About

Bahamas is the musical pseudonym of Toronto-based singer-songwriter-guitarist Afie Jurvanen, whose disarmingly forthright, captivatingly melodic songs have already earned him both a devoted fan base and a significant amount of critical acclaim on both sides of the border.

On the second Bahamas album Barchords, the determined, down-to-earth tunesmith delivers a beautifully bittersweet, infectiously uplifting set whose insightful lyrics, rousing melodies and raw, intimate performances exude an organic warmth and a timeless sense of universality. Jurvanen's compositions are effortlessly accessible yet defy easy categorization, rewarding continued attention with multiple musical and emotional layers that reveal themselves with repeat listens.

Despite his tropical nom de music, Afie (pronounce AY-fee) isn't from the Caribbean, but from Barrie, a working-class town in rural Ontario. In addition to his own work as Bahamas, Jurvanen won considerable attention during an extended stint working with Feist, with whom he recorded and toured extensively as guitarist/keyboardist. While his associations with other artists demonstrated his collaborative skills, it's his own songs that mark Jurvanen as an exceptional talent.

After touring internationally with Feist for three years and returning home with a large backlog of new compositions, Afie recorded Bahamas' 2009 debut Pink Strat. That album's combination of sterling songwriting and sparse, lo-fi arrangements struck a chord with listeners and critics in Canada, where it received nominations for a prestigious Juno Award and Polaris Prize. That notoriety led to some high-profile touring and festival appearances.

Barchords--which Jurvanen recorded with his touring drummer Jason Tait and bassist Darcy Yates--offers 12 compelling new examples of Afie's distinctive songcraft, including such personally-charged numbers as the haunting album-opener "Lost in the Light," the loping, lilting ballad "Montreal," the rocking yet intimate "I Got You Babe" and the bittersweetly uplifting "OK, Alright, I'm Alive." Those tunes, like the rest of Barchords, demonstrate Jurvanen's uncanny knack for combining subtly indelible melodies with lyrics of uncommon insight and vulnerability. The songs' eloquent evocations of longing, loss and regret are supported by Afie's sublimely expressive vocals and subtly inventive guitar work.

Source: Brushfire Records

“Put simply, Barchords is an enormously likeable set of songs, and it is his voice that anchors and steers them.

Lead single Caught Me Thinking is a breezy, brassy delight; Overjoyed a rousing, bluesy ballad; and listening to album opener Lost in the Light a little deeper, a little louder, reveals the almost magical sense of urgency that lights up his former collaborator’s catalogue.

Barchords sounds bright and sparkling, too; again, were it not for the promise of greater depth lying plainly amongst these songs it would be easy to dismiss them as bland, empty offerings. As it stands, Bahamas’ music fulfils that promise in a manner so assured and unaffected that it ranks as one of the most refreshingly direct and enjoyable albums of the year so far.” – BBC

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