BLURB

Olenka's brand of folk music mixes classical and jazz arrangements with complex finger-picking patterns, irregular time signatures, and pop melodies.  The band's diverse instruments provide a distinctive backdrop to Olenka's provocative lyrics.

BIO

Olenka Krakus has been a solo musician and band leader with her group Olenka and the Autumn Lovers since 2008.  The band has released six albums and three singles and toured widely throughout Canada, participating in many of the country’s most established festivals, including Pop Montreal, North by Northeast (NXNE), Rifflandia, Home County, Peterborough Folk Fest and Halifax Pop.  The band has also been featured on CBC radio, including the broadcaster's flagship arts-and-culture program, Q.

While in London Ontario, where she first formed her band, she was active in the local music and arts scene, helping to organize shows and festival events.  In Metro Vancouver BC, where is currently living, Olenka is slowly returning to releasing music and performing.

Aside from her music, Olenka spent many years as a graduate student of English literature and more recently Library and Information studies. Her experience as a refugee, her education, and her early involvement in the Lower Mainland's punk scene, have influenced her approach to music and art.

The band's latest work has been compared to that of Bjork, St. Vincent, and Grizzly Bear, while Olenka's solo work has garnered comparisons to Gillian Welch, Cat Power, and Leonard Cohen.

CURRENT LINEUP:

Olenka Krakus - classical guitar, vocals
Jeffrey Moon - drums, guitars, mandolin, clarinet
Daniel Toews - bass
 

band history

“Quand on est dans la merde jusqu’au cou, il ne reste plus qu’a chanter.” – S. Beckett

“Art consists in going the full length.  If you start with drums, you have to end with dynamite.” – H. Miller

These are two of the quotations that have graced the liner notes of Olenka and the Autumn Lovers’ albums.  “Those are two of my favorite quotations; they remind me why I’m doing this.” The “this” she refers to is music, something that has been an important part of her life since she was a young girl but has since become her full time career.  Why does she need these reminders?  She laughs and explains that it’s easy to get lost in the daily grind of the music industry.  “I need messages like these to keep me motivated and focused.  I like that the statements emphasize the drive you need to keep making music nowadays... particularly in an industry that is finding increasingly nuanced ways to take advantage of artists.  I also like how the authors hint at how art is a profound and essential part of human experience – and is bigger than the individual producing it.”

In 2008, Olenka withdrew from her PhD in English and turned her attention to music.  She formed a band, recorded three albums, and started a manic touring schedule.  Over the course of the next three years, the band made appearances at many of Canada’s most well-known festivals, recorded and released their sophomore full-length, And Now We Sing (2010), to critical acclaim, and established themselves as a unique presence in the Canadian scene.  Their successes were helped in no small measure by the band’s diverse arrangements and Olenka’s rich contralto, which everyone from Rich Terfry to Jann Arden has praised for its quality.  Those achievements were followed by another bout of tours and festival showcases, culminating in two more releases in 2012: Hard Times (a seven-song EP) and It’s Alright (a three-song seven-inch vinyl record). Throughout the band’s run, Olenka has experienced a number of changes in band-personnel.  “I’ve been very fortunate to collaborate with some of the best musicians in London and Vancouver’s music scenes,” Olenka explains. “Everybody who’s played with me has helped to shape the sound of my songs in profound ways.”  The talent and creativity of this group is confirmed by the musical projects that current and former Autumn Lovers are pursuing throughout Canada.

O&AL’s earliest releases were born of unrestrained enthusiasm and haphazard circumstances, in which friends’ basements, living rooms, and closets were employed as studio spaces.  With And Now We Sing the band aimed for a more refined mood and setting.  Recorded predominantly at Andy Magoffin’s London-based House of Miracles, the sophomore album revealed a band moving boldly through a variety of styles and arrangements, toward a growing maturity.  Hard Times and It’s Alright were recorded by Simon Larochette in the same space, which Larochette had taken over from Magoffin and transformed into The Sugar Shack.  In these newest recordings, the band settled into a further refined orchestral-folk sound.

Lyrically and thematically, Hard Times addresses today’s socio-economic reality through the stories of hard-done-by characters.  In exploring this theme, Olenka found herself turning to country music as a source of inspiration for a few tracks, namely “Don’t Make Sense” and the title track.  “I’ve been a fan of country music for a long time and spent a good many years listening to albums by artists like Patsy Cline, Gram Parsons, Hank Williams, or Loretta Lynne” she explains.  Olenka was interested in exploring the Depression Era and establishing parallels between today’s unstable global economy and that of the 1930s.  As Olenka explains, country music lent a personal voice to a more politically driven commentary: “I wanted to write songs with strong individual characters struggling with their personal hardships; this sort of storytelling is a hallmark of country music and something that I’ve always greatly appreciated about the genre.  But I wanted to marry this personal approach with a political message – the suffering of the characters is set in motion by the social upheaval around them.”  The desire to write politically charged music is driven by Olenka’s roots in Vancouver’s punk and hardcore scenes.  “I haven’t let go of that punk ethos that tells you to sing or scream about the injustices around us.  I feel compelled to direct the public’s attention to the wrongs inflicted upon the marginalized in our society by those in positions of authority and privilege.”  However, that punk ethos isn’t exclusively consigned to the country songs on Hard Times; it also finds expression in the remaining mixture of folk and pop offerings that round off the collection of songs.

Political themes aside, the orchestral sensibility of the band has remained a strong feature in the band's new releases.  Both Hard Times and It’s Alright offer songs with orchestral instrumentation that have become the band’s trademark.  “In And Now We Sing, I began to understand how to write for a large band, but I was still a novice in many ways.  With these newest releases, the instrumentation has become noticeably more refined and confident.”  Discussing the instrumentation of the song “It’s Alright”, Olenka explains, “I was thinking a lot about George Martin’s strings and Phil Spector’s 1960s pop arrangements.  I was drawn to how the strings provide additional and sometimes competing melody lines alongside the vocal lines.”  This carefully crafted approach to orchestration has yielded a number of instrumental hooks on songs like “It’s Alright”, “Winterlude”, “Misaligned” and “Only Arms”.  These newest releases are a testament to the band’s continued evolution and sophistication both in songwriting and instrumentation.  “I’m very proud of what we’ve achieved on Hard Times and It’s Alright.  A lot of hard work and creativity went into the making of these songs, and I’m glad to have released them into the world.”

press

album reviews: it's alright

"Three songs, eight minutes. Given those statistics, it's remarkable that Olenka does more than most artists do with a full twelve song, sixty minute run time." Herohill

"It's Altright [has a] sophisticated twang: eschewing country's "woe-is-me-love-done-me-wrong" sentimentality for deeper, socially charged lyrics influenced by Olenka Krakus' memories of her upbringing. [...] [The eponymously titled track] adds a bluesy swing and swagger to the mix, casting Krakus as a jazzy crooner in a late-night smoky bar [...]. It's a sexier side to the Autumn Lovers' sound, and one that suits them well." Quick Before It Melts

album reviews: hard times

"Hard Times [...] displays a wronged yet rapturous beauty that holds bare and emotional truths. It's a well-hewn and carefully pieced-together recording of embellished strings and swooning harmonies that fits in perfectly with Krakus' strong and intimate body of work." Discorder

"On the surface it may be difficult to find a relationship between the graceful melodies of country music and the fiery social commentary of early-era punk rock. But it's those elements fused with a skillful understanding of folk music that help [Olenka and the Autumn Lovers] deliver another unique offering..." The Londoner

"Olenka’s voice is paired with lyrics which may seem delicate and beautiful but underlying them is a darker narrative [...] the songs seem to be made to be listened to with a cup of tea by a living room fire or with a glass of whiskey in a musty bar." Singing Lamb

"It is a testament to the depth of these tales that somehow the experience of listening to Hard Times is uplifting." Toronto Rhapcity

live show reviews

"Hearing Krakus sing in that somber, nocturnal way she often does, is like espying a pink baby bird one minute and then a matured and mighty chanticleer the next.  There’s something both imposing and affecting in the design and delivery of Olenka and the Autumn Lovers, something that pulses in Krakus’ brain, heating her blood while adding a trembling and desolate quality to her voice that’s also an emotional amenity."
Aug 2014 Railway Club, Vancouver BC
Vivascene.com

"[Olenka's] set's most chillingly great moment was [...] an incredible, wall-shaking rendition of Bruce Springsteen's Nebraska standout "State Trooper."  As she burrowed into that uncanny space between the human and the otherworldly, Krakus was mesmerizing."
Jan 2014 Bus Stop Theatre, In The Dead Of Winter Festival, Halifax NS
Exclaim.ca

"It is frequently said that a good way to judge the quality of a band is whether or not they sound better live. If that is a true statement, then Olenka and the Autumn Lovers is a fantastic band. Their work is stellar and in live shows they perform a massive setlist pulling out trumpets, mandolins and keyboards to enhance their songs."
Oct 2012 Talbot Street Church, London ON
Western Gazette

"Olenka was in fine voice all the more so when the band members left the stage to just the woman and her guitar. And that voice! Let's not forget that supple voice of easy intimacy, which kept the crowded hall in rapt attention for the entire evening."
Sept 2011 Aeolian Hall, London ON
beatmagazine.ca

"Krakus brings an authenticity to her songs and doesn't fill space with unnecessary movement or banter. She and the rest of her London, ON-based outfit played a set that felt seamless as they ran through older tunes and a few from their latest And Now We Sing."
Aug 2011 Biltmore, Vancouver BC
discorder.ca

"The pleasant surprises to this point were few and far between but Olenka and Co. were the biggest. A solid dose of folk, chamber pop and Americana (can you call it that if they're Canadian?) wrapped in Eastern European themes (there's certainly a bit of Beirut in their sound) through Olenka Krakus's memories of Communist Poland."
Pop Montréal 2010
BrooklynVegan

album reviews: and now we sing

"From wistful, weaving melodies to playful staccato bursts, each of the album's 14 tracks tells an intriguing narrative from start to finish. Teeming with enchanting instrumentals—including cello, violin and mandolin—and Krakus' effortlessly intricate vocals, And Now We Sing is one meditatively magnetic release." !earshot

"...And Now We Sing is such a great album. Regardless of whether she's singing country music (on "Mama's Bag" or "East End"), or Eastern European-tinged folk ("Mary's Song", "Sparrow"), or smoky jazz (on "Berlin"), or venturing off into artsier territory ("No Coins"), or even just singing straight-up folk music ("Lark"), Olenka knows how to make every song seem as though it's got weight [...]. Olenka might just be responsible for the album of the year." i(heart)music

"[And Now We Sing] demands constant listening and becomes more rewarding each time through, a trend I don't expect to stop." Chromewaves

"Looking at the complete, 14-song affair it's tough to point out the best moments [on And Now We Sing] and even harder to find a note out of place, but one thing is for certain; Olenka is making a name for herself, one that deserves to stand alongside her peers not simply be compared casually to some of their best moments." Herohill

"[O&AL] sound more confident on this sophomore release, working as a single unit rather than as individual instruments playing together. Where in the past things were left a tad frayed around the edges, here everything is honed and reined in, emphasizing the record's formidable pop hooks. More than a simple folk album, And Now We Sing helps to further establish Olenka & the Autumn Lovers as a band with their own distinct voice." Exclaim

"And Now We Sing will put Olenka and the Autumn Lovers on the map, along with Canadian orchestral-rock contemporaries like Owen Pallett and Arcade Fire." Sticky Magazine

"With the whole album clocking at just over 40 minutes, And Now We Sing is barely long enough to fill up an entire commute. In that time, it whirls you down alleyways and through churchyards, through country romps and Balkan stomps at a fierce pace that only occasionally slows up for a folk dance." Discorder

"Krakus has one of those magnificent voices that can be whispery and breakable one moment and then quickly shift to a powerhouse, full-volume performance." The Coast

"Krakus has a rich, deep voice that evokes Natalie Merchant and Dolores O'Riordan yet is entirely her own [...] she seamlessly blends eastern European folk influences with pop melodies, orchestral string flourishes, plucky mandolins and indie rock guitar leads." Now Magazine

Commenting on the song "Go" from And Now We Sing: "A fine song, worthy of country radio and vintage jukebox - but Olenka's not from Nashville, not from 1981: she lives in London, ON and makes indie rock with the Autumn Lovers, certain and smouldering. So set aside the image of a bridle, a kerosene lantern, a hill - imagine instead a beat-up Civic, a cell-phone, a highway. Betrayal persists, heartbreak adapts, loss lives." Said the Gramophone

"The album seemingly still features the old-world harmonies - not to mention leader Olenka Krakus's gorgeously haunted waiver - that made the troupe's 2008 self-titled debut such a stunner." exclaim.ca

"London, Ontario based musician Olenka Krakus and her Autumn Lovers have achieved that very perfect union of instrumentation and lyricism on [And Now We Sing], only their second full length release. "Krakus' extraordinary voice and wise beyond her years lyrical capacity will leave you more than a little awestruck. [...] For the uninitiated, think Gogol Bordello fronted by Patti Smith with Wilco playing in the background." Everything is Pop, Pop Is Everything

"Krakus would be a compelling figure no matter what she sings about, and there are few other female vocalists who sound anything like her, either in performance or her songwriting." The Record

"Olenka and the Autumn Lovers are one of Canada's least audacious but most stellar indie-folk acts. [...] Littered with stories and references to life on the cheap, the songs [on And Now We Sing] are consistent in theme and compelling to say the least. Much like a blues singer Olenka seems to be interested in expressing the life of the disenchanted or those simply working hard to make ends meet." Londonfuse

album reviews: papillonette

“Papillonette has a rich, folksy blend of Olenka and the Autumn Lovers' French, Polish and Canadian roots” The Gauntlet

Commenting on the song “Flash in the Pan”: “A heart rendering slide guitar solo.” CBC3

“The Papillonette EP forges a different path than the LP. It's a more rootsy affair, tapping into traditional America and folk. The band is often stripped down to just a voice and a folk guitar in places, or tastefully adding a touch of lap steel guitar…”!earshot

album reviews: self titled

"If fresh, interesting folk music moved units like bad pop does, Olenka Krakus and her bandmates would be zillionaires." Hour Magazine

"Krakus' lyrics prod at her Polish ancestry, exploring moral inquiries from her dying planet to life in suburbia, while spinning stories reminiscent of the likes of raconteurs Tom Waits or Nick Cave (who would make great drinking buddies for Krakus and her Lovers)." Soundproof

CHRW’s Album of the Year for 2008

“At different times, autumn can be the most beautiful and the most melancholy of all seasons. And so it goes for Olenka Krakus and her band, the Autumn Lovers, whose particular brand of balladry treads that line between elegance and sorrow…”
Jam Magazine

“Olenka's voice is the highlight of the album, walking the fine line between fragility and power. The best songs here are the subtle ones, like “Soldier's Waltz”, using violin and glockenspeil as the background to a dirge-like march, and “Watching Neighbours”, which sounds like Feist on a very paranoid day.” !earshot

band photos