The Key Studio Sessions: Three Man Cannon

To be honest, I still can’t believe we got all four members of Three Man Cannon in the studio at the same time.

The Philly-based four piece — vets of the regional punk rock community — are busy, busy dudes. Singer-guitarist-keyboardist Matt Schimelfenig is a studio engineer by day (and night), and seems to always be working on someone or other’s records. Pat Brier drums plays in at least two other bands (8 and Queen Jesus) while Spenser Colmbs can sometimes be seen holding down the low end for Cherry, other times performing solo. As for guitarist Dennis Mishko, I’m not certain, but I believe TMC is his only project — so there’s that. But he also lives in Scranton.

Suffice it to say, getting the band together is a rarity, and it usually happens in the context of a show — so we’re super happy to bring you a Key Studio Session’s worth of live recordings ahead of their show tomorrow night.

Three Man Cannon used this set to showcase Will I Know You Then, the terrific EP it released a year and change ago on Lame-O Records. Even though the band comes from a louder pedigree (Miskho and Brier were in the original lineup of Tigers Jaw), they have a firm appreciation of measured pacing and dynamic arrangements. “Honest” starts soft and builds into a brilliant Death Cab style distortion-pedal sunburst; “Coma’d” swings along a catchy and suave verse, with a grittier refrain. And “Pushing People,” which you can watch a video of below via VuHaus, is a gentle burner; Schimelfenig’s gentle keyboard lines and punchy delivery recall Cold War Kids, leading the band into a moving call-and-response crescendo that drifts into a spacey nightfall.

[vuhaus category=”videos” item=”three-man-cannon-pushing-people-key-studio-session” ][/vuhaus]

Listen to the whole set below, grab a free download over at our Soundcloud page, and see Three Man Cannon live tomorrow night at Boot and Saddle for the final night of Lame-O Records’ Rock Residency. They’ll be joined by Katie Ellen and The Afterglows; proceeds benefit the ACLU, more information on the show can be found at the XPN Concert Calendar.