The Mavericks catch lightning in a bottle with new album
Five-piece plays Regina on Friday
REGINA — It’s not uncommon for artists to exaggerate to make a point while promoting a new album or venture, but Paul Deakin wants everyone to know he’s not pumping any tires when it comes to describing In Time, the latest album from the Mavericks.
The disc, which was released on Feb. 26, 2013, reached No. 8 on the Billboard country album charts. With six successful studio albums to their credit, The Mavericks know how to judge their work. Yet when Deakin was asked if In Time was the best album from The Mavericks, he provided what he considered his best honest answer.
“Where it gets tricky is that it’s so typical for a band to come back from a hiatus and they say, ‘This is the best thing we’ve ever done.’ But for us, it kind of is,” Deakin said in a recent telephone interview ahead of Friday’s sold-out show at the Casino Regina Show Lounge. “We don’t even have to be the ones to say that because I’ve been told our metascore is in the high 80s or low 90s, which is really good for an album in general. I’ve never seen a score that high for a reunion record.
“It’s definitely the most creative experience I’ve had. This was the most special record we’ve ever made, I have to say. It feels like the best, but I do worry about being pigeonholed with that old saying. It’s like asking someone who their best lover is, and of course it’s the current one,” he added with a laugh.
“IT’S DEFINITELY THE MOST CREATIVE EXPERIENCE I’VE HAD. THIS WAS THE MOST SPECIAL RECORD WE’VE EVER MADE, I HAVE TO SAY.”
PAUL DEAKIN
Metascores are weighted averages from a collection of reviews collected by Metacritic, an online website that monitors video games, television shows, movies and albums.
The current metascore for In Time is 86 out of 100, which is remarkable given the band receives limited radio airplay due to its eclectic mix of music, which falls outside many of the radio genres.
What is even more remarkable about the album is how it was actually recorded. With the band members — Deakin, Raul Malo, Robert Reynolds, Eddie Perez and Jerry Dale McFadden — reuniting in 2012 after disbanding in 2004, the plan was to book three one-week periods in the recording studio with a week off in between the respective weeks.
Produced by Nik Bolas and Malo, the intention for the album was to let everything happen organically and instantaneously in the studio, as opposed to using work tapes and listening to material in advance. Deakin said the goal was to record two to five songs in each of the three weeks.
But when they went into the Nashville, Tenn., studio the first day, that plan changed significantly.
“We went in on a Monday night to get songs to start tracking for Tuesday setup. Jerry Dale was driving up to Nashville … and we were messing around a bit on a song when Robert called him and asked him, ‘How far out are you?’ He said he was about a half an hour away, so Robert told him to drive straight to the studio because we were going to track that night. We cut Back In Your Arms Again on the second take.”
The creative juices continued to flow, resulting in a wealth of riches.
“We went in hoping to get two to five songs that first week and we ended up with nine in the first two days,” Deakin said. “It just came out — it was a joyous experience. The music has been the catalyst of what I believe started out as an idea of a reunion tour of 20 dates that will likely turn into another 20 years.”
Given previous success with hits like What A Crying Shame, O What A Thrill, There Goes My Heart, Here Comes The Rain and All You Ever Do Is Bring Me Down, The Mavericks could easily have toured with a set list comprised of nothing but old music. While that probably would have satisfied their fans, it certainly wasn’t enough for the band itself.
“I believe that was Raul’s idea, a kind of the contingency with the band getting back together. He thought it would be a little disingenuous to just go out and play the hits,” Deakin said. “He said, ‘ How much fun are we going to have if that’s all we are? We’d basically be a cover band of ourselves.’ He had the (new) songs — that was the other thing. The songs had been brewing in him for a while.”
The entire process invigorated the band and has Deakin looking forward to a bright future.
“That record and what it has accomplished has fuelled us on the road and bolstered the live show, which were always fun, but made it such a great reason for us to be back together,” Deakin said. “It’s been wonderful.”