Having evolved from a studio project to a full-fledged band over the course of the last few years, accumulating fans at every step of the way, it is somewhat ironic that the first full-length offering from Toronto rock group The Sole Pursuit – performing at Plan b Lounge on Sunday evening – is called Infinite Regress.
The album, released today, documents the logical sonic progression of the band as they coalesced as a unit, following the release of two EP’s: 2013’s Opposing Force and last year’s Ocean Floor, which had largely been driven by founding member Kyle Dawe.
There was just one slight problem once the group had completed Infinite Regress: Half of the group quit. The only member aside from Dawe that remained once the smoke cleared was Dawe’s right-hand man, Sole Pursuit guitarist A.J. Perry.
“Being in a band can be a bit of a grind when you get older. You turn 30 years old and there are those in the band that want to be more serious about the group via touring and the like, and then there are others that have a tough time making the decision between keeping their day job and being in a band,” Dawe says.
“I could never fault those guys for choosing their jobs over the uncertainty of a career in music. There are some people that want that security and comfort; I completely understand where they were coming from.”
Dawe says that while it was initially nerve-wracking to be scrambling to find guys willing to commit their lives to the band, especially in light of having spent significant amounts of money on the completion of a record, the adventure of finding new players ended up serving as a blessing in disguise.
“I’ll admit that I was initially hesitant to push forward because, in the back of your head, you’re thinking that things will never be the same. While that holds true to an extent, moving forward with a pair of new players that were as dedicated to the band as A.J. and I were was an exciting prospect.”
The Sole Pursuit’s performance in Moncton on Sunday is the first of five shows they will play on their upcoming Eastern Canadian tour. Later this year, the band will head for a run of shows through Western Canada while also eyeballing some American markets.
Dawe notes that the band doesn’t intend on twiddling their thumbs through the long Canadian winter once their tour wraps up: He excitedly shares that the band plans on heading back into the studio to begin work on their next effort.
“I have always wanted to be part of a band that released something every year. So far, we have lived up to that,” he declares. “Really though, what better way is there to spend a Canadian winter than to be hunkered down in the studio? Playing shows and making records is what it’s all about. If we aren’t able to tour because of the season, we might as well be creative.
“The music business is like the Wild West these days. The way people are consuming music has changed so much over the last 15 years. It is an exciting and vibrant age we live in, but it is also extremely competitive and can be tough to get your name out there. As a band, we just want to do what we can to remain relevant, have people hear our music and stay humble through it all.”
What: The Sole Pursuit
When: Sunday Sept. 13, 9 p.m.
Where: Plan b Lounge, 212 St. George St., Moncton