Victoria-area "chamber pop" indie-rockers Sail Cassady

have grown their fan base thanks to their stellar brand of evocative "chamber pop." Now the group are making waves with Lemon Austin Cadence, a new EP out Oct. 22. It's material bound to captivate listeners.

Forming around 2015, Sail Cassady features vocalist and chief songwriter Colin Craveiro, drummer Michael Wilford, bassist Aaron Blair, keyboardist Nathan Bailey, guitarist Nick Mintenko, guitarist Jonathan Blokmanis and backing vocalist John Flatman.

Sail Cassady's innovative, thoughtful sound and style are reminiscent of The National but Iggy Pop, Lou Reed and David Bowie are also influences. And like those legends' work, concepts of mental health and sexuality (including those within LGBTQ2A communities) are running throughout Sail Cassady's discography.

"I had a lot of mental health issues and I've gotten a fair amount of diagnoses over my entire life," Craveiro says. "I've been using art and music to navigate staying alive basically. I'm also a queer artist. Those issues are really important to me. So I've always included that in any artistic dynamic."

The band (whose name was inspired by Beat writer Jack Kerouac's friend Neal Cassady) have performed at various British Columbia music festivals and routinely around the Victoria area. Sail Cassady also won Best Album for 2023's Juniper from South Carolina-based podcast Your Life: The Mix Tape.

Following Lemon Austin Cadence Sail Cassady tentatively plan to release new material in early 2025. Considering how powerful and highbrow previous Sail Cassady material has been, it's guaranteed their forthcoming music will be as equally bold, brilliant and beautiful.

By Jason MacNeil