__Ohbijou – November 29, 2011
Dublin Street Church December 10, 2011 with Julie Doiron Interview by: Allyson Cooper

Ohbijou’s return to Guelph on December 10th comes at the end of a fall Canadian tour to support the release of their third album, Metal Meets.  A rich, fleshed out mix of ethereal vocal harmonies and layered instrumentals, Metal Meets is an album you can easily listen to, and enjoy, from beginning to end.  Ohbijou’s lead vocalist, Casey Mecija, took a few minutes to answer some questions for RoyalCityScene.com.

Royal City Scene: I’ve read that much of this album is either rooted in, or inspired by your adventures, and your experiences outside of the cityscape. How has that contributed to this album being different than your previous two?

Casey Mecija: Ohbijou retreated to a cottage in the Bruce Peninsula to write and arrange much of our new record, Metal Meets. The opportunity to leave the distractions of the city behind afforded our band the time and the space to prioritize each song and really parse through our arrangements, lyrics and melodies etc. Being in the woods helped us focus on creating the best album possible and I think because of those adventures outside of the city we have a much more cohesive album then our previous efforts. 

RCS: This album feels like it’s full of guts. What I mean by that is it feels like it is all substance and layers, and no filler. Instrumentally, what have you done differently when recording Metal Meets?

CM: Instrumentally we experimented with the application of different effects like delays and reverbs. We wanted to create a unique environment for each song. We wanted to find different ways to communicate musically for this record. The chance to try and elicit emotions through something like a roaring delay was an exciting and new experience for us.

RCS: Ohbijou has been described many times as a familial. What part does family play in the creative process, or even playing live and touring?

CM: As a band, I think we've realized that in order for writing, touring, performing to be successful we have to work as a team. We definitely have our frustrating moments but in the end we've known each other and have played music with each other for a long time now and those relationships we don't take for granted.

RCS: The album artwork for all three albums are beautiful, who designed the album artwork for Metal Meets?

CM: The album artwork for Metal Meets was collaborated on by two artists from Toronto named Hanna Hur and Laurie Kang. My sister and I have been big fans of their work and we think they did an incredible job at creating a powerful image to represent our album.
Check their work out at:
www.hannahur.com and www.lauriekang.com

RCS: When you released Beacons in 2009 you threw a huge, highly revered bash at the Opera House in Toronto. Were there similar festivities held with the release of Metal Meets?

CM: Our record release for Metal Meets was definitely memorable. We performed at a beautiful church in Toronto called Trinity St. Paul's. We had custom made projections for each song designed by filmmaker Jesse Ewles. It was our chance to show our friends and family what we had been working so hard on and remains one of my favorite shows we've ever played.

RCS: Tell me about your experience sharing Metal Meets with Canadian audiences on your fall tour. How was playing Pop Montreal?

CM: Pop Montreal was one of our first shows after a long break of not playing live. We were sharing the bills with many of our good friends like Evening Hymns, Forest City Lovers and Snowblink. I think we were collectively a little nervous leading up to the performance but in the end it was so incredibly fun. Everything about that night felt good! As for touring, Canada has been so supportive. It was so nice to see people come out to our shows and know the words to songs. 

RCS: You’ve toured internationally, throughout Europe, Asia, and the States- what was touring outside of Canada like? Is there an attribute that defines a Canadian audience, as opposed to a European, Asian, or even American audience?

CM: I think international audiences appreciate music in the same way that Canadians do. We are lesser known abroad so with every show we didn't know what to expect or who would come out. 

RCS: In 2008, you did a split EP with The Acorn. Are there any more collaborations in your future?

CM: No collaborations in the near future. Would love us to do something with Shad one of these days.

RCS: You’ve played Guelph in the past, specifically at Hillside Festival, what has been your experience playing in Guelph?

CM: We love Guelph. The Hillside festival is by far one of our favorite festivals to play. Such warm audiences filled with people who love and appreciate music. We have a long history with Guelph as two of our members went to U of G. Some of our first shows were in the royal city and we have always appreciated how there is a strong community of people who consistently work to organize and support the music scene.

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