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Modern rockers Crash Parallel exploded onto the Canadian music scene in dramatic fashion in 2008. The melodic and passionate sound of their debut album, World We Know, quickly found a home on Canadian radio, with the title track single holding the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Emerging Canadian Artist Chart for four weeks, and making the Top 10 on Hot AC and Top 20 of the CHR charts. Subsequent track “Rain Delays” also charted, and at the 2009 Canadian Radio Music Awards (CRMA), Crash Parallel took home the coveted Best New Group of the Year trophy, confirming their status as a new band with serious potential.

Rather than rest on their laurels, the Toronto area quintet got straight to work on their second album. Set for release on Sony Music Canada on October 13, Sunset In Reverse represents promise fully realized. This hugely accomplished work ups the creative ante, marrying musical sophistication and emotional eloquence. The deeply soul-searching lyrics and powerful vocals of singer/guitarist Tim Edwards are complemented by rich melodies, inventive arrangements and pristine production.

Joining the original lineup of Tim Edwards, guitarist Danny Saitua, drummer Johnny Vitellaro and bassist Gary Rugala on Sunset In Reverse is new keyboardist Rob Bezanson. An experienced musician and songwriter, he collaborated with Edwards and Saitua on writing the 11 tunes that grace the album and his involvement really fired up the creative process. “It’s so much better with a third writer now. It’s like a triangle and we can all be really honest with each other,” notes Danny. “There was a general fluidity coming into this writing situation,” adds Rob. “We all had open ears for each other.”

An intensive songwriting session at a cottage spawned most of the new songs and the next step was to find a producer for Sunset In Reverse. That quest took Crash Parallel to California, a state renowned for the quality of its own sunsets. A number of top producers checked out the band’s L.A. showcase and the instantly enthusiastic response of Matt Wallace impressed the group. “He stayed for two hours, just talking to us about the music we liked,” says Tim. “We became friends the first day in the studio, swearing and laughing at each other. It was just a really good vibe.”

Wallace has achieved major critical success for his ground-breaking work with hard rock band Faith No More, while work with the likes of Maroon 5 and Train aided those bands to multi-platinum success. His contributions to Sunset In Reverse ensured premium sonic fidelity while avoiding slickness. The producer has worked with many Canadian acts, including Kyle Riabko and Chantal Kreviazuk. “Matt told us he believes that Canada, per capita, is the most successful country in the world in producing top musicians,” says Dan. Such a belief has certainly been bolstered by his creative relationship with Crash Parallel.

The relaxed surroundings of Wallace’s Sound Deluxe studio helped Crash Parallel produce their best possible performance. “It has a very home-y feel, with couches all around. It’s just a very comfortable environment, so you don’t feel like you’re on the clock,” says Tim. An equally cool space, Dave Grohl’s Studio 606 was used to track the drums.

Wallace’s creative involvement also proved invaluable, as Tim explains. “We came in with complete songs, but there were definite structural changes in which he had plenty of input. We sat down with acoustic guitars and he’d say ‘this bridge has to go’ or ‘this is too long.’ We’d battle and eventually come up with what we all thought was best. It was basically about trying a bunch of different things.”

The lead single from Sunset In Reverse, “Changing The Weather,” was mixed by renowned mix engineer Rich Travali (Jay-Z, Mary J. Blige, Christina Aguilera). It earned a positive response at Canadian radio and the album is full of other radio-friendly gems. The piano and voice driven “All Around” is a powerful ballad with the uplifting message that “love actually is all around,” while the sensual lyrics of “Sunset In Reverse” are framed with sizzling guitar riffs.

In his lyrics, Tim Edwards opens up and dissects his heart with the surgical skill of a veteran physician. He cites the likes of David Gray, Eddie Vedder and Shannon Hoon (Blind Melon) as favourite lyricists, and the emotional honesty he shares with those songwriters resonates with Crash Parallel’s audience, establishing a very real bond between artist and fan. “I’ve always been that way,” says Tim of his openness. “Songwriting has always been the method of expressing that. There is something about yelling it out that makes it more powerful.” This is very evident on the track “Wake Up” described as a song about looking at yourself from a perspective where no one else can affect your decisions. Tim continues, “it’s about pulling yourself out of the pressure of trying to please everyone and living your life so that you are happy.”

The addition of Bezanson and serious touring under their belt has turned Crash Parallel into a killer band live, one capable of reproducing the sophisticated and dynamic sound of their two albums in smooth and energetic fashion. The band played over 160 dates in support of World We Know, with highlights that included a cross-country tour with David Usher, opening for Plain White T’s in front of 7,000 people as part of Quebec City’s 400^th anniversary celebrations and inclusion in the star-studded lineup of the ‘Me To We’ event in Toronto. That concert demonstrated Crash Parallel’s genuinely strong social conscience. The band has worked effectively to increase awareness of environmental issues and, in conjunction with their “Casualties of War” single, they teamed up with the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) to spread information on the serious subject of mental illness.

This touring solidified Crash Parallel’s passion for performance, as Tim Edwards explains. “Coming out onto a huge stage, you own it. You run around and get the crowd going. To get that reaction based on your songs and to get that energy from thousands of people, that’s what you live for as a performer. Playing live has become one of my favorite things to do in the world!”

Now, with the release of the consistently compelling Sunset In Reverse, Crash Parallel have announced themselves as genuine contenders. “We made a progressive, not a regressive, record,” Tim Edwards justifiably claims. It is one well worthy of your attention.

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