Ice Cream Man Presents!

Friday's Flavor: Miracle Fortress

I've been waiting for a new Miracle Fortress album for quite some time. It's been about four years since I picked up their previous album, Five Roses, at Sonic Boom Records in Seattle, and I've listened to it more than almost any other since then. Really ... ask my girlfriend. I still talk about that album all the time. We even tried to see them in NYC a few years back at CMJ, but they got stopped at the border for visa issues (they're from Montreal) and never made it to the Bowery Ballroom. So sad.

Graham Van Pelt's the main dude behind Miracle Fortress, and he's also involved with Think About Life, which is a bit more dancey and upbeat. Miracle Fortress still have a groove going, but it's much more hazy and swirly, kind of like a bowl of Lucky Charms that's been sitting around for half an hour. As much as I love them, that's the best job I can do at explaining their music. I have no idea what their live setup will be like, but I'm excited to see them.

It's fun recommending a band you've never seen live. Just think, we could both be at the same show, experiencing Miracle Fortress live for the first time and enjoying it for the same reason.

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Experience Miracle Fortress on Friday:

Planet Quebec + Montreal International Jazz Festival Showcase, the Spill, 10pm

SXSW Sound & Scene: The National Parks Project, Alamo Ritz, noon