Denim Daddies bring outlaw vibe to new album
As you likely surmised from the name, The Denim Daddies aren't your pappy's kind of country music group.
Well, unless your father enjoys sardonic alt-country rooted in the outlaw genre, in which case the Denim Daddies could be your father's favourite band.
The Edmonton group — vocalist/guitarist Andrew Brostrom, vocalist/ bassist Kurtis Cockerill, keyboardist Sahil Chugh, pedal steel guitarist Booker Diduck and drummer/vocalist Matt King — is following up its pair of 2018 EPs Drinkin' and Thinkin' with a new collection of songs, Northern Goods. The long wait for the new EP is attributed to the band shelving an album they were working on to instead work on a different batch of songs.
“Some of these songs are our oldest ones that weren't yet recorded, written as far back as early 2018,” Kurtis said in a news release.
“These songs are all of our favourites to play on stage. We feel they have a tenacity to them that makes for a very cohesive sounding album.”
Denim Daddies' earlier songs leaned heavily on the hard-drinking, partying aspect of the country music genre, but on Northern Goods the band takes a more mature stance.
Whittling away some of the polished, crunchy-rock of their past for a more honky-tonk sound, the Daddies aim for the barroom floor with this fresh batch of songs. Keyboards tinkle, pedal steel cries, drums clickety-clack and vocals harmonize all over these ditties, which range from dispatches from a travelling band (Livin' on the Road), drowning sorrows with libations (Whisky Waltz), and even a tribute to Cockerill's dearly departed grandfather (Grandpa Was a Bushman). Also included is a countrified cover of John Prine's Grandpa Was a Carpenter.
Cockerill credits Prine as a major influence.
The band's authentic country approach sometimes veers into Ween territory, especially with some of Cockerill's more nasally singing, but the good vibes are all over Northern Goods; two-drink minimum not necessary.
TIM ISBERG: PRAIRIE FIRE
Tim Isberg has an uncanny perspective. The Alberta singer-songwriter can evocatively capture a scene or mood through song, which has him looking to the past in his latest album.
Prairie Fire is a history-based album that focuses on the Canadian Prairies during the late 19th century, with each track telling a story meant to entertain and educate the listener.
Isberg, who was raised in southern Alberta and spent most of his life in the military, dug deep into the history books to craft the 12 songs making up Prairie Fire. Events and people such as the 1873 Cypress Hills massacre, the establishment of Fort Macleod by the North-West Mounted Police in 1874, Manitoba's first outlaw Métis Gilbert Gordon and celebrated guide Jerry Potts are a few of the inspirations behind this collection.
Prairie Fire's sonic signature is a blend of roots, alt-country and Americana, with contributions from Marc Ladouceur on guitars and mandolin, Derek Vokins on bass, Jamie Cooper on drums, Jeff Bradshaw on pedal steel and dobro, Stewart MacDougall on piano, Maria Dunn on accordion, Shannon Johnson on violin and Tammy Weis on backing vocals. Miles Wilkinson helped co-produce the album and it benefits from his sonic touch.
The resulting songs are informative but never stodgy — from the glowing, wistful opener Chasing Memories to the chugging country-rock of the title song, Prairie Fire offers up a range of sounds that package these historical tales into an effective, emotional journey.
Isberg will be performing an album release show at Northern Lights Folk Club tonight.
MACEWAN'S GENERATIONS BIG BAND: THE LONG VIEW; JIM WALKER: PIPE DREAMS
The latest releases from MacEwan University's Bent River Records label are a pair of big band recordings.
First is The Long View, a collection of tracks written by MacEwan faculty and recent MacEwan alumni recorded by MacEwan's Generations Big Band, which consists of faculty, student and alumni performers directed by Raymond Baril, the chair of the department of music in the faculty of fine arts and communications.
The accompanying release is Pipe Dreams, a celebration of flutist Jim Walker. Renowned as one of the world's greatest players, Walker was the principal flutist of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and his playing can be heard on blockbuster movie soundtracks such as Jurassic Park and Titanic.
MacEwan's Generations Big Band performs a selection of tracks written for Walker.
The MacEwan's Generations Big Band will be performing a showcase of the two new albums at the Yardbird Suite on March 28.
QUICK HITS
Edmonton indie-rockers Major Love have offered another taste of their upcoming album through the single One Woman. This rocking anthem is a stellar showcase for Colleen Brown's soaring vocals and contains what Brown considers her favourite guitar solo courtesy of Trevor Mann. Expect the new album, Live, Laugh, Major Love, later this year.
Alberta's Dan Davidson released his new single Won't Forget on March 22. The former Tupelo Honey- rocker- turned- country-music-artist recorded it with Tim Hicks and Australia's Max Johnson, who both feature in the music video.
“It's a great way to zone in that summertime mindset,” Davidson says about the sunny, poppy song in a news release.
While Rollie Pemberton a.k.a. Cadence Weapon no longer resides in Edmonton, we'll always consider him one of ours, and he's just released a new single.
The track Exceptional was written with producer Jacques Greene and finds Pemberton rapping over a strobing, dance-music heavy track.
Cadence Weapon's new album Rollercoaster is due April 19.