Hopeful Monster (band)

{{Short description|Canadian chamber pop band}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Hopeful Monster

| image =

| image_size =

| landscape =

| alt =

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| alias =

| origin = Seabright, Nova Scotia, Canada

| genre = Psychedelic chamber pop

| years_active = {{start date|2000}}–present

| label =

| associated_acts = * By Divine Right

• Heavy Blinkers
• The Hylozoists
• Lily Frost
• The Wilderness

| website = {{Official URL}}

| current_members = * Jason Ball

• José Miguel Contreras
• Randy Lee
• Alex McMaster

| past_members =

}}

Hopeful Monster is a Canadian chamber pop band, formed in 2000 by singer-songwriter Jason Ball for a recording project at his own Nervous System Studio in Seabright, Nova Scotia. Hopeful Monster was released in 2002 on Halifax label Brobdingnagian Records, featuring orchestral session players and members of local bands Heavy Blinkers, The Guthries and Matt Mays & El Torpedo, as well as studio partner and Hylozoists composer Paul Aucoin.{{cite web|url=http://canadianmusician.com/showcase/?s=hopeful+monster|title=Showcase: Hopeful Monster |publisher=Canadian Musician}}{{cite web|url=http://exclaim.ca/music/article/hopeful_monster-hopeful_monster|title=Hopeful Monster: Hopeful Monster |first=James |last=Keast |date=June 1, 2002 |publisher=Exclaim!}}

Following a move to Toronto, Ball released a second album, Metatasking, under the Hopeful Monster moniker in 2008, featuring members of By Divine Right, Hylozoists and side project The Wilderness.{{cite web|url=http://exclaim.ca/music/article/hopeful_monster-metatasking |title=Hopeful Monster: Metatasking |first=Ian |last=Gormley |date=December 29, 2009 |publisher=Exclaim!}}{{cite web|url=http://www.spin.com/2008/08/catch-buzz-hopeful-monster/ |title=Catch the Buzz: Hopeful Monster |first=Joseph |last=Coscarelli |date=August 18, 2008 |publisher=Spin}}

In 2010, Hopeful Monster was selected to represent Nova Scotia on CBC Radio 2's Great Canadian Song Quest compilation, for which an artist from each Canadian province and territory contributed a song, written about a road chosen by listeners via CBC's online voting platform.{{cite web|url=http://exclaim.ca/music/article/cbc_radio_2_ropes_in_hannah_georgas_two_hours_traffic_more_for_great_canadian_song_quest |title=CBC Radio 2 Ropes in Hannah Georgas, Two Hours Traffic and More for Great Canadian Song Quest |first=Alex |last=Hudson|date=September 15, 2010 |publisher=Exclaim!}}{{cite web|url=http://exclaim.ca/music/article/great_canadian_song_quest_unveils_songs_inspired_by_canadian_roads_featuring_hannah_georgas_two_hours_traffic |title=Great Canadian Song Quest Unveils Tracks Inspired by Canadian Roads Featuring Hannah Georgas, Two Hours Traffic |first=Alex |last=Hudson|date=October 25, 2010 |publisher=Exclaim!}}

A third Hopeful Monster album, Beautiful Island, was released in 2013.{{cite web|last1=Boshart|first1=Eric|title=New in Toronto Music: Twist, the Hopeful Monster, Sue Newberry and the Law, Shotgun Jimmie, Grounders|url=http://www.blogto.com/music/2013/03/new_in_toronto_music_twist_the_hopeful_monster_sue_newberry_and_the_law_shotgun_jimmie_grounders/|website=BlogTO}}{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/hopeful-monster-mn0001949717/discography|title=Discography|website=Allmusic}}