ABOVE: Watch an interview with The Mandevilles.
TORONTO — Serena Pryne of The Mandevilles knows some people will buy a song or two from the band’s new album, Windows and Stones — but she would prefer they bought the whole thing.
“We’ve recorded it with the intention that you’re going to listen to the whole record,” she said, “because it takes you on a journey.
“At the same time I think each song can stand on its own. We’re not going to put out a record with two good songs and eight sh**ty songs. We’re trying to make them all good.”
The first single from the Ontario-based band’s new album is “Hangovers,” a rockin’ ode to the morning after.
The song showcases Pryne’s distinctive voice — a blend of Sass Jordan, Kim Carnes and Janis Joplin.
In a recent interview with Global News, she said she’s careful to take care of her instrument.
“People with raspy voices do tend to lose them. You’ve got to keep plugging away and hopefully you’re not damaging your voice,” explained Pryne.
“You’ve got to rest. And I don’t smoke. I do dabble in the whiskey.”
Pryne and her bandmates Nick Lesyk, Taylor Laslo, Brett Bendo and Waylon Glintz are careful not to pigeon-hole the band’s sound.
A decidedly rock album, Windows and Stones also features instruments normally associated with country music.
“You do what you can to best serve the song and then arrange the songs in an order that they make a good-sounding album,” explained Lesyk. “If a song needed bassoon on it, we would have had a bassoonist come in and do it. There was a song that needed fiddle so we got it done. Otherwise it’s not something we search out.”
Added Pryne: “Lots of actual classic rock-sounding bands have those elements and that’s just part of who we are.
“It doesn’t mean we’re trying to be a country band or we don’t know who we are. We make the music that we make, it has a little bit of blues, it has a little bit of twang, but it’s a rock band in the old sense.”
All of the members of The Mandevilles said they feel most comfortable on stage.
“Live is where we feel most at home,” said Pryne. Lesyk agreed. “All of the work we do is to go out and play shows.”
“It’s exciting to go on every night.”
Watch the video to find out how The Mandevilles feel about stealing music, social media — and who they believe is the band’s pickiest eater.
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