Spring Breakup
Kim Barlow
&
Mathias Kom
The Yukon & Newfoundland
"Bitter and heartbroken? Buck up, buttercup: Spring Breakup are here to help. This gloriously glum musical combo couch sad and cynical observations about love in keen wit, perky banjo- and ukulele-based arrangements and sweetly fingerpicked guitar." - Rachel Sanders, Exclaim!
Spring Breakup: a) the term for river ice breaking apart in the northern spring thaw; b) the term Yukoners give to the phenomenon of the end of all the Yukon winter romances... as the dark days turn lighter, folks sometimes realize that their winter mating choices are best left in the dark.
Spring Breakup is the unlikely musical marriage of Yukon singer-songwriter Kim Barlow and Mathias Kom of The Burning Hell. This banjo and ukulele duo write tiny, happy songs about the inevitable end of love.
Formed in the long, dark Yukon winter of ‘08/09, Barlow and Kom discovered that between them they had a considerable collection of break-up songs, and that they sound exceptionally whimsical and poignant when sung as duets, strummed on the humble banjo and ukulele. Spring Breakup’s first album was recorded in February all in a day, live off the floor at Old Crow Recording with the skill and good microphones of Bob Hamilton engineering.
Kim Barlow is well-known on the folk-circuit in Canada for her solo work, with five CDs released since 1998. She has played most of the major folk festivals and stages across the country and beyond, and has received many accolades for her work, including several WCMA nominations, and Juno-nominations for Gingerbread and Annie Lou, a joint project with collaborator Anne Louise Genest.
Mathias Kom is an up-and-coming indie-rock star with his large, fun band The Burning Hell. They were listed in Exclaim! magazine as one of the top ten bands to watch for in 2009, and have been touring Canada and Europe steadily for the past few years, with return invitations to venues from Victoria to St. John’s to Berlin.
When these two talents team up, their chemistry on stage is palpable. They create an engaging musical tension with their very pretty, subtle, and often hilarious songs. Both songwriters are intelligent, witty word-crafters, and skilled players on their instruments. Mathias Kom’s extremely deep baritone is a wonderful contrast to Barlow’s clear alto, and the ukulele softens the twang of the banjo, as the banjo adds a bit of sparkle to the uke.
The duo embarked on their first tour together in the spring of 2009, and began a project of collecting break-up stories from audience members along the way. They used the inspiration from these stories to write the songs for their CD It’s Not Me, It’s You, released on Label Fantastic! this year to critical acclaim.
Spring Breakup is a brand new band with very old hearts.
Booking inquiries: Frank Hoorn - Email: Frank Hoorn/Near North Music Phone: (250) 847-5228
