From the pulsating heart of Toronto’s vibrant music scene, indie-rock duo The Lookout Service is igniting a sonic revolution with their debut album, “The Gambit.” From the deliberate cadence of slow grooves to the explosive onslaught of in-your-face guitars, this album is a solid as it gets, offers a diverse sonic landscape that caters to a wide spectrum of musical preferences. Whether listeners seek introspective lyrics intricately woven into atmospheric melodies or the adrenaline rush of blistering guitar solos, The Lookout Service unabashedly pushes boundaries in all the right ways.
Let’s start this out with some background on the band! Tell us about how the band got started and is there a story behind how you chose your name?
The Lookout Service was formed in 2018, while I was attending the University of Toronto studying International Relations. Needless to say, I didn’t pursue my studies and started looking for people to play and write music with. After a couple of years and lineup configurations, the band was solidified as a two-piece and we began gigging all around the city wherever we could, and continue to do so today. We got the “Lookout” for our name from a pickup line that old blues and rock and roll musicians used to yell before they would bust out into a ripping solo or rhythm section, and we added “Service” because we wanted to serve that rock power that those musicians pioneered.
When you first started did you have a sense of which type of music you wanted to make, or did it take a while to land on a sound?
I knew right from the get-go that I wanted to play music that was live and authentic, so independent and alternative rock music seemed to align most with the way I expressed myself. I feel like rock music is constantly pushing the boundary in terms of new sound, and musical structure/dynamics. Being a self-taught musician, I felt like the rock genre was very welcoming to me and easy for me to resonate with. There were no barriers to entry, all you needed was to get a guitar, a loud amp, and learn a couple of simple chords. I’ve had a lot of influence from outside genres, and I listen to lots of different music, but when it comes to writing and expressing myself, I feel as though I am at home in rock n’ roll.
If someone has never heard the band before, how would you describe your sound to them?
I would describe her sound as alternative/indie rock. If you are a fan of bands like The White Stripes, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Green Day, Arctic Monkeys, Royal Blood, Kings of Leon, or The Strokes, you may like us too!
How would you describe your live show?
Our live shows are all about high energy, intensity, and cutting loose. We’d love to get the crowd involved in our music, whether that be hand clapping or feet stomping. I feel like the music that we play feeds off of the energy that we get from the crowd, and the more intensely we play the bigger the reaction from the crowd. Our band has only two band members, so if we can get the crowd singing along to our songs, it takes the music to the next level.
Your new album “The Gambit” was just released. What can you tell us about the writing and recording process behind the album?
We recorded the album last January in Toronto at Room 21 Studios, with Luc Chiasson. The album is a collection of songs that we had written over the last four years (a few were even older than that) that we decided to record and release as a debut record. The majority of the songs were written in rehearsal spaces and jam rooms in a very traditional and simple way. I would come in with a guitar part and some vocal melodies, and then Rob would lay down the drums creating the skeleton of the song. We would record it, listen to it a bunch for a week, and then come back to the next rehearsal, to add finishing touches. Super simple, easy, and fast!
What is your favourite track on the album and why?
My favourite track on the album is, “I Am The Dragon”. For me, I feel as though this song has some of the strongest lyrics on the album and musically some of our most powerful and driving melodies. The song for me is very empowering to play and always gets a great reaction from the crowd, so we’ve been closing our live set with it pretty much since I wrote it.
What was the inspiration behind your new single, “Moving Away”?
Moving Away is a song about accepting the reality of losing a loved one who is starting a new life in a very distant place. I wrote the song after a close friend of mine told me that she was leaving Toronto after college to live in BC. The song came together very quickly, and the lyrics were written about a day or two after she gave me the news. I wanted the song to have a happy-sad feeling musically because I wanted it to reflect that while I was losing a close friend, I was also happy that she was pursuing her dreams of heading out west. The song has an upbeat feel to it with a real driving beat, and hopefully a relatable message. It’s a song for everyone who gets left behind, to sing along to, and keep their head up high.
What is it about music that makes you feel passionate?
I wouldn’t say that music makes me feel passionate, at least not in a very direct way. For me, music has always been a way to channel my emotions out, rather than directly causing me to feel a certain way. Sometimes certain songs remind me of things or memories, but that’s usually just nostalgia I’d say.
Is there a moment or memory in your life as a musician that you always want to hold onto? Or a moment that has taught you a lot? Or a career highlight so far?
There have been a few. I think the first time we played to a sold-out crowd and they sang along to our songs. That was mind-blowing. Another career highlight was when Alan Cross selected our song, “I Am The Dragon” as his Undiscovered Gem of the Week on 102.1 The Edge. Growing up my father and I would listen to Alan’s Ongoing History of New Music show on the radio together. It’s a real bonding memory. It was a truly special moment to share with him.
What’s next for The Lookout Service?
We start touring right away! The tour starts March 1 at The Rivoli in Toronto (one of our favourite venues to play) Hopefully, you can catch one of the shows!
