Vancouver quartet The Fugitives are soldiers for love. Sort of. In honour of their release, Eccentrically We Love, the band is touring Canada. The catch is a chunk of their CDs were swapped with Sade's new album, Solider of Love, at the manufacturing plant.
"This is an invitation to Sade," says Barbara Adler, accordionist/vocalist. "We will open for you at the coliseum of your choice. You need banjo, accordion and balalaika on your next album. We can do that for you as well."
The Fugitives are a far cry from Sade's sensual, soulful R&B. The band got their start in Vancouver's slam poetry scene, as their eclectic approach to music combines spoken word storytelling with a traditional folk flair.
All things considered, the band takes everything in stride, cracking jokes about finally having international distribution. Approximately 25 percent of the 2,000 albums were swapped---they'll be replaced when necessary.
"That's what our album's about," Adler says. "Unexpected, scratchy and unusual ways of loving that end up being celebratory and kind of sweet in the end. Calling the album Eccentrically We Love also gave us the excuse to dress two teenagers in space helmets and make them smooch."
Sonically. the album doesn't deliver the make-out soundtrack the cover suggests. The band is a mishmash of genres, riddled with quirks and an adoration for language. They join our own quirky musician/poet Tanya Davis this Friday at The Company House. Adler promises a good time.
"Seriously," she says. "Our shows are a mix of high-energy folk, brashness, stomping, sensitivity, stand-up comedy, storytelling, non-boring poetry and four-part harmony. There is something there for just about anyone. The only thing we don't promise is live Siberian tigers."
