The quirky indie rock sextet formed in 2003 and inked a deal with Arts & Crafts shortly thereafter, becoming the first band signed to the Toronto label that didn't include a member of Broken Social Scene. North American dates with Canadian pals Stars followed into spring 2005. The band's sophisticated debut, Underwater Cinematographer, was issued later that summer, while in October 2007, after the addition of drummer Tony Nesbitt-Larking and bassist Simon Lukasewich (who replaced Nimmo and McArthur), the Most Serene Republic's dreamy debut Population hit shelves. The shape-shifting ...And the Ever Expanding Universe arrived in 2009, followed by the EP Impossibliss in 2010 and Pre Serene: Thee Oneironauts in 2011. The band toured constantly during this time, sharing the stage with the likes of The Strokes, Broken Social Scene, and Metric, but decided to take a break in in 2011 to pursue more settled lifestyles. The band returned in 2015 with a new album, the Ryan Lenssen-produced, MapleMusic Recordings-issued Mediac. ~ MacKenzie Wilson