Blue Moon Marquee cut loose on their new single and video Scream, Holler & Howl — showcasing today on Tinnitist.
Bursting with a loose, let-it-all-hang-out kind of groove, the song is the opening title track of their forthcoming album set for release on Sept. 9. “Music is a release, and we encourage expression of the spirit with this tune,” guitarist A.W. Cardinal says. “It’s a song to honour what music provides for so many — an escape.” Adds bassist Jasmine Colette: “We have written many esoteric, dark songs. This was a surrender to a fun, goes-down-easy, hard-hitting groove tune about the ultimate: To love and be loved.”
Cut live to tape, the Scream, Holler & Howl album captures their most sophisticated collection of songs yet — all while blazing forward with a full band featuring some of Canada’s finest veteran players. Recorded at Vancouver’s Afterlife Studios, and produced by the band with Blues Music Award winner Duke Robillard and Erik Nielsen, the album shines a bright spotlight on the duo’s prodigious talents, alongside guests Darcy Phillips, Jerry Cook, Matt Pease, Paul Pigat, Bonnie Northgraves and Señor Erik; Robillard adds his stellar legendary guitar work on several tracks, too.
Born in the wild rose country of Alberta, both Cardinal and Colette cut their teeth in punk, metal, and rock bands. Leaving home at a young age, they both spent years traveling on their own, working a variety of jobs and touring with different acts. At one point Colette was hitchhiking throughout North America performing vaudeville with her act — which consisted of hula hooping, skateboarding, and playing trombone simultaneously — while Cardinal was living in New York City, working as a bike mechanic and performing at open mics nightly. In 2012, they came together in Vancouver to record Cardinal’s album Stainless Steel Heart; a mutual old friend was engineering the project and they connected deeply on their taste and obsession over music.
With their distinct energy and style, this acclaimed duo write and perform original compositions influenced by anything that swings, jumps, or grooves. Carving a path through blues, jazz, folk, country, swing and soul with an authentic spirit, their sound does not idle easily in any category. Also known as ‘Badlands Jass,’ Colette not only commands the upright bass but also brings the rhythm with her feet on a custom drum kit — all while singing in her signature honey-dipped tones. Meanwhile, Cardinal’s distinctive and soulful vocals barrel out like a raging bull as his guitar crackles with the swinging energy of his jazz-tinged blues licks.
With 2019’s Bare Knuckles and Brawn, they were nominated for Blues Artist of the Year at the Western Canadian Music Awards and Indigenous Songwriter of the Year at the Canadian Folk Music Awards. The record topped both the Earshot National Folk/Roots/Blues Charts simultaneously with the National Jazz charts — a rare feat. Their 2017 release Gypsy Blues garnered the Indigenous Artist of the Year nomination from the WCMAs as well as Best New Artist nomination at the Maple Blues Awards.
Watch Scream, Holler & Howl above, check out more tunes from Blue Moon Marquee below, and find them at their website, Instagram and Facebook.
