James Leclaire urgently asks Are You Ready? in his punky new folk-rock single — showcasing today on Tinnitist.
The sixth instalment in the Ontario singer-songwriter’s ambitious three-year campaign of monthly single releases, Are You Ready? is an energized anthem driven by crunchy guitars, propulsive drums, and an arena-sized singalong chorus voiced in Leclaire’s sandy pipes. “Are You Ready? describes all the ups and downs that one will face while chasing the thing that they love,” says Leclaire. “It enforces the idea that good things are always worth fighting for. Am I ready? I sure am.”
Leclaire’s newest work comes in the wake of a hiatus that saw him not perform or record new music for over five years. After the shocking end to his 23-year marriage in 2020, Leclaire’s creative floodgats burst open — he recorded an astounding 37 songs that encapsulate his heartbreak and journey as he navigated through many new life experiences.
“My sorrowful songs were always written from a fictional place or as a witness to others pain,” he says. “Now it was my sorrow, my pain, my wound, and it caused my pen to bleed ink and my guitar to cry chords.”
To assist on the project, the Renfrew-born artist amassed an all-star team of seasoned musicians that have worked with artists such as Willie Nelson, Norah Jones, The Doobie Brothers and Neil Young. The contributors include guitarist Kevin Breit, drummer Ed Toth, guitarist and pianist John Fraser Findlay, harmonica master Mickey Raphael and others. The first monthly single, Things That I Said, was released in August 2023.
Check out Are You Ready? above, hear more from James Leclaire below, and get ready for more on his website, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.
