PRESS
* WHERE WE ARE TODAY REVIEWS AND FEATURES
* CAN YOU HEAR ME? REVIEWS AND FEATURES
* LIVE REVIEWS
* INTERVIEWS/TRANSCRIPTS
Where We Are Today Album Reviews and Features
Finally, a few of the songs that Paint has been playing over the past couple of Kingston Shows finally find themselves on an album... Catchy indie rock guitar hooks, soft yet heavily modified pop vocals with strongly deep written lyrics all combine into an album that changes its course throughout each song never striving to settle on anything less than to captivate your attention... Robb’s vocals reign supreme throughout.
- Matt Hartwick, Kingston Music Reviews, January 3, 2012
The vocals and instruments come together like a Jim Creeggan and Billy Corgan love child, powered by a Kings Of Leon aesthetic... A punk-rock bash out of drums and energized vocals.
- Jamie Nickerson, The Dalhousie Gazette, September 30, 2011
4 Stars: A cohesive collection of songs.
- Sofia Hashi, The Fulcrum, September 28, 2011
Not Your Typical Rock 'n' Roll Band
The result of this easygoing relationship between band members and producer is evident -- just listen to the record.
- Jessica Willms, The Fulcrum, September 21, 2011 (read full text)
Hail Paint! A Celebration of Where We Are Today in Toronto
An astonishing set... With a swagger and a ton of verve... this night was theirs and they knew it... Paint have a penchant for effusive pop, catchy tunes and crafty words that evoke picturesque imagery.
- Joe Mac, Midnight Matinee, September 21, 2011 (read full text and view photos)
An exciting blend of catchy pop rock and stellar lyrics. Paint’s informative blog covers a whole host of far-ranging topics... This album follows a similar pattern by addressing numerous social justice issues throughout the soul-satisfying 10-song compilation. Listeners will be drawn in by 'Boomerang', captivated by the musical differences and undeniable brilliance of 'Girl In A Frame' and 'If The Walls Could Talk', and left wanting so much more with 'Gastown'.
- Julia Rogers, The Argosy, September 14, 2011
Johannes sounds like he's in total control of the music, effortlessly slipping between mild exasperation to yearning to demanding -- all on just one track ("Boomerang") -- perfectly complemented by the flexible guitar work in the background. The lyrics and vocals never dwell upon one emotion or style for too long, skilfully avoiding the deadly fate of boring the listener. Start to finish, the album sounds right.
- Ryan Bromsgrove, The Gateway, September 7, 2011
"Girl in a Frame": video of the week
Visually, it's simple, it's fun and the fact that it's representative of my city and the cool/diverse people in it, makes me proud to be from Toronto... The lyrics are so romantic I'm melting into a clean pile... If the rest of the songs are as appealing as this one, (Where We Are Today) should be a good lsiten.
- The Blanket Reviewer, August 18, 2011 (read full text and watch video)
Can You Hear Me? Album Reviews and Features
Paint have these songs that have this maddening ability to stick in your head... Behind Paint’s ring and chime of guitars is a rhythm and pulse that comes from the spirit of independent and imaginative rock.
- Joe Mac, Midnight Matinee, February 23, 2011
Combining UK-flavoured pop-jangle with an indie-rock swagger, this is an ode to hook-driven gems with splashes of exuberant energy, soaring melodies, and a star-crossed retro spirit.
- The Lonely Vagabond, January 21, 2011
I think you're gonna hear a lot more from this band.
- Dave Burgess, K106.3 FM, September 3, 2010
Johannes promises an energetic show... "Our live show is really just about sharing the experience of music and art and celebration and overcoming struggle and turning it into something beautiful. That's one of the goals of the band. If our live show can capture that, then I think we're onto something."
- Lindsey Rivait, The Lance (Windsor), August 31, 2010 (read full text)
An almost perfect blend of classic-rock crunch and contemporary-rock smarts.
- Jason Schneider, The Waterloo Record, June 9, 2010 (read full text)
May 17, 2010: The most in-depth and intimate interview to date with Robb Johannes by Kingston Music Reviews, discussing Paint's past, present, and future (click to read full text)
An assured collection of alt-rock songs that's destined for arenas... This is an all-killer, no-filler collection of songs, making it hard to pick a highlight. Lead off "Don't Blow Me Away" is a radio-friendly track with hit written all over it... Combine this with a killer live show and you have a band on the verge of big things.
- Andrew Horan, Soundproof Magazine, May 11, 2010 (read full text)
Paint rolls out their new album with the ever abounding familiar Indie Rock/Pop sound that can be found coming out of Toronto and Montreal. The album is comprised of really well thought out lyrics which address social occurrences and problems within society, but they are so well written that you may overlook the full meaning of the lyrics.
- Matt Hartwick, Kingston Music Reviews, April 25, 2010 (read full text)
Picture perfect.
- Raina Douris, 102.1 The Edge, April 6, 2010
In a world where too many bands are 'too cool' to write danceable hooks, Paint is ice-f*$king-cold because they do... Paint have hit an easy medium between order and chaos, 'the marriage of heaven and hell' as William Blake would say. Paint is a very tight combo that play with reckless abandon. Paint somehow manages to combine the mathematical structure of Rush with the melodic anarchy of Sonic Youth. The end result is a show that is not to be missed and an album that is more than worth your time.
- Baron S. Cameron, The Loudmouth Bear, December 17, 2009 (read full text)
5 STARS: Wonderfully balanced rock album is hard to ignore: It's in your face, but not overpowering, melodic but still harsh, well-crafted but not over-perfected... heartbreaking yet uplifting.... an underlying sense of sonic maturity and strong lyrical insight... well-developed and layered...retain(s) the attractive simplicity of a great rock album.
- Erika Stark, Youthink, October 6, 2009 (read full text)
If Jackson Pollock was a Rock 'n' Roll band, He'd be Paint!
If you give your grandma the Can You Hear Me? album, make sure to provide ear plugs... it's exactly this rock 'n' roll sound, along with the more personal lyrics that makes Paint even more intriguing live than on record... The charismatic Robb, after drinking herbal tea and undergoing a Zen ritual (despite Paint's Pearl Jam defeat on the Hamilton charts, Robb's nerves still race before each performance), joined Mandy: the female-guitarist/singer with plenty of stage attitude... proving to the world that gender is irrelevant when it comes to rock 'n' roll and that the guitarist Nancy Wilson wasn't an exception!
- Iddie Fourka, written for Mushy Pony, September 29, 2009 (read full text)
...alt-rock relic spiritually scraping the ’90s, done with so much audacity and seismic guitar crunch one can’t help but strap into their time machine. With too many cautionary tales of overly self-indulgent rock disasterpieces to name during the generational epic’s heyday, this Toronto quartet wisely keep the sound big, but the anthemic denouements concise. Their Hulkster clocks in at a tenable 34 minutes.
- Erik Leijon, The Montreal Mirror, August 27, 2009
Post-rock from Canada, yes Toronto-based Paint's new 8 track album Can You Hear Me? (2009) will appeal to fans of Live, Smashing Pumpkins and Pearl Jam. This is a solid album with guitar driven rock songs the '90s style, it´s nice to listen to a 34-minute long album instead of all these marathon albums with more than 1 hour of music.
- Rothnroll: The Palace of Rock, August 25, 2009
There’s a sense of eagerness that coats the walls... four band members converge from different parts of the globe to play their first gig in Toronto as the new lineup of Paint. Their mission is simple. "We wanted to do a sort of Brit rock band that’s really loud and sonic, focused on great melodies and keeping it fairly simple," Johannes says. "We pretty much have four chords in each song... Not only are we getting kicked out of church, we’ll never be able to play in America... We’ve had moments playing together where this is the best we’ve been playing in any form."
- Brian Baker, The Town Crier, August 19, 2009 (read full text)
Live Reviews
Paint @ The Merchant Tap House, Kingston, September 24, 2011
I started to follow (Paint) a couple of years ago after they released their album Can You Hear Me?. Paint played songs from both albums which is pretty much a must... a couple of their songs have become staples in their set and I don't think the set would be the same without them... Robb comes out over top with pristine vocals throughout the night.
- Matt Hartwick, Kingston Music Reviews, September 30, 2011 (read full text and view photos)
Paint @ The Hideout, Toronto, September 9, 2011
Making a stop in their hometown, the band played to a packed house at the Hideout right here in Toronto... The band’s sound is artfully crafted, with elements of nineties brit pop, but with an unmistakable essence of Canadian rock spirit... Dunbar danced across the stage while coaxing edgey riffs from her guitar, tossing her hair with a broad smile that was contagious. Johannes can pose and thrash with the best of them... Intelligent people making incredible music, Paint will surely be making headlines in the music scene, sharing their thoughtful lyrics and addictive tunes with fans for a long time to come.
- Nadia Elkharadly, The Examiner, September 12, 2011 (read full text and view photos)
Paint @ The Silver Dollar, Toronto, May 12, 2011
The harmonies alongside pop hooks really drive the sound, balanced with an indie rock edge... (Paint) delivered their pop rock sound with enthusiasm and skill.
- Rachel Gordon, Buying Shots For Bands, May 23, 2011 (read full text and view photos)
Paint @ The Silver Dollar, Toronto, May 12, 2011
Paint tore up the stage... An energetic set by Paint proved that this band is more talented than their opening position implies. Managing to balance pop hooks and indie melodies with a harsh, grungy edge, this four-piece put on an awesome performance that merited more of an audience. Not that it seemed to matter to the band, who played a relentlessly tight set that -- and it doesn't hurt that they ended with a guitar solo. I'm making a point of seeing them again.
- Dave Robson, The Take Media, May 20, 2011 (read full text and view photos)
Paint @ The Drake (opening for Revolver), Toronto, March 3, 2011
With self-assuredness Paint ploughed through their setlist with a go-for-broke attitude... All directions lead "Home" during which Robb the man in black for the night mimicked another tall lanky dude who looked good in black at Massey Hall once upon a time in the guise of Jarvis Cocker of Pulp and delivering a sing song chorus of "Common People"... The room was filled with Paint’s towering anthems and keening guitars.
- Joe Mac, Midnight Matinee, March 7, 2011 (read full text and view photos)
Paint @ C'est What?, Toronto, February 15, 2011
Once again the walls of C’est What tumbled down as the room reverberated with Paint’s ebullient sound and spirited delivery, searing guitars scissoring into the consciousness. Paint’s music can be an exclamation point to the world. But in its quietest moments it is introspective and haunting... Can Paint be the next U2? Their songs are more than catchy enough, the melodies are direct, their dedication to the music and the sacrifices they make to go tour and play anywhere there is a stage, scousing through fests and showcases, they have an endearing ingenuousness about them, talking amongst the strangers after the show so that the new fans don’t remain strangers anymore, well-attuned to their radio friendly audience and an awareness of the antecedent scene and the legacy they inherit.
- Joe Mac, Midnight Matinee, February 21, 2011 (read full text and view photos)
Paint @ C'est What?, Toronto, February 8, 2011
Paint have an exceptional sense of the pop and the (new) wave steeped in the root of the hallowed order of Factory (Records) made music and Manchester, even before Madchester took hold.
- Joe Mac, Midnight Matinee, February 14, 2011 (read full text and view photos)
Paint @ C'est What?, Toronto, February 1, 2011
Parading through a setlist of about ten songs, they went through songs of the past and three new ones amongst many that were written over a Christmas break to be broken in before heading to the studio... the whole night proved worth the trek for the sound of Paint was as ebullient and chimey as ever with ringing guitar and harmonies and vocals hallmarking their Edge-inflected sound.
- Joe Mac, Midnight Matinee, February 3, 2011 (read full text and view photos)
Paint @ The Horseshoe, Toronto, January 20, 2011
The Joys's good friends Paint stepped up to the stage and proved themselves worthy of all the attention going around to them... catching the ear of The Edge is no small feat. So vis-a-vis Paint their music embraces independent new wavey sounds and their second song of the night ("End of the Reel") had some real Edge-y intro. Women in rock always catch my eye and ear [always a sucker for a good female guitarist or bass player-cue Veruca Salt Shirley Manson Courtney Love Luscious Jackson] so it doesn't hurt with Paint... they managed to reach out to the crowd spreading the friendship vibes with the bands on the bill.
- Joe Mac, Midnight Matinee, January 21, 2011 (read full text and view photos)
Paint @ The Mansion, Kingston, September 23, 2010
I was interested in hearing how Robbs vocals were going to sound live compared to the album version. The difference between the vocals was very minuscule in comparison... (he) shared the stage with Mandy who was jumping of the drummer's platform and pretty much not standing in one spot for more than ten seconds at a time.
- Matt Hartwick, Kingston Music Reviews, September 27, 2010 (read full text and view photos)
Paint @ Velvet Underground (NXNE), June 19, 2010
Another pleasant surprise. Not only did this Toronto band (begun in Vancouver a couple years back by Catherine Wheel aficianado Robb Johannes) have cupcakes, baked by guitarist Mandy Dunbar, but Dunbar was smokin' on the band's shoegaze-y yet fiery tunes. She even shredded a flashy solo at the end.
- Shawn Conner, Guttersnipe News, June 22, 2010 (read full text and view photos)
June 20, 2010: AUX TV Day 4 Recap of North by Northeast features clips from Paint's NXNE showcase at 4:05. Watch video HERE.
May 30, 2010: A reflection piece on Mandy Dunbar's emergence and growth, as well as Paint's May 28 performance at The Rainbow in Ottawa by Becky Wesgarth (click to read full text)
Paint @ The Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto, May 22, 2010
The Toronto band Paint opened up the show with a great set of their own. They describe themselves as "A rock and roll band" and the description fits quite nicely. The band are playing shows in support of their album released last year titled "Can You Hear Me?" I was instantly drawn to their rich mature rock sound and energetic live performance. They'll be back in Toronto playing Pop With Brains in August. I hope to catch them again soon.
- Randall Vasquez, Live in Limbo, May 26, 2010 (read full text and view photos)
Paint, Dawntreader, Cinderpop, and The Hermit @ The Media Club, Mar. 28, 2008
Paint were supposed to go on around twelve but this world runs on rock 'n' roll time, a strange cosmic paradox where everything moves faster but nothing ever happens on time. The crowd has thinned when they take the stage and the band thanks us for "sticking around." I, for one, am very glad that I did. It's a good set and a great sound. For some reason I still can't place, they kind of remind me of The Northern Pikes. This is strange and a little bit troubling seeing as how Paint have talent and reasonable haircuts. Still, there is something in the sound that is reminiscent, perhaps, of style. I am certain, however, that any of the deserved success enjoyed by Paint will be the result of talent and good hair, not a mad rush to sign anyone with a maple leaf on their guitar case because of impending CanCon legislation.
- Baron Stuart Cameron, The Aging Rockstar Reviews, March 29, 2008
Interviews/Transcripts
December 19, 2011: "12 Questions" interview with Robb covering music, virtue, dogs, headstones, and more. Read HERE.
September 28, 2011: Robb and Andre were kind enough to take time out from their busy tour supporting their new album Where We Are Today and play an acoustic version of the first single "Girl In a Frame" as well as chat about life on the road, writing new albums, and why they would be the last people you'd expect to commit a bank robbery. Listen to the podcast HERE.
March 12, 2011: Before Paint's showcase at Canadian Music Week 2011, Robb and Mandy sat down with Paul McGeown from CKMS 100.3 FM (SoundFM) for an intimate and entertaining conversation about the music industry, Paint's past, present, and future, on the dawn of the band heading into the studio to work on the new record. Click HERE to read a transcript of the interview.
June 18, 2010: AUX TV Day 2 Recap of North by Northeast features intervies with Robb Johannes at 5:14. Watch video HERE.
June 12, 2010: Interview with Robb, Mandy, guitar tech Tyler Cardy and manager Rachel LaGroix, discussing music and personal growth, song-craft, touring, and fighting with the cops. Available in Coles Notes (Abridged) and Complete (Unabridged) versions, as well as video on The Official Paint YouTube Channel in two parts (PART 1 // PART 2).
Dec. 2, 2009: Documentary interview with Robb on "Unsigned" on Humber Radio 96.9 FM, reflecting on Paint's evolution from its inception to the release of Can You Hear Me?, hosted by Pat Ciolek. Click HERE to read a transcript of the interview.
Oct. 19, 2009: Interview and in-studio acoustic performance by Robb and Mandy on "Live & Local" on www.spiritlive.net. They discuss musicians' rights to speak politically, the '90s, Backstreet Boys, dirt, and Robb's history of violence (amongst other things). Click HERE to read a transcript of the interview. You can also listen to a podcast of the entire show on www.spiritlive.net.
Sept. 18, 2008: Interview and in-studio performance on "Live From Thunderbird Radio Hell" on CiTR 101.9 FM with plenty of inter-band banter and discussion about the new songs, new directions, and new horizons. Click HERE to read a transcript of the interview. You can also listen to a podcast of the entire show on CiTR's website.
Sept. 16, 2008: Robb and Paula in an in-studio interview and acoustic performance on"Melodies in Mind" on CJSF 90.1 FM, including conversations about the band's songwriting aesthetics and Paula's giant penis. Click HERE to read a transcript of the interview.