Madelyn Read ponders the price of living without putting own Roots in her rustic new single — premiering exclusively on Tinnitist.
A preview of her upcoming album Concrete Country, Roots explores notions of home, belonging, wanderlust and finding yourself against a rugged, rough-hewn country-rock backdrop of thumpy tom-toms, twangy guitars and a mournful fiddle — fronted by Read’s soaring, Joni Mitchellesque vocals.
It’s all familiar turf for the B.C. singer-songwriter — though she may have spent her whole life in the city of Vancouver, Read’s heart is in the rural world of folk and Americana. This duality of urban and country is everpresent in her music, as she pulls inspiration from artists like Mitchell, I’m With Her and First Aid Kit, blending these sounds with lyrics about growing up in an urban centre.
While a lifelong songwriter, Madelyn’s music career really began to flourish when she met Louise Burns of Lillix in 2019. Together, they wrote Madelyn’s first professionally recorded single How Easy, which Louise produced at 604 Studios in Vancouver. After releasing the song in the 2020 and taking a brief pandemic hiatus, Madelyn launched into writing her debut album, receiving funding from both FACTOR and Canada Council for the Arts —which enabled her to cut a 10-song record with the talented friends who now form her band The Petrichorus.
Her forthcoming album Concrete Country features a modern brand of Canadiana that asks: “What does it mean to live in a North American city in the 21st century?” Madelyn’s nostalgic and haunting songs feel like a lonesome train ride through the Prairies that brings you straight into a bustling downtown core. An ode to home that is full of love and frustration, Concrete Country is a thought-provoking, heart-warming collection for the urban folkie.
Check out Roots above, hear move from Madelyn Read below, and connect with her at her website, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.
