Sometime in 2001, The High Dials current line-up of Trevor Anderson (vocals/guitar), Rishi Dhir (bass/backing vocals/sitar), Robbie MacArthur (guitar), Robb Surridge (drums), and newest addition Eric Dougherty (keys) evolved out of a modish, three-piece incarnation from Montreal known as the Datsons. They recorded a brilliant and eclectic CD of bright tones and textured arrangements ranging from soft pastoral pop, to groovy garage rave-ups and everything cool in between. They were quickly snatched up by NYC based label Rainbow Quartz Records, and their album A New Devotion was released worldwide in 2003.

A New Devotion was more than just a plain old rock record. Like the great bands of the 60s they make no secret of admiring, The High Dials strung their little pop pearls into one long glittering necklace: yep, a concept record with a hidden storyline! The 18 songs told the tale of a mysterious and troubled boy known only as "Silas" and his attempt to escape evil powers in a nightmarish city of the future. Drawing on everything from science fiction, old comic books, movie soundtracks and psychedelia to Trevor's garden, the album came off like some dark but beautiful kaleidoscopic cartoon.
It won rave reviews and enjoyed college radio success in both Canada and the US.

In 2004 they released a 6-song EP, Fields in Glass, with remixes of the title song by Davy Love and Will Caruthers (Spaceman 3, Spiritualized) and Mike Musmanno (Lilys). They performed at Little Steven's Underground Garage Festival in New York with the Strokes, the Stooges and New York Dolls. In March 2005, the New York Post and Spin magazine both listed them as one of the top ten "must-see" bands at the South By Southwest music conference.

For two years, the High Dials secretly worked on their highly anticipated follow-up to A New Devotion. They recorded tracks in rehearsal spaces, barns, apartments and Blue Rodeo's Toronto studio before finally deciding to join forces with Joseph Donovan (the Dears, Marlowe) as co-producer in Montreal. The end result is War of the Wakening Phantoms, another patchwork of contrasting moods and tones that holds together in vibe without another buried storyline. Mixed by Dave Bianco in L.A. (Teenage Fanclub, Frank Black, Jayhawks), the new album surges with sadness and optimism- bright and melancholy psychedelia touching on rock n' roll's timeless themes: heartbreak, frustration, longing and idealistic joy.

To find out more about or to listen to songs by The High Dials go here:

www.myspace.com/thehighdials
www.thehighdials.com