Germany home. In his bio he calls himself “a jerk with a guitar” but he seemed pretty nice to me. His set was filled with ethereal songs that, at times, felt like he was channeling some Dylan vibes, but his sound was a little more distinct – gravelly, yet smooth. He even did a cover of a Scorpions song to which a few audience members proclaimed “yes!”.
by Rachel Sanders
The nostalgic harmonies and retro-style black and white album cover of the Karpinka Brothers’ debut album call to mind some of the last century’s most famous brother bands, particularly the Louvins and the Everlys. But while the Saskatoon boys’ gentle melodies and simple acoustic arrangements hearken back to the roots of rock’n’roll, their lyrical themes are a complex and engaging blend of starry-eyed ’50s idealism and a more modern world-weary sensibility. Blue skies, porch swings and girls with brown, cascading curls share lyrical space with slammed doors, half-drunk women, barren bars and rundown cars. The sweet catchiness of “Tether Ball” is tempered nicely by the cynical sentiments expressed by the song’s long-suffering boyfriend. And a lovely cover of Lucinda Williams’ adoring ballad “I Envy The Wind” is perfectly at home nestled between jaded love songs “Slow Down” and “Every Time You Slam The Door.”
