The sky is blue, and the sea is green—but do you have your yellow submarine?
That’s the question for Beatles fans worldwide, with the release of a limited edition solid silver sub. Weighing one ounce, the intricate collectible with its instantly recognizable design is a must-have for Beatles aficionados. The collectible celebrates the magic of the 1968 film, which was lovingly restored, frame by frame, in 2018—bringing the otherworldly underwater adventure to a new generation.
Precious Sound worked with B.H. Mayer’s Kunstprägeanstalt, a 150-year-old Munich-based mint. The deal was brokered by Bravado International, The Beatles North American licensing agent. The trio hope the collectible will fascinate a new flock of Beatles fans, and bring back fond memories for those already captivated by the charming and witty tale.
Each Yellow Submarine piece in the initial release is also legal tender with only 4,000 collectibles will be made, making the one-ounce .999 pure silver memento something to treasure for the ages. Additional Yellow Submarine silver collectibles will follow in 2025, including a special set honoring each of the band members.
Joe Marziotto, vice president of licensing for Bravado, said the sub sale was a unique opportunity for Beatles fans. “The Yellow Submarine film has left an indelible mark on pop culture,” he said. “This collectible captures that magic and offers fans a tangible piece of that legacy.”
Mark Sutton, co-founder and creative director at Precious Sound, said it was “a fitting tribute to an iconic film,” while Alex Wenger, CEO of B.H. Mayer, said his company was excited about the new offering. “It is an honor to bring our expertise in minting to this project,” he said. “The intricacy and detail of the Yellow Submarine collectible reflect the creativity that the Beatles brought to their music and storytelling.”
The collectible will be available for pre-sale starting mid-December, making it an exciting opportunity for collectors to secure this exclusive item ahead of the holiday season. It be available for pre-sale through the Precious Sound website, the official Beatles website, and select retail partners.
Continuing their long-standing educational partnership, Code.org and Amazon today announced the latest Hour of Code activity, Music Lab: Jam Session. The new activity, built on the Music Lab platform launched earlier this year, allows students to learn core computer science concepts like sequencing, loops, and functions through music composition and introduces a new feature for creating custom beats with AI based on students’ creative input.
Code.org designed Music Lab: Jam Session to show students that coding is not just about logic and algorithms – it’s about creativity. The new lesson connects the problem-solving process coders use to the creative process musicians follow. Students can also explore career paths specifically in music and technology with the Amazon Music Career Tour.
“Since its launch, Music Lab has supported students’ interest in and passion for learning computer science and we are thrilled to bring the platform to Hour of Code with Music Lab: Jam Session,” said Hadi Partovi, CEO and co-founder of Code.org. “The new activity encourages students to see that computer science and creativity go hand in hand, blending coding and AI skills with artistic expression to make learning exciting, engaging, and accessible.”
The Music Lab platform features an impressive catalog of tracks from top artists, including Lady Gaga, The Chainsmokers, Coldplay, Tinashe, Rosa Linn, Aloe Blacc, and more. Code.org is thrilled to introduce additional tracks from renowned artists Shakira, Sabrina Carpenter, and Benson Boone. Shakira’s top hits “Whenever, Wherever” and “Hips Don’t Lie” are among the newly available songs, offering students an even broader array of creative options as they learn to code.
Shakira, an Amazon partner and advocate for Code.org, shared: “I am proud to continue my work with Code.org and Amazon to expand access for students around the world to computer science education. Music Lab shows students that coding and creativity are connected and I am thrilled to support a platform that makes learning fun and meaningful for students.”
Music Lab: Jam Session lands ahead of Hour of Code 2024, which will take place from December 9-15 alongside the annual Computer Science Education Week. This year’s Hour of Code theme, “Make the Invisible Visible,” celebrates students’ creativity and passion, bridging the gap between students’ interests and the technology that powers them.
Since Music Lab launched in May, the platform has generated over 4 million project starts from users around the world. To explore the capabilities of Music Lab and learn more about the interactive student projects, artist videos, and resources available for educators, visit code.org/music. For more information about how to participate in this year’s Hour of Code, visit www.hourofcode.com/us.
When you think of Rubber Soul, the iconic sixth studio album (in just two years!) from The Beatles, you likely envision its groundbreaking blend of folk, soul, and pop. But beneath its polished veneer are hidden gems of trivia and fascinating tidbits that shaped this masterpiece. Here are five little-known facts about the album that changed the game for rock and roll forever.
1. The Title Was Inspired By a Compliment (and a Slight Jab)
Paul McCartney was inspired to name the album Rubber Soul after overhearing an American musician describe Mick Jagger’s singing style as “plastic soul.” McCartney turned the phrase into a cheeky nod to The Beatles’ own attempts at soul music, adding a dose of self-deprecating humor to their groundbreaking LP.
2. “Norwegian Wood” Introduced the Sitar to Rock Music
George Harrison’s use of the sitar on “Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)” marked the first time the instrument was featured prominently in a rock song. Inspired by Ravi Shankar and introduced to the instrument during the filming of Help!, Harrison’s sitar work sparked a fascination with Indian music that would deeply influence the band’s later works.
3. A Marathon Recording Schedule
The Beatles recorded Rubber Soul in just over a month, an unusually tight schedule by today’s standards. Working long nights and early mornings, they completed the album with just hours to spare before the release deadline. Despite the pressure, the sessions yielded some of their most innovative work, showcasing their growing studio prowess.
4. The Hidden Bach Influence on “In My Life”
The iconic piano solo in “In My Life” isn’t actually played in real time. Producer George Martin recorded the solo at half speed, then sped it up during playback to give it the intricate, harpsichord-like quality fans adore. Lennon had requested something “Bach-like,” and Martin delivered a timeless classical touch to the track.
5. The Album’s Cover Was a Happy Accident
The stretched effect on the album’s cover photo was a fluke. Photographer Robert Freeman was projecting the image onto cardboard when the board slipped, elongating the image. The band loved the trippy, distorted look, which perfectly matched the experimental vibe of Rubber Soul.
Rubber Soul isn’t just an album; it’s a journey that redefined what rock music could be – and again, their sixth album in just two years. Its mix of innovative sounds, deeply personal lyrics, and creative risks set the stage for the sonic revolutions of Revolver and Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. Whether you’re a lifelong fan or new to its wonders, revisiting Rubber Soul reveals a masterpiece that continues to inspire artists and listeners alike.
For musical and married partners Joey Clarkson and Peter Dixon, known as the Americana duo Half A Chance, trying to bring a little bundle of joy into the world has been challenging. While sadly, the social discourse, general attitudes, and sensitivity towards the issue remain problematic, the group has addressed the issue head on with the smart and engaging roots pop single “Little Problems,” a tune set to be released during Britain’s National Fertility Week in November. It’s also a stellar track that glides effortlessly while tackling a complex issue that resonates with so many couples.
Clarkson, who says both she and Dixon have been trying to have a child since 2019, says “Little Problems” was originally a cathartic means to address their own situation. “It was a therapeutic exercise in the midst of a brutal year for my physical and mental health,” Clarkson says, adding appointments for In vitro fertilization (IVF) were rescheduled several times. “The song fell out quickly, and so did my tears. I somehow made it through cohesively enough for Peter to tell me that it can’t just be a song for us — the very reason that I didn’t want to share the song was the reason it was so important to do so — and that we needed to finish it and release it.”
“Moments in, I knew it was special; the context of the lyrics was out there, but I felt the honesty needed to be conveyed,” Dixon, who co-wrote the song with Clarkson, adds. “Singers always sing about heartbreak or gloss over negative feelings with a happy, ‘fluffy’ song, so I thought it was right to go ahead and be honest, even if it is a bit awkward putting it all out on the line.”
“Little Problems,” released in conjunction with National Fertility Week, also is being highlighted in the BBC program Escape to the Country as the first song the couple, who were featured guests on an episode, used under the moniker Half A Chance. Clarkson says the song is the perfect reply by those who are constantly asked questions about when or if a couple is having children from friends or family who don’t consider the ramifications of what they might consider thoughtful questions.
“In the heat of the moment, we’re faced with a really difficult question: answer the question and out ourselves, or make the person asking the question feel incredibly uncomfortable by telling them how inappropriate it is to ask,” she says. “The people making these comments rarely do so from a place of ill intent, but that doesn’t change the negative impact they can have when they are thrown around so carelessly.
“This isn’t just a song about infertility; it’s a song about taking back control and challenging the entitlement people feel to conversations surrounding infertility and family planning, through the lens of lived experience. This song is for anyone who’s ever felt like they were stripped of their own right to share information about their fertility or family planning on their own terms, and for the people in their lives who have taken that autonomy away from them.”
“Little Problems” was produced by Tyler Spicer at Namm Studios in Trowbridge, England and mixed by Todd Peterson in Nashville while mastered by the Grammy-nominated Sam Moses at Nashville’s Moses Mastering. Clarkson provides strong lead vocals and backing vocals reminiscent of Chrissie Hynde and Stevie Nicks while Dixon adds backing vocals and plays bass and the saxophone. Bringing to mind groups like The Way On Drugs and their mid-tempo majesty in terms of arrangement, “Little Problems” is fleshed out by cornet Catriona Christie and trombonist David Huntriss.
The gem is the latest single from Half A Chance who consist of the Comox Valley, BC-born Clarkson and the British-born Dixon. Dixon was a saxophonist for the Band of the Scots Guard while also being a bassist in the group The Blue Highways. Clarkson, meanwhile, has been a singer/songwriter with 17 years under her belt releasing music that’s appeared on both CBC and BBC Radio and London Live TV.
Now with an anthem for couples enduring the issue of fertility and infertility, look for Half A Chance and “Little Problems” to make big inroads among fans of contemporary roots pop. To steal a line from the song, it’s a single that you’ll definitely want to talk about.
Sometimes you can fall into what many deem “paralysis by over-analysis,” incapable of making a decision for fear it might be the wrong one. Or, if it is the right one, second-guessing yourself into a frenzy. “It’s a song about having insomnia due to the obstacles of not being able to make a decision due to overthinking and the over-analysis of life situations that most people can relate to.” For Edmonton-based pop rock singer Dahlia Wakefield, her own personal story at one point came with such a fork in life’s road.
After making her home in Edmonton for quite some time, Wakefield, who was born in Cebu City, Philippines but called Maidstone, Saskatchewan her stomping grounds, was mulling over whether to divorce, weighing the pros and cons and the consequences of that choice. The dilemma inspired her to write the meaty, infectious, and highly addictive single “Queen Of Overthinking,” released on her birthday on November 4. A close friend stated that it was better to overthink than to under-think, resulting in the seed for what is an excellent slab of beefy but bouncy pop rock by Wakefield.
The vocalist wrote the lyrics, and Kevin Frey wrote the music for “Queen Of Overthinking” in mid-January 2024. The duo has struck gold with a song that finds its footing instantly in the vein of Sheryl Crow, Sarah Burton, and Sarah Jarosz. Teeming with confidence, Wakefield keeps the tight tune rolling along as the chorus steadily builds in intensity, moving into a hardier, edgier realm she more than holds her own with. It’s a song that, as great as this studio version is, would simply soar in concert, becoming an instant showstopper.
“Queen Of Overthinking,” recorded in early September and produced by Sandro Dominelli at Dominelli Studios in St. Albert, Alberta, features Wakefield adding sweet harmonies to her own finely-tuned delivery while Frey adds acoustic guitar and slide guitar. The song is also highlighted by some strong work by lead guitarist Alan Tymofichuk. Meanwhile, the rhythm section is rounded out by bassist Jeff Godley and drummer Dennis Boisvert.
“Queen Of Overthinking” is the first single from Wakefield’s upcoming album My Truth, a record exploring life’s darker themes, including domestic violence, narcissistic abuse and parental alienation. The single is the “happy song” from My Truth and a sign of what’s on the horizon for Wakefield and fans worldwide.
Wakefield, who began singing in public when she was five, wears various hats and has a lot of fingers in different musical pies. Alan Tymofichuk has played with Wakefield in an earlier group called X-Factor, The Dahlia & Alan Duo, and Dahlia & The Villains. Then there’s Brigade, Dahlia’s great Heart Tribute Band, the hard rock group Kerosene, and an ’80s metal covers band Shocker. In addition to releasing three solo albums, she has also released three albums as part of the country/rock group Dirt Road Angels, a group which has shared the stage with Colin Raye, Aaron Tippin, Brett Kissel, and Sammy Kershaw among others.
She has also been a promoter, agent, and mentor to various successful acts, making her known as “the hardest working woman in show business in Edmonton.” As if that wasn’t enough, she is a beginner piano coach and vocal coach having graduated from the Grant MacEwan Music Program with Distinction.
Now with confirmed tour dates slated to run well into mid-2025, a forthcoming album, and a great lead single in “Queen Of Overthinking,” Dahlia Wakefield is putting her seal on another fantastic piece of pop rock. And there’s no second-guessing that at all!
Dahlia Wakefield Tour Dates
January 4, 2025 — Casino TBA — Calgary, AB (with Elvis Tribute Band)
January 31, 2025 – Single Release Party for “Queen of Overthinking” at Blues on Whyte, Edmonton, AB (with Dahlia & The Villains)
February 28, 2025 — Caffrey’s — Sherwood Park, AB (with Kerosene)
March 1, 2025 — Caffrey’s — Sherwood Park, AB (with Kerosene)
April 12, 2025 — TBA — Drayton Valley, AB (with Tribute Band)
May 10, 2025 — Westlock Trade Fair — Westlock, AB (Dahlia & The Villains)
June 4, 2025 — Maclab Theatre — Leduc, AB (with Dirt Road Angels)
June 14, 2025 — Mayerthorpe Car Show — Mayerthorpe, AB (The Dahlia and Alan Duo)
Stony Plain Records is celebrating a milestone as it approaches its 50th year anniversary in 2025 with the announcement from the Recording Academy on Friday that the Canadian independent blues & roots label received three 2025 Grammy nominations.
The nominated recordings are for:
Best American Roots Performance: “Nothing In Rambling” by The Fabulous Thunderbirds, featuring Bonnie Raitt, Keb’ Mo’, Taj Mahal, and Mick Fleetwood.
Best Traditional Blues Album:Struck Down by The Fabulous Thunderbirds. Co-written and co-produced by the celebrated Canadian bluesman Steve Strongman.
Best Traditional Blues Album:One Guitar Woman by Sue Foley, her first ever Grammy nomination.
“These nominations are a testament to the hard work and creativity of our artists,” said Holger Petersen, founder of Stony Plain Records. “We are incredibly proud to be part of their musical journeys and to have Stony Plain recognized at the Grammys.”
Since its founding in 1975, Stony Plain Records has been a champion of blues and roots music, producing over 350 releases and supporting a roster of celebrated artists both in Canada and internationally, including Taj Mahal, Ian Tyson, Sylvia Tyson, Maria Muldaur, Duke Robillard, and Colin James. The label’s enduring dedication to roots music has garnered multiple Grammy and Juno nominations over the years, including a nomination last year in the Traditional Blues Album category for Eric Bibb’s album ‘Ridin’”.
Geoff Kulawick, President of Stony Plain Records, added: “We’re extremely proud to have three Grammy nominations this year. Congratulations to Sue Foley on her first-ever Grammy nod, and to The Fabulous Thunderbirds and Canadian co-writer/co-producer Steve Strongman for Struck Down – an album for which I had the honor of serving as Executive Producer. My thanks go out to our entire team at Linus Entertainment, Stony Plain Records, and all our distribution partners, promoters, and publicists whose hard work made these achievements possible.”
The 67th Annual Grammy Awards will be held on February 4, 2025. Stony Plain Records is part of the Linus Entertainment group of labels, which includes True North Records, home to Bruce Cockburn & Buffy Sainte-Marie, Borealis Records, home to Stan Rogers, and The Children’s Group, which was acquired by Round Hill Music in 2023.
Christmas is a time of warmth, friendship, good tidings, and love, hopefully for most people. It’s also a time of hearing Christmas standards that are etched in people’s memories and passed down through generations. Putting one’s signature on such classics is an extremely tall order but for Scarborough, Ontario-born and now Ottawa-based jazz soul singer Kellylee Evans, she’s done just that with a soothing new single “Winter Song” from her excellent new album also entitled Winter Song (Enliven Media).
Evans, the Juno Award-winning vocalist, says the inspiration for “Winter Song” came from “reflecting on the sights and sounds” she associates with Canadian winters. From the crunching of snow or the cracking of ice during winter walks to the pangs of being apart from family and loved ones during the festive season.
“I think as an only child, growing up watching holiday movies and consuming so much media of warm, cozy homes filled with happy families gathered around, I had a sense of longing for that and wanting to create that when I grew up,” she says. “But as an adult, I now know how complicated those manufactured images of an ideal family life can be. Family is what we make all around us. I’ve learned that it’s okay to be alone as well.”
“Winter Song,” written by Evans and the lone original found on Winter Song, is a lovely track led by her velvety vocals and a supporting cast that makes the single sound ridiculously smooth and soothing. Singing about wanting to “love a little longer today,” Evans’ softer delivery is incredibly alluring and compelling. Meanwhile, the closing moments feature a slow-building but brilliantly executed, inventive, and refreshing outro. In short, it’s an instant yuletide signature while recalling vocalists like Diana Krall, Norah Jones, Billie Holiday, and Shirley Horn.
Evans and Steve Foley (J-Cole, Chad Kroeger, Carly Rae Jepsen) co-produced “Winter Song,” which was arranged by Evans along with keyboardist Steve Boudreau, bassist Chris Pond, drummer/percussionist Stephen Adubofuor, guitarist Ben Di Millo, and Clayton Connell. The song was recorded and mixed by Foley (with assistant engineer Gabriel Merino) at Audio Valley Recording Studio and mastered by Jason Fee at Conduction Mastering.
The single “Winter Song” is the title cut from Evans’ album Winter Song, a gorgeous 11-track affair co-produced by Evans and Foley and featuring one original and an eclectic array of standards and covers ranging from Joni Mitchell’s “River” and a toe-tapping cover of Irving Berlin’s “I’ve Got My Love To Keep Me Warm,” to a rather stripped down approach for Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You.” Other highlights include a reworked and effective rendition of John Lennon’s “Imagine” while “Rocking Around The Christmas Tree,” made famous by Brenda Lee, is another top-notch effort. Aside from the dynamic Evans and the aforementioned musicians who arranged “Winter Song,” flugelhorn player Ed Lister appears on the album. And In addition to production and engineering duties, Steve Foley and Gabriel Merino provided additional percussion and backing vocals, respectively.
Evans says Winter Song’s inspiration came from growing up in Scarborough while her mother, a single mom, worked various shifts as a nurse. The result was sometimes being at work during Christmas Day or possibly New Year’s Eve, the two big occasions before the turning over of a new year. “Some of my earliest memories are of opening presents with her on the phone while she worked,” Evans recalls. “I didn’t complain. That’s just the way it was.”
Listening to various Christmas albums by Nat King Cole, Elvis and her personal favorite Christmas With Boney M., Evans and her mom made the most of the occasion. “My mom always found a way to make it feel magical,” Evans says. “And music was part of that magic. I knew from that moment on that I wanted to make a holiday album of my own one day, and this is it!”
Winter Song is the latest album from Evans in a career that has been rich and rewarding. Evans released her debut effort Fight Or Flight? in 2006, which put her on the musical map. Subsequent studio albums include 2010’s The Good Girl and Nina, 2013’s I Remember When, and 2015’s Come On. She’s also released EPs including 2021’s Greenlight and 2024’s Show Love. Having opened for the likes of Willie Nelson, John Legend, and George Benson among others, Evans survived a lightning strike in 2013 which she’s survived and persevered through, giving speeches about coping with her pain and pain management. And she also can be found performing national anthems at Toronto Raptors and Ottawa Senators games.
Now with a single “Winter Song,” and an album Winter Song, Kellylee Evans will be touring Quebec and Ontario in late November and December before more dates commence next February. Fans of timeless holiday music would be well advised to add “Winter Song” and Winter Song to their selections of timeless Christmas standards. It’s a single and album Santa already has on his own list! And you should too!
Here are Kellylee Evans tour dates:
November 26, 2024 — Carleton Dominion Chalmers — Ottawa, ON (Ottawa Jazz Festival Holiday Fundraiser)
November 29, 2024 — Massey Hall — Toronto, ON (Women’s Blues Revue)
December 6, 2024 — Empire Theatre — Belleville, ON (Sean Jones Holiday Soul)
December 7, 2024 — National Arts Centre — Ottawa, ON
December 12, 2024 — Salle Bourgie — Montreal, QC
December 13, 2024 — Hugh’s Room Live — Toronto, ON
February 13, 2025 — Hermann’s Jazz Club — Victoria, BC
February 15, 2025 — Anvil Theatre — New Westminister, BC
February 22, 2025 — Aurora Cultural Centre — Aurora, ON
April 25, 2025 — Koerner Hall — Toronto, ON (Guest of The Breithaupt Brothers)
Properly conveying grief in music requires just the right blend of delicacy and heaviness. Fortunately, that kind of chemistry is second nature to The Chronicles of Manimal and Samara, the incredibly intuitive musical duo who cast the perfect amount of shade on the focus track of their new Origins album, “Per Astra.”
Laying out its message at a slowed-down pace that’s appropriately dirge-like yet never deflating, the song finds its narrator yearning to be reunited with a lost loved one, no matter how deep a void she might have to embrace to do it.
A synthesizer riff that sounds plucked straight from an early-’80s John Carpenter movie and intermittent, old-school rhythm-box flourishes provide diverting period embellishments to this heart-rending ballad, supporting stately piano arpeggios and emotive vocals both sung and spoken. The seamlessness of the overall sound is a testament to the working methodology of partners Daphne Ang and Andrea Papi, each of whom contributes vocals, music and lyrics to the TCOMAS cause. On the instrumental front, the division of labor traditionally sees Ang handling piano and keyboards, while Papi plays electric guitar and bass, programs the drum tracks and produces all their material.
Recorded at their home studio in Camden Town, London UK, “Per Astra” heralds the arrival of TCOMAS’ new album, Origins, a six-song musing on letting go. Getting the most out of that theme meant working through two distinctly different types of loss: Ang had weathered the passing of someone extremely close to her, whereas Papi had watched as the temporary “renovation” of the firm where he had been working turned into a permanent shutdown. It all qualifies as grief, as a therapist would say; luckily for us, it also makes for great music.
“Per Astra” provides a gently elegiac counterpoint to some of the other tracks that dropped in advance of the album proper. “Mysterium Tremendum” blended death metal, classical music and poetry; “Feed the Beast” used its progressive rock/metal framework to explore the theme of addiction and recovery (leading to inclusion in several editorial playlists on Apple Music and Amazon Music); and “Bite the Bullet” was a hip-hop/metal hybrid that featured UK-based Italian rapper Mr Meuri.
With those prior releases joining “Per Astra” on Origins, the Singapore-born Ang and the Italian Papi now have three albums of cutting-edge, boundary-challenging material under their belt—an impressive showing indeed, considering that they hooked up in London just under five years ago. Their debut, Full Spectrum, introduced listeners to their eclectic brew of heavy rock, electronic sounds and poetry performance, landing spotlight track “Love in the Time of Pestilence” on the Spotify playlists for Alternative Metal and Progressive Metal. Follow-up Trust No Leaders traced the history of metal and its various sub-genres, but in a highly unconventional way that made room for non-Western musical influences and lyrics inspired by Jungian psychology.
Art-forward to be sure, but you’d expect no less from a pair who display abundant parallel talents as visualists. TCOMAS brainstorm and produce their own music videos, which have been screened at numerous prestigious film festivals around the world, receiving 66 official selections and nominations to date. Sites of past triumphs have included the Tokyo International Short Film Festival, the Tsiolkovsky International Space Film Festival and the Ecologico International Film Festival. Ang and Papi also contributed the artwork that adorns the sleeve to Origins, drawing on a background as a painting team that even predates their musical partnership.
Whatever it takes to get their point across, this immensely talented and simpatico duo can do. And on Origins, their job is to walk us all through the valley of the shadow and bring us out the other side feeling renewed and reborn.
“This album is deeply personal and written from the heart,” they declare. “We dedicate it to the people who are still here, and to those we have lost. You’ll find many unexpected twists and turns throughout the album. Such is the chaos and unpredictability of life.”
There are times in life where you’re not sure what direction to go or where to turn, but, looking back, you realize what happened was just the way life or fate planned it. That notion is captured perfectly with “Life Just Came to Me,” a gentle, toe-tapping single courtesy of Newmarket, Ontario-based folk roots musician John Dawson from his album Outlier.
“If the album Outlier tells any kind of story, then ‘Life Just Came to Me’ is its opening chapter,” Dawson says of the single. “The so-called ‘ordinary world,’ if you will. Beginning from the awareness of life as it was and not as it is, this song ‘sets the table’ for the ensuing study of change, loss, and hope that follows in each of the songs. The piece is intentional in its simplicity. Almost as if it is coming from a moment of quiet reflection on a front porch (thank you Mr. Sexsmith for that image).”
Dawson, of course, is speaking of acclaimed singer-songwriter Ron Sexsmith. Sexsmith, who has had his music praised and covered by Emmylou Harris, Elvis Costello and Nick Lowe among countless others, also lauds the single. “John Dawson’s song ‘Life Just Came to Me’ has a lovely front porch picking style with lyrics that are simple yet philosophical and openhearted,” Sexsmith says of the track.
“Life Just Came to Me,” written by Dawson, is a masterpiece in terms of performance and economy of words in the vein of Sexsmith’s better known signatures. Sounding exactly as if he’s on his front porch, Dawson offers some great guitar picking while bassist Manny DeGrandis provides a steadying presence throughout. It’s a beautifully barren approach that shines thanks to Dawson’s words and music. Fans of John Hiatt, Rodney Crowell, Lyle Lovett, and Bruce Cockburn would be wise to seek this jewel out.
“Ostensibly, ‘Life Just Came to Me’ is intended to provide a musical starting point from which Outlier proceeds as it explores the navigation of change that each of us will invariably face in life,” Dawson says. “With each song moving and shifting between subtleties of musical moods and lyrical themes, they can all be seen in juxtaposition to this joyful, if not slightly somber opening movement. ‘Life Just Came to Me’ is an invitation to move further into the story: if that is how it was, what happened, and how did it all work out?”
“Life Just Came to Me” is the latest single from Dawson’s new studio album Outlier. The nine-track effort, produced by Adam Brunner, features Dawson with drummer and percussionist Anthony D’Angela and DeGrandis. Highlights of this consistently credible offering include the pristine “Things I Meant to Say,” the simple but stunning “Mend In My Ways” and the jazzy, roots instrumental “Merry and Pippin,” which shows another side of Dawson’s musical depth.
Dawson, who besides his music also co-hosts a weekly professional wrestling radio program called Ringside Heat, cites inspirations such as Eric Clapton, the late George Harrison, Paul Simon, and Knopfler for crafting and shaping his musical career. He’s also a graduate of the Humber College Music program and graduated from York University with degrees in both Education and Music.
Now with “Life Just Came to Me” and high praise from noted lyrical craftsmen, John Dawson has another pensive and pretty single to add to his continually growing chest of musical treasures.
There have been several timeless duets that leave a lasting mark. Whether it’s Tom Petty and Stevie Nicks, Americana darlings Buddy and Julie Miller or the late Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris, there is an intangible found in their duets that is mesmerizing. Now Sterling, Virginia-based musician Drew Gibson has created “Burning Horses,” a beautiful new single featuring Maddi Mae found on Gibson’s charming new album Burning Horses.
Gibson says the single was inspired by watching the recap of an episode of Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power and a rather startling, unnerving image. “It represents the heavy machine of industrialization,” Gibson says of the song’s genesis. “There was this scene on the Amazon Prime show, The Rings of Power. And in the scene, there was a horse on fire, running away. I was watching a breakdown of the episode on a YouTube channel and the commentator mentioned the burning horse, and how (author J.R.R.) Tolkien was against industrialization. It clicked with me. That’s where I got the idea for the album theme, the album title, and the title track. The irony of this is not lost on me.”
“Burning Horses,” written by Gibson, opens with accordion courtesy of Brian Simms before the rugged, rootsy gem takes center stage. Both Gibson and Mae sing the opening verse together, and it’s just magical, bringing to mind the iconic Petty/Nicks duet “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around.” Finding the groove early as Mae provides haunting backing vocals near the homestretch, bassist Kevin De Souza and drummer Ben Tufts are instantly in the proverbial pocket while pedal steel guitarist Dave Hadley accents “Burning Horses” perfectly. Gibson’s electric guitar and synth work is at times subtle but emerges when needed. While almost nothing could compare to the Parson/Harris classic “Love Hurts,” this song is certainly in the ballpark.
“Burning Horses” is the title track off Gibson’s fifth studio album that was four years in the making. Like most musicians, Gibson spent much of the pandemic years working on new material, which found its way onto Burning Horses. “I recorded a lot of the guitars, keyboards, synths, some bass, and pedal steel, at my home studio,” Gibson says. “It began that way because of Covid. Before, I would take a guitar solo here and there, but would mostly give the opportunity to my pedal steel player, Dave Hadley, or keyboardist, Brian Simms. This time around, I said to myself, ‘You know what? I need to do more. I can do more.’ So I did.”
Gibson also says the album’s creative process started deliberately in his basement studio. And while the world and daily life underwent massive restructurings, Gibson pined for simpler times. “Everything is now so connected, so tech-driven, and so hectic in a way,” he says. “I pretty much miss the simple days of biking through the woods, going to a record store, and having a more communal time with family. In some ways, I feel like I’m on a different planet, and I’m homesick for that more romantic time. That’s what this album is all about. It’s about a different time.”
Burning Horses, co-produced by Gibson and Marco Delmar (who also mixed and co-engineered the album) and released on Cragmont Records, features 10 songs, nine of them written by Gibson with “Gunslinger” penned by Gibson and Paul Curreri. Gibson’s guitar style at times recalls Mark Knopfler on the roots rock cut “What Good Friends We Were” and “From Our Front Porch,” which also brings to mind Ray LaMontagne.
In other moments, Gibson is just as sensational, especially on the intricate, Bruce Cockburn-ish finger picking on “How The Border Town Was Born” and “Low Country, High Wire,” the latter is another ballad Mae gives spine-tingling, goosebump-inducing greatness to. If that wasn’t enough, the closing cinematic instrumental “The Long Good Night: Part II” sounds like some mystical, elegant fusion of Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour and Daniel Lanois.
Burning Horses, which also includes bassist Jon Nazdin and drummer Eric Selby, was recorded at Sterling, Virginia’s Letterbox Studio, the Recording Arts in Arlington, Virginia and Ivakota Studios in Washington, D.C. Gibson, Delmar, Tufts and Ben Green served as co-engineers while Mike Monseur at Nashville’s Axis Audio mastered the record.
The studio album is Gibson’s fifth following his 2007 debut Letterbox, 2011’s The Southern Draw, 2015’s 1532 and 2019’s Shipbuilder. His critically acclaimed discography has been discussed in noted publications such as USA Today, No Depression and The Washington Post. He’s also performed at venues such as The Birchmere in Alexandria, Virgina.
Now with a new studio album and the lead single “Burning Horses,” Drew Gibson is set to offer up an exciting, elite level of roots rock and Americana to the masses. It’s a signature single from what is surely set to be a signature album.
