Parkas

You Should Have Killed Us When You Had the Chance ~ Put Your Head in the Lion's Mouth ~ Buy It

You Should Have Killed Us When You Had the Chance

After eight years of making rock and roll music, the Parkas are calling it a day. Rather than cry in their beer, the band has decided to celebrate their time together by releasing their third and final full length album. One might expect a posthumous release to be a dreary, existential affair, but instead, producer Dale Morningstar (Gordon Downie, Great Lake Swimmers), has captured the Parkas at their raw and spontaneous best. Combining the Clash-meets-Stones soul spirit of their last album with nods to the Replacements and old U2, You Should Have Killed Us When You Had The Chance is the Parkas' loudest, boldest, and best work to date. It is the sound of old friends, at the height of their musical powers, having the time of their lives.

As one of Canada's most energetic live bands, the Parkas have toured and performed all over the country.  In 2004, they were awarded a Steve’s Music shopping spree at NXNE, and in 2005 they were named a “sleeper hit” of SXSW by the Austin Chronicle.  Their music has been released in the US, the UK, and Australia, including the title track on Loose Records' Start Your Own Country: New Sounds of the Old West Vol. 4, and a split seven inch single with Serena Maneesh on Low Transit Industries. In addition to their new album, they have released two full length records (Now This Is Fighting and Put Your Head In The Lion’s Mouth), two EPs, and a tour documentary, all of which have been critically acclaimed.

The Songs

1. Don't Say No
2. Isolation Pay
3. Waxwing
4. Les Fleurs Du Mal
5. Muscle Memory
6. Bad Comedian
7. The Gang's All Gone
8. Lie to Me
9. Blood Brothers
10. Hurricane
11. Goodnight, Nemesis
12. Night and Morning

Parkas are Michael Brown, Paul Thompson, Mark Rhyno and Greg Rhyno. Additional performers: Andrew Collins (Saxophone), Selina Martin (Backing Vocals), Dale Morningstar (Piano and French Horn), Fiona Stewart (Violin), Dave Tupper (Piano, Wurlitzer and Backing Vocals), Jesse Whiteside (Pedal Steel).

This album was documented by Dale Morningstar at the Gas Station, and mastered by Noah Mintz at Lacquer Channel.

Put Your Head in the Lion's Mouth

After a critically acclaimed debut (Now This Is Fighting, 2003), and near collapse on camera in their brutally honest tour documentary (A Life of Crime, 2006), the Parkas return at full strength with their long awaited sophomore album Put Your Head in The Lion's Mouth. Recorded by Dale Morningstar (Gordon Downie, Great Lake Swimmers, Rock Plaza Central), the Parkas' new release borrows the ragged gospel of John Fogerty, the punk spirit of the Clash, and the wry grin of Elvis Costello. As the opening track spirals from quiet confession to epic frenzy, and soaring synths meet furious guitars, it becomes quickly apparent that this is a different kind of Parkas record.

As one of Canada's most energetic live bands, the Parkas have toured and performed all over the country. Most notably, the Parkas have established themselves as a Toronto mainstay, performing regularly at major clubs and completing a month long residency at the El Mocambo. Over the past three years, the Parkas have showcased at almost every Canadian music industry festival. In 2004, they were awarded a Steve’s Music shopping spree at NXNE, and in 2005 they were named a “sleeper hit” of SXSW by the Austin Chronicle.  

Their music has been released in the UK and Australia, including the title track on Loose Records' Start Your Own Country: New Sounds of the Old West Vol. 4, and a split seven inch single with Serena Maneesh on Low Transit Industries.

With less bounce-in-their-step and more knife-in-their-pocket, the Parkas bring it back home on Put Your Head in the Lion’s Mouth.

Tracks

1. Filthy Rich Kids
2. Toronto Enough Tonight
3. You & What Army?
4. Margaret Atwood
5. You Get What You Pay For
6. Lenin & McCarthy
7. Crucifixion Blues
8. A Change of Heart (CD Only)
9. Let There Be Light
10. Raggedy Ann (CD Only)
11. The Wolves, Darling (CD Only)
12. Hey, Ritchie Man! (Vinyl Only)

You can purchase the CDs online from Saved By Radio
or contact our distributor, Outside Music.

Copyright © 2004-2010