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Out Of Line

by Dark Bird

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    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
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  • Limited Edition Cassette, includes bonus track!!
    Cassette + Digital Album

    Dark Bird's brand new "Out Of Line" gets the cassette treatment, with alternate cover artwork, plus cassette is the only place you can get the special bonus track "The End". Limited edition of 50copies, C50 tapes, full colour artwork and in lavender shells.

    Includes unlimited streaming of Out Of Line via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

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1.
2.
Out Of Line 04:59
3.
Stranger 03:38
4.
5.
Undone 04:23
6.
Minefield 05:49
7.
With You 05:21
8.
The Ghost 04:20
9.
This Is It 05:06

about

While it is obviously inappropriate to universally apply the hoary proverb Every cloud has a silver lining to the coronavirus pandemic, from within its darkness the situation has inadvertently produced glimmers of hopeful, inspiring light with the emergence of some extraordinary art. While the formulated plans and aims of musicians the world over have, at the very least, been unimaginably disrupted by the crisis for the foreseeable future, adaptative reinvention and adjustment has been key to continuation of the creative process. In the case of Toronto’s ROAN BATEMAN, before the pandemic was declared the intention for his long-running DARK BIRD project was to assemble a full band for the first time in 13 years and - having existed solely as a home recording concept to date - head into a studio to collectively craft OUT OF LINE, an album that had begun to evolve at the beginning of 2020.

But needs must, so rather than await an uncertainly distant opportunity to realize his ideal vision for the album, Bateman ploughed on, largely solo, harnessing and channeling what he describes as “all the crazy 2020 energy” he could muster to advance and complete OUT OF LINE. Despite the unprecedented circumstances forcing the 9-song album to be created in relative detachment from his prospective collaborators, the pandemic’s silver lining for Bateman comes with the facts that he has taken a significant leap forward in terms of personal home recording achievement and, by presenting “the many faces of DARK BIRD as one fully-formed, unified sound,” forged the most beautiful collection of his dreamy psychedelia yet unveiled.

Aided with backing vocals on three cuts by Bateman’s life partner, the acclaimed free-roaming artist EIYN SOF (Olde Nightrifter/The Hologlyph/Springskull DIY label); MICHELLE BRESLIN (Lostworldsounds) on backing vocals, plus guitar on Stranger, and fellow psych-rock adventurer STEPHEN KEEPING (Sadoceanspacebear/Squirrel) contributing additional drum programming on the opening And it All Ends Well and closer, This is It, Bateman otherwise handles lead vocals, guitar, bass, drums and drum machine, as well as the arresting sleeve design.

Since hatching in 2006, DARK BIRD has independently issued eight releases - half of which are EPs – as well as two all-killer, no-filler compilations. Bateman trades equally in spacy, atmospheric instrumental tunes and vocal material spanning introspective folk, elegant rock, leftfield pop and hazy psychedelia, but following Long Gone (2007), Come Home (2010) and 2018’s Lay Low, OUT OF LINE – his first opus for noted Nanaimo, BC indie imprint NoiseAgonyMayhem – is just his 4th full-length vocal album.

Expressed by Bateman as his “most personal and political work” to date, OUT OF LINE is cavernous in scale, drenched in reverb and blessed with vivid, oft-thought-provoking lyrical imagery. From a sonic perspective, while sounding vitally fresh and contemporary it’s also built from a classic psychedelic template, recalling such as Rain Parade, Spacemen 3, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, The Rose City Band, and vintage inspirations for them all, especially early Pink Floyd. Chiming and chugging guitars, glissading synth, and layered harmonies blend and weave beautifully atop a rock-solid rhythmic backbone, producing an auditory experience as calming as it is thrilling.

And, so suitably sequenced, in the beautiful closing rocker This is It Bateman brings OUT OF LINE to a profound conclusion by pinning down the times that every single one of us are living in right now, leaving us to dwell on an awesome perspective: You are not alone / You are not alone / We are travellin’ on this rock / Spinnin’ round, spinnin’ round / Around the sun…

credits

released June 11, 2021

Written, performed, recorded & mixed at home
by Roan Bateman in Ontario, Canada, 2020
using guitar, bass, synth, drums, drum machine & vocals

Guests:
Eiyn Sof - backing vocals on 1, 5 & 7
Michelle Breslin - backing vocals & additional guitar on 3
Steve Keeping - additional drum programming on 1 & 9

Mastered by Dietrich Schoenemann
Artwork & layout by Roan

Big thanks to the Daves at CF & NAM

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about

Dark Bird Toronto, Ontario

Dark Bird was formed by Ontario based artist Roan Bateman in 2006. These are independent home recordings exploring a combination of folk, rock, pop, ambient, experimental & electronic music.

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