Carry Nation Band
About Clearwater River Dene Nation
The Clearwater River Dene Nation is a Dene First Nations band government in the boreal forest area of northern Saskatchewan, Canada. It maintains offices in the village of Clearwater River situated on the eastern shore of Lac La Loche. The Clearwater River Dene Nation reserve of Clearwater River shares its southern border with the village of La Loche.
Whitefish Lake, now called Garson Lake, was already an old established Dene village of 50 people in 1880. On August 4, 1899 the residents were gathered in Fort McMurray and selected Adam Boucher as headman to represent them in the signing of Treaty 8. The descendants of this group from Garson Lake became known as the Portage La Loche Band. At the La Loche Mission in 1907 these families asked that treaty payments be made to them at La Loche or Buffalo River so they wouldn’t have to travel all the way to Fort McMurray. On July 17, 1911 they received their treaty payments at Portage La Loche (West La Loche). In 1920 the Portage La Loche Band ( now known as the Clearwater River Dene Nation) had 66 members.
In 1970 three parcels of land were transferred to the Portage La Loche Band (IR 221, IR 222, IR 223). For a time the “La Loche Landing” (IR 223) was being developed as a village and in 1974 it had 70 residents, however most of the band members chose to live in the village of La Loche. The band had about 280 members living in La Loche and the La Loche Landing in 1975.
In 1979 the parcel at Palmbere Lake/Linval Lake (IR 222) area was traded for land bordering La Loche to the north. This area also referred to as IR 222 is now home to the village of Clearwater River. The third parcel (IR 221) is on the south west shore of Lac La Loche. It had a few houses in the 1970s. In 1820 the trading posts of the Hudson’s Bay Company and the North West Company were located on the lake in that area.
Carry Nation Band
The village of Clearwater River has grown rapidly since 1979 when it was first officially created. The population increased from 301 in 1986 to 778 in 2011. Some of this increase was from members living in La Loche who relocated to Clearwater River as housing became available.
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In 1920 the Portage La Loche Band ( now known as the Clearwater River Dene Nation) had 66 members. In 1970 three parcels of land were transferred to the Portage La Loche Band (IR 221, IR 222, IR 223). The music discographies on this site are works in progress. If you notice that a particular Carry Nation CD release or compilation is missing from the list above, please submit that CD using the CD submission page.The ultimate goal is to make the discographies here at Heavy Harmonies as complete as possible.
Carrie Nation Band
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Bio
by Franke Black/ Plante Hard
When I first became aware of Carry Nation I was assigned to do a story and interview for their new album Control, in the late 90s for the French magazine Plante Hard. After talking with their singer Chris Humphreys for a while, I got into their back story as well as doing promo for their new album. It was at this time that I became interested in the history of the band. I never got the opportunity to write about the band as much as I wanted to. So, when they approached me recently to do a little history on the band as well as review their brand spanking new record, I jumped at the chance.
Carry Nation is a story of attrition, blind faith, stubbornness and brilliance in one extremely self contained army. The band started out recording in basement studios like I suppose we all do. But the difference with these guys is that instead of working on a three song demo the first time out, they would take thirty songs in and record a full length album. Like all bands at this level, money was non existent. So, they begged, borrowed and bartered their way into these sessions. In one instance, after almost completing their second full length recording, the owner of one studio arrived at his studio fresh from his release from jail only to find Carry Nation in the middle of final mixes at 6am. Thats called sneaking in the back door.
As a result of these misadventures, the first two albums they recorded were lost, gone, and confiscated. Of course Carry Nation would not be deterred; they just wrote new songs and started over. The first full length recording I ever heard was the album Atomic Love, which Im sure is out of print. Nice start. The band picked up steam and material, recording Driven, which sold extremely well in Europe and the States containing staples like Wishing Well, Pavlovs Dog, Other Side etc.
At this point, the indie label Brunette came calling and signed the band. The subsequent recording Control was released with the songs Sieve, Railroad Song, and Welcome To The Family, among others.
Thats when I became intrigued with the band, their sound, and why they sound like they do. At the time of the release of Control, I asked the band why they didnt sound like other bands being released at the time. Big mistake. Carry Nation invented the zig when everyone else was zagging. Pop hair metal is hot; they write 5 minute songs of amazing complexity. Grunge is in; they come up with county tinged straight rock. Boy bands are descending on us like locusts from the apocalypse; they sledge hammer us. Detuned fake angst is in fashion; they say that been done before, by us. Thats where the attrition, blind faith, stubbornness, stupidity and brilliance come from.
Two years ago they recorded the Stand album. I recently received this package and was amazed how Carry Nation had evolved once again. This record is was loaded with stripped down, three minute songs like Girl in the song, 2 days ago, Mr. Saturday night.
This brings us to the point of this new CD, Lucky 13. This album is under my skin. Listen to it long enough and it almost becomes a sound track to daily emotion. Carry Nations strength has always been to put logical, meaningful story teller type of lyrics to big rock riffs. If they have had a weakness its that we never found out enough about the story teller himself. But here we are finally catching a glimpse of insight. Lucky 13 runs the gamut, from the declaration Aint Your Dog to the revealing Stuck In My Tree. Throw in the song Your Band Sucks right after Garden Of Stone and its like a solar eclipse of musicality. If you ever dug what this band has done in the past you will love this land mark record. Sonically this record is as big as I want intelligent music to get. Enjoy!
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