Thanks to the inexplicable popularity of my Submit Music page, I always have a huge digital pile of indie albums and EPs awaiting my perusal. But at this time of year — after I’ve spent months consumed by the endless onslaught of major fall releases — the backlog becomes nothing short of insane. Thankfully, now that the holiday rush is finally over, I’ve got some time to play catch-up. Here’s a recent gem from the massive stack. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do. If so, I encourage you to support the artist by buying it from their Bandcamp page — and be sure to tell them I sent you. And if you’ve got something you want me to hear, send it my way. If I think you’re half as good as you think you are, I just might include you sometime.
The Real Shade
String Of Lights
HOME BASE: Toronto.
GENRE: Indie Folk-Pop.
THE PRESS RELEASE: “String of Lights is the fourth release from Toronto’s The Real Shade. Showcasing the long-standing musical partnership between singer/songwriter Jane Gowan and indie rock veteran Tim Vesely (Rheostatics, Violet Archers), the album is an authentic and inspired testament to artistic collaboration. These songs first came to light when Jane attended a music residency at the Banff School for Arts and Creativity in the fall of 2019. Back in Toronto, recording began at the Woodshed studios just prior to the pandemic hitting hard. The subsequent lockdown required Gowan, Vesely and drummer Don Kerr to navigate the challenges of tracking the remaining parts in separate spaces and then employing Vesely’s powers of musical alchemy to create the final works. String of Lights is a voyage into dimensions both real and imagined. Drawing inspiration from Canadian literature, family lore, and sweeping landscapes, the music pulls you into alternate realities and re-designed fables. Gently rolling piano infuses with warm guitars and subtle rhythms. This is a musical journal written in indigo ink on faded paper, designed to help you see more clearly, while dreaming in colour.”
MY TWO CENTS: All the glowing warmth, nostalgic beauty and welcoming serenity of a late-summer sunset.
