Award-winning Canadian rock band, Across The Board (ATB), releases their newest album "SONIC BOOM" – an eight track collection of infectious pop rock songs that chronicle the breaking of a rock band and the highs and lows along the journey to success -- is ATB's second full length album, on the heels of their EP "AMENDS" and cross-Canada tour this past year.
Produced and recorded in Toronto by MC2 Music Media, the album pays homage to the determination and drive it takes to achieve success as a band, and doesn't fail to tell the truth about the rejection and indifference that can plague such a path.
Fronted by Toronto physician/musician Jacqueline Auguste, the album was written and conceptualized by Auguste during the band's cross-Canada train tour from Toronto to Vancouver and back last summer. "I imagined what it would really take to make it in this music industry", shares Auguste, "--not only the sheer strength and unrelenting work we need to make a mark amidst all the noise, but the importance of writing great music that resonates with our fans."
Auguste and her life partner Andy Ramjattan (bass player for the band), founded the group in 2013 out of a desire to move their garage and back yard jams to social media. They created a popular cover web-series, "Pick Up & Play" now in its 5th season on Youtube, and decided to take their show on the road with the debut album "JANE ON FIRE", released in June of 2016.
Since then, Across The Board has played to sold-out crowds across Ontario, and from Newfoundland to Vancouver. Recipients of four international music awards for work on "JANE ON FIRE" and "AMENDS", ATB is set to take off yet again on tour this spring and summer across Southern Ontario and into Quebec and the Maritimes with "SONIC BOOM".
Having received national and international terrestrial and college radio play for their original songs from both previous major releases, "JANE ON FIRE" and "AMENDS", Across The Board is excited to share their newest work "SONIC BOOM" with audiences in Canada and beyond in hopes of continuing to promote Canada as a major creative force on the international music scene.
SONIC BOOM - Take A Rock Opera Journey "I pictured the listener's journey through the album as a rock opera—with a story, a heroine, and the trials and tribulations of a musical climax and anticlimax," says Auguste.
The story is set in the small city of Camrose, where Auguste grew up—a small farming community in the heart of Alberta. As a young musician, Auguste dreamed of taking her music to the 'big city' and the album echoes her journey by rail to Toronto where she eventually meets the characters who will either try to steal her dream, or help her succeed.
1. Sonic Boom – describes the dream of a successful music career and sets the stage for the journey-- "No one's gonna stand in my way, take the sun from my day, try to rain on my parade—can you hear my sonic boom?!".
2. Back To The Tracks – written aboard the Via Rail flagship train, "The Canadian", on her coast to coast musical tour in 2017– Auguste writes about the majestic beauty in her vast country of Canada, making reference to the poverty lines we draw on the "other side of the tracks" and how the rails bind and keep the country alive. She calls to Canadians to mind the trains and clean up their yards—often the only side of Canada that rail tourists get to experience.
3. I've Already Fallen For You – what is a journey without a romance?—Auguste meets her life partner as they embark on the same dream.
4. It Shouldn't Be This Hard – not every adventure is without difficulty—Auguste meets the scammers and the crooks in the music industry and attempts to rise above the deception.
5. No Curtain Call- likely the most heart-wrenching and emotional points of the album—the song transports the listener into a small Ontario bar, where patrons are chatting indistinctly in the background, paying little attention to the artist, as she realizes that not every cloud has a silver lining--accompanied by a haunting acoustic solo from lead guitarist, Ben Healey.
6. Kite – written by Bono and The Edge, brings a new awakening to Auguste as she recommits to the journey of bringing her music to the world- punctuated by a crying pedal steel from ATB's keyboardist, Marty Heller, "Who's to know where the wind will take you, who's to know what it is will break you".
7. Nothing To Say – a fun and catchy pop rock gem, "Nothing To Say" is meant to represent the hit song that changes the tide. 8. Two Step – written by ATB producer, Darnell Toth and Toronto rocker, Jessica Speziale-- provides the perfect finale of strength, resolve, championship and victory to conclude the story. "two steps ahead of winning, one shot is all it takes… the battle is yours but the war is mine".
WEBSITE: http://www.acrosstheboardmusic.ca/
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/atbmusiccanada BLOG:http://acrosstheboard.band YOUTUBE: http://pickupandplay.tv DEBUT ALBUM: http://janeonfire.ca FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/acrosstheboardproductions TWITTER: @ATBmusicCanada https://twitter.com/ATBmusicCanada SOUNDCLOUD: https://soundcloud.com/across-the-board-music ITUNES: https://itunes.apple.com/ca/artist/across-the-board/id719845554