Tell us about:
Your latest single you have released:
The first single is called “You’ve Got to Choose.” It’s about a woman who finds out her man has been unfaithful to her and she gives him a stark choice. It started off as a gospel number, but as I was singing over the two-chord vamp I was using to set up the verses, I said to myself “Wait a second — this isn’t the gospel, this is the blues!” It has a timeless blues rock feel that really draws in the listener.
This song is an embarrassment of riches as far as guitarists go. The amazing Andrew Gravel from The Gravel Project was able to sit in and do the main guitar solo, and Sam Crawford, Bill Danylik and I trade shorter solos at the end. Mia Boostrom absolutely crushed the vocals and Mike Levesque’s iconic drum intro gives this song a classic feel. Brad’s Goff’s Hammond was the glue that held it all together.
Your favourite lyric in this song:
“So, do I set your things on fire or throw them off the roof / You’ve got to choose!”
Your favourite song that you have created that is an album track:
“The Mourning Dove.” I wrote it for my mother on the day my father passed away. They had been married for 63 years, and when my father breathed his last, my mother began to cry, but pulled herself together very quickly. “It’s okay to cry, Mom,” I said. “No it’s not,” she replied. “If I start to cry, I won’t be able to stop and I’ll just drown in my own tears.”
When I got home that night, I sat down and wrote this song in one sitting. The melody is a full sixteen bars that doesn’t ever repeat itself, but it flowed out of me all at once. I was going for a Rhiannon Giddens feel: Americana with some mournful Celtic overtones. When Mia Boostrom finished the vocals, I said, “I love this song, but it will never be a hit. She said, “Yes, but it will definitely be someone’s favourite song.”
Your favourite song to play live:
“Might Just Be My Day.” The energy, the optimism and the harmonies capture the essence of this project. I wrote it on a cross-country road trip across the U.S. with my best friend, and you can feel the joy of the open road coming through the music.
The song that was the longest to write and why?
“We’re Not Speaking Anymore.” It’s a classic torch song in the style of Norah Jones, which means it has a more sophisticated chord structure. I wanted to modulate to a minor key in the bridge and then modulate back to a major key for the last verse, so it took me a minute to figure out how to do that smoothly in a way that would be enjoyable for the listener.
Interestingly, the lyrics were easy to write, even though I haven’t had a romantic breakup since the 1980s. I got the idea during a conversation at work when we were deciding which way to go on a project and someone asked me, “What’s your heart telling you?” I said, “I don’t know — we’re not on speaking terms.” I knew that would be a great lyrical hook for a song, and, in contrast to the music, the words flowed pretty quickly.
One of your previous tracks you would recommend for first time listeners of your music and why?
This is my first solo album, so I don’t have a back catalogue to refer to, but I do think “You’ve Got to Choose” is a great introduction to the band. High energy, memorable lyrics, singable melody and a great radio vibe.
Dream collaboration:
I’ll give you two, since I always dream big. The first is Sara Bareilles, who is such a creative and innovative songwriter, and who was also blessed with an amazing voice. I actually wrote “We’re Not Speaking Anymore” with her voice in mind. The second is Rhiannon Giddens, whom I also admire as a musician, activist and songwriter. I was thinking of her voice when I wrote “The Mourning Dove.” To work with either of them would be a dream come true.
Speaking of dreams coming true, it was a dream to work with the musicians I worked with on this album, Apropos of Nothing. They’re all accomplished musicians who have played with some of the largest acts in the business. I was honoured to be in the same room with them.
Describe the feeling you get when you walk on stage to do a show:
Joy. I love to share joy with other people. I love gigs where there’s room for people to dance. I love the freedom dancing gives, if only for a while. We all carry burdens in life, some more heavy than others, and most of it hidden to all but our closest friends. Nobody takes their burdens with them out on the dance floor, so when I see people, especially those whose burdens I am familiar with, leave their worries at the edge of the dance floor, take off their shoes and jump around like children without a care in the world, it gives me happiness beyond measure. It’s my favourite thing about being a musician.
Describe your fans in three words:
Smart, funny, and gorgeous.
A song released in the last few years by an artist or band you wish you had written:
It’s been a few years since it was written, but I love “Girl Goin’ Nowhere” by Ashley McBryde. I’ve always been kind of an underdog, so I gravitate towards that type of song, especially one as artfully written as this one. She draws such a wonderfully rich picture of the protagonist and takes the listener with her down a rich emotional path. I always stand in awe of those who say so much in so few words.
What we can look forward to from your band this year:
We’ll be releasing the full album, Apropos of Nothing, on October 23rd. I’m very excited about it. I worked with the best musicians in Boston and produced an album of story-driven songs with a classic feel. The songs blend conversational lyrics with heartfelt, emotionally driven melodies that feel familiar with a twist of something new. I drew on various influences, from the innovative experimentation of the Beatles to the soaring melodies of Joni Mitchell and the deceptive ease of Motown harmonies, to writing songs that come from the heart.
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