Luke Sneyd

About the Artist

Luke Sneyd is a Toronto singer-songwriter. Called “an amazing unsigned artist” by California-based No Cover Magazine, he’s been likened to Elvis Costello, Joe Jackson, and Brendan Benson. Sneyd’s debut album All of Us Cities features sharp power pop laced with an underlying current of contemporary ennui. TorontoIndie.com calls the record “ready for the airwaves”, and it was recently featured on The Radar Report on XMU radio. Accomplishments: • An early demo of lead single "The Prisoner" was a finalist in the 2006/07 Unisong International Songwriting Contest. • "Waiting" included on No Cover’s Groupies Suck Vol. 10 Compilation. • In September 2007, Sneyd’s band challenged against five other acts for $25,000 and a deal with Universal in the Great Canadian Band Challenge. The contest was only their second gig, scant days after their first. They didn’t win, but Sneyd served notice he was a talent to watch. • Featured on Toronto’s CFTO news for his appearance at Open Hearts in support of Amnesty International. • “The Prisoner” included on Toronto Independent Music Awards 2008 compilation. Originally the guitarist for an eccentric electro-rock combo (Mountain Mama), Sneyd was eager to step out from under that band’s heavy-metal disco bravado. All of Us Cities was recorded with Toronto producer and multi-instrumentalist Marc Koecher. Zeroing in on his finely honed pop sensibility, Koecher and Sneyd created an organic record, drawing deep from a wellspring of rock, pop and new wave influences. The goal was to make a diverse album, with statements political and personal, soaring anthems underscored by loss and delicate explorations of love’s ambiguous nature. During the writing of the record, Luke’s step-mother, aunt and mother all died in the space of a year. The ensuing grief provided a backdrop for much of the music that would emerge on All of Us Cities. This bittersweet melding has made for disparate interpretations, Advance Copy calling the album “like minty fresh breath” for its tuneful songscapes, while The Record found Sneyd’s music “exploring the worlds of urban angst and the resiliency of the human spirit.” Luke is now gigging in Toronto and the surrounding area with his band of gifted players. His debut album All of Us Cities was released online in late 2007 and the CD is available through CD Baby and IndiePool, and in local Toronto stores.