about

Picastro began as a music project in Toronto in 1999 primarily as a slowcore/sadcore band with a focus on unconventional string arrangements and subdued vocals.  The band has released several albums on Polyvinyl, Alien 8 and Stoned to Death with rotating band members and soundscapes ranging from psych folk to art rock and chamber pop.   File in between Yo La Tengo and God Speed You Empreror! with a couple of Karen Dalton moments.

Picastro mine music from the most extreme intersection of beauty and melancholy – Pitchfork

What raises Picastro above the herd of atmospheric noise-makers is that these tracks aren’t instrumental jams, they’re songs – with all the structure and emotional closure that this implies.” –The Sunday Times U.K.

Picastro may go down in history as Toronto’s best-known secret.  – Exclaim

Picastro has toured extensively over the past 15 years in North America and Europe.   Picastro has appeared on BBC radio, VPRO (Dutch national radio) and the venerable WFMU.

Picastro has also played a number of festivals including:

SXSW (Austin), CMJ (NYC), Incubate (Netherlands), Rhaaa Lovely (Belgium), Žedno Uho (Croatia), Tanned Tin (Spain),  Suoni Per il Popolo (Montreal) and NXNE (Toronto).

The band has toured or played shows with:

Scout Niblett, Nadja, Cerberus Shoal, Xiu Xiu, Devendra Banhart, Marissa Nadler, Godspeed You Black Emperor!, Broken Social Scene and many other wonderful artists.