Tristan Armstrong is hiding a Queen of Diamonds up his sleeve in his majestic new single and visualizer lyric video — premiering exclusively on Tinnitist.
The second preview of the Toronto singer-songwriter’s debut solo album The Lonvely Avenue, Queen of Diamonds makes it clear Armstrong is on a winning streak with a red-hot hand. While his guitar deals crunching indie-rock power chords and jangly power-pop arpeggios — and the drums hammer down the four-on-the-floor backbeat (with the occasional Keith Moon-style tom-tom flourish) — Armstrong quits playing close the vest and lays his romantic cards on the table.
“I suppose the song is about committing,” he admits. “Whether you want to describe it as putting all your eggs in one basket, or ‘Time to push all my chips into the pile,’ as the lyrics state, the song took on a romantic slant the more time I spent with it. My wife and I got married this past summer, and some of that energy is present in the song. In terms of musical influence, Joel Plaskett is definitely in there. And when Trevor Falls and I were working out the drum part, we settled on an Odds-meets-The Who sort of vibe.”
If anyone knows how to mine a classic vibe, it’s Armstrong. For the past few years, he’s been following in the musical footsteps of Pete Townshend, Alex Chilton, Matthew Sweet, Redd Kross and other power pop icons, establishing his own melody-driven, guitar-focused corner of the universe.
Armstrong has brilliantly captured it all on The Lonely Avenue. Due March 3, it boasts nine songs that rock with the combined swagger of every Dazed And Confused cast member, and roll with the sleekness of a ’72 Cutlass Supreme. Meticulously self-produced by Armstrong — with assistance by John Dinsmore (Sarah Harmer, Elliott Brood, Kathleen Edwards) — The Lonely Avenue is a testament to how the right alchemy leads to stunning results.
“The process of writing and recording The Lonely Avenue began during the pandemic, and for me the songs reflect a period of growing up,” Armstrong says. “Some of the themes touch on forgiveness and enjoying the slower pace of domestic life, but I also feel it’s important that my songs include a sense of imagination. I once heard someone say there are two things that should never get in the way of writing a good song — grammatical rules, and the truth. So, in those terms, I feel this collection of songs is somewhat eclectic. But mainly it’s a reflection of what I value these days, both musically and in life.”
In his previous musical life, Armstrong co-founded roots-rock band The Actual Goners (whose Duncan Symonds contributes pedal steel to a few tracks on The Lonely Avenue). Although his new songs still contain Americana echoes, having to work in isolation with drummer Falls during the pandemic brought out Armstrong’s inner rocker.
Along with Queen of Diamonds, other standouts on the LP include the more adventurous Periscope (featuring Kevin Breit on slide guitar), the Gord Downie tribute Gimme a Sign, and the pull-no-punches title track, mixed by Carlin Nicholson of Toronto power-pop stalwarts Zeus. It sets the tone for the album, and reflects its inner dichotomy — which, at its heart, is the essence of great power pop.
“I began writing the song The Lonely Avenue after living in Toronto for about a year,” Armstrong says. “I had moved from where I’d grown up, Vancouver Island, a home I loved dearly, to pursue a career in music. I was living above a comedy club on Bloor Street and when I could hear groups of people interacting in the parking lot, it made me miss the friends and community I’d left behind on the West Coast. In spite of being surrounded by these boisterous people, and this new urban energy, I did feel quite lonely. The overall spirit of the track could be described as a melding of raucous and melancholy.”
Watch the video for Queen of Diamonds above, hear more from Tristan Armstrong below, and ante up on his Facebook and Instagram.
