TUNS supergroup rollout has been sly and cautious
What’s the deal? Properly speaking, TUNS isn’t an entirely “new” favourite thing, it being a CanCon-indie “supergroup” composed of Sloan’s Chris Murphy, former Super Friendz/Flashing Lights frontman Matt Murphy and Mike O’Neill of the late, great Inbreds.
Three “old” things have never been more perfectly poised to assemble themselves into a new one deserving of potential “favourite” status, however.
O’Neill and the two unrelated Murphys — O’Neill a Kingston native transplanted to Halifax, the Murphys two Halifax natives who eventually uprooted to Toronto in pursuit of rock ’n’ roll glory — are a trio of eternally boyish and Beatlesque voices veritably born to sing and play together.
The TUNS rollout has been sly and cautious. A lone single, “Throw it All Away,” surfaced online in September, followed by a debut appearance for Hayden’s Dream Serenade benefit at Roy Thomson Hall in October, a stint opening for Barrie-bred rockers Zeus on their “Ontario Classic” tour in November, and a headlining gig at the Dakota Tavern Dec. 19.
An album recorded with help from Thrush Hermit’s Ian McGettigan is apparently in the can and on the way in early 2016, though, and based on the meagre evidence at hand it will sound as pleasingly Hali-pop as expected. Bring it on! Sum up what you do in a few simple sentences. “I used to think that you made a record and then tried to reproduce it live, but with this band it’s the opposite,” says O’Neill.
“I’m more interested in the performance. The more we play, the more we discover our potential. It feels like it’s Friday night with the whole weekend ahead of us.” What’s a song I need to hear right now? “Throw it All Away.” OK, it’s the only TUNS song you can hear outside of a live show at present. But you got to admit, it’s pretty likeable. Where can I see them play? As part of Long Winter 4.3 at the Great Hall with Michelle McAdorey, Bossie, Vallens, Nicole Dollanganger, LOOM, JOOJ, Indoor Voices and a whole bunch of other people on Jan. 16. Details at torontolongwinter.com.