Local band Colour by Numbers has a second concept EP coming soon.
Thaddeus Vol. 2 is the next installment in the Thaddeus rock opera trilogy, which began in 2025 with the first volume. The songs will follow the fictional Thaddeus on the verge of a tour across Western Canada with his punk rock band.
Thaddeus is a down-on-his-luck yet optimistic character. He remains motivated despite what life continues to throw at him. He is not a very respectable citizen but does not harm anyone either.
In this EP, he starts off with high hopes for the success of his band’s tour. However, tensions begin to form between him and the band as time goes on, as well as between him and his girlfriend Cheyanne back home. The new EP is a cautionary tale of juggling too many things at once and facing burnout, yet the listener cannot help but root for him all throughout.
The fictional band contrasts Colour by Numbers, who have remained together for over a decade. Musicians Jared Adams, Alex Kozub, and Mike McDermid thank their communication skills and mutual feelings of contentedness to stay in their comfort zones. So, Thaddeus’s story is a fantastical drama written from vantage points of security that such events will never happen in real life. In a sense, it is the reverse of living vicariously.
Both EPs are notable for their Winnipeg-specific references. Thaddeus walks under the Disraeli Freeway, his band plays at the Royal Albert Arms and The Watchmen play on the stereo. Our “middle of nowhere” city and the dreary nature of its winters contribute to the overall atmosphere of the EPs, which ties in well to the theme of resilience to misfortune and finding small joys through it all.
“[The aesthetic is] the sort of slushy, gray, wintry, snowy feeling of ‘I don’t know exactly what I’m doing here, but I’m just going to try to get through the day,’” bassist and vocalist Kozub elaborated.
The character of Thaddeus was originally created by Kozub for the eponymous song on the first EP. Then the concept expanded into more songs. He is also a semi-autobiographical character for Kozub, who used to frequent punk rock shows at the former King’s Hotel off Higgins Avenue. Watching people choose to make music part of their lives in such a casual manner left a strong impression on him.
Colour by Numbers’ new EP is more sonic than the last. The songs are less solely guitar driven. For one song, they even brought extra musicians into the studio as a pseudo-studio orchestra. The band described the EP as having elements of acoustic, funk, orchestral, psychedelic and rock music.
The spirit of Thaddeus’s optimism is much more audible throughout this release than the last. Each track has a particular uplifting sentiment, and the listener can grasp the grandiosity Thaddeus aspires to make of his life.
During Colour by Numbers’ video call interview with the Manitoban, their own single played on CBC Music — which was playing on the stereo in Kozub’s home.
“I’m half-doubting that it’s actually on the radio,” Kozub reacted. “I don’t know how it wouldn’t be, but part of me is like, ‘This doesn’t make any sense, this is too serendipitous.’”
Thaddeus Vol. 2 will be released on Nov. 6, followed by a show at Sidestage on Nov. 7. The lead single “Make It or Break It” is already available to stream.
