BC Trees

Websites:  http://thebctrees.ca/BC_Trees.html
Origin: Vancouver, British Columbia
Biography:

Have you ever caught a glimpse of a rapping gardener?

Matt “Glympse” has a flow like a cold refreshing stream of consciousness. Conscious of his relationship with the world around him,

“This is what I am, this is what I stand for.”

Matt’s genuine, honest and unique view is both beautiful and compelling. His lyrics can be angry and passionate, like in the track Revolution with the lyric “Put a knife in the back of your people, then invented the axis of evil” juxtaposed with songs about connections with nature as in the track BC Trees where he “Writes his art on the bark of a paper birch.”

The music is all about the groove. Eddie’s bass holds it down like roots in the ground. You can feel the ghost of Curtis Mayfield influencing the music. Eddie (who is Matt’s brother) points to the Area: One concert in 2001 where he saw Outkast and the Roots perform as a defining moment.

“That’s when I knew I wanted a live band.”

Matt remembers him saying at the time, “That’s what we have to do.”

Up until then Eddie was producing tracks in his home studio with samples and a MPC drum machine. Guitarist Ted Campbell came on board and was instrumental in helping develop the “cold beats.” Kismet was at work when Czec drummer Marek and the BC Trees simultaneously put adds up on Craigslist looking for each other. A perfect fit, Marek’s favourite drummer is ?uest Love, the Roots’ drummer. Here on a one-year visa, Marek “Da Anchor” was able to add his flavour to the BC Trees’ debut album Imperfect Paradise. Matt Van Slyke fills out the percussion adding a different, more aggressive style for Revolution, Get Inside and Walking Through the Door. Classically trained vocalist Mahdu Bagga fell in love with the lyrical content of the songs and the love became requited when she came in to sing on Shadow Love and the band heard her voice. Her haunting harmonies fill out the tracks and help complete the sound of The BC Trees.

The BC Trees have been performing for 10 years and have built a loyal following. Fans are spread out all over North America and Europe. They’re regulars at the Anza Club in Vancouver, a hotbed of local talent. They’ve thrown down at the Modern, The Railway Club, The Plaza and the legendary Richards on Richards (R.I.P.) Their brand new debut CD, Imperfect Paradise has finally been completed . Recorded by Chad Hilliard and Mixed by Michael Foster at Blackfish Sound (Mathieu Lavigne, The Enemy Feathers) The full length album is selling on iTunes and can be found in Vancouver record stores Zulu, Red Cat and Scratch records.

The BC Trees are not a typical hip-hop band. Their socially conscious lyrics transcend the genre and the musical range makes them appeal to an intelligent audience.