Folk Roots Radio Episode 545: We’re All About The Music! (Surf The Bad Times Edition)

We’re all about the music again on Episode 545 of Folk Roots Radio as we hold back the interviews to bring you a great selection of new releases. Join us for new music from Last Birds, Shaye Zadravec, Suzzy Roche & Lucy Wainwright Roche, Jesse Brint, Chairmen Of The Boards, Allison Lupton & Craig Werth, Sinead O’Connor, Laura Mulcahy, Rachel Garlin, Tim Grimm, Harry Shearer, Loudon Wainwright III, Max Marshall and Caribou Run. Remember, if you like what you hear on this show… don’t just stream the music – BUY the music and the you’ll really make a difference to artists income during this difficult time when it’s much more challenging to find live shows. Check out the full playlist below.

Show Notes

Mike Davis & Lindsay Arnold are Last Birds, a new Folk/Americana duo from North Portal SK. Last Birds grew out of Mike and Lindsey’s involvement with the folk group, Hook & Nail, which lead to a 2020 Canadian Folk Music Awards nomination for New/Emerging Artist of the Year. Their new single “Worry About It” is a reflection on the anxieties of the current times.

“Holding a mirror to current events, “Worry About It” follows a troubled mind through a 24-hour period. With great empathy for the human condition, the song touches on the growing anxieties that plague both our personal and world views.”

I don’t have the lyrics in front of me, but I think the final analysis of that song is that times are tough, but we can get through this. Hang in there!

Shaye Zadravec has been creating quite a buzz for her ability to interpret other people’s songs. Shaye joined us on Episode 542 of Folk Roots Radio to chat her first full length album “Now & Then” which features songs by fabulous songwriters like Jesse Winchester, Ian Tyson, Lynn Miles & more. During our conversation, we also talked about Shaye’s first EP, “Norway” which is also excellent, and features spine-tingling versions of “Lilac Wine”, made famous by Nina Simone and Elkie Brooks and Cris Cuddy’s “Dear Elvis” alongside beautiful versions of Shelby Lynne’s “If I Were Smart”, and Chip Taylor’s “I’ll Carry For You” – which we play on this episode. We’ll be bringing our full interview with Shaye Zadravec to the website shortly. Stay tuned.

Suzzy Roche & Lucy Wainwright Roche are getting ready to release a new recording “I Can Still Hear You” – a testament to the human spirit in times of darkness and another album designed to help us get through these challenging times.

Jesse Brint from Vancouver wrote “Old Miner’s Daughter” for his grandmother while she was battling cancer. Although she didn’t win that battle, Jesse was able to share this beautiful new song with her just before she passed. “Old Miner’s Daughter” will appear on Jesse’s first EP “This Is How We Say Goodbye” which arrives this winter.

“I finished the song fairly quickly and was able to play it for her at her bedside before she passed away, I’ve never seen someone so close to death with such a smile on their face. You could tell she absolutely loved the song, and that meant the world to me.”

Toronto’s cool new surf rock band Chairmen Of The Boards feature Rob Hiemstra on guitars, Leonardo Valvassori on bass with Gary Craig on drums. Their new fabulous new instrumental album “Surf The Apocalypse” features 14 instrumentals that they say are guaranteed to put a little extra wax on your deck and keep you ridin’ the nose through the riptide of daily life! Something to help us all get through these strange Covid Times. Including them in this episode gave use the perfect subtitle for this episode – lets surf out the bad times. A brighter future awaits.

Long time writing partners Allison Lupton & Craig Werth have released a new single “When Trouble Comes”, which was inspired by the dramatic annual spring flood of Ontario’s Grand River. This song also qualifies as a Covid song as it reflects on the uncertainty that many of us feel during these troubled times. Craig’s rich lead vocals and Allison’s beautiful vocal harmonies are complimented by Joseph Phillips (bass) and Mike Stevens (harmonica).

Sinead O’Connor has released a new single – a stunning interpretation of “Trouble Of The World”, a traditional song made famous by legendary gospel singer Mahalia Jackson.

Irish singer-songwriter Laura Mulcahy‘s new single “Sunken Cemetery 1849” was written about the Irish famine ship The Hannah that sank off the coast of Canada in 1849 – with all passengers on board, after the captain left with the only lifeboat. The song comes with a really powerful video that reflects on the treacherous journeys that migrants still make in search of a new life.

San Francisco Bay area singer-songwriter Rachel Garlin has released a new political single “Democracy Demands”, her first new material since the release of “Mondegreens” this spring.

“Who’s about to gamble with the commander out to sea?” Garlin asks while giving voice to other concerns ranging from climate change to hate speech.

“Gone” is the new (political) single from Indiana’s Tim Grimm, a truly fabulous songwriter. A reflection on the strange Covid Times we are currently living through and the losses we’ve faced as we embrace a new normal – and all of this, during a particular tumultuous election year in the US. This song is mostly a family affair as it also features Tim’s sons Connor (bass and piano), and Jackson (banjo) alongside Jason Wilber, the longtime guitar player of John Prine – one of the devastating losses mentioned in the song.

Talking of the US presidential election, comedian Harry Shearer has put out a whole album of satirical songs “The Many Moods Of Donald Trump”, to needle the notoriously thin-skinned president. On this episode Harry channels Leonard Cohen on the biting “He Lies”. Hopefully this album has a short shelf life. If you are able to vote in the election, please do so – your country and the rest of us really need to put this sad reality TV show behind us. Elect a clown, get a circus!

Loudon Wainwright III has always wanted to lead his own big band which he get to do on his new album of vintage vocal jazz “I’d Rather Lead A Band” from which we play his version of “You Rascal You (I’ll Be Glad When You’re Dead)”, a song we like to think was also dedicated to you know who.

Harrow ON fingerstyle player Max Marshall has new single out, “Everything They Know About You”, a reflection on the crazy times we’re living through.

Caribou Run, the six-piece neofolk band from Mahone Bay on the south shore of Nova Scotia, have been spending their time off the road working on new music. We wrap this episode with their latest single, the rousing “Highway Home”. We’re looking forward to hearing more from this excellent young band.

Stay safe and well everyone… and ride out that wave. We will get through this!

If you enjoy the music we play on this show and want to support the artists – many of whom aren’t able to play live at the moment because of the Covid-19 pandemic, don’t just stream their music – that earns them much less than a penny per play. Instead, buy their music – and really make a difference to their income. They’ll love you for it!

Image: Roger Mosley from Pixabay.

Listen

You can listen to this episode again on Soundcloud by following the link below. You can also listen to episodes of Folk Roots Radio, on demand, via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher and Tune-in Radio. (Click on the highlighted link to reach your chosen platform.)

Playlist

Nicolas & The Iceni (Theme)
Lucy She Rises
Roll Right (2019, self)

Last Birds
Worry About It
(single) (2020, Self) CDN

Shaye Zadravec
I’ll Carry For You
Norway (2018, Indelible Music) CDN

Suzzy Roche & Lucy Wainwright Roche
I Think I Am A Soul
I Can Still Hear You (2020, StorySound Records)

Jesse Brint
Old Miner’s Daughter
(single) (2020, Self) CDN

Chairmen Of The Boards
Board Whacks
(single) (2020, Weewerk) CDN

Allison Lupton & Craig Werth
When Trouble Comes (feat. Joseph Phillips & Mike Stevens)
(single) (2020, Self) CDN

Sinead O’Connor
Trouble Of The World
(single) (2020, Heavenly Recordings)

Laura Mulcahy
Sunken Cemetery
(single) (2020, Self)

Rachel Garlin
Democracy Demands
(single) (2020, Workaround Records)

Tim Grimm
Gone
(single) (2020, Vault Records)

Harry Shearer
He Lies
The Many Moods Of Donald Trump (2020, Twanky Records)

Loudon Wainwright III
You Rascal You (I’ll Be Glad When You’re Dead)
I’d Rather Lead A Band (2020, Thirty Tigers)

Max Marshall
Everything They Know About You
(single) (2020, Self) CDN

Caribou Run
Highway Home
(single) (2020, Self) CDN