The fun, new addition to your Spotify playlist
Photography by THE SITTERS AND THE MAKERS (Album cover, Care Package)
By Author
Jessica Adelson (Non-fiction), The Continuist
The Sitters and the Makers is the perfect band for anyone needing to add a little bit of nostalgia and a lot of fun to their Spotify playlist. The group is Ontario-based and features three members -- Ayden Elworthy on piano, Jake Evans-Whitley on guitar, Parker Merlihan on all things audio (and all three on vocals). The band was originally formed in high school, the idea sparking during a school play when they realized they all had similar musical goals.
The band’s first EP Care Package was released early in 2020. They had written and recorded the songs prior to the pandemic, but felt that each track related to the current context in its own way. With this in mind, they wanted to release the EP to offer something fun for people to enjoy while stuck at home.
A defining quality of this band is that they don’t have just one particular defining quality. In my conversation with the three members, they agreed the best way to describe the genre of their music is “fabloo” -- a term made up by Tally Hall (one of their musical influences) in an effort to summarize all of their music under one genre, without assuming any constricting labels. Although their sound varies between each song, their writing stays consistent. As a listener to their EP, I could hear how much fun went into their songs (especially “Doctor Orangutan” and “Achoo”), and it really couldn’t help but make me smile.
In terms of similar sound, they compared their music to the band They Might Be Giants. Unexpectedly, but somehow fittingly, they accredited the general tone of the band to the Muppets.
With this in mind, the Sitters and the Makers are not a children’s band. Their goal is to be a band for everyone; the lighthearted lyrics may nod to childhood but the underlying stories are based on experiences within their own lives that listeners of all ages can potentially relate to.
The group is currently working on their next album, Everyone I’ve Ever Known and All the Things I’m Missing. The theme of the album is based on growing up in southern Ontario in the 2000s and all the moments and memories that don’t have any particular relevance and yet stick with you through your life.
Although the world is on pause right now, the band is taking the time to learn new instruments and getting prepared for when they can play in person again. In the future, they all are looking forward to performing live and pursuing their music, whether professionally or passionately.
In my short conversation with the Sitters and the Makers, it was obvious how much enjoyment and passion goes into their music. They want to create something that doesn’t fit inside a box, and so far that’s exactly what they’ve been successfully doing.
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