If you’re old enough to remember, Arcadia was the 1985 Duran Duran spinoff that is so ‘80s David Hosselhoff would cry.
So are Arcadian Sons their wayward children?
Jesse Clarke and Patrick Zelinski can’t recall this strange music project from an era dominated by Billy Idol and cocaine, but that’s OK, because the gents from Arcadian Sons and their pleasant mix of indie, folk, rock and reggae are pretty far removed from leather pants and piano key neckties.
Fresh out of the gate this year, Arcadia Sons represent the reunion of Clarke and Zelinski, long-time comrades and musicians with a diverse palette of influences.
After playing together through their early years on a number of projects, Clarke and Zelinski answered the siren’s call to the young and restless of travelling the world and went their separate ways. Through the experience of leaving home, the pair said they cultivated respective backgrounds but quickly melded their tastes through a rekindling of friendship after a period away.
“It’s really neat because we got to go and get submerged in some many different styles of music. Personally and individually, we were able to develop a really unique eclectic taste in music that’s very different from one and another,” Clarke said.
For Clarke that was a solid foundation of rock, roots and reggae, and Zelinski it was classical and instrumental, with a dose of soundtracks.
“It was amazing after a bit of time had past to come back together and show each other the skills we had learned on our journeys.”
What you get from their combined experiences is a diverse aural offering with a surprising range of influences they draw from (“Johnny Cash meets Bob Marley meets Radiohead” was how the pair described it).
“Yeah we’re pretty confused,” Clarke joked. But the pair were quick to assert they didn’t want to lay claim to a specific “sound.”
“You want to make note of influence you have in your music by them but you never want to say ‘I sound like this,’” Zelinski said.
“We’ve grown up with a lot of that old school Kingston, Jamaican stuff,” Clarke said, but added, “We’re not claiming we’re reggae guys.”
Listening to the Sons is like sipping on a hot toddy while enjoying one of those days when the sun’s out but not blazing – it’s warm, inviting, goes down filling your insides with that cozy feeling without overpowering. But it’s still got substance and a bit of kick.
Clarke, vocals, rhythm guitar and bit of percussion, and Zelinski, who plays dobro, vibraphone and moog synthesizer among other things, are both audio engineers. They write, produce and record everything and have the gear to set up shop wherever they desire.
“It gives us a lot more freedom because we’re able to create the studio space anywhere. This album that we’re working on is recorded in a number of different locations. We’ll find a room that sounds really cool and set it up.”
Zelinski observed that it’s becoming more commonplace among bands to embrace the DIY philosophy.
“I think more bands are actually turning to recording on their own just because recording costs are so high. There’s not so much money in recording as there used to be, and I see more and more bands doing it on their own.”
Joining them will be Cochrane’s Angus Wilson, playing bass, and Craig Macphee on drums, providing rhythmic soul to the band.
“(Wilson’s) a fantastic singer; he brings in a second voice,” said Zelinski on Wilson. “Angus is just a quick natural.”
Although they were originally scheduled to play June 12, that show is now sold out, so the Sons are booked for an encore show June 13.
The Sons will be releasing two debut singles this fall followed by an EP and tour next spring. Catch them at Legacy Guitar and Coffee House June 13 at 8 p.m. for a doubleheader event, with Angus Wilson opening the show with his solo act.
Tickets are available at legacyguitarhouse.com.
