▁Ad jem ian ▁on ▁organ ▁and ▁key boards . ▁ ▁The ▁band ▁first ▁formed ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁as ▁a ▁du o ▁consisting ▁of ▁Russell ▁and ▁Schmidt , ▁re le asing ▁their ▁debut ▁EP ▁Hold ▁it ▁T ogether ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 7 . ▁However , ▁Russell ▁was ▁diagn osed ▁with ▁le uk emia ▁around ▁that ▁time . ▁While ▁the ▁band ▁took ▁a ▁hi atus ▁from ▁performing ▁due ▁to ▁his ▁chem other apy ▁treatment , ▁Russell ▁and ▁Schmidt ▁continued ▁to ▁write ▁songs ▁together . ▁When ▁they ▁returned ▁to ▁performing , ▁they ▁met ▁Rick ▁White , ▁who ▁invited ▁them ▁to ▁record ▁in ▁his ▁studio , ▁and ▁Russell ▁called ▁on ▁the ▁other ▁band ▁members , ▁with ▁whom ▁he ▁had ▁previously ▁played ▁in ▁Jon - R ae ▁and ▁the ▁River , ▁to ▁particip ate ▁in ▁the ▁recording . ▁ ▁The ▁resulting ▁album , ▁Forest ▁of ▁T ears , ▁was ▁released ▁July ▁ 2 5 , ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁on ▁Blue ▁F og ▁Record ings . ▁The ▁album ▁was ▁named ▁a ▁long list ed ▁nom ine e ▁for ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁Pol aris ▁Music ▁Prize ▁on ▁June ▁ 1 5 , ▁ 2 0 0 9 . ▁ ▁On ▁May ▁ 1 0 , ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁Out side ▁Music ▁released ▁the ▁band ' s ▁second ▁album , ▁Songs ▁of ▁Man . ▁It ▁was ▁recorded ▁in ▁ 1 2 ▁days ▁at ▁the ▁Wood sh ed ▁in ▁Toronto , ▁and ▁was ▁later ▁named ▁a ▁long list ed