The i Spies profile picture

The i Spies

Available nationwide - March 11, 2008!

About Me

IN THE NIGHT Now available on iTunes and in stores.
(currently in Canada only. Contact us for international orders)
SOUND AND HISTORY
Released independently and distributed nationwide by Fontana North in March, The I Spies' full-length debut, 'In The Night', could be a candidate for indie rock top ten lists come December. Also titled 'In The Night', the first single is already charting at college radio. Watch your concert listings closely for a show near you.
The I Spies breed an imposing sound. Robertson's layered guitar grit scuzzes-up Kay's strong pop rants, while Payne's infectious bass melodies race alongside Saks' machine gun percussion. Organs and synths pulse in and out. The music is urgent and abrasive; big and fresh; hook-laden and filler-free. In The Night will almost certainly blow the Toronto-based Spies' cover.
Your iPod needs this record. Your town needs this band.
The I Spies began in 2003 as four young musicians experimenting with angular riffs and New Wave hooks, inspired by the likes of The Clash and The Police and by the attitudes of bands like Television and XTC. Subsequent years saw the I Spies slowly building an underground fan-base as a an antisocial and occasional contributor to Toronto's vibrant rock 'n roll scene. But recently, the I Spies have redoubled their ambitions. They have become more than the sum of their influences. Their energetic and fiery pop songs translate flawlessly into high energy live performance. Armed with a clear agenda and a stunning record, the Spies are ready to infiltrate.
Nowhere to run?
Come hide with The I Spies.
MANAGEMENT
Udora Sound
506 Markham Street, Suite 200
Toronto, On., Canada
Jaan Kittask
[email protected]
416-949-8969
PRESS & PUBLICITY
The Musebox Canada
Craig Hill
360 Dufferin Street
Suite 105
Toronto, ON M6K 1Z8
T: 647.436.8423
[email protected]
Little Sister Publicity
Amanda Newman
416-817-5212
[email protected]
FILM & TV LICENSING
MapleMusic Recordings
Linda Noelle Bush
416-961-1040 x261
[email protected]
DISTRIBUTION (Canada)
Fontana North (Universal Music Canada)
230 Richmond St. West (11th floor)
Toronto, On., Canada
Chad Wiseman
[email protected]
WEBSITE
Liefa Communictions
Tarmo Saks
www.liefa.com
[email protected]

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 3/26/2005
Band Website: theispies.com
Band Members: Johnny Kay - vox / keys / guitar
James Robertson - lead guitar / vox / keys
Markus Saks - drums / percussion
Steve Payne - bass

Influences: The Pretenders, The Clash, Supergrass, The Wonder Stuff, Fleetwood Mac, Queen, The Police, Brian Eno, Guns and Roses, Elvis Costello, Supertramp, Marc Bolan, Graham Coxon, Spacehog, XTC, The Boss

Sounds Like:
"The I Spies pack Jam-like breakdowns and Costelloey bridges between tightly-wound guitar riffs that makes In The Night a collection of combustible little ditties."
James Hayashi-Tennant
May 1, 2008

Weekend Ideas.
"I spy with my little eye a hot indie band from Toronto. (I refer to the music and the men). Go dance and celebrate [the] end of school? Beginning of a warm weekend? Your love for Brit Pop that's not from Britain? You choose."
Jen McNeely
April 16, 2008

Sunday Morning Coffee :: The I Spies.
"I was able to throw on this record and not once hit "".

April 13, 2008

Hook, hook. Thump thump.
"The I Spies feel like Ontario's response to Victoria's Hot Hot Heat, and are even more likely to be the next hot pop quartet north of the American border."
by Chris Lewis
April 3, 2008

TOP 3 CD'S
" . . . the kind of album that's easy to fall in love with."
by Mary Dickie
April, 2008

CBC Radio 3
"*boing sound effect* . . . I think someone needs to borrow my bong."
by Grant Lawrence
March 21, 2008

"Dancable, catchy and infectious: The I Spies' album In The Night is a frenzy of "just got to get up and move" post-punk-pop.."
by Lisa Gasson
Mar 21, 2007

ALBUM REVIEW
"What feels like a story sucks you into its world and keeps you until the very last scene."
by Pam Nichol
Mar 2, 2008

I SPY(IES) MORE CANADIAN GOODNESS
"This album will be an indie hit. Catchy, catchy pop goodness; post-punk guitar pop, reminiscent of early 80s British rock."
by Joe Terry
Feb 24, 2008

"The disc moves at a lightning pace and showcases the band’s highly tuned ability to produce tight post-punk rock . . ."
by Erin Taylor
Feb 20, 2008

"THE I SPIES OWE SUCCESS TO THE MAN"
"Indie band got funding to make top-notch CD"
by Ben Rayner
Jan 31, 2008

"Who needs the Brit Box when there are plenty of real live bands keeping the spirit of jaunty, aggressive pop with cheery vocal harmonies and sneering frontmen?"

Jan 31, 2008

DISC REVIEW
" . . .this solidly rendered offering shows that the I Spies deserve to rise above the vanilla crop."
by Jason Keller
Jan 31, 2008

HAIKU - QUICK SPINS
"Someone remembers
Tommy Tutone, and they were
Paying attention."


Jan 24, 2008

ISPIES @ SNEAKY DEE'S
"Once this CD hits the masses, I can see The I Spies becoming a great Canadian export that anyone could easily fall in love with."
by Pam Nichol
Jan 11, 2008

CHART ATTACK FEATURE STORY
"Spies Get Smart In The Night."

Jan 11, 2008

THE I SPIES. IN THE NIGHT.
"Their CD is a collection of tight, well-crafted tunes that owes a fair bit - at least to these ears – to the inspiration provided by British rock of the late 1970s and early '80s."
by Tõnu Naelapea
Dec 27, 2007

THE I SPIES @ LEE'S PALACE
"They simply play really good pop songs that sound slightly reminiscent of all that was good about the era. I'm talking about bands like The Police, The Pretenders and, most of all, Elvis Costello."

Dec 19, 2007

ALBUM REVIEW
"If you like your music peppier than a lake of Red Bull and catchier than the plague, set your sights on the I Spies."
by Scott A. Gray
Nov 2007

POP MOTREAL
"I spy with my little eye a Toronto indie pop band playing some of the most unabashedly infectious pop songs at this year's festival."

Oct 2007

CD REVIEW: The I Spies – In the Night (Independent)
"The I Spies do frenzied, angular post-punk better than just about anyone in the Toronto scene. . ."
by Rob Duffy
Oct 2007

DISC-OVERY OF THE WEEK
"The i Spies make thoroughly solid indie rock"
by CHRIS RANDLE
Oct 4 2007

OVERALL NIGHT 8.8 (one of the best bets this summer)
"Immediately I was slapped with a wonderful wave of grungy dance rock yet it was somehow charming, dirty yet impossibly tight."
by Bryan Chateau
Aug 16 2007

Record Label: Government of Canada
Fontana North Distribution
Type of Label: None

My Blog

Vote for us. We’re Sound08 finalists!

The I Spies' "To The City" has been added to the shortlist of 20 finalists, selected by judges for the Sound08 Competition in the U.K! This is put together by the folks at XFM (an awesome radio statio...
Posted by The i Spies on Mon, 03 Mar 2008 10:17:00 PST

Hannah Fontana.

The I Spies are very pleased to announce that "In The Night" will be available nationwide, March 11, 2008 by Fontana North Distribution.http://www.fontananorth.com/
Posted by The i Spies on Fri, 01 Feb 2008 07:07:00 PST

Toronto Indie (Live Review)

http://www.torontoindie.com/?p=214January 11, 2008: Ispies @ Sneaky Dee'sBy Pam NicholSneaky Dee's held the highly anticipated CD-release party for The I Spies debut CD In The Night, which will be rel...
Posted by The i Spies on Tue, 15 Jan 2008 07:57:00 PST

Chart Attack (feature story)

http://chartattack.com/damn/2008/01/1103.cfmSpies Get Smart In The NightFriday January 11, 2008 @ 05:00 PMBy: ChartAttack.com StaffThe I SpiesToronto quartet The I Spies have been selling their In The...
Posted by The i Spies on Tue, 15 Jan 2008 07:54:00 PST

Estonian Life (album review)

http://eesti.ca/main.php?op=article&articleid=18491written by: Tõnu NaelapeaThe iSpies. In The Night. Independent release, 2007, 40:43I admit to having had some trepidation when the maiden CD of The i...
Posted by The i Spies on Thu, 27 Dec 2007 10:14:00 PST

Exclaim! (album review)

http://www.exclaim.ca/musicreviews/generalreview.aspx?csid1= 116&csid2=850&fid1=28413The I SpiesIn the Night By Scott A. GrayCharging out of the gates with pristine pop rock intensity, the I Spies rare...
Posted by The i Spies on Wed, 31 Oct 2007 12:33:00 PST

Pop Montreal (festival guide)

http://www.popmontreal.com/index.php?q=en%2Fpopsched%2Fartis t%2F1351The i SpiesI spy with my little eye a Toronto indie pop band playing some of the most unabashedly infectious pop songs at this year'...
Posted by The i Spies on Tue, 09 Oct 2007 07:55:00 PST

The Varsity (CD review)

http://www.thevarsity.ca/article/640CD Review: The I Spies  In the Night (Independent)Rob Duffy 05/10/07Save yourself the trouble of waiting for Franz Ferdinand's next record and pick up the ambitiou...
Posted by The i Spies on Tue, 09 Oct 2007 07:52:00 PST

Eye Weekly (Disc-overy of the Week)

http://www.eyeweekly.com/eye/issue/issue_10.04.07/music/disc overy.phpDisc-overy of the WeekTHE I SPIES ***In the Night IndependentThe i Spies make thoroughly solid indie rock, and their espionage skil...
Posted by The i Spies on Tue, 09 Oct 2007 07:49:00 PST

Toronto Indie (interview)

http://www.torontoindie.com/?p=161Interview: iSpies September 2007By: Lidia VilaTell me about yourselves, what do you want people to know? What is your band like?Jamie Robertson (guitar): Passionate. ...
Posted by The i Spies on Tue, 09 Oct 2007 07:45:00 PST