Rocking out of loneliness

’90s-inspired Jamboree set to release sophomore album

Local trio Jamboree take their musical inspiration from the “less-cool bands of the ’90s.” (Supplied photo)

From Avril Lavigne’s comeback to Machine Gun Kelly’s emo shift after years in the rap scene, it’s clear that pop punk is back on trend. But it isn’t the only rock sub-genre making a comeback.

From Avril Lavigne’s comeback to Machine Gun Kelly’s emo shift after years in the rap scene, it’s clear that pop punk is back on trend. But it isn’t the only rock sub-genre making a comeback.

Inspired by the “less-cool bands of the ’90s” like The Smashing Pumpkins and Oasis, Winnipeg trio Jamboree makes it clear that alternative music is a go-to.

Band members Sky Parenteau, Alex Braun and Nick Lavich joined forces in 2017 and instantly noticed they had a similar temperament and creative style. Braun and Lavich had been connected through another band before reuniting for a second attempt at music.

“We probably practiced three or five times, and we did one show. Alex and I sort of fell out of touch for two years,” Lavich says.

When Lavich and Braun discussed the possibility of a new band, they knew they needed an additional member. That was when Parenteau came to mind, since Braun had played with him in a jazz band when they were in school.

After a couple months adjusting to the creative process as a group, they decided on a name and their signature style. Despite the word “jamboree” evoking an up-tempo vibe, the band’s music is often laid-back and introspective. After listening to Weezer and Oasis CDs at work, the trio was inspired by the nostalgic sound and used it as a canvas for the mental-health and interconnectivity struggles addressed in their debut album, A Beautiful Place.

“As far as themes go, we talked a lot around that time about feeling crazed by the internet and feeling alienated by it. The song ‘A Very Pure Town’ is sampling a guy who would make vlogs that were really unhinged,” Braun says.

“There” was the first track the band recorded for their debut album, as well as the first song they ever worked on as a group. Pareanteau reflected on what led him to come up with the lyrics.

“I wrote it after a very long shopping trip with my parents in Portage Place, and I just couldn’t go to another store anymore. I guess it fits that isolation theme,” he says.

After playing at Real Love Mini Fest in 2021, the band connected with Adam Fuhr, House of Wonders’ label manager, about potentially collaborating on a new project. A while later, after most mixes were made by Lino D’Ottavio in his basement, Jamboree brought their sophomore album back to Fuhr before the record deal was set in stone. Since then, the band released “The Snow,” a bold first single for the upcoming album featuring heavier-sounding guitar riffs and resurfacing the theme of inner turmoil.

“At first, we thought it might sound more aggressive for a first single, but Adam was very fond of that one. It does set the stage, but most of the songs in the album are softer than that one,” Lavich says.

Jamboree’s sophomore album Life in the Dome comes out on Apr. 1, and the band will perform at The Good Will Social Club on the same day.

Published in Volume 76, Number 19 of The Uniter (March 2, 2022)

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