Class of 91’s third album takes aim at personal, societal, and environmental instability across ten anthemic tracks. While remaining grounded in the band’s signature blend of indie rock and punk, All Guesses Passed Off As Hope weaves in layers of shoegaze, lo-fi, and post-rock to span the spectrum of contemporary guitar music. These are Class of 91’s boldest songs to date—louder, more vulnerable, and more sonically adventurous—fusing intensity with melody, and directness with emotional depth.

DIY alt rockers Class of 91 have announced the release of their second EP, 'Lost Stories', available on all streaming platforms and for purchase on Bandcamp on Friday, November 25.

Produced by Class of 91 singer-songwriter Ian Ferguson and drummer Steve Clifford at the band’s home studio in Ottawa, with Kristian Montano (Kali Horse, Daniel Romano) mastering, 'Lost Stories' explores human conflict, mental health, and duality as its prevailing themes. The resulting eight tracks are offered up in a sonic design that has been described as “a guitar-forward mix of punk, indie rock, and early 90s alternative in the Bob Mould tradition.”

The album begins with a sense of déjà vu in the raw opener “Look How Far We’ve Come,” which questions why, over 30 years since the end of the Cold War, the threat of nuclear conflict between nations is again making headlines.

Elsewhere, the early days of the pandemic are reflected in “These Four Walls” and “Hideaways,” which offer contrasting experiences during lockdown, with the former addressing the weight of isolation while the latter explores the freedom of navigating city streets devoid of people.

“Polaris” tells the story of its title character pushing back against obstacles undermining order, tolerance and progress in a post-truth world: “[Polaris] claims she’s seen the future, do you think she’ll share it? / She leaves her clues everywhere but too often we’re caught blind / too often out of touch, tell me everything will be alright.”

Recording began for ‘Eyes on Fire’ - the debut release from Ottawa’s Class of 91 - in early 2020 with hopes of a summer release and supporting live shows. This all changed with the onset of the COVID pandemic, ushering in a period of stay-at-home orders, physical distancing, business closures, and family health scares. Recording in person became impossible, and even the concept of recording an album seemed trivial. But in the end it turned out to be a catharsis, with songwriter Ian Ferguson (guitar and vocals), Brock Sarault (guitar), Fred Pantalone Jr. (bass), and Steve Clifford (drums and production duties) finding ways to finish recording and production virtually.

The result is a collection of eight songs about challenges in the human story — identity, connection, loss, and navigating an increasingly polarized world. It can be heard in songs like “Breakaway”, a punchy critique of the online echo chamber: “screaming opinion at every other opinion.” The track “Couldn’t This Be Right” offers a reflection on moving forward after the loss of a parent: “now I must hold all the answers, and hope that they’re not wrong.” The album’s title track speaks to resilience during uncertain times: “This is where we’ll stand our ground, walking the wire, eyes on fire.” Class of 91 brings it all together in a sonic design that splits the difference between guitar-infused indie rock, punk, and power pop.

'Eyes on Fire' was produced by Steve Clifford and Ian Ferguson, and mastered by Stefan Jurewicz (The Desert Island Big Band) at Kick Me Records, Ottawa.

'Eyes on Fire' is available on Friday, October 2, 2020, on all streaming platforms.