The Paperboys
File Under: Celtic / Mexican / Latin/ Folk / Acoustic / Alt-Country/ Roots/ Soul/ Pop
It's been said The Paperboys' music is hard to describe. Truth is, you could add rock, Son Jarocho, and world beat to that list too. Call it 'Guinness with a tequila chaser while listening to an Americana Jukebox'. Or 'a place where Irish, Mexican and Roots music collide.'
Of course, this multicultural mix is hardly surprising from a bilingual band, whose founding member is Mexican-Canadian and whose players cover a range of musical backgrounds from Bluegrass to Funk to traditional Scots and Irish music.
"A lot has to do with where we're from," says lead singer Tom Landa. "Vancouver is a culturally diverse place which feeds what we do and the music we make."
"Yes, we cover a lot of musical territory and have a lot of influences. There is a lot I can tell you about the music. But what it isn't is something that you can easily put into a little box and say "oh, this is Celtic" or "this is folk." We are much more than that."
Meanwhile, critics from Billboard to the Washington Post don't have any trouble describing the Paperboys sound.
"Astonishing eclectic folk-rock from acclaimed Canadian quintet."
Mojo's Jonny Black.
"A mix of Eagles laced alt-country, Tower of Power horns and gospel choirs, reminiscent of early Elton John and Van Morrison."
Americana UK Magazine
'One of the most exciting bands to come out of the folk-roots corner'
- fRoots Magazine'
"If you don't believe a jig can shred, listen to The Paperboys."
Seattle Rocket
And then there's the hardware. They received a Juno Award (the Canadian Grammy) for Best Roots & Traditional Album of the Year (Molinos); and Juno Award nominations for the three of their albums; two West Coast Music Awards for Best Roots Recording (Molinos, Postcards) and three more nominations in that category.
Add to this list, an American Indie nomination; a Genie Award nomination for Best Musical Score for the film 'Lunch With Charles' and appearances in both that film and the movie 'Marine Life.'
In 2001, the Red House Records Label invited The Paperboys to contribute a track to 'A Nod to Bob' – a 60th Birthday Compilation to honour Bob Dylan. Their dizzying rendition of 'All Along The Watchtower' was a critical favourite, consistently mentioned as one of the highlights of the album.
The latest release 'The Road To Ellenside' (2006) was wholly recorded at a country manor in rural England. Ellenside was recently listed in the Top Ten critic's poll in The Village Voice, while the video for the single 'Fall Down With You' camped out in MuchMoreMusic's Top Ten for a staggering ten weeks - peaking at Number Four alongside Nickleback, Madonna, and Nelly Furtado– a feat almost unheard of by an indie band.
The follow-up video for the single 'Fragile' was shot entirely on location in Morelia, Mexico and enjoyed constant rotation on video channels, not to mention thousands of hits on YouTube and other video websites.
But what really sets The Paperboys apart is their live show. And for that, the only opinion that matters are the fans who routinely sell out some of the most popular and prestigious clubs throughout Canada, the U.S., Mexico and Europe. They've played everywhere from The Kennedy Center in Washington DC, to The Borderline in London. The Paperboys burn up stages at countless festivals including New York's Falconridge Festival, The Folk Alliance Festival, The Boston Folk Festival, San Francisco's Guinness Oyster Festival and Seattle's Bumbershoot. They've headlined at the UK's Warwick and Trowbridge festivals, and Denmark's Tonder and Skagen festivals. The band averages well over 150 shows a year.
"We get paid for the travel time," Landa jokes, "but we play the gigs for free."
Despite the accolades and sell out crowds, the Paperboys still remain philosophical about it all.
"We're not saving lives," says Tom. "We're not building rockets or running for office. But every night I get to go out there and play my music with great people. I get to sing to a crowd of smiling, dancing people who know the words to every song. And I think, man, am I'm lucky. I have the best job in the world."
‘The Paperboys' energy and enthusiasm are always a delight, and if I had to pick a band to follow around on tour, I couldn't think of a better candidate.’
– Rambles Cultural Arts Magazine
"The most exuberant record I've heard in ages...breathtaking." Folk
Roots Magazine
‘Once heard, you will cross mountains, valleys, floods and tempests to see this band wherever they play. Be ready to travel - even if they play at the ends of the earth, it will be worth the journey!’
– David Shipley, CD BABY
The Paperboys
Quotes
What people are saying about Dilapidated Beauty so far…
“Out are the jigs, reels and bodhrans that populated past Paperboys releases; in are Hammond organs, Rhodes pianos and horn section that wouldn’t be out of place on a classic Stevie Wonder record”
Mike Devlin, Times Colonist. Victoria, BC.
“Road songs can be the cliché of the Americana genre, but the Paperboys make a commendably original contribution with sharp, vivid lyrics and smooth harmonies on a serious dark-edged string of songs….the quietly lonesome songs that could have come from Gram Parsons”
Tom Nelligan- Dirty Linen
“Landa has never sounded in better voice as he delivers ballads about lost love, longing, hope, and nostalgia…the excellence of the musicianship makes Dilapidated Beauty the Paperboys strongest release to date, and the one that most reflects Landa’s breadth of vision and rapidly evolving skills as a songwriter.”
Tony Montague- Georgia Straight Vancouver
“The double CD Dilapidated Beauty sees the band moving more towards an Americana sound incorporating soul music and country. Featuring a great lead vocalist, stunning fiddle playing and one ex-member of Spirit of the West, The Paperboys prove that Canadian music is now a force to be reckoned with on the international stage”
Venue Magazine Bristol UK
“This release surely places Tom Landa in the vanguard of Canadian song writers. And rightfully so. There is so much good on Dilapidated Beauty. It is courageously adventurous, compelling and immensely enjoyable…With a bit of luck, the title track may wind up a bona fide hit. That’s the least the Paperboys deserve for such a brazen but thoroughly intriguing release.”
Roddy Campbell- Penguin Eggs Magazine
CD: Dilapidated Beauty
Label: Stompy Discs
Rating:
Genre: Mixed
This CD is just plain Kick Ass.
The Paperboys hale from Canada but will surely be seen throughout the USA . Dilapidated Beauty is a dynamic combination of songs. Each Genre is covered here. The Paperboys vocal and the album production are splendid. This band is a shining example of the talents involved in roots music today. Radio should queue this one up and spin it till it melts.
Roots Music Report
Vancouver 's Paperboys have come a long way from their first Seattle support slot seven years ago. These days they're a guaranteed club filler across the U.S. and Canada . They've won a Juno Award (the Great North's equivalent of a Grammy), tour constantly, and pack them in at festivals all across North America and Europe . And they've kept growing from their Celtic party-band beginnings. The personnel has changed, allowing songwriter and frontman Tom Landa the chance to explore a lot more ground, whether it's the Latin roots he exposed on Postcards or the Western snapshots that make up the band's ambitious new double CD, Dilapidated Beauty (Stony Plain). The first disc, subtitled "Night Driving," is fragmentary, a series of evocative rural images from places like "Omak Hotel" and "Lillooet." Disc two, "Saturday Afternoon," catches its breath, clinging to visions of home on songs like "It Takes So Long" and the achingly gorgeous "What Would I Miss," before returning to the road at the end with "Windshield Cracks." There's still a Celtic heart beating under it all, as evidenced most strongly by the instrumental "If I Could Be There," but it's muddied over here in prairie dust for a coating that verges on alt-country. Landa is rapidly developing into a world-class songwriter, and the band is keeping pace with him, spreading its wings and flying to a place where anything seems possible. The Paperboys definitely deliver.
CHRIS NICKSON Seattle Weekly
The Paperboys “Dilapidated Beauty” (Stompy Discs 2003) Available: Now
A two CD set which is described as one disc of Eagles laced alt-country, and another of Tower of Power horns and gospel choirs, reminiscent of early Elton John and Van Morrison, is enough to strike the fear of God into anybody! But don’t be put off, there’s enough here to make up one disc of really good stuff. The Paperboys have been around for the last ten years or so, and this Vancouver based band started out as a Celtic Pop outfit, evolving to embrace Latin and Americana and Soul, collecting a Juno award on the way. The use of whistle and fiddle sometimes conjures up the spirit of The Bothy Band (no greater praise can I offer), and the Canadian sensibility, added to the Celtic sound, and the wistful vocals of lead singer Tom Landa, are a heady mix indeed. Add some slide guitar, sweet harmonies, the classic Americana rock of the title track, great original material, and enough mentions of highways and things for it to have an Americana feel, and you have an eclectic combination of rootsy acoustic music. But the division of the album into “Night Driving” and “Saturday Afternoons” would be unnecessary if the pseudo-soul band stuff was omitted altogether, leaving behind a very good album indeed.
BJ - Americana UK
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The Paperboys "Dilapidated Beauty" (True North)
This is another case of discovering a band thanks to file sharing. Yeah, it's not supporting the band that way but it makes me want to get their other releases. That's the way I see it. The Paperboys are from Vancouver, Canada and have a Celtic/folk/bluegrass sound. The first disc is entitled "Night Driving" and it's got 10 tracks of alternative country/ bluegrass that's pretty good. I don't normally like country music but I like this band. Their sound has kind of changed from the one album I heard "Molinos," but it sounds like their music is maturing. I believe this is the Paperboys' 5th album. The Night Driving title is kind of fitting because this is something I would want to listen to at night driving my car. It's not loud and it's just soothing music. Disc 2 is entitled "Saturday Afternoon" and it's more of the sound that got me into the Paperboys. It's more upbeat and catchy songs on Disc 2. Some songs are a little bit on the religious side but that's all right. I listen to reggae music and it's nothing but that so. I think with every listen, I like "Dilapidated Beauty" more and more. If you're curious, check this out.
Worth Buying? If folk rock is your thing, yeah.
Notable Tracks: Disc 1: "If I Could Be There" "Omak Hotel" "By The Hand of my Father" Disc 2: "Perfect Stillness" "Easy Chair" "Croked Grin"
Rating:
Reviewer: Bryan, Ska, Punk & Other Junk
The two-CD Dilapidated Beauty finds perennial west coasters the Paperboys moving way from the celtic and into the much more roots-oriented world—and you know what? It works. Now definitely more Blue Rodeo-ish than Spirit of the West-ish (but, thanks to the strong vocals of frontman Tom Landa, still recognizably Paperboys), Dilapidated Beauty is fast becoming one of my favourite driving albums. Disc one (“Night Driving”) features well-crafted songs telling haunting stories about travel, heartbreak and the loneliness that can only come with long hours on long roads, while disc two (“Saturday Afternoons”) is a more jazzy offering featuring horns and Hammond organ and a selection of jangly tunes that’ll make you smile while you tap the wheel. Landa should be complimented on his ability to take all the usual Paperboy elements—fiddle, pennywhistle, dobro—and remake them so well. Dilapidated Beauty makes a perfect soundtrack for William Least Heat Moon’s classic road-trip novel Blue Highways—and if you don’t get either reference, I’d suggest adding both the book and this album to your collection.
—John Threlfall, Monday Magazine
THE PAPERBOYS: DILAPIDATED BEAUTY
Stompy Discs, www.paperboys.com
The best band from just over the border comes back with their strongest
record yet. Last year, the Paperboys released the career retrospective,
Tenure, celebrating their ten years in the business, and collecting their
strongest songs with rarities and cover songs. Dilapidated Beauty, a
two-disc set of killer songwriting attached to beautiful melodies, shows why
this band is still around and why it is a mystery that they aren't in the
big leagues. Co-writing 12 of the 18 songs with bassist Steve Mitchell and
16 songs total, Tom is writing some of his best songs to date. On this
disc, he finally fully embraces the alt-country feel that has been in the
mix from the beginning, and provides fuller instrumentation, allowing the
songs to truly come alive. The first disc is titled Night Driving and has a
slightly quieter, melancholy feel while the second disc, Saturday
Afternoons, is more upbeat, with some of the songs having a full horn
section behind them. Many of the songs have been part of their live shows
for a while and their familiarity with the material comes through. The
playing and singing is confident and the fuller sound adds shading to these
songs I hadn't heard before live. For those who've followed the band, you
know the lineup changes a lot. As of this recording, the Paperboys are Tom
Landa, Steve Mitchell, Shannon Saunders, and Geoff Kelly. Dilapidated
Beauty is a crystal clear, current snapshot of what these amazing musicians
can do. Whether on a major label or not, this is a big league release and a
classic recording.
James Rodgers –Victory Review Seattle
The Paperboys won a Juno for 1997’s Molinos — and it wasn’t a fluke. The two-disc Dilapidated Beauty set is one of those rare albums you can listen to with your parents (if your folks dig The Eagles or Jim Croce). Disc 1, aptly called Night Driving, will get you through those long, pre-dawn, head-bobbing hours on the road. Traditional three-part Gospel harmonies blend with an East Coast influence in If I Could Be There. By The Hand of My Father is a stark tale of domestic violence as seen through a child’s eyes. Night Driving’s melancholy character contrasts sharply with that of the sunny second disc, Saturday Afternoons. The dichotomy is so jarring this collection might have been released as two separate albums. Night Driving gets an A while Saturday Afternoons gets a C.
Christine Leger- Uptown Magazine Winnipeg