Miracle Fortress

Canadian indie rock band

Miracle Fortress

Origin| Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Genres| Indie rock
Years active| 2005 (2005)–present
Labels| Secret City, Rough Trade
Members| Graham Van Pelt
Adam Waito
Jessie Stein

Miracle Fortress is a Canadian indie rock band based in Montreal, Quebec. The band's studio work is primarily a solo, project of songwriter Graham Van Pelt,[1] who is accompanied by the rest of the band during live shows.

## Band history

[edit]

Van Pelt, a member of the band Think About Life, recorded all of the music himself for five songs, and then self-released an EP, Watery Grave. In 2007, he released a debut album Five Roses under the name Miracle Fortress, on Secret City Records.[2][3] The album received positive reviews,[4] and was included on the shortlist for the 2007 Polaris Music Prize,[5] which was ultimately won by Patrick Watson.[6][7] Van Pelt recruited drummer Jordan Robson-Cramer of Sunset Rubdown and Magic Weapon, guitarist Jessie Stein of SS Cardiacs and The Luyas, and keyboardist Adam Waito of Telefauna to adapt Five Roses into a live show.[8] This group made a cross-Canada tour in 2007.[9] Nathan Ward, Adam Waito and Jessie Stein also took part in some of the shows.[10]

The style of the band's single, "Maybe Lately", was compared by critics to that of the Beach Boys.[11][12]

Miracle Fortress' third album, Was I the Wave? was released in April 2011.[1] It was musically quite different from the previous album, with simpler instrumentation and more rhythm.[5][13] The album won a GAMIQ Award for Electronic Album of the Year.[14]

In 2014, Van Pelt continues to release music as Miracle Fortress.[15]

## Discography

[edit]

* Watery Grave EP (2005, self-released)
* Have You Seen In Your Dreams 12" (2007, Secret City Records, Rough Trade Records)
* Five Roses (2007, Secret City Records)
* Maybe Lately 7" (2008, Rough Trade Records)
* Was I the Wave? (2011, Secret City Records)

## References

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1. ^ a b "Miracle Fortress Returns with Sophomore LP, Readies Canadian Dates with Shad". CBC News. 31 March 2011. Retrieved 17 April 2011.
2. ^ "A Completely Biased Ranking of the 60 Best Canadian Indie Rock Songs of the 00s Part II". Vice, Cam Lindsay Apr 10 2017
3. ^ Jennifer Maerz (July 2007). "Miracle Fortress Five Roses". SPIN. SPIN Media LLC: 98–. ISSN 0886-3032.
4. ^ "Miracle Fortress - Five Roses". ClickMusic, Colleen Newbanks
5. ^ a b "Miracle Fortress Solitary Man". Exclaim, By Cam Lindsay Apr 24, 2011
6. ^ "Arcade Fire, Feist on Polaris short list". CBC News. July 10, 2007. Retrieved July 10, 2007.
7. ^ Cassandra Szlarski (July 10, 2007). "Feist, Fire get Polaris noms". Archived from the original on October 11, 2007. Retrieved July 11, 2007.
8. ^ " Miracle Fortress". AllMusic Biography by Margaret Reges
9. ^ "One-man band takes friends for a ride; Graham Van Pelt's acclaimed Miracle Fortress assembles an indie team for cross-Canada tour" . Toronto Star \- Toronto, Ont. Raju Mudhar Jun 21, 2007 Page: E.9
10. ^ "Miracle Fortress believes in self"[usurped]. Jam! Music, July 11, 2007. by Allan Wigney, Sun Media
11. ^ "Miracle Fortress - Maybe Lately Continue the Beach Boys fascination". Clash Music, 10 · 04 · 2008
12. ^ "Miracle Fortress, Five Roses". The Guardian, David Peschek 20 July 2007
13. ^ "Miracle Fortress Was I the Wave?". Pitchfork, David Bevan July 13, 2011
14. ^ "Galaxie cleans up at the 2011 GAMIQ Awards". Montreal Gazette, November 14, 2011
15. ^ "Miracle Fortress "Even in America". Exclaim!, By Alex Hudson Sep 16, 2014

## External links

[edit]

* Miracle Fortress official site
* Secret City Records artist page

Authority control databases

International|

* ISNI

Artists|

* MusicBrainz