Ducks Ltd.

Toronto-based Ducks Ltd. today shared their new single “Grim Symmetry” via Carpark Records. Recorded during the sessions for their critically acclaimed album Harm’s Way, the bright, propulsive track was produced by Dave Vettriano (Dehd, Deeper, Lala Lala) and features backing vocals from Julia Steiner (Ratboys) and Margaret McCarthy (Moontype). “This is actually one of our older songs,” explains guitarist/vocalist Tom McGreevy. “We wrote it early on in the ‘Modern Fiction’ writing process, and the demo was a favorite among the people we shared those with, but we didn't quite get it right when we tried to record it for that album. We always liked it though, so we kept it around and tried it again when we were tracking ‘Harm's Way.’ It didn't end up quite fitting the vibe of the album, but we did manage to get it to where we wanted it to be, so it's exciting to finally share it.” The song arrives on the heels of the band’s second KEXP live and debut Audiotree sessions, and follows Ducks Ltd.’s May previous single “When You’re Outside,” which earned support from Paste, Stereogum, Brooklyn Vegan, and more. Stream “Grim Symmetry” at all DSPs HERE.

Ducks Ltd., who also recently covered They Might Be Giants’ “They’ll Need A Crane” for the AV Club’s relaunched ‘Undercover’ series, have a run of shows next month supporting Ratboys. Last month, the band performed at Hopscotch Festival following a west coast tour with Mo Dotti earlier last summer.

Released earlier this year, Ducks Ltd.’s sophomore album Harm’s Way arrived to great press from Pitchfork (review), Paste (feature and review), Stereogum (‘Footnotes’ feature), FLOOD Magazine (‘Influences’ playlist), Brooklyn Vegan, Exclaim!, The FADER, and Uproxx’s Indiecast podcast, among others. The album’s singles “Heavy Bag,” “Train Full of Gasoline,” “Hollowed Out,” and “The Main Thing” also caught the attention of Billboard, Consequence, Paste, Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, and Uproxx, among others. 

Ducks Ltd. make inviting and frenetic guitar pop for when life feels overwhelming. While the band’s songs are ostensibly breezy, a palpable anxiety boils underneath that communicates something deeper about everyday existence. On Harm’s Way, the duo of McGreevy and guitarist Evan Lewis hones in on interpersonal and societal collapses, urban decay, and the near-impossibility of keeping a level head when everything around you seems to be falling apart. Even with its often dark subject matter, the album is Ducks Ltd.’s most vividly rendered and collaborative collection yet. It’s an undeniable evolution for the band, not just in how these songs soar, but in their entire writing and recording processes. Composed on tour while supporting acts like Nation of Language, Illuminati Hotties, and Archers of Loaf, Harm’s Way displays the band’s finely tuned songcraft and well-earned, road-tested confidence. 

Praise for Harm’s Way

“The pacing is jacked up, the guitars sparkle brighter, and the harmony-rich choruses soar higher than before, even as the words sting more intensely…” – Pitchfork

“...Harm’s Way is the sound of a band coming into its own — even more assured in the way they wield an arsenal of earworm melodies and moodily surging rhythms" – Stereogum

“[Harm’s Way] sees Tom McGreevy and Evan Lewis quite literally play through the pain brought on by everyday life, through the upbeat, surfy guitar work, bouncy melodies, pulsating drums, earworm choruses. " – The FADER

“...an undeniably catchy and near-perfect rock record with a bulletproof tracklist and a strong candidate for the best single of the year (‘Hollowed Out’).” – Paste 

“undeniable earworms" – Brooklyn Vegan

“Descriptors may fail to encapsulate how naturally joyous soundtracking your day to Ducks Ltd. can be…” – Under The Radar

“...a masterpiece of tightly-constructed jangle pop” – Big Takeover