With the arrival of the new year, the Ottawa music scene has opened its arms wide to local talent in the form of fresh faces and original sounds. Among Ottawa’s newest musical additions is the upcoming alternative band, The Kaladars.
The Kaladars’ lead singer and drummer, Jared Lance and Stu MacFarlane respectively, are reeling about the novelty of the current Ottawa music scene. Both had previously been members of a beloved Ottawa band that had taken an indefinite hiatus: The Abstracts. Though The Abstracts had to take some time off, having performed at many local venues with this band, Stu and Jared had gotten a taste for the stage, and they are still hungry to perform.
Stu and Jared began looking for a new project into which they could put their collective creative efforts; the product was The Kaladars, rising in the stead of one of Ottawa’s cherished musical groups but varying in sound and genre. While Stu and Jared had experienced being part of a performing ensemble, the remaining members of The Kaladars are brand-new to the scene: Oscar Ash on rhythm guitar, Matt Ben-Oliel on bass and Willem Guertin on lead guitar.
Stu, Oscar, Matt and Willem had known each other in high school; Likeminded individuals with a shared passion for music, this foursome often made music together as teenagers. When Jared and Stu started discussing a new local project, Stu thought of these three immediately. The collaboration was a success both in theory and practice
“There was a pre-existing musical chemistry that was very easy for us to meld into,” Stu said. “It was a collision of two different worlds, but there was an undeniable instant chemistry.”
“It was sort of like a spark moment,” Jared added with a laugh.
While challenging to self-describe, Stu revealed that their sound is a mixture of modernity and nostalgia.
“We are finding a contrast between soft and harsh- a sound that’s rough around the edges but smooth at the same time,” he said.
Juxtaposing these opposing binaries will be a challenge, but one they are eager to take on. The main goal is to find a balanced medium—creating something that makes sense from two opposing things.
“I think of it like a coated piece of barn board,” Stu described. “One smooth and polished thing made from something rough.”
The visual metaphor really drove their point home: they want to create something with depth.
“At the end of the day, we make music for people to listen to. We want our listeners to have something to grab hold of and resonate with,” said Jared.
He emphasized the importance of both flexibility and variety in their work to hold monotony at bay.
The Kaladars also had praises to sing about their local musical counterparts, calling the current state of the Ottawa music scene a ‘renaissance’ of artistic talent following the expressive desperation from the COVID-19 lockdowns.
“A lot of great music comes from hardship, and I’m seeing so much talent, hearing so many types of music I never heard before COVID,” Stu said.
Attributing the current flourishing scene to the isolation of the pandemic, Stu and Jared agree that Ottawa is undergoing an artistic revival.
“A rebirth, so to speak. The scene is so fruitful now: It’s collaborative and supportive where it used to be competitive,” Stu remarked.
As The Kaladars shared their excitement about the present, we also looked towards their future: They plan on recording some singles in the next few weeks: they already have eight original songs in the works, which are primed for performance.
“We’re excited to see what’s upcoming for everyone,” said Jared. “For Ottawa.”
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