Blackie & The Rodeo Kings - Let's Frolic
Let’s Frolic, the keenly-anticipated fourth album from Canadian roots rock heroes Blackie and the Rodeo Kings, is the sound of a band in this for all the right reasons. Tom Wilson, Colin Linden and Stephen Fearing have been together as BARK for a full decade now, but their sense of mutual respect, camaraderie, and love of each other’s musical company has deepened, not weakened. As Fearing explains, “We can all get very worried and freaked out about our own solo careers, so why get into another career situation where you have to do that again? We take the music we make very seriously, but the process of making it has to be enjoyable.”
Enhancing the disc’s diversity are the different songwriting teams involved. All three principals brought in solo compositions, and jointly wrote the powerful opening cut, “Silver Dreams,” Tom and Stephen co-wrote together, and collaborated with Tawgs Salter, Russell Wilson and Andy White on other tunes. HYPERLINK "http://www.curriealexanderpowers.com/" \t "_blank" Janice Powers wrote “Crown Of Thorns,” and long-time Blackie friend (and fan) Daniel Lanois donated “House Of Soul” on the condition the BARK version make him cry. Mission accomplished.
Giving Let’s Frolic creative coherence is its consistently stellar musicianship, superb songwriting, and emotionally eloquent vocal performances. Add in the unforced, organic production of Colin Linden, himself an award-winning captain of the recording console (Bruce Cockburn, Colin James, Sue Foley), and you have an irresistible package.
Prior to setting up camp last January at the famed Bearsville Studios in Woodstock, N.Y. (birthplace of albums by Muddy Waters, The Band, and Jeff Buckley), BARK workshopped the new tunes in front of eager crowds at The Black Sheep in Wakefield and their favourite Toronto honkytonk, The Horseshoe. “We have a lot in common with our fans, and they love the idea of us working it out each night,” Colin explains.
Fired up by the response, Blackie lassooed 29 songs in the studio, enough for two full albums. In a creative marketing strategy, this musical treasure trove is being unearthed in two stages, with Let’s Frolic to be followed by Let’s Frolic Again later in 2007.
Lending impeccable support on the sessions were longtime BARK accompanists John Dymond (bass), Gary Craig (drums), and keyboardist Richard Bell, a veteran sideman to the likes of Janis Joplin, Bruce Cockburn and The Band. They were joined by multi-instrumentalist Malcolm Burn (Daniel Lanois, Emmylou Harris), keyboardist/engineer John Whynot (Blue Rodeo, Bruce Cockburn), Wayne Jackson (Memphis Horns), and the legendary Garth Hudson (The Band), whose work will surface on Let’s Frolic Again.
Blackie & The Rodeo Kings - Bark
BARK marks the highly anticipated return of the Juno Award-winning group Blackie & the Rodeo Kings. Stephen Fearing, Colin Linden and Tom Wilson formed the band, as a tribute to the much respected but little known Willie P. Bennett, in late 1995. In 1996 their debut album High or Hurtin' was released to critical acclaim. All three continued their successful solo careers garnering numerous individual awards and nominations. The chemistry, which first brought the trio together, drew them back in 1999 resulting in the Juno Award-winning double album, Kings of Love. The album's unique fusion of rock, roots, folk, blues and country influences established the band as favourites of both music fans and critics alike.
Their newest effort finds the trio maturing musically, featuring some of the best material that these three talented songwriters have ever put to disc. Recorded in the winter of 2003, BARK captures the raw energy of the band, offering the listener a deep well of great songs and sounds that they can go back to again and again. From the rambling Honky Tonk twang of "Swinging From the Chains of Love," to the world weariness of the gritty first single "Stoned," to the unabashed and infectious rock n' roll of "Had Enough of You Today."
BARK features 12 original songs, as well as covers of Willie P. Bennett's "Willie's Diamond Joe" and Bruce Cockburn's "Tie Me at the Crossroads." The album highlights the band's expert ability to meld and switch between musical styles and influences, like the bluesy swagger of "Water or Gasoline," to the bittersweet "If I Catch You Crying," a heartfelt affirmation of friendship and healing during life's heartaches
Since 1999, Stephen Fearing has released two Juno-nominated albums and toured extensively throughout North America. So Many Miles captured the passionate singer-songwriter during one of his trademark intimate and intense live performances, garnering him praise from critics and fans alike. Stephen's soulful lyrics, distinct vocals and expert guitar playing are brought to the fore on the live album, leaving a lasting and powerful impression of his reach as an artist.
Fearing soon followed it up with 2002's That's How I Walk, which was released in the US on Rounder records, where it hit the Top 30 on the national Americana chart. That's How I Walk showcased Stephen's newfound love of co-writing, cultivated in Blackie & the Rodeo Kings, as he collaborated with the likes of Brian den Hertog, Junkhouse's Colin Cripps, Ian Thornley of Big Wreck, and of course, Tom Wilson. Produced again with Colin Linden, and this time with full accompaniment, the album is a blend of streetwise edge and evocative soul-searching, full of Stephen's usual passionate and deep musings on the full spectrum of human experience.
Colin Linden has also been a busy man since 1999, moonlighting as a musician, a songwriter and a producer to continued success and acclaim. As a performer Colin released a 25-year retrospective of his work Sad & Beautiful World, through Sony Music in 2000 and his eighth solo album Big Mouth in 2003. Colin also contributed his skills on tour with many of the musicians from the soundtrack to the Coen brothers' landmark bluegrass opus O Brother Where Art Thou, including performing at the "Down From the Mountain" concert at the Ryman Auditorium, which was eventually released as a film. His connection to the Coen brothers continues, as he is set to make his acting debut, as a guitar-playing priest in their upcoming film Intolerably Cruel.
As a producer, Colin has added several records to his already lengthy resume, helming two albums for Bruce Cockburn (Breakfast in New Orleans, Dinner in Timbuktu 1999,You've Never Seen Everything 2003), two for Stephen Fearing (So Many Miles 2000, That's How I Walk 2002), one for Sue Foley (Love Comin' Down 2000), one for Ray Bonneville, as well as several tracks for Lucinda Williams. His tireless efforts paid off as Colin received many award nominations, and a Juno for Big Mouth, as well as four Maple Blues awards and a prestigious Toronto Arts Award for music.
Since 1999, the irrepressible Tom Wilson has been steadily building his solo career on the strength of Planet Love, an eclectic mix of styles and moods, which was met with accolades and rave reviews. The main single "Dig It" reached number 11 on the Canadian rock charts. It was also featured in a Volvo commercial and in the Tim Allen movie Joe Somebody. His subsequent North American tour found Tom with many headlining gigs and high profile opening spots for Ron Sexsmith, Stompin' Tom, Andy Stochansky, David Gray, and the late, great Joe Strummer. Always entertaining, always energetic, Tom's mix of folk song-writing sensibilities, rock aesthetics and punk attitude struck a deep chord with fans old and new.
Tom's music has been recorded by artists as diverse as Mavis Staples, Billy Ray Cyrus, Colin James, Adam Gregory, Edwin, as well as his Blackie band mates. In 2002, Tom also celebrated the 10-year anniversary of his former band Junkhouse with the release of Rounders: The Best of Junkhouse. The Hamiltonians filled the retrospective with 19 choice cuts, featuring their best loved songs, unreleased material and cover tunes.
Since Kings of Love, Stephen, Colin and Tom have often found themselves writing songs that could only be expressed through the Blackie & the Rodeo Kings medium. It was this material and a love for collaboration with each other that brought them together for a third time. As they began work on BARK, they found that Blackie meant more to them than a simple and fun way to pay tribute to the music that they loved.
An example of this evolution is the song "Jackie Washington." Colin Linden had originally planned on putting together a number of covers of Canadian guitar legend Jackie Washington's work. Instead, Colin wrote "Jackie Washington" as a tribute and knew his Blackie bandmates would be the best men to help him record it.
While High or Hurtin' and Kings of Love were full of cover tunes, BARK is comprised mostly of original material. The change reflects this shift for the group, and they find themselves further defining the sound and soul of Blackie. BARK mixes the many obvious strengths and diversities of these musicians to forge an entertaining and powerful record. Featured musicians include Richard Bell (the Band), Gary Craig (Anne Murray, Jann Arden) and John Dymond (Bruce Cockburn, Natalie MacMaster). The first single and video, "Stoned," will be released in mid-November (video available)
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