Robbie Tucker ponders some tough topics and weighty questions in his new album WTF Is Happiness? — showcasing today on Tinnitist.
The fourth full-length from the prolific New Brunswick singer-songwriter in less than a year, this 10-track release features poetic lyrics that tackle everything from the personal to the political — all set to Tucker’s freewheeling mix of pop, rock, folk and more. “I’m extremely proud of it,” he says. “I hope your ears discover happiness, anger, sadness, humour or some other human emotion that ultimately connects us all.”
The album finds the lifelong musician — who got his first guitar for his eighth birthday — exploring new time signatures he hasn’t used before. The experiment proves to be a success — Die Diana Please (in 6/8 time) and Relax Now (It’ll Be Okay) (in 5/4 time) are both catchy earworms.
Tucker doesn’t shy away from sharing some of his most vulnerable work. For the album, he pulled out a song he’d written almost 30 years ago. Originally titled Nameless, the song is about a boy he fell in love with in high school. “I decided to dissect the lyrics and create an epic two-part song, an idea I completely fell in love with,” he says. Listeners will hear Two Boys I on this album. Two Boys II will be on a future release.
Tucker also isn’t afraid to let listeners know how his life can be dark at times. In the album, he opens up about how he sometimes feels nearly 20 years after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s: Isolated, alone and even defeated at times. But it’s also the reason why he’s eager to get as much music out as fast as possible. Tucker, who is from Miramichi, is inspired by musical greats like Roy Orbison, Paul McCartney and Elvis Presley. These influences shine through in his playful, creative sound.
Check out WTF Is Happiness? below, watch the video for Boy With The Blue Eyes above, and find Robbie Tucker on his website, Facebook and Instagram.
