Sweet Alibi wants your help in releasing their third album and they’re offering plenty of incentive.
The Winnipeg-based group, who will play at the McMillan Arts Centre on May 9, is currently hosting a pledge campaign to raise money for the project.
Amber Quesnel, who sings and plays both the acoustic guitar and ukelele for Sweet Alibi, said they are hoping the campaign will build up momentum for the upcoming release.
Run through Pledge Music, the campaign asks for pledges ranging in price from $10 to $2,500. Each amount is connected to a Sweet Alibi package. For example, someone who pledges $10 will get a digital download of the new album, as well as access to band photos, videos and more. Someone who pledges $75, on the other hand, will get to star in a music video with the group. Other packages include banjo lessons with Sweet Alibi’s Michelle Anderson, band t-shirts and hats, CDs, having the band cover your favourite song or the opportunity to hang out with Sweet Alibi for an afternoon.
While these pledges will help the group to release their third album, they are already hard at work cutting the record itself. Titled Walking in the Dark, Quesnel said the album has a darker theme than their previous two releases but retains their signature sound.
Described by Tom Power on CBC Radio 2 as the love child between Mumford and Sons and the Supremes, Sweet Alibi draws on its members’ backgrounds in soul, blues, country, folk, jazz and classical music to create something that doesn’t really fit into a current musical genre. Quesnel said the seemingly discordant influences are threaded together by the musicians similar tastes in music and complimentary styles of writing, which they often do together when on the road.
“We’re all together,” said Quesnel.
It’s a method and a style that has earned them some strong attention since getting together in 2009. According to a press release from the MAC, the members of Sweet Alibi were nominated as best vocalists at the 2012 Canadian Folk Music Awards for their first, self-titled album. In 2014, they were also nominated for group recording of the year at the 2014 Western Canadian Music Awards and performed at the Junos press conference.
Locals can hear the group’s signature sound for themselves when the tour-loving group rolls into town next week.
“We all want to be on the road. We love touring,” said Quesnel.
For the show, the band’s leading trio of Quesnel, Anderson and Jessica Rae Ayre will be joined by Alasdair Dunlop and Jake Bell to play a selection of new and old music.
“It’s a really eclectic set,” said Quesnel. “You can kinda see the growth.”
Sweet Alibi will perform at the MAC on Saturday, May 9. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. and the performance will start at 7 p.m.
Tickets are $12 for OCAC members and $15 for general admission. They can be purchased from the MAC either in-person or by phone at 250-248-8185.
You can find out more about Sweet Alibi’s pledge campaign at pledgemusic.com/projects/sweetalibi.
