Wednesday, February 29, 2012

The Wooden Sky release video and new album

Toronto folk outfit The Wooden Sky are pleased to unveil "Grace On A Hill Pt. 1," the first of a five-part series of live performance videos shot in at the Grace On A Hill church in Toronto, directed by Scott Cudmore. The video comes in celebration of the release of their new LP, Every Child a Daughter, Every Moon a Sun, which is available today via Black Box Recordings. The band is currently on an expansive North American tour. A full list of dates is below.



"After 'Documentary in Pieces' I knew that I didn't want to do the whole stripped-down performance type of thing again, and talking to [singer] Gavin [Gardiner], the band didn't really want to do that sort of thing again either," explains director Cudmore. "Not that we didn't feel good about that project, but I felt like after shooting in canoes in the mountains and gondolas and sunflower fields that we couldn't really take that approach any further. Plus, everybody and their dog is doing those kind of 'Take Away Show' performances now and though they're valuable, they're not quite as special as they once were."


"So we decided to go the other direction and try to make something that was very cinematic," continues Cudmore. "We wanted to make a movie - kind of a short film, with a narrative running through it. The idea was the make something episodic that would develop as it progressed and in that way the narrative context would give a different dimension to the songs - exactly like in a movie where the drama gives a different context to the song used on the soundtrack, only in this project the songs are the centerpiece and are performed live while the narrative is the backdrop instead of the other way around."



Since 2003, the Toronto collective has been pushing the limits of folk and country. After touring on the success of their sophomore album If I Don't Come Home You'll Know I'm Gone, the band was ready to try new things. Gardiner explains, "after two years out on the road, it seems everyone had their eyes and ears open searching for new textures to play with."



Every Child a Daughter, Every Moon a Sun began to take shape when the band gathered last January at a cottage along the banks of Georgian Bay. Conflicting schedules and studio availability delayed recording but gave the band time to continue writing. "It didn't take long for the record to increase in scope. What began as a simple collection of 9 songs quickly ballooned into an 18-song opus; 13 songs ended up making the record. It did come dangerously close to being a double album."



Much of album was recorded at Montreal's Hotel 2 Tango with Howard Bilerman and Radwan Ghazi Moumneh. Subsequent sessions were recorded in various spots in Ontario and Quebec: studios (Lincoln County Social Club), apartments, lofts, churches and a farm in rural Quebec. "Everywhere seemed to offer new possibilities, and limitations. At the time it was a lot of work lugging all that gear around but each space seemed to bring its own energy to the song. There were times in the summer we'd race back to the farm after a show to record all night. It was exciting and that kind creative explosion seemed to carry us through."



Tracklisting:

01. Child of the Valley

02. Angelina

03. Dancing at my window.

04. It gets old to be alone.

05. Malibu Rum

06. Take Me Out

07. Bald, Naked and Red

08. Your fight will not be long.

09. City of Light

10. The night goes on and on.

11. I'm Your Man

12. Angelina (Reprise)

13. Hang On To Me



Tour Dates:

2/29 - Charlottetown, PEI @ Hunter's Ale House

3/01 - Fredericton, NB @ The Capitol Bar

3/02 - Moncton, NB @ Tide & Boar

3/03 - Halifax, NS @ The Seahorse Tavern

3/05 - Montreal, QC @ La Sala Rossa

3/22 - Hamilton, ON @ The Casbah

3/23 - London, ON @ London Music Hall

3/24 - Windsor, ON @ FM Lounge

3/25 - Chicago, IL @ Schubas

3/27 - Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line Music Cafe

3/28 - Fargo, ND @ The Aquarium

3/29 - Winnipeg, MB @ West End Cultural Centre

3/30 - Saskatoon, SK @ Amigo's

3/31 - Calgary, AB @ Palomino Bar

4/02 - Seattle, WA @ Sunset Tavern

4/04 - San Francisco, CA @ Hotel Utah

4/05 - Los Angeles, CA @ Silverlake Lounge

4/07 - Sacramento, CA @ Luigi's

4/09 - Portland, OR @ Bunk Bar

4/10 - Victoria, BC @ Lucky Bar

4/12 - Vancouver, BC @ The Biltmore

4/13 - Nelson, BC @ The Royal

4/14 - Edmonton, AB @ The Pawn Shop

4/16 - Regina, SK @ The Exchange

4/18 - Sault Ste Marie, ON @ Lop Lop Gallery

4/19 - Sudbury, ON @ The Townehouse

4/20 - Toronto, ON @ The Opera House

4/21 - Peterborough, ON @ Red Dog Tavern

4/27 - St. John's, NL @ The Ship

4/28 - St. John's, NL @ The Ship

5/08 - Boston, MA @ Radio

5/09 - Brooklyn, NY @ Union Pool

5/10 - Philadelphia, PA @ Kung Fu Necktie

5/11 - New York, NY @ Pianos




www.ifidontcomehome.com

@thewoodensky


www.weareblackbox.com

@weareblackbox

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