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Cue the Music: Castles has the best harmonies you'll ever hear

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It was two seconds into Castles’ set at La Maison that I knew I was catching something special.

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This happened two months’ ago, at another Thursday night jam at the bar, and on stage were three spectacled, flannel-wearing musicians playfully mocking how they all wore the same thing.

Their temperament was light and playful, but once they started strumming their instruments and approached the mic, it was clear they had an underlying intensity and dedication to their craft, and had every intention of knocking the audience out of its seats.

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And sonically, that’s just what they did.

Tayla LeBlanc, right, looks at Marc Thompson during their performance with Castles bandmates on Thursday June 20, 2019 in Cornwall, Ont.Alex Stacey/Special to the Cornwall Standard-Freeholder/Postmedia Network
Tayla LeBlanc, right, looks at Marc Thompson during their performance with Castles bandmates on Thursday June 20, 2019 in Cornwall, Ont.Alex Stacey/Special to the Cornwall Standard-Freeholder/Postmedia Network Photo by Alex Stacey /Alex Stacey/Special to the Cornwall Standard-Freeholder

Elegant yet powerful, their harmonies ensnared a room of college girls, rockers, and metal heads, and left them silently mesmerized wondering ‘who the heck is this band?’

Introducing Castles— the acoustic trio you need to catch live.

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Comprised of Marc Thompson (singer/guitarist), Tayla LeBlanc (singer) and Adam Gibeau (bass), this acoustic act covers everything from CCR to Limp Bizkit, and it does it fantastically.

Using the band members’ unreal vocal talent, each of their covers features lush and intimate harmonies, soulful guitar playing and the rhythmic authority of Adam’s killer bass lines.

It’s dynamic, intimate, and hits your heart strings with astonishing force.

Tayla LeBlanc of Castles performs on Thursday June 20, 2019 in Cornwall, Ont.Alex Stacey/Special to the Cornwall Standard-Freeholder/Postmedia Network
Tayla LeBlanc of Castles performs on Thursday June 20, 2019 in Cornwall, Ont.Alex Stacey/Special to the Cornwall Standard-Freeholder/Postmedia Network Photo by Alex Stacey /Alex Stacey/Special to the Cornwall Standard-Freeholder

The emotional power and vulnerability Marc and Tayla get out of their vocals is really insane. The two singers’ vocal croons bounce off each other and form the perfect mixture. Tayla’s voice— delicate, beautiful and sultry; and, Marc’s— rich, soulful, and with a little edge.

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It’s not just singing when these two are on the mic, it’s an emotional journey.

They make lyrics come alive and command your attention with their haunting renditions of Mumford & Sons’ The Ghosts That We Knew, and Phillip Phillips’ Home, and then make you crack a smile with their cheeky and rebellious yet oddly beautiful cover of Limp Bizkit’s Break Stuff.

And not to be outclassed by their vocals is the equally enduring and attention grabbing chemistry of Marc and Adam’s instruments.

Understated yet phenomenal, the duo coax as much emotion as possible out of their steel and wood and deliver rich grooves and note-for-note perfect melodies. Together they’re the backbone of the band— not stealing the spotlight, but rather finding their significance in keeping things simple. They’re top-notch players and a joy to catch live.

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Castles is talented to the bone.

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There’s no distortion or effects to hide behind. They walk a tight rope: exposed, raw, and brilliant. This is a group that relies solely on its complex harmonies and remarkable musicianship to get it through its set.

Rustic and tender, with a knack for reinventing modern and classic hits, Castles is part of a group of bands that are giving the acoustic scene here a good name.

As if delivering killer covers wasn’t enough, the band has begun work on its own original material, which based off its talent, promises to be as equally impactful and catchy.

If you like The Lumineers and Mumford & Sons, then make sure to catch this unbelievable band.

Castles is playing at 10 p.m. on Aug. 3, at La Maison. Future dates can be found on its Facebook page.


Editor’s note— this will be the final Cue the Music column by Alex Stacey. The Standard-Freeholder wishes him well as he moves out of our community to pursue employment.

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