Jason Collett to release new album

Political. Personal. Poetic. Such is the new album Reckon from one of Canada’s most renowned songwriters, Jason Collett. Recorded at Revolution Recording Studios in Toronto, the album was produced by Howie Beck and includes guest appearances by Afie Jurvanen (Bahamas), Basia Bulat, Kevin Drew & Zeus. An eleven song career-spanning retrospective titled Essential Cuts will be released as a companion to “Reckon” via Arts & Crafts on September 25th. Chosen by Jason himself, Essential Cuts features two previously unreleased b-sides and represents the sense of community that he has always held in such high regard.


There is a poetic serendipity to the fact that Jason Collett started recording Reckon during the same month that Occupy Wall Street began. Not necessarily setting out to make a record with these overtones, his travels and political engagements lead to the subject matter being unavoidable. “The consistent thread throughout this record is loss,” he explains. “The love songs are largely emotive reflections of the ‘political’ songs. All written through the distillation of events since the economic calamity of 2008 and it’s insidiously long looming shadow. I’ve seen first hand the kind of devastation this crisis has wrecked upon much of the world I’ve toured these last few years. The shut-down-shops and for-closed homes on the suburban fringes as I’ve made my way to and from cities I’ve played. This record is a personal reflection of the crisis we’ve all witnessed and read about every day in the paper. Calling it Reckon is an acknowledgement of loss ... lost jobs, lost homes, loss of faith in our political and financial institutions and in turn, loss of illusion.”

The Essential Cuts album is more or less a family affair featuring everyone from Amy Millan (Stars), Zeus, Feist, Emily Haines (Metric), Bahamas and more as well as production from long time friends Andrew Cash & Howie Beck. Collett reflects, “With a little help from my friends indeed ... There is a revolving door cast of characters that make this a sweet selection of the back catalogue. The myriad of producers and players that have graced these recordings are a testament to the blessed incestuousness of the musical family I’m lucky to be part of.”


“Reckon” Tracklist:

1. Pacific Blue
2. Jasper John's Flag
3. King James Rag
4. Sailor Boy
5. Ask No Questions
6. You're Not The One And Only Lonely One
7. Miss Canada
8. Talk Radio
9. I Wanna Rob A Bank
10. Where Things Go Wrong
11. Song Of The Silver Haired Hippie
12. Blank Diamond Girl
13. My Daddy Was A RocknRoller
14. Don't Let The Truth Get To You
15. When The War Came Home

“Essential Cuts” Tracklist:

1. Bitter Beauty
2. Blue Sky
3. We All Lose One Another
4. Hangover Days
5. I'll Bring The Sun
6. No Redemption Song
7. Angel Of Kensington
8. Brother *
9. Long May You Love
10. Love is a Dirty Word
11. Every Night (with Sundown outro) **

* b-side from Here's To Being Here sessions
** Paul McCartney cover originally recorded for Starbucks compilation

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