The Constantines

If punk is the symbolic music of youth, then the Constantines are hardly punk. The seasoned band has been together for a decade now and shows no signs of weakening anytime soon. The now Toronto-based quintet is comprised of Steve Lambke and Bryan Webb on guitars and vocals, Dallas Wehrle on bass guitar, Will Kidman on keyboard, and Doug MacGregor on drums.

In 2001, the Constantines released their self-titled debut on Three Gut Records, which was nominated for a Juno Award for Best Alternative Album. The band followed their acclaimed debut with two more stellar albums, Shine a Light (2003) and Tournament of Hearts (2005), on Three Gut Records before the label folded. Signing onto the Arts & Crafts label shortly after, the Constantines released Kensington Heights in April 2008.

Drawing comparisons to the Clash and Fugazi, the Constantines are a unique blend of alt rock and “art punk.” There songs are guitar heavy, with dueling, clashing guitars, and rhythmically jagged. Singles like “Hard Feelings” and “Shower of Stones” off of their latest album showcase their complex blend of lyricism and thrashing punk rock. But don’t think that these boys are all about loud sound. Their 2008 cover of Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers’ duet “Island in the Stream” with Canadian indie goddess Feist is subdued and hauntingly magical.

Catch the Constantines as they embark on a nationwide tour starting March 19 in Newfoundland and ending in Whitehorse, Yukon, at the beginning of May. For a complete list of tour dates, check out the band’s website at http://www.arts-crafts.ca/constantines/.