MIKE EDEL’S 5TH LP, CASSEROLES & FLOWERS, OUT JULY 22, 2022
WATCH / SHARE “ILLUSIONS BY THE SEA” HERE
BUY / STREAM “ILLUSIONS BY THE SEA” HERE
WATCH / SHARE “CASSEROLES & FLOWERS” DOCUMENTARY TRAILER HERE
Photo Credit: Bryan Van Wyk // DOWNLOAD HIGH-RES
Recently, celebrated songwriter Mike Edel shared the first single and title track from his upcoming album, casseroles & flowers. For the album, not only has Edel crafted a series of optimistic melodies that perfectly hold the tension between hardship and heart, but he did it while recovering from a stroke he suffered in April 2021. The sudden event occurred as Edel and his wife were on tour playing outdoor shows and living in a converted van in an effort to keep performing in a covid-compromised live event landscape. These experiences unravel before us in the extremely personal casseroles & flowers.
In the new single from Edel, “illusions by the sea”, he recounts 'the time of our lives, perfect and bittersweet' in which he sings about moving into a conversion van full-time with his pregnant wife. They set out to play live outdoor shows across North America but Edel suffered a stroke 3 shows into the tour in April 2021. 'illusions by the sea' is a psychedelic modern rock road trip jam filled with catchy melody and charming intent, perfect to drive into the sunset with.
“I remember saying to Alissa 'this is how it feels to live our dream,' while setting out down the west coast in our conversion van,” says Edel. “'illusions by the sea' captures the sentiment we had when we moved out of our house and into our van full-time. The lyrics 'were we out of our minds,' and 'pillow talk, a little scheme' are actually from things we said to each other. Looking back on the past, and after all we've been through, often 'feels like a dream' as the song says.”
WATCH / SHARE “ILLUSIONS BY THE SEA” HERE
BUY / STREAM “ILLUSIONS BY THE SEA” HERE
“illusions by the sea” Single Artwork // DOWNLOAD HIGH-RES
MORE ABOUT MIKE EDEL
After confidently walking again and rehabbing 5 hours per day, Edel turned his attention to what he found most difficult: playing guitar. Still unable to hold a pick and play many of his own songs, Edel and Alexandra Niedzialkowski (Cumulus) co-wrote most of the album and explored themes of death, renewal, grace, physical deficiencies and fatherhood as Edel experienced them in hospitals, vans, basement suites, and new towns.
WATCH / SHARE “CASSEROLES & FLOWERS” LYRIC VIDEO HERE
BUY / STREAM “CASSEROLES & FLOWERS” HERE
With the new LP, Edel not only makes his self-production debut, but also his filmmaking debut. “For 4 months I was very motivated to diligently play with rubber bands, rice, puddy, and put baseball men stamps on my chart, but I knew in order to keep progressing I needed to channel my energies into what I loved most,” says Edel. Over the span of a year, Edel portrays his and his wife’s journey. The project documents their move into the van, the stroke, recovery, pregnancy, the welcoming of their first child, and Edel’s journey to play his ‘Can I Still Do This?’ first post-stroke concert and tour.
WATCH / SHARE “CASSEROLES & FLOWERS” DOCUMENTARY TRAILER HERE
Edel approaches his limitations and unusual challenges with an unvarnished truthfulness, and paradoxical burst of vibrancy. Through it he is relatable and charming, often speaking and singing to listeners like they’re old friends. Fueled by the support of his community, casseroles & flowers is Edel’s best yet.
Edel has over 6 million cross-platform streams and has been featured on ABC’s American Idol, extensively on CBC and CBC q, on Sirius XM’s The Verge, The Loft, North Americana and CBC Radio 3 and played hundreds of shows and festivals across North America and in Europe.
casseroles & flowers LP Artwork // DOWNLOAD HIGH-RES
TRACKLIST
1. illusions by the sea
2. mirage
3. love me the same
4. domino
5. casseroles & flowers
6. on to something
7. it's ok here
8. everywhere you are
9. fountain of youth
10. baseball stamps