Taken By Canadians Hit the “Side of the Road” (premiere)

Bubbling towards the forefront of Southern California’s indie rock scene are Taken By Canadians. They embody a particular swagger that many claim to be missing from a chunk of rock in today’s landscape. Along the way, the band injects vibrant electricity into their work that feels unmistakably San Diego. So, it doesn’t come as a shock that their latest self-titled LP has garnered a nomination for Best Rock Album from the city’s music awards, taking the band’s Ben Ambrosini, Anna Zinova, Marco Savoia, and Tim Sams closer to the fast track of bringing their unbridled rock ‘n’ roll to the masses.

Taken By Canadians’ new single, “Side of the Road”, features droplets of psychedelia scattered across a realm of hefty, blues-laden hooks. Its crunchy, driving sound doesn’t feel out of place alongside the likes of the Black Keys or decker., although they roll closer towards California shores than either of those contemporaries. As far as its accompanying music video goes, it features the kind of reckless, uninhibited abandon that the band naturally evokes through each progressive hook of the song itself. In between cool, color-filtered shots of Taken By Canadians performing the song, a businessman quite literally camps out on the “Side of the Road” to find himself—and a camel.

“Side of the Road” features on Taken By Canadians’ self-titled LP, which is out now via Blind Owl.