OHBIJOU - Beacons

If you’ve lived in Toronto anytime during the last five years and you keep your ear anywhere close to the ground, chances are you’ve heard of Ohbijou. Though originally from nearby Brantford, singer Casey Mecija brought her project out of her bedroom and into the big city a few years back, swiftly recruiting like-minded individuals upon her arrival in Toronto. Since the release of their debut album Swift Feet for Troubling Times in 2006, the members of Ohbijou have been somewhat of a harbinger for those around them in the Toronto music scene. This has included hosting concerts at the Bellwoods house that various members have called home and helping organize and record the 2007 compilation Friends in Bellwoods (as well as the forthcoming Friends in Bellwoods II), a record showcasing friends of the band as well as their own individual projects. Although many of their peers have gone on to become known worldwide, Ohbijou have stuck around Toronto (while simultaneously finding time to tour Europe and the United States) and honed their craft. The years Ohbijou have spent in Toronto truly figure into their new album Beacons (Bathurst St. and Queen St. both get name checked), as do their recent travels (most of the album was recorded at a cottage on Muldrew Lake in Ontario and at the Banff Centre for the Arts in Alberta). It's been a long time coming, but the final result is well worth the wait. Beacons is a lush album, with all the beautiful melodies and instrumentation fans of the band have come to expect. Additionally, recently inked record deals at home (Last Gang) and in Europe (Bella Union) mean Ohbijou will be heard by more people than ever before.