''The Story of Harmelodia'' is a 1999 album by

Rheostatics Rheostatics are a Canadian indie rock band. They were formed in 1978, and actively performed from 1980 until disbanding in 2007. After a number of reunion performances at special events, Rheostatics reformed in late 2016, introducing new songs a ...

."Rheostatics all live in a Yellow Submarine". ''

The Globe and Mail ''The Globe and Mail'' is a Canadian newspaper printed in five cities in western and central Canada. With a weekly readership of approximately 2 million in 2015, it is Canada's most widely read newspaper on weekdays and Saturdays, although it ...

'', December 8, 1999. Billed as a children's album, the album is a

narrative A narrative, story, or tale is any account of a series of related events or experiences, whether nonfictional (memoir, biography, news report, documentary, travel literature, travelogue, etc.) or fictional (fairy tale, fable, legend, thriller (ge ...

detailing the adventures of Dot and Bug, two children from the land of Harmelodia who fall through a hole (as in ''

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland ''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'' (commonly ''Alice in Wonderland'') is an 1865 English novel by Lewis Carroll. It details the story of a young girl named Alice (Alice's Adventures in Wonderland), Alice who falls through a rabbit hole into a ...

'') into the land of Popopolis. In Harmelodia, the children attend weekly lessons where they learn highly regimented music, but in Popopolis, they learn to make music using their own creativity on fantastical instruments such as the "wingophone". The album is based on a story by

Dave Bidini Dave Bidini (born September 11, 1963) is a Canadian musician and writer. Originally from Etobicoke, Ontario, he was a founding member of the rock band Rheostatics, and currently performs with Bidiniband. In addition, he has published several boo ...

, and is packaged in a book containing Bidini's text with illustrations by

Martin Tielli Martin Tielli is a Canadian singer-songwriter. He was a member of the Rheostatics, and has also released material as a solo artist and with the side project Nick Buzz. As well, he has appeared as a guest musician on albums by Barenaked Ladies, ...

. Narration on the album is by Bidini's wife, Janet Morassutti. A different version of "Song of the Garden" was recorded for the band's 2001 album '' Night of the Shooting Stars''. Guest musicians on the album include

Sarah Harmer Sarah Harmer (born November 12, 1970) is a Canadian singer, songwriter and environmental activist. Early life Born and raised in Burlington, Ontario, Harmer gained her first exposure to the musician's lifestyle as a teenager, when her older sist ...

Kurt Swinghammer Kurt Swinghammer is a Canadian singer-songwriter and visual artist based in Toronto."Canadian pop finds its own way to rock". ''Toronto Star'', 30 June 1989. He has released 13 full-length albums of original songs and as a session musician appea ...

Mia Sheard Mia Sheard is a Canadian pop singer-songwriter. Sheard was classically trained at the Royal Conservatory of Music."Crowd chatter matters little to Sheard". '' Edmonton Journal'', October 24, 2002. She released her debut album ''With Love and Squa ...

and

Kevin Hearn Kevin Neil Hearn (born July 3, 1969) is a Canadian musician who is a member of Barenaked Ladies, and his own group, Kevin Hearn and Thin Buckle. He primarily plays keyboards and guitars. He is also a member of Rheostatics. Early life Hearn was ...

. It is also the only Rheostatics album which includes a songwriting credit for

Don Kerr Don Kerr is a Canadian multi-instrumentalist and record producer. He is the drummer, lead singer and front man of Toronto band, Communism. He plays in Ron Sexsmith's band,Belleville, Ontario Belleville is a city in Ontario, Canada situated on the eastern end of Lake Ontario, located at the mouth of the Moira River and on the Bay of Quinte. Belleville is between Ottawa and Toronto, along the Quebec City-Windsor Corridor. Its population ...

created and performed a

stage musical Musical theatre is a form of theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance. The story and emotional content of a musical – humor, pathos, love, anger – are communicated through words, music, movement ...

version of the album. The show itself did a trial at the legendary

Horseshoe Tavern The Horseshoe Tavern (known as ''The Horseshoe'', ''The 'Shoe'', The 'Toronto Tavern' and The 'Triple T' to Toronto locals) is a concert venue at 370 Queen Street West (northeast corner of Queen at Spadina) in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and ...

in Toronto.

Track listing

All songs and narration credited to

, except where noted. #"The Harmelodian Anthem" #"Dot and Bug in the Street" #"I Fab Thee" (

) #"It's Easy to be With You" #"Monkeybird" (

) #"The Descent into Popopolis" #"Invisible Stairs" (

Tim Vesely Tim Vesely (born 10 December 1963) is a Canadian musician and songwriter. He is best known as a founding member of the indie rock band Rheostatics, in which he shared vocal duties with bandmates Dave Bidini and Martin Tielli. Vesely wrote much ...

) #"Popopolis" #"I Am Drumstein" #"The Music Room" (Vesely) #"Dot Tries the Wingophone" (Hearn) #"Wingophone" (Hearn) #"Bug's Song (The Sky Dreamed)" #"Loving Arms" (Vesely) #"Father Mourns, Drumstein Schemes" #"The Bee Sky Opus in Magenta (Dr. Drumstein)" #"Father's Sad Song" (

Don Kerr Don Kerr is a Canadian multi-instrumentalist and record producer. He is the drummer, lead singer and front man of Toronto band, Communism. He plays in Ron Sexsmith's band,Gordon Downie Gordon Edgar Downie (February 6, 1964 – October 17, 2017) was a Canadian rock singer-songwriter, musician, writer and activist. He was the singer and lyricist for the Canadian rock band The Tragically Hip, which he fronted from its forma ...

) #"Home Again" (Tielli) #"Dot and Bug Pop out of the Earth" #"Song of the Garden" (Dave Merritt,

Mike Bonnell Mike may refer to: Animals * Mike (cat), cat and guardian of the British Museum * Mike the Headless Chicken, chicken that lived for 18 months after his head had been cut off * Mike (chimpanzee), a chimpanzee featured in several books and documen ...

)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Story Of Harmelodia, The 1999 albums Rheostatics albums