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EVAN REDSKY RELEASES NEW ALBUM, THE LANGUAGE OF FISHERMEN, OUT TODAY VIA VICTORY POOL RECORDS
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Photo Credit :Colin Medley // DOWNLOAD HIGH-RES
Today, punk-rocker / folk storyteller Evan Redsky is releasing his new LP, The Language of Fisherman, via Victory Pool Records. Seeking inspiration for this new record, Redsky happened upon the works of celebrated Ojibwe author Richard Wagamese. Many of the songs on The Language of Fishermen were inspired by Wagamese’s stories, especially those from his autobiographical book One Native Life.
Redsky, like Wagamese, is Anishinabek, and the two share the experience of growing up in the bush, on reserve, and navigating between cultural worlds. Between honouring Wagamese’s words and sharing his own reflections, Redsky’s The Language of Fishermen contains a lifetime of feeling—including honouring the often overlooked positive moments of simplicity and fulfillment.
“Contemporary Indigenous life experience doesn’t have to be rooted in trauma,” Redsky explains. “The little moments we experience, and the land we come from, are rich with inspiration.”
This soft, reflective state is captured on the album’s title song, “The Language of Fishermen”, as the crew on the boat in the middle of the lake share “a smile, a nod, to the mystery of the land” as “The loons and shorebirds sang their songs.” Track two “Watching” (also inspired by Wagamese) conjures this sense of peace in everyday life, as a “foster kid from the fly-ins” learns by observation and comes to the conclusion: “If love and work is enough for them / It’s good enough for me.”
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MORE ABOUT EVAN REDSKY + THE LANGUAGE OF FISHERMEN
Growing up on the Mississaugi First Nation reserve of Blind River, Ontario, Redksy was often compelled to hitchhike to Toronto to immerse himself in the city’s burgeoning punk and hardcore music scene. Redsky recalls sleeping under bridges and on construction sites, dedicated to making music happen. At 19 years old, Redsky started performing with punk outfit Single Mothers, going on to perform with the JUNO Award-nominated group everywhere from local clubs to Primavera Sound to the Pitchfork Music Festival. However, as the group saw increasing success, Redsky felt more and more empowered to explore other musical paths and tell his own stories.
These days, it’s tough to keep up with all of Redsky’s eclectic projects. He’s a member of “Turtle Island Hardcore” band Indian Giver; he performs with folk-rock duo Altameda and he plays bass with groups like country ensemble Nicolette and the Nobodies. A stalwart of the Toronto scene, Redsky’s commitment to collaboration is evident in his impressive musicianship and impassioned songwriting, as he showcased on his debut solo album, 2022’s Oblivion.
LISTEN / SHARE “ARE WE FEELING OKAY?” HERE
As for the stories in Redsky’s The Language Of Fisherman, his desire to share them can be traced to his prominent lineage of storytellers within his community. Notably, his great-grandfather, James Redsky, whose book The Great Leader of The Ojibway was published by the University of Toronto in the early 1970s. James Redsky was a prominent member of the spiritual group known as the Midewiwin and was one of the last people to possess ancient birch bark scrolls depicting centuries-old etchings that informed the community of much of their pre-colonial history.
The openness and sincerity that abounds on The Language of Fishermen was made possible by the deep connection and trust of its musicians. For the recording sessions at Dreamhouse Studios in downtown Toronto, Redsky brought in the “best friends and best players” he knew, including Matt Kelly (City and Colour), Troy Snaterse and Erik Grice (Altameda), and John Dinsmore (Sarah Harmer, Bahamas), arranging and recording live off the floor. The resultant sound is crisp and inviting, with humming organ, pedal steel, and piano licks expanding around Redsky’s distinctive, silvery voice.
On album closer “Am I Allowed to Heal”, Redsky turns the camera directly on himself. The stories of trauma, recovery, and peace-making that linger across this album, this final track is as bold and direct in its message as in its raucous arrangement, harkening back to Redsky’s punk roots.
WATCH / SHARE “COSMIC CAROUSEL” (OFFICIAL VIDEO) HERE
The theme of healing — and questioning if, when, and how healing can be accomplished — comes from Redsky’s own journey in the past few years. Through meditation, sobriety, and music, “The healing journey is constantly transforming,” Redsky says. But having known many Indigenous people who need permission to forgive themselves, and allow the healing process to begin, this song feels boldly overt, honest.
A couple decades into making music, with many more stretching out ahead, Redsky’s story is one of staying committed over the years, trusting the process, and trusting himself. Like the rolling highways Redsky sings of the song, “Northern Road”, with a “starry night beyond those headlights that could go on forever,” Redsky’s journey goes on.
THE LANGUAGE OF FISHERMEN TRACKLIST
01 The Language of Fishermen
02 Watching
03 Northern Road
04 Nothing In This World
05 Stuck In The Night
06 Are We Feeling Okay
07 When Will Our Time Come
08 Am I Allowed To Heal
09 Cosmic Carousel