Artist Spotlight: Winona Forever

Meet Vancouver’s teenage dad rock band

“It’s actually really rare that we’re all together this early,” says Ben Roberston, guitarist and vocalist for Winona Forever. The band’s three other members—Rowan Webster-Shaw, Alexander Bingham, and Cole Frizell—have gathered over coffee at Vancouver’s Helen’s Grill on Main Street, despite the fact that only Robertson lives nearby. Frizell resides in North Vancouver, Webster-Shaw stays in Burnaby, and Bingham travels all the way from Bowen Island via ferry for each of their practices and shows.

The distance between the bandmates makes the amount of success they have achieved since releasing their debut EP all the more impressive. The record, Yacht Rock, was published last summer, and it has already earned them considerable media attention and a dedicated fanbase. Over the past year, the band has played live sessions on radio shows, had features in several publications, and been a part of countless gigs in the city’s underground music scene.

Soon after that support began to grow, Winona Forever was unanimously deemed “dad rock” by their audience, which has both pleased and perplexed its members.

“I think we just dress like dads,” says Bingham about their semi-inexplicable genre tag. Webster-Shaw nods, “I think it’s just Ben’s glasses.”

Personally, the band describes their music as an amalgamation of math, indie, and bummer rock, even going so far as to adopt the dad rock label. They’re still hesitant to put themselves in a box, however, saying that they’re “not aiming at any one specific sound.”

Listening to Yacht Rock in contrast to the band’s new single—“#1 Summer Hit to Grind to”—that statement holds up; Winona Forever’s sound has undoubtedly become more complicated over time. When the band first formed, their music was “much cleaner and more poppy,” whereas it is now “a lot heavier and more focused on rhythm.” And while their original sound was a result of solely Webster-Shaw’s song and lyric writing, he and Robertson are now splitting the writing responsibility “50/50”.

With the duo functioning simultaneously as songwriters, guitarists, and vocalists, the band has begun recording their first full-length LP. Similar to Yacht Rock, they hope to record it “like a live show”—with minimal takes, all members playing in the same room, and few overdubs added—to maintain the high energy they create when they perform. Fans of Webster-Shaw’s angsty-but-relatable lyrics can expect more coming their way with the new album, too, though Robertson predicts a “little bit more variety” with it and their live sets.

Near the end of the summer, the LP – tentatively titled This is Fine – will be available online and on cassette tape for those wanting to listen.

“I’m really excited to record this, really own it, and after that is a blank slate. Like, we can change our sound and let whatever happens happen,” says Robertson.

Webster-Shaw smiles, “It is exciting. I feel pretty stoked about the future.”

Winona Forever’s plans for next month include a set at Khatsalano on July 9, a show with The Courtenays at The Astoria on July 12, and a band visit to Victoria. Anyone interested can stay tuned to their Bandcamp page for updates on the upcoming album release.