They have been in the industry almost ten years but many of us are just hearing of Ontario band Wildlife now. Their track "Lightning Tent" hit top 10 charts and won them the SiriusXM Indie Award for Rock Artist/Group or Duo of the Year 2014.

Their sound is very Canadian: anthemic, with the lyrical sensibility of Metric and the kind of rockiness that makes Kings of Leon so popular. Their 2013 sophomore album On the Heart is a pleasant listen and, if heard live, lead singer and guitarist Dean Povinksy promises an energetic experience.

"We always make sure we’re pouring as much into it as we can; we never go cavalierly into a show," he says. "We’re just actually playing music and jumping around and sweating buckets because we love it."

Founded in 2005, the friends who started Wildlife, while in Glasgow actually, have managed to maintain their amicability; something Povinsky says has contributed to their longevity.

"That’s gotten us through a lot of heavy times," he says. Though bass player Graham Plant is taking a break in Vancouver, the group has worked collectively to achieve the sound they bring on tour today.

"[Song writing] definitely changed from something that was me doing the majority of the writing to, now, I generally come with a main idea, or a song idea, that I have and want to make happen and the other [guys contribute]... whether its lyrics or melody...we basically argue about it for two months and then there’s a song."

"It is very collaborative now."

That sense of working together is also what the band wants their fans to feel when they listen to their music.

"We always really hope that [listeners] come away with a sense of inclusion," Povinsky says. "That there’s not a lot of separation between the band and them...

They’re aloud to let loose and have fun."

That feeling of abandonment – getting lost in the rawness of the music – is enhanced at a live show. Povinsky wants the audience to leave with "that sort of just raw feeing of remembering that they were there."

For Albertans that experience will be possible when Wildlife’s fall tour brings them to Red Deer’s Memorial Centre November 22nd, Edmonton’s Myer Horowitz Theatre November 24th, and Calgary’s Mac Hall November 25th.

Despite the newfound fame, and the release of a documentary on the making of On The Heart entitled Born To Ruin, not a shred of arrogance can be found in Povinsky’s character. He’s honest, friendly, and astoundingly humble about the up and down path his music career has taken over the years.

"It has definitely been gradual – I’d never call it a consistent – crescendo," he says. "We had a lot of luck and a lot of cool opportunities over the last few years."

The band’s last album was produced by Peter Katis (Interpol) and Gus Van Go (The Stills). The group has played with acts like Hollerado, The Giant, and Boy & Bear, and joins Lights on this tour. Though he wouldn’t say they are on the verge of an explosion, he would say more people are listening to their music.

"It’s great having people who might not normally see your band come out because of that."

Povinsky believes its always the least expected that actually happens. In fact, the entire album is writ with the lessons the singer has been learning along the way, namely looking for the positive within all the "shitty". Usually he would describe the band’s sound as ‘romance and violence’, but he wouldn’t say that now.

"[On The Heart] is a push and pull of pairing really dark things with really promising things, and showing that there is always good stuff in the bad stuff, and you can learn from every mistake that you make. There is always hope, and you just have to stay true to your heart and you can figure it out."

If this sounds mature for a rock star, we might credit his upbringing. Povinsky didn’t list big name artists or an extensive record list when asked who his musical inspirations are. He named his parents.

"Especially early on my parents were pretty big musical inspirations," he said, reflecting on a childhood full of mom’s piano playing and dad strumming the Everly Brothers on his acoustic guitar. His mom taught him to play when he was young, and she still sits down to hammer through the same repertoire she has been playing for the last 30-odd years. "They are definitely rock starts in their own kind of way; their retired, Oshawa kind of way."

Working hard and staying true to his roots have kept Povinsky grounded, and a voice worth listening to. "I really like non-preachy lesson-orientated songs," he says.

He knows better than to take anything for granted, and appreciates all he has. Where his first album came from a place of naivety and youth, his latest comes from a place of lessons learned.

"Always be conscientious of what your doing and how that’s having effect on other people," he says. "Never expect that your experiences are the same as everyone else’s... There are a lot of people, at any point, that would trade places with you in a heartbeat. In two seconds."

He’s acceptant of the flux that has been his career. "Certainties aren’t always the best things," he admits. "Knowing that you have got a few things in your life, like friends and love, and those things are the most important... As long as you are balancing those things out, you should be ok."

That said, don’t expect the same sound in the album Wildlife has slated for release next year. After wrapping this current tour the band will take a break, re-group and start recording some tracks they are really excited to lay down.

"[We want to] tackle some stuff that we have talked about doing the last few years that we haven’t really gotten around to," he says. This means going bigger, adding instruments, more guest musicians, and exploring genres. We are warned to expect the unexpected.

Povinsky concedes that being a Canadian musician it can be easy to get sort of stuck on the same circuit, playing the same kind of music with the same people, and though that hasn’t worn thin yet it would be fun "to reinvent what we can do as a live band."

"Almost any kind of song could be on one of our records within reason," he says. The band has talked about doing gospel, country or soul. " Embracing some of those different things I think is where we’re going to go with it."

As for a message for their gay fans, Povinsky says just one thing: "Bring the party."