The Besnard Lakes

Having released The Besnard Lakes Are The Roaring Night a little over a year ago, Montreal’s The Besnard Lakes won’t have another new BN record to promote when they hit the Bowery Ballroom May 14, 2011, but co-founding members Jace Lasek and Michael Gardiner have been busy nonetheless. On February 22, 2011, Lasek and Gardiner released the self titled debut of their side project, The Soft Province on Three Ring Records.

The Soft Province’s debut self-titled album was recorded at Lasek’s own Breakglass Studio in Montreal during an August heat wave of 2008. It was mixed in November. The album’s feel digs into the duo’s love of layering sounds and instruments and using their studio as a way to achieve it.

Gardiner, who lives half a country away in Regina, Saskatchewan, came out to Montreal armed only with a Fender Coronado 12-string and a head full of ideas ready for Lasek’s collaboration. Gardiner plays most of the instruments on The Soft Province. In addition to vocals, Lasek sits in on some drums, guitars and bass. Guests on the album include Lasek’s wife and Besnard Lakes band mate, Olga Goreas (drums and bass) as well as drummer Max Henry (of SUUNS, Young Galaxy).

As of this writing, this Bowery date isn’t part of an officially announced Besnard Lakes tour, but it’s worth mentioning that before hitting NYC the band is playing some pretty far flung places, including Australia and China!

More tour dates and a trailer to The Besnard Lakes scored documentary Welcome To Pine Point after the jump.

The Besnard Lakes 2011 Tour Dates
Mar 12 The Corner Hotel Richmond Vic, Australia
Mar 13 Golden Plains Festival Melbourne, Australia
Mar 17 Hidden Agenda Live House Hong Kong, China
Mar 18 Yuyintang Shanghai Shi, China
Mar 19 Mao Livehouse Beijing Shi, China
May 12 Black Cat Washington, DC
May 13 Bowery Ballroom New York, NY
May 14 Great Scott Allston, MA