"...that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light." - 1 Peter 2:9

James Tweedy spent his formative years in Los Angeles, moving from Canada at the age of 17. He came up through the independent music scene, playing in a handful of bands, namely indie-darlings, Sunday’s Best and LA hardcore-punk outfit, The Bronx, who achieved a considerable level of international acclaim.

Tweedy left The Bronx in 2007, with no formal public announcement or explanation, “I just kind of slipped out the backdoor. The timing was right, I no longer fit the scene and it no longer fit me.”

After a final year in Los Angeles, he returned to his hometown of Vancouver. He moved out to the countryside and rented a house on a farm with a view of the mountains, giving him more space to think than he’d had in years. He found himself rediscovering the faith of his youth, this time with a deeper understanding of what the world offered and what it failed to deliver.

“I arrived at the idea that God either exists or He doesn’t – and we need to live according to that truth. Choosing not to believe in God has no bearing on His existence. What we think about it doesn’t matter. Truth is truth regardless of our perception.”

Tweedy emerged from this season with a new clarity and focus. His first release, a 4-song EP recorded with close friends Greg Swinehart (The Pale Pacific) and producer Ryan Worsley. Sonically, sharing more in common with the shoegaze scene of the early-90’s than any of his former bands, the songs echo with themes of redemption, eternity and exploring the space between Creator and created.

Western Collective © 2011