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Pigott Bros. release debut album 'Pigottry'

Updated Wed. Jun. 24 2009 11:53 AM ET

Sheri Block, CTV.ca

Being on Canadian Idol not only gave Oliver and Sebastian Pigott national TV exposure and a whack of new fans across the country, it also inspired them to release their debut album "Pigottry."

Prior to trying out for Season 6 of the show, Oliver had been living in the UK and performing his music live, while Sebastian had been concentrating on his acting career in Toronto. Going through the audition process last spring -- and both making it into the Top 24 no less -- marked the first time they had played together in years.

It reminded the brothers, who grew up in Portugal and were raised in a musical family, what they had been missing.

"Idol's exactly what brought us back together and that's what I'm most thankful for to that show because who knows if or when we would've got that opportunity. We haven't worked together since high school," says Sebastian.

"Pigottry" is a diverse collection of folk, blues and acoustic pop tunes that, with one exception, were entirely penned by Oliver or Sebastian.

With songs about love, longing and overcoming demons, the record encapsulates a wide range of topics.

"'Let Your Devil Die' and 'Shed My Sin' are both songs about overcoming your demons. I think everybody struggles with that so I had my own perspective on it," says Oliver.

There's even a song about the current economic crisis. "Rich Man," the first single off the album, was written by Sebastian in response to the financial meltdown of 2008 and the $700 billion bailout plan put forth by then U.S. president George Bush.

"I thought it was another case of the 'rich man' trying to take the 'poor man's' money, really, in terms of all these corporate types, these executives taking taxpayers' money to bail them out of these big mistakes and I got mad about it so I sat down and I wrote that tune right away," says Sebastian.

It also features a familiar voice on backing vocals - Idol Top 4 finisher Earl Stevenson.

The Pigotts are working on a video for the song and are encouraging fans to come up with their own ideas and post them on YouTube.

"Dark Horse" is the only cover on the album and the only song that was performed on Idol (it was sung by Sebastian during the Top 24 week). Popularized by Amanda Marshall in the 90s and co-written by Oliver's good friend Dean McTaggart, Sebastian says it's a song that has spoken to him for a long time.

"It's really dear to me. It's a song that I've sat with for a long time and related to. I was drawn to it for a reason because I empathized with it ... It's different from the Amanda Marshall version. I take a different approach to it because I think it's a really fragile sentiment," says Sebastian.

The album, which also features Tony Nesbitt-Larking on drums and keys and Chris Williams on bass, was recorded over a four-month period in a basement in North Toronto. It was entirely produced by Oliver -- a first for the eldest Pigott brother.

"There were a few points where I questioned my decisions but I think ultimately I spent a long time in studios with other producers so I would just hearken back to that and think about the process we went through at the time and then I'd try to relate it to this project," says Oliver.

Sebastian was also busy filming a movie for the Discovery Channel at the time and says he wouldn't have trusted anyone else with the process.

"I'm a bit of a control freak that way and I think he did a fantastic job producing it," says Sebastian.

But it doesn't mean there weren't any brotherly disagreements.

"I would constantly stop him if I didn't like something and get him to do it again. But I tried to be receptive because Sebastian had some awesome ideas as far as instrumentation went ... And you need some friction, right, when you're trying to come up with some creative things and so we definitely had that covered," says Oliver with a laugh.

As well as the release of their debut album, the Pigotts also have a number of other projects on the horizon. Oliver has just finished recording a song with Lukas Rossi, after meeting him on Idol last year, and word is that Amy Winehouse and Tony Cowell -- brother of "American Idol's" Simon Cowell -- are also fans of their music.

They are also planning a cross-country tour and know there are a lot of fans waiting to hear them live.

"People who watch Idol are very supportive of people they liked on the show. In some ways more so than somebody you might've garnered as a fan through a live gig. There's just something about television that makes you larger than life," says Oliver.