Misery Mountain Boys

You might hear the tunes of the Misery Mountain Boys drifting from behind a rotating bookcase of a 1930’s speakeasy. Harkening back to a simpler time, the MMB’s create a collaborative soundscape infused with humour, tongue-in-cheek wit, nostalgia, and playfulness. With a mix of catchy originals and contemporary songs reimagined in driving swing, the melodies of the MMB’s deliver themselves as both surprising and inevitable. The band offers a diverse range of sonic experiences, urging audiences to gyration in the tassel-clad, sweaty swing numbers, and swaying in the velvety jazz tunes.Born in the remote, river-laced hills of Northern Alberta, the Misery Mountain Boys is the black sheep brainchild of frontman Steven Gevenich, supplanted and enriched by bassist Lindsey Bueckert, clarinetist/saxophonist Sam Toms, & drummer Ethan Markwart. Each bring their impressive musicianship to the 8 year musical partnership, and this is readily apparent in the confidence of the four piece they embody. Playful bass lines, energetic, snare-heavy drums, meandering & melodic clarinet, and Gevenich’s own skillful jazz guitar and gentle, gravely voice form the musical landscape of the Misery Mountain Boys.Paying homage to the Prohibition era practice of transporting liquor in milk bottles, their new release, “Milk & Moonshine”, is an embodiment of simplicity & rhythmic abandon. Moving organically from jazzy shuffles to saccharine love songs to upbeat jump blues, the collective delivers an offering both lighthearted and confident, breezy and grounded in their shared love of entertainment. The album listens as a piece that could very well be live - interspersed with candid count-ins and spontaneous instrumentals, but cleanly produced and thoughtful in its execution.A musical rarity in an industry busy with melancholy, the Misery Mountain Boys are a confident celebration of all that is exciting and moving about being alive. The project firmly asserts that playfulness & ease are sacred, and we all have the right to boogie.