Biography
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Years Active
1970 – 1974 (4 years)
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Founded In
Duncan, Cowichan Valley Regional District, British Columbia, Canada
At least four (4) bands use the name Ptarmigan.
1. Ptarmigan is a modern band of the powerfolk ambiopop genre formed in Columbia, Missouri in 2007. Evan Walton, Peter Marting, and Ted Carstensen create intricate, powerful explosions from simple folk roots and catchy melodies over levels of ambiance. Ptarmigan returns with their sophomore release, “The Forest Darling”, the follow-up to 2009’s “Our Ancient Friends”. Where Ptarmigan used to rely on high/low tempo changes to create tension before unleashing an explosion of pop melodies, they’ve evolved to focusing more on harmonizing the voices of their songwriters, Evan Walton (guitar) and Peter Marting (bass). This album is a definite maturation for the band, whose ambition has never been in question. And maturation in the best sense, they resisted the urge of so many others that confused progress with adding more instruments and band members, and claiming Loretta Lynn and Woody Guthrie as their main influences. They push through the limitations that restrain a 3-person pop band to maximize a warmer and lush sound telling stories of loneliness and longing.
2. Ptarmigan formed in 1970, when Michael Bieling introduced guitarist James Lithgow to vocalist/recorder player Glen Dias. The trio began writing songs, with Bieling accompanying the two instrumentalists on congas. They soon added Dennis Lelonde on alto sax, piano and vocals, Monte Nordstrom on 12 string and vocals, and a second percussionist, Shawn Mullins. They combined together to create a bizarre acid-folk sound, but being entirely instrumental. They only released one album, "Ptarmigan", in 1974 with three members.
3. Ptarmigan was formed in 2006 by Vanessa Hanson from Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Ptarmigan is a one-woman noise project with an oddly organic, and witchy sound. Her music consists of clean guitars played with animal bones and singing described by her counterpart (perpetrator of the solo noise act The Dead Are Those Who Have Died) as soundly like "kind of a screaming swamp witch." (http://www.myspace.com/ptarmigansignal)
4. Ptarmigan is an indie-folk band based in Toronto and Guelph. Formed in 2010 as a collaboration between old friends, the members of Ptarmigan craft dynamic and highly melodic songs inspired in equal measure by the organic and the fantastic. Emphasizing musicality, inventive songcraft, and creative dialogue between members, their music is at once experimental and familiar. Innovative use of sound and musical form is grounded in the textures and sensibilities of traditional folk music, including a focus on melody, lyrical storytelling, and skillful songwriting. They were formerly known as Eliak and The Dream
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