Church of Trees is a Canadian synthpop band, whose debut Primitive Creatures (2017) charted in Japan, the UK, and across Canada. Since then, the band has released 7 albums that have spawned number 1 singles, such as World's a Bitch (ft Rough Trade’s Carole Pope), Like Gary Numan, and Believe It Or Not. Their albums have been played on 4 continents and have landed on Top Ten charts on college and independent radio in Canada, The UK, and France/Switzerland, as well as Best Of album charts from 2017 to 2023. They have performed with legendary Canadian band Rough Trade and Broadway’s Rob Preuss, and have played such iconic venues as Toronto’s El Mocambo, Ottawa’s Bronson Centre, and Wakefield’s Black Sheep Inn.
Their new album, Transience, takes a giant leap in a new sonic direction. Punching a hole in synthpop, the album artfully crosses genres, from art-pop to Indie rock, and from synth, to ambient. Think MGMT and Foster the People meets Gary Numan and Eno. Featuring stunning vocals by Stella Panacci, Heather Brazeau, and bandleader Bernard Frazer.
Laden with hooky vocal melodies and intricate harmonies, the album is a testament to great teamwork,
particularly between Frazer and Heather Brazeau who, together, arranged the majority of vocals. “Heather and I challenged each other to develop the most offbeat harmonies we could” notes Frazer,
“It was such a joy to work with her!”
Brazeau and CoT’s other star vocalist, Stella Panacci, shine throughout -- particularly Brazeau’s riveting delivery on the Steinman-esque Ramones cover Pet Sematary, and Panacci’s breathtaking vocal on the soulful Start Again. Frazer wields his resonant baritone for half of the dozen songs, particularly the raw, emotional Transience, and the brooding synth wave number Desolation.
Produced by Frazer and Jordon Zadorozny (Blinker the Star, Courtney Love, Chris Cornell), the album that is lyrically steeped in change also signals change. “Sonically, we’re loosening our grip on the past as we explore new waters.”
Check it out on Bandcamp here: Music | Church of Trees (bandcamp.com)
Frazer launched the project in 2016 with original vocalist/lyricist Felicity DeCarle (niece of Prairie Oyster’s Russell DeCarle). “I grew up on the synth music of the 80s and desperately wanted to fuse it with flavours of more contemporary artists!” To that end, Frazer is not shy to pay homage to some of his favourites, such as Gary Numan and Depeche Mode, while adding splashes of Chvches, Alvvays, and Sassy 009. Since its inception, the project has also become a showcase of brilliant but lesser-known Canadian singers, including Ottawa’s DeeDee Butters, Nelson, BC’s Jill Beaulieu, Kincardine, Ontario’s Andrea Matchett, and now Omemee native Stella Panacci, whom Frazer exclaims is “remarkable!” A regular Church of Trees contributor is former Spoons/Honeymoon Suite keyboardist Rob Preuss, whose more recent work includes acting as music director for Broadway’s Mama Mia (working directly with members of ABBA) and as Rami Malek’s coach for the film Bohemian Rhapsody. “Rob and I met in 2017 and immediately started exchanging musical ideas”, says Frazer.
