Buzz Bishop sat down with rising alternative folk rock band The Codas—Braden Elliot, Taylor Adams, and Josh Aronson—to discuss their latest album, Counterfeit Cowboy, and their first-ever cross-country tour.
As the title suggests, the Kingston, Ontario-based band explores themes throughout their album about vulnerability, letting go of expectations, and being honest with themselves and others.
“It’s very open and vulnerable,” Braden says. “It is like fully pulling back the mask on that fake bravado of what being a cowboy or being a man is supposed to be.”
How The Codas came together
The Codas aren’t just bandmates. They’re close friends who built the band on shared values and personal growth.
Braden started the group in 2019, but the chemistry didn’t fully click until Taylor and Josh joined. “It felt like these guys are the finishing pieces that brought it together,” says Braden.
Taylor first watched them play as a fan and felt drawn in. “You can’t deny how much fun they’re having,” he remembers. “That’s something I wanted to be part of.”
Originally from New Zealand, Josh was invited to jam and never left. “We hit it off straight away,” he says.
Music as a way to process life
The pandemic became a pivotal turning point, both creatively and emotionally. Stuck in a job he didn’t enjoy, Braden began journaling and writing songs to work through his feelings.
“If you write something down, you can look back and clearly see how you felt,” he explains. “You can then figure out how to change those thoughts or patterns.”
What started solo became collective. Now, the band writes together weekly, building songs from shared experiences. “Writing together is like writing in the same journal,” Josh says. “You can’t hide your feelings from each other.”
That openness extends to their friendship, as well. “We love having a games night and talking about any issues we’re having,” Braden shares. “We’ve got a good little group of friends now where we all talk about feelings. Saying ‘I love you’ has become normal for us — and that’s pretty awesome.”
Supporting men’s mental health on tour
The Codas have hit the road in their first-ever cross-country tour, and it’s not just about music. It’s about mental health. One dollar from every ticket will support the Canadian Men’s Health Foundation (CMHF) and its free counselling services.
The idea came after Josh visited his mother in New Zealand. She asked who he would turn to if things ever got bad. “I said Braden and Taylor immediately,” he recalls. That sparked a bigger conversation since they know not everyone has that support.
“We got to thinking that if we could support men’s mental health in any way — empower men to open up and talk with their friends — that’d be enough,” Braden says. “But then we wanted to take it a step further and actively help with free counselling.”
“Counselling has been one of the best things I’ve ever done,” Josh says. “And I couldn’t have done it if it wasn’t funded. We want others to have that same access.”
Performing with heart
On stage, vulnerability is front and centre. Braden says performing songs about personal struggles night after night can be emotional. “You can’t help but become overwhelmed… There have definitely been moments where I have choked up and felt a tear.”
Still, those moments are what make their shows powerful. “That’s making a true connection with each other and with the audience,” Braden says.
One step at a time
For The Codas, mental health isn’t about big, dramatic shifts. It’s about consistency and compassion.
“There’s no crash diet for mental health,” says Josh. “You can only get there through small, sustainable changes.”
Braden sees too many men still stuck in tough-guy mode. “You’re not going to be happy if you keep up that schtick,” he says. “You have to open up and free yourself from those expectations.”
The Codas’ Canadian tour is now underway
$1 from every ticket will be donated to the Canadian Men’s Health Foundation to support free counselling services for men in Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, and Quebec. You can find more information about their tour dates here.
No-Cost Counselling
Access three virtual counselling sessions at no cost through TELUS Health MyCare™. Available to men in BC, AB, ON and QC without extended health benefits.
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