The Tympanic: Beat Goes On

For six years, Ottawa groove-rock band Tympanic has been rocking stages across the country and at home in the Capital. The band loves jamming and according to lead vocalist and self-proclaimed wild child Troy Lajambe, Tympanic has set its sights on a life filled with bigger gigs, never-ending “boombastic” beats and a new recording within the next two months.

“We really believe in the product that we’ve been producing and in our own potential,” says Lajambe. He added, “It would be great to be able to tour and play so much that I don’t need a real job.”

Eric Eggleston, the production wizard behind their most recent five-tune recording, took 13 demo songs and stripped them down to bigger beat-heavy, worldly tracks which the band’s boogying fan base can “really get into.” During the recording process, Eggleston could pinpoint two obvious qualities about the group that set it apart from other bands and offer a glimpse into what fuels Tympanic’s relentless six-year party in the Capital.

“I’ve been in bands so I get how it can work, with the drama and opinions – but these guys have camaraderie,” Eggleston says. “They really enjoy spending time together. Also, even in pre-production of this record, you can see that they’re good musicians – whether it’s the vocals, horns honking or world beats – they really give ‘er.”

Often the reality of most Ottawa bands is that the moonlight dance parties follow a demanding daytime routine – and such is still the case for Tympanic. Although spurring bouts of bopping, eclectic Dave Matthews Band-meets-Earth Wind & Fire-style funk across the province, at local hot spots like Live Lounge and Rainbow Room, and securing radio and live TV gigs around town – their day jobs range from youth minister to farmer to parent.

Charity Corbett, the woman behind the roaring saxophone and only girl within the goofy Tympanic “boys’ locker room,” points to the sea of Carleton frosh bouncing to their uppity jams year after year or the East Coast tour-goers mouthing Tympanic lyrics as affirmations that if they play their cards right, this gig could last a lifetime for all of them.

“Our best experiences are when a crowd is just very open to hearing what we have to play,” she says.

It looks like six years later – more energized than their first groove onstage and with a new recording in the works – Tympanic will most certainly play on.