The Arbitrarys are going to be touring their music this summer including a stop at 5th Avenue Cup & Saucer in Yorkton Monday, July 19.
Unlike many bands which create music based on what they have listened to, band member Naomi Kavka said the Arbitrarys really create their sound off each other.
"We are really influenced by one another," she said. "The two head song writers come from very different musical backgrounds, and there is a mutual sense of competitive one-up-man-ship that motivates us to try to constantly push ourselves and our music."
On the tour the band will be performing with a trimmed down sound.
The band's original members are Joshua Sandu and Naomi Kavka who are playing as a two piece on the tour, although Kavka noted, "we've performed as a four piece before with the help of Robyn Miller and Justin Arding "
The band formed from an interest in a particular musical instrument.
"We got together in 2006, after playing in a few other bands together," said Kavka. "We met at a Murder by Death concert and bonded over a mutual want to have a band with cello."
Asked about touring highlights, Kavka said it is special just to be out on the road performing.
"Some highlights have been being able to tour as much as we have," she said. "We've travelled to opposite corners of this country while sharing our music, and that is really fulfilling. We've also had opportunities to perform alongside incredible independent Canadian artists, as well as bigger name acts like Corb Lund."
The upcoming tour is in support of a new CD. In terms of writing, the main writers are Josh Sandu and Naomi Kavka.
"The arrangements were a collaborative effort with our band mates Justin Arding and Robyn Miller," said Kavka. "The album has been a long time getting put together, and it's been put off even longer to get together since Naomi and Josh live in separate cities due to school (Victoria BC and Prince George BC respectively).
Like many recordings these days, The Arbitrarys did most of the work themselves.
"All the songs have been recorded by us in our own home studio," said Kavka. "It's been really convenient because we can record on our own terms with no tight deadlines. The songs are arranged a bit more extravagantly than they are performed. There is a lot of strings arrangements and vocal harmonies that we just don't have enough people to perform at the moment."
Kavka said the resulting CD is something they are very satisfied with.
"We are really happy with the results so far, but still have some polishing to do before it is ready to hit the presses," she said. "In comparison to our earlier releases, it is a much more ambitious release, and listeners used to our first EP will be pleasantly surprised to hear how we have expanded.
"We will be looking into releasing a single, and the album will be sent to campus radio stations across Canada by the fall/winter of 2010."
