Imaginary Cities' Clever Blend of Pop and Motown Charms the Pixies - Spinner

Trevor Marczylo

The horizon looks bright forImaginary Cities. Still riding high on thecritical praiseof their latest release, 'Temporary Resident,' the Winnipeg soul-pop duo have been handed one of their biggest gigs yet, touring in support of the reunitedPixies. Yet, despite all the attention and the plum gig, the pair are finding it easy to keep things in check.

"Nobody takes themselves seriously,"producer and multi-instrumentalist Rusty Matyas tells Spinner."We're just having fun when we're allowed to come to Toronto, and when we're allowed to play with the Pixies. {We} take it as it comes because I know it's not going to be there forever. There's not really an ego in the band."

"And you'll be shot down if you show any signs of it,"vocalist Marti Sarbit adds."But at the same time, everyone's very invested in this, everyone cares about it. And we've definitely been getting a really beautiful response."

Given Sarbit's stint in a Motown cover band and Matyas's work with hometown friends like theWeakerthansand the Waking Eyes, such a reception shouldn't be surprising. The pair have much to offer with their eclectic musical backgrounds.

"The combination of pop songs with Motown-y vocals,"says Matyas,"I think it's pretty unique sounding."

"There's something to be said for a well-written song and somebody who knows how to play their instruments,"he continues.

It's safe to assume, then, with such appreciation for well-practiced musicians, the duo are enthusiastic about their string of dates starting April 9 with veterans likeFrank BlackandKim Deal. And with plans to stay on the road until, as they put it, to tire enough of their own tunes to warrant another Imaginary Cities album, Matyas and Sorbit seem to have hit their stride.

Watch Imaginary Cities' Video for 'Where'd All the Living Go'
"When we were recording it, we weren't recording it for any other reason than because we liked getting together and making a song,"Matyas says of 'Temporary Resident.'"We weren't a band, we weren't planning on making an album; we were just getting together every week in our rehearsal space for the fun of it."

"That first moment, when we did 'Say You' -- that was an incredible feeling,"says Sorbit."We realized something; we were in the studio for a long time, and for me, that was really the first time I had one of my songs fully recorded and worked on.

"He actually cared about it, you know what I mean?"she says of her bandmate."He was putting an effort into it, and that was a big moment."

But pivotal as that first moment may seem, we're willing to bet that being selected by the Pixies to join them on tour might be just as noteworthy.

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