Toronto-Based Carlos Thurler’s Single ‘Divided’ Showcases a Powerful Fusion of Grunge, Britpop and Stoner Rock Influences
Sometimes, it feels like everyone is on their own. When this happens, you can feel powerless to do anything to make your life better. However, the right call to action can motivate people to change things. Toronto-based rock artist Carlos Thurler rallies the people in his new single “Divided.”
The song opens with a steady blues-rock riff that hooks the listener right before Thurler comes in with gravelly vocals. The first verse establishes the song’s grim tone as it discusses how people try to stay sane in a hopeless world. As the chorus comes in, Thurler sings of how it might take the world burning before people come together to make a change.
“Til it all goes up in flames
It’s so hard to stand a chance
It’s been this way since we became so divided
All goes down the drain
It’s so hard to make amends
And it’s a shame that we became so divided
So divided…”
According to Thurler himself, the song was inspired by the stark reality we’ve been living in. While discussing his debut solo album Divided, he states,
“Our society has been growing more polarized, and more than ever people aren’t getting along. On songs like “Divided” and “New Inquisition” touch on this subject more directly.”
Taking up the guitar at age 14, Thurler soon started forming bands with high school friends, and later cut his teeth at the tribute band scene in his native Brazil. Years later, having accumulated a good deal of experience onstage, he would then go on to write and perform original songs with bands and solo artists.
In 2008 Thurler recorded a full-length album in Brazil with local indie band Monovida, before moving to London, UK, dedicating to honing his craft has led him to actively collaborate with local songwriters, seizing every opportunity to gain invaluable experience. By working closely with fellow creatives in his community, he has been able to explore different perspectives, experiment with diverse musical styles, and cultivate a unique sound that resonates with audiences today.
Later on, he moved to Toronto and became determined to produce a solo album after experiencing the 2020 pandemic and realizing that his initial career in marketing wasn’t his true passion.
Divided reflects many of Thurler’s biggest influences: From grunge, hard rock, and stoner rock to Britpop and indie rock. The debut single of the same name is a strong, emotional track that grabs the listener’s attention, making him one to watch out for.
Watch the video for “Divided” below and learn more about Carlos via our mini-interview.
Care to introduce yourself?
My name is Carlos Thurler, and I’m a rock guitarist, singer, and songwriter. I was born and raised in Brazil, but I’ve been around. I’ve also lived 3 years in London (the one in England, not Ontario). I’m fairly new to Canada. I got here in December 2019, just in time for the Covid-19 pandemic! Wherever I’ve lived, I’ve always played in bands and made friends in music, and thrived in contributing with others. I was all eager to do this here… let’s just say it was difficult, what with the timing and everything. So that was the context that kind of forced me to do it all on my own. Now I’m releasing my debut album as a solo artist. The album is called Divided and will be released on August 25. The lead single of the same name is out now.
Tell us about the process of writing and recording “Divided”?
I had this riff for the past year or so that I really wanted to do something with. But I just let the rest come to me naturally, and when it did, it was really fast. The same with the lyrics: they flowed through really fast and I recall writing them to the finished instrumental. It was around New Year’s Eve 2020. You remember how there was no travelling at that time. My wife and I didn’t really know anyone here. We were total newcomers when we all got suddenly cut off from everything. That year was brutal on all of us for sure. So I think that sense of desperate isolation sort of comes through in the writing, where I’m also contemplating the lack of tolerance in society. Did the pandemic make it even worse? I don’t know, sometimes I think so.
Recording it was a different story. It was December 2021, life was beginning to get back to “normal” and I was able to travel to Brazil and properly record guitars for the entire album. All my gear was there, so it was easier this way. Then several months later in 2022, I recorded the vocals here in Toronto.
What’s it like being a musician in Toronto?
The jury is still out on that one because, incredibly enough, I still haven’t played with anyone here! Partly because of the pandemic, at first; but also because I’ve been holed up in my home studio making this album for a while now, plus all the stuff that comes with being an independent artist. I played almost everything on my record, and the other musicians who featured are all from Brazil, guys I already knew well and knew I could count on. But now I really want to get a band going and get this show on the road so to speak. I attended a few concerts here with bands playing originals in the last month or two and from what I’ve seen, there are plenty of talented and passionate people here.
Who was the first and most recent Canadian artist to blow you away?
The first Canadian act I fell in love with was probably Rush. I must have been 15 when I got into them, and it made me go through a prog rock phase. I was amazed at their musicianship and how 3 guys could sound that huge! Moving Pictures was their first album I listened to and it’s still a favourite to this day. Those guys are absolute legends in Brazil too. It’s a huge fan base they have there, and maybe that’s the reason why one of their main live albums is from a concert in Rio. When Neil Peart passed, I was already living here in Toronto. It was quite a thing, incredibly sad. But it really warms my heart to see how Alex and Geddy are really good friends to this day. Watching their interviews and what they get up to on social media also gives me the impression they’re really good people, and that their entire journey was about much more than just business.
The most recent “love at first listen” I had with a Canadian artist was BADBADNOTGOOD. I got instantly hooked when I first listened to “Speaking Gently”, their instrumental track off their IV album. I felt it was a bit psychedelic even, and there was a complexity there. I just loved those chord changes. Then I learned they’re from Toronto, and most of them studied jazz at Humber College, and it all made sense. Musicianship-wise, those guys are off the charts! Then I got to appreciate how they combined jazz and hip-hop elements. I was ready for that because I had been listening to a lot of jazz and I was pretty open to hip-hop. Really expanding my horizons. So they’ve been a real breath of fresh air for me. I still haven’t been able to attend one of their concerts though. I hope I can catch one soon.
You’ve been making music for a while now, what’s one piece of advice you can offer to those starting out?
It’s difficult to pick, but if I have to choose just one, I’d say: learn your music theory. Really! As boring as it sounds. Some will think “Well, this is obvious!”, but you’d be surprised at how many people attempt to write music without the proper knowledge of theory. I’ve seen people commit stuff that was simply wrong to recordings… and release them! Experimentation is fine and will take you to different places, sure. I like to play my instrument “unconsciously” and aimlessly sometimes and I’ve stumbled upon some great ideas. But at the end of the day, we all need to make sense of that stuff. Also, sometimes we feel stuck when writing, and only theory can get us out of a jam and show us the places we can go next. It’s really empowering to any musician regardless of background or genre. If anything, it could empower you to become a music producer too, who knows?
I’ll sneak in another one too: if you’re making music, do it for the right reasons! Don’t do it expecting fame, money, or any other sort of validation. It’s an awful lot of hard work (oftentimes not recognized or appreciated by others) and the statistics on artists who actually make it… well, let’s just say it’s really hard to make a living in music! But if it’s your passion, then, by all means, do it. In short: do it because you love it.