Monotreme Records: Picastro

Picastro (from Toronto, Canada) have received much praise for their broodingly beautiful, melancholic soundscapes, in which cello alternates in the lead with frontwoman Liz Hysen's submerged, murmured vocals. Picastro’s string-laden dynamics share a kinship with the music of fellow Canadians Godspeed You! Black Emperor, as well as The Dirty Three and Rachels. The band has played shows with Godspeed, Mick Turner (of The Dirty Three), Smog, Elliot Smith, Cat Power, Herman Düne, Cerberus Shoal and Thee More Shallows.

You may already be familiar with their music from the use of a track from the album in the hit Kiefer Sutherland TV drama ‘24’. Liz Hysen also appears on Cerberus Shoal's new album ‘Bastion of Itchy Preeves’ and Dwayne Sodahberk's new album ‘Unfortunately’ (tigerbeat6).

Other band members have included Owen Pallett (The Hidden Cameras), Evan Clarke (Burn Rome In A Dream), Zak Hanna (Bush League, ex-Pecola) and Rachel McBride.

Picastro have a sizeable fan base in the USA and they spend as much time as possible touring there, often with their friends Cerberus Shoal and Herman Düne.

In Liz’s spare time she likes to make films on super 8 or digital video, Zak is a handy craftsman who fixes guitars and other domestic goods, Owen makes kites and Evan spends time at school studying philosophy of physics. Rachel the scientist is very busy and if she is not at a suspension convention she is at school.

'Metal Cares' is the second album from the Toronto band Picastro. Their debut album 'Red Your Blues' was awarded 'album of the week' in the Sunday Times and was also well received in various other publications including Q, The Wire, The Morning Star, Time Out New York and AMG for its mesmeric avant rock soundscapes featuring cello, guitar and the submerged, melancholic vocals of front woman Liz Hysen. The band have played shows with Godspeed, Mick Turner (of The Dirty Three), Smog, Elliot Smith, Cat Power, Angels of Light, Herman Düne, Cerberus Shoal and Thee More Shallows.

The North American release of 'Metal Cares' is on the Polyvinyl label (Mates of State, Of Montreal, Rainer Maria)

A previously unreleased Picastro track called 'Tow Truck" is on the Wire Tapper CD that comes free with the June 2005 issue of The Wire.