Sometimes it’s the imperfections that make a lasting impression.
Playing to a sold-out hometown crowd on Jan. 24 at Broom Factory, Kasador is set to return to the stage for the new year. After productive studio time, Cam Wyatt, ArtSci ’15, Boris Baker, MSc ’18, Stephen Adubofuor and newest permanent addition, Thomas Draper are excited to debut the band’s newest song, “Cut It” at the single release show on Friday, ed by School House and Oakridge Ave.
The band has kept busy since their last Broom Factory show in September. From playing an intimate show at the Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts, collaborating with Little Menace Productions for the Slaight Music Video Program—premiering at the Kingston Canadian Film Festival, gaining an impressive TikTok following, and having their songs featured on Hockey Night in Canada, Kasador have kept their momentum going.
READ MORE: Kasador’s back and better than ever
After the successful release of their single “Golden” this past December, the band is excited to give audiences a peek into more of what they’ve been working on. As with their previous work, it was recorded at The Bathhouse Recording Studio.
Embracing the imperfect, and leaving a human mark on their songs, these releases signal the beginning of a new chapter for Kasador, after the success of their 2023 album, Youth.
“I feel like Youth was more like looking inwards, or in a mirror. This album is more like looking outwards at the world or how you see the world, or your interactions with the world,” Baker said in an interview with The Journal.
“I think it’s kind of like post-growth reflection,” Wyatt shared.
As well as its presence in the music’s themes, this self-assurance is also clear in the band’s evolving sound.
Leaning into a more pared-back approach and not aiming for robotic perfection—rather—connection and real moments, their new releases have a “raw edge” that helps Kasador stand out. Knowing when a song is finished, and not overdoing it, can be a hard line to draw, but it’s one the band has become better at.
“I feel like because everything is so homogenized, perfectly recorded, and the pop music world is so big, that standing out in that realm is really hard,” Wyatt shared.
Elements like Wyatt’s dog barking during a take, and the sound of him picking up a guitar, make the cut in place of perfection.
This point of difference is especially important online, where the band has amassed a major TikTok following. Social media has played a large role in promoting their new music. “I think our recordings sound like recordings used to. A lot of people are commenting [that] this sounds like early 2000s music,” Baker added.
A crucial part of the writing and recording process was the introduction of Draper—a long-time collaborator—as a permanent band member. After ing the band on their tour with Finger Eleven in 2023, being on the road confirmed not only Draper’s talent but his compatibility.
“I think we have very complimentary styles [of playing guitar]. He’s got really good harmonic playing, and mine’s a little more melodic. He’s really creative in of his parts,” Wyatt said. “It’s a good balance.”
There’s a trust between the two guitar players, and it also allows Wyatt to focus more on vocals, instead of recording multiple guitar parts alone.
Draper also plays in the Kingston band Oakridge Ave., doing double duty at Friday night’s show.
“Cut It” continues the band’s evolution towards the real, taking a bare bones approach with just guitar, vocals, and drums for most of the verse. With a “big hitting chorus,” and “angular melody,” the song is short and sweet, with Baker describing the sound as “like The Clash meets Blur.”
Kasador aims to continue dropping singles with a longer-form release on the horizon, though they’re taking things as they come, and ing why they do it.
“Burnout’s very real, if you’re just hating it all, and you’re not enjoying the process, or feel like it fulfills you at all, then why are you doing it?” Wyatt shared. “I think we’re trying to lean into that a bit more. What feels right, we’re gonna do,” he added.
The quick turnaround time from writing, recording and release keeps the material fresh for the band, and fun to play. Baker and Wyatt expressed their excitement for their sold-out hometown show, before a string of Ontario dates—plus Montreal—and shows out west in April.
There’s a quiet confidence about Kasador this time around. They’ve earned it.
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