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Feature: Tigers Jaw - Indie/Rock's Best Kept Secret?
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'Two Worlds'
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2011 saw them leave North America for the first time to play the United Kingdom and though the first couple of dates were cancelled due to bad weather, the band was greeted in London on the first night to a strong 300 capacity crowd, impressive enough even before you consider that this was on January 1st, surely one of the worst days in the calendar to be booked on! For a band who had never stepped foot in the country before, without a UK label or much press coverage, this is no small achievement.
'I Saw Water'
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Primarily associated with the Run For Cover Records crowd (best known for spawning pop-punk bands such as Title Fight and Man Overboard), when they do play, it’s usually on punk or pop-punk bills; all the more surprising because Tigers Jaw are neither and the majority of the band don’t necessarily listen to those genres. Front man McIlwee, for example, confesses himself a lover of Morrissey and The Smiths, and when speaking about pop-punk says he listens to Title Fight but ends the conversation there; keyboard player Brianna’s current playlist meanwhile consists of bands such as Best Coast, Northstar and Brand New.
'The Sun'
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Publicity wise, the band have been covered countless times on Alter The Press, Punk News, Absolute Punk, even Alternative Press, and with similarities to early Modest Mouse, Built To Spill, Dinosaur Jr., Superchunk and The Weakerthans, what is there not like? When Titus Andronicus can currently be found opening for Bright Eyes, there is a definite window of opportunity for a band like Tigers Jaw to take a similar path. With SPIN now tipping them as one of this year’s ‘bands to watch’ at the ever diverse Bamboozle Festival in New Jersey alongside upcoming buzz acts such as An Horse, Hank and Cupcakes and River City Extension, the band are definitely on the road to success.
'Spirit Desire'
Jon Ableson