BURQUITLAM PLAZA

In the fall of 2001, Nick Krgovich of the acclaimed Vancouver-based band p:ano, formed a solo project under the name Burquitlam Plaza. Technically,
Burquitlam is a "very weird two block large municipality out in the near suburbs where a funeral parlour splits up Burnaby and Coquitlam," however, it also works as a fitting metaphor for the music itself: a little rundown and sad but equally charming and hopeful. Burquitlam Plaza's first release is two very separate batches of songs compiled on one cd. The first half is called "Big on Fall" and it is followed by "Sing! Burquitlam, Sing!" Like most things, they both require some explanation.

"Big on Fall," was recorded on 9 December 2001 in Krgovich's living room by Colin Stewart and then mixed the following day. The intent of the recording was to quickly document the influx of new material that Krgovich had written the previous month and naturally, the result is a sparse and careful affair.

The piano-based compositions are augmented by Krgovich's hushed vocals, faraway-sounding guitar lines, and incidental noises such as, floorboards creaking and dishes rattling. Throughout the record there is an informal, documentary-like aesthetic at play, which gives each of the songs a distinctive and intimate quality that attempts to capture one chilly winter day, and one set of commonly themed songs. Although the songs are not decidedly self-reflexive they do work together to form a clear impression of one person at a certain period of time, with mood-building instrumental pieces interspersed between. "Big on Fall" is essentially a one-man affair, which contrasts greatly with the second section of the record "Sing! Burquitlam, Sing!"

At the beginning of July 2002, Krgovich decided that it was time to expand the Burquitlam Plaza repertoire by assuming the role of "songwriter" and leaving vocal duties up to a selection of his very talented friends. Taking cues from songwriters of past and present such as, Burt Bacharach, Irving Berlin and Stephin Merritt, Krgovich set to work and wrote the bulk of "Sing! Burquitlam, Sing!" in a couple of weeks.

Determined to create the songs as fast as possible, writing often took place on the piano at home, behind a desk at work on a little Casio keyboard, and by humming melodies and lyrics while going through daily life. Almost immediately after the songs were completed, recording took place once again in Krgovich's living room. However, this time it was warm and breezy outside and he was also joined by band-mates Chris Harris (The Secret Three, p:ano, Parks and Rec) on bass and electric guitar and Jim Risbey (Dream on Dreary, Bakelite) on drums. "Sing! Burquitlam, Sing!" consists of songs that are far more varied in tone than "Big on Fall," however, they were recorded in much the same manner with a focus on capturing the setting the music was being performed in as well as the music itself. Also, the record is essentially a who's who of the Vancouver music scene today as it features vocal contributions from Veda Hille, Steve McBean of Jerk with a Bomb, Katie Sketch and Ashley Webb of The Organ, Chris Frey of Destroyer and Radio Berlin and many others including out of towner Randall Lee (former member of Australian indie-pop darlings The Cannanes). Burquitlam Plaza has shared the stage with such luminaries as The Divine Comedy and The Moldy Peaches, as well as, K records' Little Wings and Tomlab's Casiotone for the Painfully Alone.

Big On Fall w/ Sing! Burquitlam, Sing! Hive-Fi Recordings and Deer and Bird Records Recorded by Colin Stewart 2001