Contact: Darren Gallop, 902-539-9517, 338 Charlotte Street, Sydney, NS. B1P 1C8,

The Tom Fun Orchestra has been described as a cluster-rock ensemble “ with nine people in the band I suppose that’s an appropriate descriptor.

To accurately depict what the members of this Cape Breton-based band serve their paying customers here at home and in the UK, Ireland, and Scotland, where they’re starting to develop a fan base, I would suggest the addition of a prefix or two, something to the effect of hugely entertaining, richly diverse, almost always over-the-top cluster-rock ensemble.

With an expansive line-up that includes multiple guitars, banjo, accordion, trumpet, double bass, violin, and drums, The Tom Fun Orchestra could conceivably dispense anything that caught its collective musical fancy, from ballroom dance music with a whorehouse twist, to late-1970s punk/rock, to a musical salute to Dexy’s Midnight Runners. The band pumps out a wickedly good concoction that blends all of the above and more. Imagine, if you will, a musical marriage of The Pogues, The Clash, and Tom Waits. It’s an infectious, high-energy dish best served live in a place with a big dancefloor.

Lead vocalist Tom Fun, who sounds like a cross between Tom Waits and Shane MacGowan, fronts a line-up that boasts some of the best young players on the East Coast: Morgan Currie (violin, vocals), Alicia Penney (acoustic guitar), Donnie Calabrese (bass, vocals), Albert Lionais (trumpet, vocals), Zach MacLean (electric guitar, vocals), Dave Mahalik (accordion, vocals), Devon Strang (drums, vocals), and Victor Tomiczek (banjo, vocals).

If you can see this band live, do so. If not, pick up a copy of its latest CD, You Will Land With a Thud.

This set, recorded with Violent Femmes’ singer-guitarist Gordon Gano and platinum-selling producer Warren Bruleigh (the Violent Femmes, The Pixies) and mastered by Howie Weinberg (Nirvana), captures the spirit of Tommy Fun on full tear with such choice offerings as Watchmaker, Throw Me To The Rats, and Tar Pond Tango.

Several songs from the CD have gotten good play on CBC Radio and on campus radio.

Listen to Watchmaker

Contact: Cory Coons, RR # 1, 10625 Pleasant Valley Rd, South Mountain, ON, K0E1W0

There is more than a hint of nostalgia in the music of four-piece rock act TYCOONS.

Fronted by lead vocalist/guitarist Cory M. Coons, TYCOONS has existed in one form or another since 1999 when Coons cut his first record.

Coons’ current bandmates include bass player Francis Thibodeau and drummer Barry Billingham, both of whom have played with him for a number of years, and guitarist/songwriter Sean Page, who’s a relatively recent addition.

Together they crank out a brand of gritty guitar rock that owes a great deal to the inspiration of classic rock stalwarts like Bon Jovi, Rush, and April Wine and draws as well on proponents of southern rock like Lynyrd Skynyrd and Grinderswitch.

The sound is big and full with soaring vocals, tight harmonies, and plenty of slick licks.

Coons and company have the kind of honest, straight-ahead rock sound that a large chunk of the population over 30 is still looking for.

TYCOONS has been regular at venues throughout the St. Lawrence Seaway Valley circuit since 2000, but could likely hunker down in most parts of the country and find an audience with tracks like “Crumbs,” “Rhythm Train,” and “Too Many Nights.”

Although touring has been limited to Ontario, western Quebec, and northern New York state, bits and pieces of the music has found its way elsewhere. A number of songs have been used in corporate advertising campaigns – electronics giant Philips has utilized three of songs to promote its consumer media products. The band has also opened for a score of artists like David Wilcox, April Wine, Prairie Oyster, and Glass Tiger.

TYCOONS is gearing up for another CD due for release later this year or early in 2009. On deck is noted producer Gary LaBarr.

Listen to Too Many Nights

Contact: whymusic@ whytheband.com

Power. Passion. Purpose. Those three words describe the music of Winnipeg’s WHY, a four-piece rock act formed in 1995 by lead singer Brian Cook.

Cook and bandmates Derek James (drums), Stephan Makarewicz (guitar), and Greg Barre (bass) have created a sound that draws heavily from the European school, which is not at all surprising considering Cook cites U2’s Bono and Boomtown Rats’ founder Bob Geldof as two of his heroes.

The band began to take shape in 1995 when Cook decided it was time to take the musical ideas that were percolating in his head to the next level and rounded up some of the best players the local scene had to offer.

The first album to come from that union, The Naked Soul, generated some buzz.

The Rise and Fall of the Question Mark, released in 2002, built on that buzz, which was further fuelled by the excitement of some electrically-charged live shows.

Things were looking good, but advancing the band was not Cook’s sole reason for being. Inspired by Bono and Geldof, he began to devote more and more time to Make Poverty History. At this point in time Cook still believes strongly in music as a tool to bring about social change and is supported by his mates in championing a number of worthy causes.

Musically they are more focused than ever before, as evidenced by the band’s most recent offering, Red, a powerful record with both a big sound and a big message.

A suitable follow-up to the last project, The Lazarus Effect, Red boasts some of the best songwriting yet from this quartet.

Two tracks in particular have earned accolades. “The Surface” was named one of the top 10 rock tracks of 2007 by the Winnipeg Free Press and “Red” was named single of the year by Winnipeg’s 92.9 KICK FM. It charted on a number of other stations as well.

This is a band with tremendous potential.

Listen to The Surface