Olenka and the Autumn Lovers

Style and history

Fronted by Polish-born singer-songwriter Olenka Krakus, the band's sound is mix of orchestral folk pop with elements reminiscent of classic country and folk music, and Eastern European folk. Named after Krakus' favourite season, the Autumn Lovers have included a long list of musicians based in the London Ontario and Vancouver BC scenes. The band's use of diverse instruments (including cello, violin, accordion, trumpet, saxophone, clarinet, lap steel, pedal steel, and mandolin) provide a unique musical backdrop to Krakus' songwriting.

O&AL was formed in early 2008. To date, Olenka and the Autumn Lovers have released two full-length albums (And Now We Sing in 2010 and a self-titled album in 2008), one seven-inch record (It's Alright in 2013), as well as three EPs: the latest, Hard Times (2012), the sombre Warsaw Girl (2008), and the country-influenced Papillonette (2008). The band's 2008 full-length album was awarded Local Album of the Year by the University of Western Ontario's campus radio station CHRW-FM. The band has received extensive college radio play across Canada, and were featured nationwide on CBC Radio programs Radio 2 Drive, Q (including a live, in-studio performance), The Vinyl Cafe and numerous provincial programs.

Olenka and the Autumn Lovers have toured both East and West in Canada as a full band, with Krakus occasionally participating in a few solo tours. In addition to touring, the band has also been featured in numerous festivals including NXNE (North by Northeast), Pop Montreal, Halifax Pop Explosion, CMW (Canadian Music Week), Rifflandia, Stereophonic, In The Dead Of Winter, Home County Folk Festival, and LOLA (The London Ontario Live Arts Festival).

In the summer of 2010 O&AL recorded their second album, And Now We Sing, which was released in October 2010. The album was recorded by Andy Magoffin at The House of Miracles, with additional recordings by Simon Larochette at The London Music Club. It was mixed by Andy Magoffin and Simon Larochette, and mastered by Joao Carvalho at JCM.

The band recorded its latest batch of songs in the summer of 2012 with Simon Larochette at his studio The Sugar Shack (former home of Andy Magoffin's House of Miracles). The songs were mixed and mastered by Dan Weston. Seven songs from the summer recording sessions were released on the Hard Times EP, with the other three released digitally in October 2012 and released on vinyl on the It's Alright 7inch in May 2013.

Band members

Albums

Contributions