Headlong Hearts "Creatures of Habit" out July 1st 2025 on all streaming sites.
The
second full length from Vancouver, Canada's Headlong Hearts is a big
shift forward in their sound. Growing on the strengths of their debut,
What We Call Forever, Creatures of Habit puts the band in a fuller,
faster style. With songs like One Golden Day, Canadian Shield, and
Canada all pushing the tempos more like a folk rock band, Headlong
Hearts is demonstrating what they've learned from playing live for the
past decade. More aggressive, more dramatic, but still retaining the
sense of beauty from their beginnings, the band is having fun with their
sound.
Creatures of Habit is an eleven song, all
original, album that features another wood cut cover art by the band's
drummer Matt Brain. No only is Matt a great drummer, but he's also a
wonderful artist as well.
Produced by Deborah Holland (with three songs co produced by Mark Henning)
"Canada" is the next song off Headlong Hearts' second full length album "Creatures of Habit" (the physical cd copy will be available on March 21st - streaming to follow).
Canada is written by Mark Henning with Chris Barrett, Matt Brain, Hugh Ellenwood, Brad Gillard and Matt Kennedy
The song is the eleventh track on the new record. Produced by Deborah Holland with Mark Henning
Recorded at Rain City Recorders and Boutique Empire Studio
Bedtracks engineered by Emily Ryan, additional engineering and mixing by Mark Henning.
Mastered by Graemme Brown at Zen Mastering
Original artwork taken from a Matt Brain original work called "Morning Walk"
Cover layout and graphic design by Robert Edmonds at Evoke International.
The video featured live performance of the Headlong Hearts from the Bez Arts Hub in Langley BC. The audio is the studio recording of Canada taken from the Creatures of Habit album.Video editing by Mark Henning at Boutique Empire.
Recorded this past winter, here is the double A-side release from the elusive indie rocker The Wivez featuring Boy Toy and Black Shellac.
The Wivez are Jordy Birch, Rob Edmonds, Slam and Bean. I've know Jordy for 36 years when I was hired to be a touring member of the band After All in 1988. Later we went on to form the alternative rock band Pure in the early 90's. These many years later we are still working well together and this single is a strong indicator of what we can do in the studio.
The Wivez - Boyz Toyz
Recorded at Boutique Empire Studio, Vancouver, Canada
This Sunday night, Combine the Victorious will be performing an entirely new set of music featuring all the songs from their forthcoming full length, Autonomous. They are sharing the evening with Los Angeles band Spectacular Spectacular, who are currently on their N. American tour.
Doors at 7:30
Combine at 9
Spectacular Spectacular at 10:15
Railway Club
579 Dunsmuir St., Vancouver
only $8
Thanks to Robert Edmonds for the excellent poster for the event.
We have moved locations for our Industry Night series to the Cobalt Cabaret, starting November 25th with host Hatch Benedict and musical guests Phoenix Thunderbird. Check out the poster Robert Edmonds designed for our upcoming showcases. It's going to be a fun month of shows, be sure to check 'em out!
Rob Edmonds poster design
Industry Night
Mondays at The Cobalt Cabaret
917 Main Street, Vancouver
Showtime 9PM
Inquire at the bar for extraordinary drink specials!
In addition to writing novels, composing and performing music, Vince Tuckwood is turning his talents to film making this year. He has an inventive story that involves a twist on the haunted house story that he's written and now is looking to produce into a short film.
artwork by Robert Edmonds
Vince has published four novels to date, his last book "Escalation" was published in partnership with Boutique Empire. He has reworked his Family Rules novel into a screenplay (Inventing Kenny) and now looks forward to seeing his vision for Asylum captured for the screen.
The synopsis:
Sol plans to spend the night in an abandoned asylum with his three
friends, and face up to its ghost of local rumor. Though skeptical, Sol
seems ready to make sure his friends stay safe. At the first sign of the
trouble, however, his friends flee, and Sol stands alone in facing the
ghost.
And in an unexpected twist, it may just be the ghost that’s most affected by the confrontation.
Funding for the picture is very modest, the film is looking for only $5000 in backing funds. If you have any interest in this side of the arts please have a look at his kickstarter and consider backing it.
The word is getting out about So West Coast, the last Pure song Todd Simko played on, and thankfully we now have a Robert Edmonds' designed cover for it too! (original photo by Janis Nicolay
Please have a listen, download and share it!
A Change of Frequency music festival is getting some nice attention in the press and radio, thank you to everyone involved. Tickets are available now, links at the site. Be sure to join us all on May10th and 11th for a really fulfilling weekend of music. The first Pure/Guilty About Girls rehearsal sounded surprisingly good, and Combine the Victorious has a new song to debut written expressly for our friend Todd Simko. Quite looking forward to this one!
Author /singer-songwriter Vince Tuckwood has completed his first of a two part album series. This initial offering, titled Sparse, is a stripped back acoustic collection of songs that features Vince's love of poetry and guitar. He's been refining this material for the past year with consistant live performances in the New England area. The album also features cover art by none other than artist Robert Edmonds, the man who has created the cover art for all the Boutique Empire releases.
Please have a listen and let Vince know what you think.
Just wanted to share Robert Edmond's new site, which generously displays many of his designs from over the years. It is with great pride that we note how many Boutique Empire covers, posters and special events he has created for us over the past five years.
If you appreciate inventive graphic arts please have a peruse through his online collection, you may even find a few images of paintings that need to have for your own home! There are also many of his favorite posters he's designed for artists such as Metric, Black Keys, Willie Nelson, Lee Scratch Perry, BB King! Far too many to name them all!
Merry Xmas everybody. Just wanted to put a few words together to wrap up the latest ongoings of everyone involved (or once involved) in the Boutique Empire family.
Starting with Guilty About Girls who have just arisen from a productive hiatus to deliver two new songs, the latest of which was singled out by Alan Cross
on his music blog. Once again Jordy Birch is proving he is among
Canada's finest pop song craftsmen! Have a listen to his blistering new
single The Boys in the Band.
Old friends Sex With Strangers have just released their fifth album Behaviors. The first video from the new album, once again produced by the brilliant folks of BKS Crew is called Times Electric. Check out the video below for their new sound and style. They seem to be gathering a lot of press with this release and we wish them all a great success.
Combine the Victorious has taken the inspiration from their first European tour to begin writing and recording their third full length. Scheduled for a spring 2013 release, the duo plans to return to Europe next year for an extended tour in its support. Their new EP, Crumbling Hearts, indicates the tone of their new material, some of which may appear on the full length. Vinyl pressing is being sourced out as well, with cover art to be commissioned from Robert Edmonds.
Isabelle Dunlop has had several very successful pop up shops during 2012 which has spurred on the idea of setting up a permanent shop for her designs in the new year. It seems her wool scarves and shawls are becoming more popular each season. Stay tuned for more news.
Robert Edmonds, the man behind the images of all the Boutique Empire releases, is currently planning expositions for the new year. We are discussing many ideas of how to make each series unique and exciting. Once again we'll be offering more information as we near the time to reveal his works. Vince Tuckwood, our resident author, not only released his Escalation novel this year but has been hard at work on a dualistic music album as well. He has been revealing certain works from the sparse side of the album which show dramatic artistic leaps from anything he's done before. Have a listen to some of his latest works on his reverbnation page.
Though not officially a member of the Boutique Empire collective (yet) The Population Drops have quietly started to amass attention around their first four song collection. More songs are being recorded in January and hopefully a several more live performances will be scheduled to showcase this remarkable new band and their unique style. Check out Enough from their first EP.
In closing, if we're very lucky we should also hear some new music from the elusive Gilles Zolty in the 2013. He's been busy working away in Saskatchewan this past year, but there have been rumours of new works that might escape from his private studio into the world. At very least we hope he can make his way out to Vancouver for another live performance!
Here's hoping all of you will have a happy holiday season, and though 2012 has been a challenging year we are all looking forward to the new year and the opportunity our new works shall bring.
We are pleased to announce Paros, a new single from Combine the Victorious: a sun drenched tune of long distance love, placed in the heart of the Greek islands. It comes out on iTunes this Friday, July 27th, but you can hear it now on the Combine the Victorious band site.
Combine the Victorious is performing this Friday to celebrate the release of Paros at Electric Owl, here in Vancouver, July 27th 2012.
(Henning, Dunlop, Wild)
Produced and performed by Combine the Victorious
recorded and mixed by MRH
Mastered by Clayton Worbeck
Artwork Rob Edmonds
original photography Janis
Drums: Simon Hunt
Guitar:Marc Wild
Vocals and other instruments: Mark Roland Henning
Vocals: Isabelle Dunlop
There are a lot of things going on behind the scenes for everyone these days. Currently Sex With Strangers is using the grey winter skies to find inspiration to write their fifth album! Guilty About Girls is wood-shedding new songs (Jordy has revealed a couple very inspired hooks already) and Combine the Victorious is finalizing another batch of material that will eventually comprise their third release. Robert Edmonds is as busy as always, last week revealing a few very haunting impressionistic self portrait type pieces. Gilles Zolty is still hard at work back home in Saskatoon, but we are hopeful for a west coast appearance this spring!
Combine the Victorious also just re-released a song from their Disagreements EP - FKBC. The video is below.
This should be a busy year for everyone involved with Boutique Empire, and hopefully we shall add a few new people to our collective!
Our resident graphic artist-designer Robert Edmonds has a new opening this Wednesday at Walrus.
A series of Limited Edition Letterpress prints.
"Juxtaposing words within a singular quote from artists, authors, musicians, thinkers, to explore new meanings and sharpen the existing text by focusing the words."
Please join us for the opening reception here at the store:
Walrus
3408 Cambie Street, Vancouver
Wednesday, September 21st: 6 - 9pm
Spent a lovely sunny BC Day afternoon with Robert Edmonds (the man behind all the images of Boutique Empire) yesterday, where he revealed his new series based on horse racing. There are currently three completed paintings with a forth on the easel and a fifth planned to round out the series. Below is a small image of one:
There will be an exhibit in the autumn at Walrus (on Cambie at 18th) here in Vancouver, where all five will be displayed. Acrylic paint on canvas (sizes are approx. three foot by four foot). More information to follow.
Friday June 3rd - The Peak 100.5 and The Georgia Straight present: Guilty About Girls - performing their first headlining show at VENUE (881 Granville Street, Vancouver, Canada). Joining them on this auspicious occasion will be Sex With Strangers, hot on the heals of their brand new album Frontier Justice, along with the west coast pop of Young Pacific.
Tickets are $12 in advance and $15 at the door.
Tickets available at Zulu Records, Red Cat Records and Highlife as well as Ticketweb
A week in and the Isabelle Dunlop Pop Up Shop is in full swing. Her spring collection: dresses, sweaters, scarves, necklaces all on display (along with a selection of the Boutique Empire music library).
On Saturday, the long appreciated and loved artist, Robert Edmonds, dropped off a brand new painting, which shows Isabelle as a young girl standing with her horse "Hamish." (detailed image below)
The shop now has two original painting adorning its walls. The first is an abstract by Jordy Birch titled "The Meek Won't Want It" (acrylic on canvas, 4'x6' - pictured above) the second is the Robert Edmonds (80x60 acrylic on canvas - formal title still to be determined).
Open daily Tuesday thru Sunday, Noon until 5PM (later if necessary). 196 Kingsway, Vancouver (corner of Kingsway and 10th Ave E)
