Doubt, followed by discovery. Demos that ended up as finished tracks. New beginnings, rear-view reflections, and ruminations on the fluidity of time: Uncertain Country is a soundtrack that captures these feelings and so much more. In a time of uncertainty, one thing is certain: the Great Lake Swimmers first collection of new songs in five years is worth the wait.
This celebration, 11-songs long, follows a prolonged period of collective anxiety. Though recorded in different locales--and with a variety of musicians--a theme of questioning runs throughout. Even before the world turned upside down, singer-songwriter Tony Dekker felt mired in uncertainty: from the climate crisis and the ever-changing political landscape to deep shifts within the music industry. The "uncertain country" Dekker chose as the album's theme is not a specific place. Rather, it's a territory we, as humans, inhabit in the 21st century -- a world that, more often than not, is confusing, unfamiliar and unsettling.
Twenty years ago, Dekker created Great Lake Swimmers as a songwriting vehicle with the release of his self-titled debut on Toronto indie-label weewerk. Ever since, the singer-songwriter has continued to create acoustically-inclined compositions -- layered, lush and lo-fi recordings that linger long.
The landscape and human's connection to our external environment has always loomed large in Dekker's songs and been intrinsic to his aesthetic. No surprise to learn that relationship--and nature as an instrument--comes through on Uncertain Country. It's something the artist feels in his bones and it's a thread that weaves throughout Great Lake Swimmers' body of work--a never-ending narrative that meanders along and finds its way, somehow, into every song.
The long journey from there to here started more than three years ago when Dekker took a 10-day trip to one of his favorite places: the north shore of Lake Superior. A pair of friends and collaborators: Adam CK Vollick (who filmed the experience) and Joe Lapinski (who co-produced Uncertain Country) joined him.
The concept: do some field recording and conduct an immersive musical reconnaissance mission. The plan was to return later to record songs in this milieu. The pandemic pause made this musical journey change course. Still, this trip was essential to capturing the album's mood. Exploring the beauty of places like Sleeping Giant Provincial Park, Pukaskwa National Park, Bruce Peninsula National Park and Ouimet Canyon, notebook in hand--and filled with curiosity--Dekker sketched out words, phrases and melodies for what would eventually become Uncertain Country. The songwriter not only connected with the land, but also learned about the people who had inhabited these places since time immemorial like the Ojibways of the Pic River First Nation and the First Nations of Manitoulin Island.
Dekker explains how Uncertain Country is not just a double, but also a triple-entendre. "The pandemic, for me, was such a fight versus the subconscious. On one hand I told myself, 'we are fine, we're safe, we just have to get through this' and I tried to see the silver lining of the extra family time the lockdowns created. But then coming out of the pandemic two years later, I was like, 'Wow! That was a struggle!' It was like slamming the brakes on a train. There was all this subconscious stuff -- anxiety and mental health issues -- going on I did not want to recognize."
The two songs that open Uncertain Country: the title track and "When the Storm Has Passed" were recorded at the Oddfellows Temple Hall in St. Catharines in September 2020. "It almost felt like there was this release that needed to happen," Dekker recalls of these jubilant sessions following five months of pandemic unease. "It felt so good to just play together again."
Making this joyful noise together set a tone--and direction --for the record. The music morphed from hushed and folky to a more comforting, curated listening experience, acting as a kind of salve. One hears echoes of some of Dekker's early 1990s influences: propeller-pop and indie lo-fi bands like Teenage Fanclub, Galaxie 500 and Buffalo Tom.
The rest of the songs on Uncertain Country were recorded in other acoustically distinctive locations close to Dekker's home in the Niagara Region. Locales included the Silver Spire United Church in downtown St. Catharines, Ont. and a pair of buildings in Ball's Falls Conservation Area in the village of Jordan Station: an old chapel that featured a pump organ and a historic barn on the same property.
Dekker wanted to keep the project local due to both pandemic logistics and the desire to tap into the depth of talent in the Niagara Region. Besides the Minuscule Choir, a local string quartet guests on a pair of tracks ("Quiet Before the Storm," and "Am I Floating in the Air"). Seven-time JUNO Award winner Serena Ryder also lent vocals to two songs: "I Tried to Reach You" and "Swimming Like Flying." Long-time Great Lake Swimmers' member, multi-instrumentalist Bret Higgins is featured on many of the songs, as is keyboardist Kelsey McNulty.
~~~~~~~~~
2018 marks the 15th anniversary of Great Lake Swimmers. Over seven albums, multiple EPs, live broadcasts, and reissues, the Toronto-based project led by singer-songwriter Tony Dekker has established itself as a beloved indie folk act in their native Canada and beyond. The CBC has called them "a national treasure" while their music has taken them around the world, sharing a sound that is at once familiar and distinct, using the tools of folk music as the starting point to delve deeper.It's this contrast and evolution that brings them to their latest release, The Waves, The Wake - a metaphor for the future ahead, and the past trailing behind. Abandoning the acoustic guitar, this new collection of songs sees the group branching out to include new sounds such as harp, lute, pipe organ, woodwinds, congas and marimbas, alongside the more familiar flecks and chimes of the banjo, piano, and 12-string electric guitar. The stunning acoustics of the historic, 145 year old Bishop Cronyn Memorial Church in London, Ontario lend the atmospheric touch to the album, under the guidance of co-producer Chris Stringer (Union Sound). This record is about the songs, first and foremost, and was made with many of Toronto's most talented players, including arrangements by Drew Jurecka and electric guitar appearances both atmospheric and spirited by Kevin Kane (Grapes Of Wrath). Long time collaborators Erik Arnesen (banjo, guitar), Bret Higgins (bass), and Josh Van Tassel (percussion) also contribute their considerable musicianship."The Talking Wind" opens the album solely with woodwinds and vocals, setting the tone with its scaled back, minimalist approach. Similarly sparse arrangements on "Falling Apart" pair a meditative, layered piano with an appearance by renowned harpist Mary Lattimore alongside Dekker's haunting, plaintive vocals. Bridging the album to the group's past work, the lonely jangle of "Alone But Not Alone" is a study in song-craft; "Side Effects" matches lyrical substance to musical motifs with its expressive vibraphone, tempo variations, and vocal effects.
But perhaps the album's centerpiece is the entirely a cappella "Visions Of A Different World" with its ghostly, longing vocals nakedly bearing its message.Great Lake Swimmers have twice been nominated for Juno Awards, have been shortlisted for the prestigious Polaris Prize, and won a Canadian Indie Award for Favourite Folk/Roots Artist/Group. They have shared the stage as support for such musical luminaries as Robert Plant, Feist, and Calexico, and have appeared as headliners for many of Canada's major Folk Music festivals. Their relentless touring schedule and countless live shows have helped them develop devoted fan bases across Canada, the US, Europe, the UK and many points beyond. Mojo dubbed them "Ambient Zen Americana" and Exclaim has described them as a "cherished blend of folk and orchestral indie pop."
show less
This celebration, 11-songs long, follows a prolonged period of collective anxiety. Though recorded in different locales--and with a variety of musicians--a theme of questioning runs throughout. Even before the world turned upside down, singer-songwriter Tony Dekker felt mired in uncertainty: from the climate crisis and the ever-changing political landscape to deep shifts within the music industry. The "uncertain country" Dekker chose as the album's theme is not a specific place. Rather, it's a territory we, as humans, inhabit in the 21st century -- a world that, more often than not, is confusing, unfamiliar and unsettling.
Twenty years ago, Dekker created Great Lake Swimmers as a songwriting vehicle with the release of his self-titled debut on Toronto indie-label weewerk. Ever since, the singer-songwriter has continued to create acoustically-inclined compositions -- layered, lush and lo-fi recordings that linger long.
The landscape and human's connection to our external environment has always loomed large in Dekker's songs and been intrinsic to his aesthetic. No surprise to learn that relationship--and nature as an instrument--comes through on Uncertain Country. It's something the artist feels in his bones and it's a thread that weaves throughout Great Lake Swimmers' body of work--a never-ending narrative that meanders along and finds its way, somehow, into every song.
The long journey from there to here started more than three years ago when Dekker took a 10-day trip to one of his favorite places: the north shore of Lake Superior. A pair of friends and collaborators: Adam CK Vollick (who filmed the experience) and Joe Lapinski (who co-produced Uncertain Country) joined him.
The concept: do some field recording and conduct an immersive musical reconnaissance mission. The plan was to return later to record songs in this milieu. The pandemic pause made this musical journey change course. Still, this trip was essential to capturing the album's mood. Exploring the beauty of places like Sleeping Giant Provincial Park, Pukaskwa National Park, Bruce Peninsula National Park and Ouimet Canyon, notebook in hand--and filled with curiosity--Dekker sketched out words, phrases and melodies for what would eventually become Uncertain Country. The songwriter not only connected with the land, but also learned about the people who had inhabited these places since time immemorial like the Ojibways of the Pic River First Nation and the First Nations of Manitoulin Island.
Dekker explains how Uncertain Country is not just a double, but also a triple-entendre. "The pandemic, for me, was such a fight versus the subconscious. On one hand I told myself, 'we are fine, we're safe, we just have to get through this' and I tried to see the silver lining of the extra family time the lockdowns created. But then coming out of the pandemic two years later, I was like, 'Wow! That was a struggle!' It was like slamming the brakes on a train. There was all this subconscious stuff -- anxiety and mental health issues -- going on I did not want to recognize."
The two songs that open Uncertain Country: the title track and "When the Storm Has Passed" were recorded at the Oddfellows Temple Hall in St. Catharines in September 2020. "It almost felt like there was this release that needed to happen," Dekker recalls of these jubilant sessions following five months of pandemic unease. "It felt so good to just play together again."
Making this joyful noise together set a tone--and direction --for the record. The music morphed from hushed and folky to a more comforting, curated listening experience, acting as a kind of salve. One hears echoes of some of Dekker's early 1990s influences: propeller-pop and indie lo-fi bands like Teenage Fanclub, Galaxie 500 and Buffalo Tom.
The rest of the songs on Uncertain Country were recorded in other acoustically distinctive locations close to Dekker's home in the Niagara Region. Locales included the Silver Spire United Church in downtown St. Catharines, Ont. and a pair of buildings in Ball's Falls Conservation Area in the village of Jordan Station: an old chapel that featured a pump organ and a historic barn on the same property.
Dekker wanted to keep the project local due to both pandemic logistics and the desire to tap into the depth of talent in the Niagara Region. Besides the Minuscule Choir, a local string quartet guests on a pair of tracks ("Quiet Before the Storm," and "Am I Floating in the Air"). Seven-time JUNO Award winner Serena Ryder also lent vocals to two songs: "I Tried to Reach You" and "Swimming Like Flying." Long-time Great Lake Swimmers' member, multi-instrumentalist Bret Higgins is featured on many of the songs, as is keyboardist Kelsey McNulty.
~~~~~~~~~
2018 marks the 15th anniversary of Great Lake Swimmers. Over seven albums, multiple EPs, live broadcasts, and reissues, the Toronto-based project led by singer-songwriter Tony Dekker has established itself as a beloved indie folk act in their native Canada and beyond. The CBC has called them "a national treasure" while their music has taken them around the world, sharing a sound that is at once familiar and distinct, using the tools of folk music as the starting point to delve deeper.It's this contrast and evolution that brings them to their latest release, The Waves, The Wake - a metaphor for the future ahead, and the past trailing behind. Abandoning the acoustic guitar, this new collection of songs sees the group branching out to include new sounds such as harp, lute, pipe organ, woodwinds, congas and marimbas, alongside the more familiar flecks and chimes of the banjo, piano, and 12-string electric guitar. The stunning acoustics of the historic, 145 year old Bishop Cronyn Memorial Church in London, Ontario lend the atmospheric touch to the album, under the guidance of co-producer Chris Stringer (Union Sound). This record is about the songs, first and foremost, and was made with many of Toronto's most talented players, including arrangements by Drew Jurecka and electric guitar appearances both atmospheric and spirited by Kevin Kane (Grapes Of Wrath). Long time collaborators Erik Arnesen (banjo, guitar), Bret Higgins (bass), and Josh Van Tassel (percussion) also contribute their considerable musicianship."The Talking Wind" opens the album solely with woodwinds and vocals, setting the tone with its scaled back, minimalist approach. Similarly sparse arrangements on "Falling Apart" pair a meditative, layered piano with an appearance by renowned harpist Mary Lattimore alongside Dekker's haunting, plaintive vocals. Bridging the album to the group's past work, the lonely jangle of "Alone But Not Alone" is a study in song-craft; "Side Effects" matches lyrical substance to musical motifs with its expressive vibraphone, tempo variations, and vocal effects.
But perhaps the album's centerpiece is the entirely a cappella "Visions Of A Different World" with its ghostly, longing vocals nakedly bearing its message.Great Lake Swimmers have twice been nominated for Juno Awards, have been shortlisted for the prestigious Polaris Prize, and won a Canadian Indie Award for Favourite Folk/Roots Artist/Group. They have shared the stage as support for such musical luminaries as Robert Plant, Feist, and Calexico, and have appeared as headliners for many of Canada's major Folk Music festivals. Their relentless touring schedule and countless live shows have helped them develop devoted fan bases across Canada, the US, Europe, the UK and many points beyond. Mojo dubbed them "Ambient Zen Americana" and Exclaim has described them as a "cherished blend of folk and orchestral indie pop."
Doubt, followed by discovery. Demos that ended up as finished tracks. New beginnings, rear-view reflections, and ruminations on the fluidity of time: Uncertain Country is a soundtrack that captures these feelings and so much more. In a time of uncertainty, one thing is certain: the Great Lake Swimmers first collection of new songs in five years is worth the wait.
This celebration, 11-songs long, follows a prolonged period of collective anxiety. Though recorded in different locales--and with a variety of musicians--a theme of questioning runs throughout. Even before the world turned upside down, singer-songwriter Tony Dekker felt mired in uncertainty: from the climate crisis and the ever-changing political landscape to deep shifts within the music industry. The "uncertain country" Dekker chose as the album's theme is not a specific place. Rather, it's a territory we, as humans, inhabit in the 21st century -- a world that, more often than not, is confusing, unfamiliar and unsettling.
Twenty years ago, Dekker created Great Lake Swimmers as a songwriting vehicle with the release of his self-titled debut on Toronto indie-label weewerk. Ever since, the singer-songwriter has continued to create acoustically-inclined compositions -- layered, lush and lo-fi recordings that linger long.
The landscape and human's connection to our external environment has always loomed large in Dekker's songs and been intrinsic to his aesthetic. No surprise to learn that relationship--and nature as an instrument--comes through on Uncertain Country. It's something the artist feels in his bones and it's a thread that weaves throughout Great Lake Swimmers' body of work--a never-ending narrative that meanders along and finds its way, somehow, into every song.
The long journey from there to here started more than three years ago when Dekker took a 10-day trip to one of his favorite places: the north shore of Lake Superior. A pair of friends and collaborators: Adam CK Vollick (who filmed the experience) and Joe Lapinski (who co-produced Uncertain Country) joined him.
The concept: do some field recording and conduct an immersive musical reconnaissance mission. The plan was to return later to record songs in this milieu. The pandemic pause made this musical journey change course. Still, this trip was essential to capturing the album's mood. Exploring the beauty of places like Sleeping Giant Provincial Park, Pukaskwa National Park, Bruce Peninsula National Park and Ouimet Canyon, notebook in hand--and filled with curiosity--Dekker sketched out words, phrases and melodies for what would eventually become Uncertain Country. The songwriter not only connected with the land, but also learned about the people who had inhabited these places since time immemorial like the Ojibways of the Pic River First Nation and the First Nations of Manitoulin Island.
Dekker explains how Uncertain Country is not just a double, but also a triple-entendre. "The pandemic, for me, was such a fight versus the subconscious. On one hand I told myself, 'we are fine, we're safe, we just have to get through this' and I tried to see the silver lining of the extra family time the lockdowns created. But then coming out of the pandemic two years later, I was like, 'Wow! That was a struggle!' It was like slamming the brakes on a train. There was all this subconscious stuff -- anxiety and mental health issues -- going on I did not want to recognize."
The two songs that open Uncertain Country: the title track and "When the Storm Has Passed" were recorded at the Oddfellows Temple Hall in St. Catharines in September 2020. "It almost felt like there was this release that needed to happen," Dekker recalls of these jubilant sessions following five months of pandemic unease. "It felt so good to just play together again."
Making this joyful noise together set a tone--and direction --for the record. The music morphed from hushed and folky to a more comforting, curated listening experience, acting as a kind of salve. One hears echoes of some of Dekker's early 1990s influences: propeller-pop and indie lo-fi bands like Teenage Fanclub, Galaxie 500 and Buffalo Tom.
The rest of the songs on Uncertain Country were recorded in other acoustically distinctive locations close to Dekker's home in the Niagara Region. Locales included the Silver Spire United Church in downtown St. Catharines, Ont. and a pair of buildings in Ball's Falls Conservation Area in the village of Jordan Station: an old chapel that featured a pump organ and a historic barn on the same property.
Dekker wanted to keep the project local due to both pandemic logistics and the desire to tap into the depth of talent in the Niagara Region. Besides the Minuscule Choir, a local string quartet guests on a pair of tracks ("Quiet Before the Storm," and "Am I Floating in the Air"). Seven-time JUNO Award winner Serena Ryder also lent vocals to two songs: "I Tried to Reach You" and "Swimming Like Flying." Long-time Great Lake Swimmers' member, multi-instrumentalist Bret Higgins is featured on many of the songs, as is keyboardist Kelsey McNulty.
~~~~~~~~~
2018 marks the 15th anniversary of Great Lake Swimmers. Over seven albums, multiple EPs, live broadcasts, and reissues, the Toronto-based project led by singer-songwriter Tony Dekker has established itself as a beloved indie folk act in their native Canada and beyond. The CBC has called them "a national treasure" while their music has taken them around the world, sharing a sound that is at once familiar and distinct, using the tools of folk music as the starting point to delve deeper.It's this contrast and evolution that brings them to their latest release, The Waves, The Wake - a metaphor for the future ahead, and the past trailing behind. Abandoning the acoustic guitar, this new collection of songs sees the group branching out to include new sounds such as harp, lute, pipe organ, woodwinds, congas and marimbas, alongside the more familiar flecks and chimes of the banjo, piano, and 12-string electric guitar. The stunning acoustics of the historic, 145 year old Bishop Cronyn Memorial Church in London, Ontario lend the atmospheric touch to the album, under the guidance of co-producer Chris Stringer (Union Sound). This record is about the songs, first and foremost, and was made with many of Toronto's most talented players, including arrangements by Drew Jurecka and electric guitar appearances both atmospheric and spirited by Kevin Kane (Grapes Of Wrath). Long time collaborators Erik Arnesen (banjo, guitar), Bret Higgins (bass), and Josh Van Tassel (percussion) also contribute their considerable musicianship."The Talking Wind" opens the album solely with woodwinds and vocals, setting the tone with its scaled back, minimalist approach. Similarly sparse arrangements on "Falling Apart" pair a meditative, layered piano with an appearance by renowned harpist Mary Lattimore alongside Dekker's haunting, plaintive vocals. Bridging the album to the group's past work, the lonely jangle of "Alone But Not Alone" is a study in song-craft; "Side Effects" matches lyrical substance to musical motifs with its expressive vibraphone, tempo variations, and vocal effects.
But perhaps the album's centerpiece is the entirely a cappella "Visions Of A Different World" with its ghostly, longing vocals nakedly bearing its message.Great Lake Swimmers have twice been nominated for Juno Awards, have been shortlisted for the prestigious Polaris Prize, and won a Canadian Indie Award for Favourite Folk/Roots Artist/Group. They have shared the stage as support for such musical luminaries as Robert Plant, Feist, and Calexico, and have appeared as headliners for many of Canada's major Folk Music festivals. Their relentless touring schedule and countless live shows have helped them develop devoted fan bases across Canada, the US, Europe, the UK and many points beyond. Mojo dubbed them "Ambient Zen Americana" and Exclaim has described them as a "cherished blend of folk and orchestral indie pop."
read more
This celebration, 11-songs long, follows a prolonged period of collective anxiety. Though recorded in different locales--and with a variety of musicians--a theme of questioning runs throughout. Even before the world turned upside down, singer-songwriter Tony Dekker felt mired in uncertainty: from the climate crisis and the ever-changing political landscape to deep shifts within the music industry. The "uncertain country" Dekker chose as the album's theme is not a specific place. Rather, it's a territory we, as humans, inhabit in the 21st century -- a world that, more often than not, is confusing, unfamiliar and unsettling.
Twenty years ago, Dekker created Great Lake Swimmers as a songwriting vehicle with the release of his self-titled debut on Toronto indie-label weewerk. Ever since, the singer-songwriter has continued to create acoustically-inclined compositions -- layered, lush and lo-fi recordings that linger long.
The landscape and human's connection to our external environment has always loomed large in Dekker's songs and been intrinsic to his aesthetic. No surprise to learn that relationship--and nature as an instrument--comes through on Uncertain Country. It's something the artist feels in his bones and it's a thread that weaves throughout Great Lake Swimmers' body of work--a never-ending narrative that meanders along and finds its way, somehow, into every song.
The long journey from there to here started more than three years ago when Dekker took a 10-day trip to one of his favorite places: the north shore of Lake Superior. A pair of friends and collaborators: Adam CK Vollick (who filmed the experience) and Joe Lapinski (who co-produced Uncertain Country) joined him.
The concept: do some field recording and conduct an immersive musical reconnaissance mission. The plan was to return later to record songs in this milieu. The pandemic pause made this musical journey change course. Still, this trip was essential to capturing the album's mood. Exploring the beauty of places like Sleeping Giant Provincial Park, Pukaskwa National Park, Bruce Peninsula National Park and Ouimet Canyon, notebook in hand--and filled with curiosity--Dekker sketched out words, phrases and melodies for what would eventually become Uncertain Country. The songwriter not only connected with the land, but also learned about the people who had inhabited these places since time immemorial like the Ojibways of the Pic River First Nation and the First Nations of Manitoulin Island.
Dekker explains how Uncertain Country is not just a double, but also a triple-entendre. "The pandemic, for me, was such a fight versus the subconscious. On one hand I told myself, 'we are fine, we're safe, we just have to get through this' and I tried to see the silver lining of the extra family time the lockdowns created. But then coming out of the pandemic two years later, I was like, 'Wow! That was a struggle!' It was like slamming the brakes on a train. There was all this subconscious stuff -- anxiety and mental health issues -- going on I did not want to recognize."
The two songs that open Uncertain Country: the title track and "When the Storm Has Passed" were recorded at the Oddfellows Temple Hall in St. Catharines in September 2020. "It almost felt like there was this release that needed to happen," Dekker recalls of these jubilant sessions following five months of pandemic unease. "It felt so good to just play together again."
Making this joyful noise together set a tone--and direction --for the record. The music morphed from hushed and folky to a more comforting, curated listening experience, acting as a kind of salve. One hears echoes of some of Dekker's early 1990s influences: propeller-pop and indie lo-fi bands like Teenage Fanclub, Galaxie 500 and Buffalo Tom.
The rest of the songs on Uncertain Country were recorded in other acoustically distinctive locations close to Dekker's home in the Niagara Region. Locales included the Silver Spire United Church in downtown St. Catharines, Ont. and a pair of buildings in Ball's Falls Conservation Area in the village of Jordan Station: an old chapel that featured a pump organ and a historic barn on the same property.
Dekker wanted to keep the project local due to both pandemic logistics and the desire to tap into the depth of talent in the Niagara Region. Besides the Minuscule Choir, a local string quartet guests on a pair of tracks ("Quiet Before the Storm," and "Am I Floating in the Air"). Seven-time JUNO Award winner Serena Ryder also lent vocals to two songs: "I Tried to Reach You" and "Swimming Like Flying." Long-time Great Lake Swimmers' member, multi-instrumentalist Bret Higgins is featured on many of the songs, as is keyboardist Kelsey McNulty.
~~~~~~~~~
2018 marks the 15th anniversary of Great Lake Swimmers. Over seven albums, multiple EPs, live broadcasts, and reissues, the Toronto-based project led by singer-songwriter Tony Dekker has established itself as a beloved indie folk act in their native Canada and beyond. The CBC has called them "a national treasure" while their music has taken them around the world, sharing a sound that is at once familiar and distinct, using the tools of folk music as the starting point to delve deeper.It's this contrast and evolution that brings them to their latest release, The Waves, The Wake - a metaphor for the future ahead, and the past trailing behind. Abandoning the acoustic guitar, this new collection of songs sees the group branching out to include new sounds such as harp, lute, pipe organ, woodwinds, congas and marimbas, alongside the more familiar flecks and chimes of the banjo, piano, and 12-string electric guitar. The stunning acoustics of the historic, 145 year old Bishop Cronyn Memorial Church in London, Ontario lend the atmospheric touch to the album, under the guidance of co-producer Chris Stringer (Union Sound). This record is about the songs, first and foremost, and was made with many of Toronto's most talented players, including arrangements by Drew Jurecka and electric guitar appearances both atmospheric and spirited by Kevin Kane (Grapes Of Wrath). Long time collaborators Erik Arnesen (banjo, guitar), Bret Higgins (bass), and Josh Van Tassel (percussion) also contribute their considerable musicianship."The Talking Wind" opens the album solely with woodwinds and vocals, setting the tone with its scaled back, minimalist approach. Similarly sparse arrangements on "Falling Apart" pair a meditative, layered piano with an appearance by renowned harpist Mary Lattimore alongside Dekker's haunting, plaintive vocals. Bridging the album to the group's past work, the lonely jangle of "Alone But Not Alone" is a study in song-craft; "Side Effects" matches lyrical substance to musical motifs with its expressive vibraphone, tempo variations, and vocal effects.
But perhaps the album's centerpiece is the entirely a cappella "Visions Of A Different World" with its ghostly, longing vocals nakedly bearing its message.Great Lake Swimmers have twice been nominated for Juno Awards, have been shortlisted for the prestigious Polaris Prize, and won a Canadian Indie Award for Favourite Folk/Roots Artist/Group. They have shared the stage as support for such musical luminaries as Robert Plant, Feist, and Calexico, and have appeared as headliners for many of Canada's major Folk Music festivals. Their relentless touring schedule and countless live shows have helped them develop devoted fan bases across Canada, the US, Europe, the UK and many points beyond. Mojo dubbed them "Ambient Zen Americana" and Exclaim has described them as a "cherished blend of folk and orchestral indie pop."
show less
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