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Born in a basement

In 2008, completely unheralded, The Liptonians emerged from a basement in Winnipeg with an "earnest little pop-rock gem" (Uptown Magazine). Much to their surprise, the album picked up a Western Canadian Music Award for Outstanding Pop Recording, garnered rave reviews, charted on college radio across the country, became a regular on CBC Radio and paved the way for three cross-Canadian tours. The strength of their dynamic live show scored them opening slots for bands like Silver Starling (Last Gang Records) and Chicago indie rock legends, The Sea and Cake.

After two years of playing shows, Matt Schellenberg and Bucky Driedger – the band's founders – took leave to a rural cabin to mull over their catalogue of demos and write some new songs. Bringing the tunes the rest of the band (rounded out by Darren Grunau, Mike Petkau and Terrell Froese) the arrangements became more adventurous – experimenting with lush horn arrangements, dumpster-dived percussion, accordion, reed organ and live-off-the-floor soundscapes.

Produced and recorded by Mike Petkau, Matt Peters and The Liptonians between Prairie Recording Co. (The Weakerthans, Christine Fellows), MCM Studios and various basements, offices, rehearsal spaces and lofts, the new album is a step forward in songwriting, arrangement and production while staying true to the band's roots as DIY pop songsmiths. Songs about talking pianos, dying cities and garden-haunting ghosts find life in dirty piano romps, electro-folk grooves and pop-rock sing-alongs.

The as-of-yet-untitled album, to be distributed by Universal via Sonic Unyon and publicized by Killbeat Music, is set to be released on February 8, 2011 on Winnipeg's Head in the Sand Records. A cross-Canadian tour will follow the albums release.