Quick & Dirty - You Say Party! We Say Die!
By: Cheryl Stornelli
January 14, 2010 – Abbotsford, Canada
Craving the freedom to explore music, British Columbia's You Say Party! We Say Die! didn't hold back on their latest endeavour. Following the high-energy sound of debut album Hit the Floor! and 2007's Lose All Time, their latest effort, XXXX, comes through with a personal feel that according to vocalist, Becky Ninkovic, fits the band perfectly.
"I feel like we finally found ourselves on this album. The lyrics capture the journey of recovering from fatigue and psychological challenges that surface while on the road," Ninkovic says.
For Ninkovic, who fills in the blanks of XXXX with the letters l-o-v-e, the album title has a personal meaning.
"We left it as XXXX so anyone can fill in their own meaning for the album," she says. "For me, I found power in the energy of love and that helped me transform and find strength in songs. It carried the power of love."
The album was written after sustaining a gruelling tour throughout China, and Ninkovic says without that experience the band wouldn't be as close and as strong as they are. The difficult year on the road turned out to be a blessing in disguise.
"The entire experience was mind-blowing, but it was unfortunate that everything fell apart because we'd been on the road too long. But, I look back and it's one of those valuable learning experiences that I'm happy it happened," Ninkovic says.
After recuperating from the extensive and exhaustive tour, Ninkovic says taking time off helped. "It's been a wonderful year finding the balance between expressing myself and providing relief," she says. "Once we all took the time to rest and recover from touring, we felt a lot better."
Many of the band members, Ninkovic included, have also volunteered time with charities. "It helps us to help others work through their issues," Ninkovic explains. "You'll end up working through your own insecurities and struggles at the same time."
Now content and working towards a 2010 tour, You Say Party! We Say Die! are gearing up for potential stops in Asia, the United Kingdom and Europe.
"We like to honour our albums and share them with as many people as possible," Ninkovic says. "But this time around we've learned how to stay happy and take on what we can chew."
Video: "Laura Palmer's Prom" performed by You Say Party! We Say Die!
