Album Notes

What would happen if we lost everything?

This question is the spark that ignited Tin Star Orphan's sophomore effort, "The Days of Blinding Fear". Zachary Bennett's lyrics bounce from factual past, to an imagined future; from autobiographical, to pure fiction all the while dealing mostly with loss. The loss of love, innocence, sanity, and life itself are prevalent themes at the heart of Bennett's writing. Inspired by Cormac McCarthy's post-apocalyptic tale, The Road, the album paints a stark portrait of a world stripped of its natural beauty and colour, while maintaining a faint glimmer of hope on the horizon. Sometimes funny, sometimes blunt, Bennett's words and voice stem deep from his soul and strike straight for the heart.

Sonically, "The Days of Blinding Fear" is a real departure for Tin Star Orphans. The album is more electric and epic sounding compared to the band's previous effort, ‘yonder' (2009). Working once again as a production team, guitarist Dean Marino and Bennett relied less on additional instruments, such as strings and horns, and more on the core band, utilizing the high ceilings and lush reverbs at Marino's studio, Chemical Sound (Toronto). Booming drums, swelling organs and layers of guitar pay homage to the classic ‘wall of sound' aesthetic found on albums such as Bruce Springsteen's ‘Born to Run' and Neutral Milk Hotel's ‘In the Aeroplane Over the Sea'.

Bennett and Marino, now rounded out by Johnny Rowe on drums, Steve Savage on keys and Dave Fenton on bass are gaining accolades for being one of the most exciting live bands in Toronto. Material from the new album has captivated audiences around Ontario. People have been rushing the stage for anthems like "We Are Lions" and "Fighter", and yet you can hear a pin drop during emotional ballads like "Hand Me Down" or "Fire".