Vancouver’s dirty alternative rock and roll band Ladyhawk have announced the release of their third studio album, No Can Do, and now they are touring for the first time in years.
“Almost everything is different since our last album. It’s been about four years since we toured or focused on the band at all,” says Ladyhawk guitarist Darcy Hancock. “We’re just all in totally different places in our lives and coming at it with a different angle, just a little bit more fun rather than making it priority number one in life. It’s an easier-functioning project now.”
Having slipped under the radar and having only played a few shows in Toronto, Calgary, Vancouver, and Victoria in the last three years, it’s possible that Ladyhawk have lost a lot of momentum, but old fans who were wondering whatever happened to the band are rejoicing over the news of their new album and Canadian tour.
Hopefully for Ladyhawk, there are enough of those fans left to gain that momentum back, and their new material is powerful enough to remind those fans what they loved. According to Hancock, Ladyhawk are just glad people haven’t forgotten about them completely.
The band’s new album is a step forward: it’s more structured with a focus on recording quality and perfectionism. Their sound has shifted towards a more fun and danceable rock and roll sound that invokes visions of Pilsners being shotgunned in back alleys. And there appears to be a lot less pain behind the songwriting.
“The new album still sounds like the band, but the songs are a little bit less jammy and more focused. More poppy and less rock and roll, I guess,” says Hancock. “Within that pop sound we are definitely more punk rock than we have ever been. We didn’t know which direction we were going in; we just kind of wrote songs.”
Although the band’s past albums incorporated a lot of darker lyrical content, droning synths, and a melodramatic sound, Ladyhawk have been known to release all energy possible during their shows. Victoria has felt that energy.
“Last time we played Victoria there was lots of crowd surfing, so I hope there’s a lot more of that,” says Hancock. “The more audience participation the better.”
Ladyhawk
Tuesday, October 16, $12
Club 9one9
strathconahotel.com/club90ne9