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The
Journey of Shawn Hewitt and his current project The
National Strike is now ready to be unveiled with the release of
THE SOFT SOCIETY. The Scarborough, Ontario-raised
Hewitt began playing at various low-key shows in 2002 before making a big
impact onto the emerging music scene in Toronto. As word of performances
spread, media attention soon followed. Hewitt, a vocalist
who constructs his songs using electric piano and guitar, along with band
arranger/guitarist Jones and drummer Aidan Campbell are the foundation of
The National Strike. Tag lines such as Afro Kraut, Prog
Soul Superstar, to simply jaw dropping all share one thing in common at
there core. Hewitt's sound has teeth and a heroic heart that is both adventurous
and accessible. The band combine elements of psych rock, Avant-Soul, Afrobeat,
Jazz and a passion for melody with a willingness to buck conventional wisdom
in a pop idol obsessed industry. Inspired, but not defined by progressive
artists such as Can, Stereolab, The Beatles, and Donny Hathaway, Hewitt
& The National Strike's songwriting is full of cinematic melodies,
and driven epics that celebrate the bands' influences while threatening
to explode their sound to a universal scale.
Armed with
demos, fearless resolve, and a trail of mythical anticipation Hewitt
& TNS teamed with Canadian rock legend/producer Ian Blurton (Weakerthans/C'mon)
for recording sessions to fulfill the promise of an EP. The result of their
9 day in studio work is a 6 song odyssey entitled SOFT SOCIETY.
It is quite apparent from hearing the opening line of "Ghost Chaser"
"If you think my life's sad, pulling rabbits out of hats", to the final
verse of "Cartridge" where Hewitt proclaims "We are the
Soft Society, hold your head up high" that this release tells a compelling
story. THE SOFT SOCIETY chronicles the journey
from wrestling with the reality of independence to embracing the concept
of interdependence. They are songs for those who live this generation's
greatest balancing act, working in an apathetic corporate environment by
day while fighting for the creative mind to flourish at night.
Shawn
Hewitt & The National Strike have shared stages with The Dears,
K-OS, Metric, The Constantines, Saul Williams, The Weakerthans, Handsome
Boy Modeling School, Broken Social Scene, Raising The Fawn, and Apostle
of Hustle among others. 2004 was the year that promise was harnessed and
channeled into inspiring performances as part of EYE Weekly's Canadian Music
Week Showcase, CMJ festival in New York City, supporting dates with K-OS
across Canada, dates with The Dears, and several shows with Saul Williams
including The Roxy Theatre (Los Angeles CA). Shawn Hewitt & The
National Strike are also recipients of the 2004 NXNE Fans Choice
Award for favourite artist. All the heartbreak, fury, honour, beauty and
hope of this compelling journey have been captured in THE SOFT
SOCIETY. |
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