FIELD GUIDE ANNOUNCE FIELD GUIDE (TAPE REDUX), SHARES FIRST REIMAGINED SINGLE

FIELD GUIDE ANNOUNCES FIELD GUIDE (TAPE REDUX), AN ALTERNATE VERSION OF 2022 SELF-TITLED ALBUM, OUT ON MARCH 23, 2023

PRE–SAVE FIELD GUIDE (TAPE REDUX) HERE

LO-FI, REIMAGINED VERSION OF “IN LOVE NOW” AVAILABLE NOW

WATCH LIVE PERFORMANCE OF “IN LOVE NOW” (TAPE REDUX) VERSION HERE

BUY / STREAM “IN LOVE NOW” (TAPE REDUX) VERSION HERE

NORTH AMERICAN TOUR DATES BEGIN THIS MONTH 

"Armed with honest lyrics and always soothing melodies, Field Guide's Field Guide is the sound of an artist who's fully settled into their voice. ...an excellent showcase for MacDonald's clean, uncomplicated vocals, always emanating from a sincere place within" - Exclaim!

"A voice, which cracks softly like a window and lands squarely behind the upper left rib cage with a soft thud...MacDonald’s greatest skill as a lyricist is to reveal his scars without varnish or veneer." - Winnipeg Free Press

“These aching ballads are absorbed in rich arrangements...and MacDonald’s soft, honeyed growl” - UNCUT Magazine
“Field Guide has created something wondrous; something heartbreaking; and something utterly, majestically, and authentically beautiful.” - Atwood Magazine
“Very delicate folk pop that I'm just always a sucker for.” - Robin Hilton, NPR All Songs Considered

Photo Credit : Adam Kelly  // DOWNLOAD HIGH-RES

Field Guide, aka Dylan MacDonald, released a self-titled album in 2022 reflecting on life challenges and the processing of emotions. Through 12 songs, the album creates an identity around subtle acoustic guitar parts, laid-back drum grooves, textured and moody sonic layers, and warm-blanket vocal melodies. Following its release, Field Guide captivated a listening audience of 600K+ monthly listeners on Spotify, with over 25 million streams, tour support slots from artists JP Saxe, SMYL, Bahamas, Leif Vollebekk, and praise from outlets such as MOJO, NPR, Under the Radar and more.

While performing the songs of the self-titled album on the road in a solo capacity, MacDonald found the structures mutating into something collectively new, different and exciting. At the completion of the tour, he quickly fleshed out the reimagined, stripped-down, captured-in-the-wild feeling of those new arrangements and the result is Field Guide (Tape Redux). 

“Over the past year or so, I’ve been touring in support of a bunch of rad artists all over Canada, the U.S., and in Europe,” MacDonald says. “I’ve been playing solo every night, which at first felt like more of a necessity than anything but over time has become something that I very much love. The songs have grown and taken on a new life, I wanted to capture them again in this moment.” 

Some tracks on Field Guide (Tape Redux) such as “Remember When” and “You Could Be Free” have recognizable riffs to the original versions but are more intimate and direct, without additional trappings beyond vocals and guitar. “In Love Now” uses a sparse arrangement of drum machine, fingerpicked electric bass, and MacDonald’s nimble and soulful falsetto to achieve a bright and positive interpretation. 

Of “In Love Now” MacDonald wrote, "During the deep pandemic times I think that a lot of people found themselves catching up on a lot of overdue interior work which was both a really good thing but also quite overwhelming. This song came out of the desire for balance — wanting to continue to work through things but also yearning to get outside and enjoy the sunshine."

WATCH LIVE PERFORMANCE OF “IN LOVE NOW” (TAPE REDUX) VERSION HERE

BUY / STREAM “IN LOVE NOW” (TAPE REDUX) VERSION HERE

“Without much of a plan I went over to my pal Kris Ulrich’s place and two days later we had a record that I am incredibly proud of,” MacDonald explains on recording Field Guide (Tape Redux). “We recorded everything live with no overdubs to Kris’ recently purchased Tascam 388 tape machine. The process was fast and inspiring. I grabbed whatever instruments were within arms’ reach: a classical guitar, viola bass, my Roland Rhythm Ace drum machine, everything felt very off the cuff. Some new melodies surfaced, new arrangements, feels and harmonic structure. Kris ran everything through a spring reverb and a delay pedal and performed live effects as I played the songs in the room. I wasn’t on headphones, so I didn’t know what he was doing until playback – it was always vibey and cool.”

In support of both the self-titled album and Field Guide (Tape Redux), Field Guide will be touring North America beginning later this month.. All dates are announced and on sale here and listed below.

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FIELD GUIDE TAPE REDUX TRACKLIST
01 Remember When (Tape Redux)
02 Worst Of Ways (Tape Redux)
03 You Could Be Free (Tape Redux)
04 For Sure (Tape Redux)
05 Wishing Well (Tape Redux)
06 In Love Now (Tape Redux)
07 Cracked Open (Tape Redux)
08 Leave You Lonely (Tape Redux)
09 You Carry Me (Tape Redux)
10 Looking Back (Tape Redux)
11 Goddess (Tape Redux)

NORTH AMERICAN TOUR DATES
2/24 - Regina SK - The Artesian
2/25 - Calgary AB - King Eddy
2/26 - Red Deer AB - Bo’s Bar and Stage
2/28 - Penticton BC - Dream Cafe
3/1 - Vancouver BC - The Fox Cabaret
3/3 - Edmonton AB - The Aviary
3/4 - Saskatoon SK - Amigos Cantina
3/8 - Hamilton ON - Mills Hardware
3/9 - Guelph ON - Brothers Brewing Company
3/10 - St Catharines ON - Warehouse Concert Hall
3/11 - Toronto, ON - TD Music Hall
3/12 - London ON - London Music Hall - Rum Runners
3/15 - Cambridge ON - Farm League Brewing
3/16 - Peterborough, ON - The Red Dog
3/17 - Ottawa ON - Club Saw
3/18 - Kingston ON - The Grad Club
3/24 - Winnipeg, MB - West End Cultural Centre
4/13 - Minneapolis MN - 7th St Entry
4/14 - Madison WI - High Noon Saloon
4/15 - Chicago IL - Schubas
4/16 - Detroit MI - Sanctuary
4/18 - Pittsburgh PA - Club Cafe 
4/20 - Boston MA - Middle East Upstairs
4/21 - New York NY - Elsewhere 
4/22 - Philadelphia PA - The Foundry
4/23 - Washington DC - Pearl Street Warehouse 
4/26 - Nashville TN - The Basement
4/27 - Atlanta GA - Aisle 5 
4/29 - Austin TX - Mohawk 
4/30 - Dallas TX - Cambridge Room
5/2 - Phoenix AZ - Valley Bar 
5/3 - San Diego - Voodoo Room
5/4 - Los Angeles - Lodge Room
5/6 - San Francisco CA - Bottom Of The Hill
5/9 - Seattle WA - Tractor Tavern
5/9 - Portland OR - The Jack London Revue

FIELD GUIDE ONLINE
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HAYDEN RELEASES NEW SINGLE & VIDEO, “MISS FORT ERIE”

WESTERN CANADIAN SOLO TOUR BEGINS TOMORROW 

NEW ALBUM AND MORE DATES TO COME IN 2023

WATCH / STREAM “MISS FORT ERIE” HERE

VISIT WASTEYOURDAYSAWAY.COM 

Photo Credit : Robert Georgeff // DOWNLOAD HIGH-RES

Hayden, the long-heralded king of downcast Canadian indie-folk, is today sharing his new single "Miss Fort Erie" – out via Arts & Crafts. “Miss Fort Erie” is amongst the legendary singer-songwriter's first new music since his 2015 album Hey Love, following the recent single "East Coast", a forlorn ballad inspired by Leonard Cohen. Written, produced, and mixed by Hayden, “Miss Fort Erie” sets sail under grey skies for this “tale from the road” – an electrified yet bittersweet tune led by his gravely, familiar tenor, spanning the full range of joys between a hometown show (“Oh, the whole place rang”) and a short jaunt down to play Buffalo (“for ten people”). Shuffling acoustic guitar underscores a major chord progression with a stormy outline, the low register resonance of Hayden’s piano and lightly frayed electric guitar accents draped around his signature plaintive vocal – a perfect blend of the heavily imbued emotion and light-hearted catharsis that Hayden has mastered in his songwriting.

Speaking about the track, Hayden says: "’Miss Fort Erie’ has been in my back pocket for a while now. It  was written and recorded pretty quickly up in my attic in the summer of 2016. At the time, my mind was on balancing a young family and being out on the road. Something I’m weighing again now and in the coming months. I thought it a funny idea to describe a conversation between a couple, where the traveler always plays down their adventures so as to not make the one at home feel left out. As per usual, there’s a twist ending. Musically, I had a blast playing all the parts, and for an artist with a catalogue lacking in middle eight’s or bridges, I’m particularly proud of the changes throughout the song.”

“Miss Fort Erie” is accompanied by a wistful and reflective music video self-directed by Hayden during the morning of a recent tour stop in St. John’s, Newfoundland. Hayden sets the scene: “I checked into room 6 at the Captain’s Quarters hotel with my camera, a tripod and my guitar. I wanted a classic hotel room with an old tube TV. My friend Jud made some calls ahead of time and found the perfect setting for my tale from the road. As I play guitar and casually flip through the channels, we see segments of pretty well every music video I’ve been in over the years. Some that I’ve made myself, others with the help of many talented friends.” 

WATCH / STREAM “MISS FORT ERIE” HERE

VISIT WASTEYOURDAYSAWAY.COM 

Hayden, a Toronto indie rock mainstay, has been making gorgeous and affective folk inflected music since his timeless debut, 1996’s Everything I Long For. His honest and heartrending songwriting has been likened to the greats such as Neil Young and Leonard Cohen, while his sonic acuity is mentioned in the same breath as seminal indie bands like Pavement and Sebadoh. Over the course of three decades, Hayden has built a cult following on earnest and soulful indie rock – “Miss Fort Erie” points to the best being ahead of him yet. 

Hayden heads west for a slew of tour dates beginning tomorrow in Winnipeg. See below for full details. A new album is anticipated for spring 2023, with more news soon to follow.

STREAM "EAST COAST" HERE

Single Artwork // DOWNLOAD HIGH-RES 

TOUR DATES
Feb 7 - Winnipeg MB - The Park Theatre
Feb 8 - Regina SK - The Artesian
Feb 9 - Saskatoon SK - Broadway Theatre
Feb 10 - Calgary AB - Central United Church - Block Heater
Feb 12 - Canmore AB - Communitea Café
Feb 15 - Vancouver BC - Christ Church Cathedral

HAYDEN ONLINE
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JEAN-MICHEL BLAIS SHARES NEW TRACK FROM UPCOMING EP

LISTEN / SHARE “LA CHUTE (PIANO)” HERE
BUY / STREAM “LA CHUTE (PIANO) HERE

SÉRÉNADES EP, THE NOCTURNAL COMPANION TO THE ORCHESTRAL, JUNO AWARD NOMINATED ALBUM AUBADES, OUT MARCH 10, 2023 VIA ARTS & CRAFTS

PRE-SAVE SÉRÉNADES HERE

“From its opening notes, it whisks listeners away. On the new album from the esteemed post-classical pianist, Blais is in perpetual bloom, moved by life's beauty and nature's song.” - Exclaim!

“...aubades finds Blais conducting a 12-person ensemble, filling in his beautiful piano melodies with lush instrumentation that brings his music to new heights.” - CBC MUSIC

PHOTO CREDIT : John Londono // DOWNLOAD HIGH-RES

Following this week’s announcement that Jean-Michel Blais’ highly successful 2022 album, aubades, received a JUNO Award nomination for Instrumental Album Of The Year, the Montreal-based post-classical pianist and composer is sharing another track from his upcoming EP, sérénades. “la chute (piano)” follows previous EP single, “amour (piano)” in the collection of solo piano compositions, a companion to aubades which was also nominated for the Polaris Music Prize. 

“la chute” (‘The Fall’), continues a rich tradition of composers writing music specifically for the left hand, including works by composers such as Scriabin, Ravel, Bach and Chopin. “la chute” was composed after Blais injured his right arm in a fall, leading him to channel his frustration into the piece.

LISTEN / SHARE “LA CHUTE (PIANO)” HERE
BUY / STREAM “LA CHUTE (PIANO)” HERE

MORE ABOUT SÉRÉNADES 
Featuring intimate and atmospheric solo piano versions of key tracks from the album, “amour” and ”ouessant”, as well as three new compositions, sérénades is the nocturnal, stripped-back counterpart to the orchestral brightness of aubades. The EP has a powerful connection to the world of sleep and dreams, as Blais describes in his signature dry humour:

“This EP is the length of the recommended nap: 25 to 30 minutes. To be honest, I've never been able to listen to this EP without drifting into sleep. I normally try and make my music play with your attention by constantly introducing new elements. But with this EP I was thinking about music of the night. It’s not meant to distract you and keep you alert. Please fall asleep to it.” 

WATCH / SHARE “AMOUR (PIANO)” HERE

“There was a moment there where I thought it was just finished for me as a pianist. It was quite a dark place which is why the song is not that happy. In the emergency room, they gave me morphine and ketamine, putting me in a state where I was completely disconnected from reality. My boyfriend had this denim coat with a woollen collar, and for some reason, I started dreaming about sheep in the alps, a shepherd, and the sheep's wool becoming clouds as I drifted into the sky. And suddenly there was Maurice Ravel who suddenly appeared on his own little cloud. 

“When I came back to reality, the dream reminded me of this piece that Ravel wrote for his friend who lost his right arm in the First World War. So then, for fun, I just started playing with what remained (my left hand) and I composed ‘la chute’.”

PRE-SAVE SÉRÉNADES HERE

ABOUT JEAN-MICHEL BLAIS
Jean-Michel Blais is a French-Canadian pianist and composer based in Montreal. Growing up in rural Quebec, Blais began playing the organ at age 9, composing and taking piano lessons. He attended the Trois-Rivières Music Conservatory, training as a classical pianist, but eventually left music to travel and work as a social worker and special needs teacher. After rediscovering his passion for music, he returned to Montreal where he caught the attention of Toronto-based indie label Arts & Crafts.

Blais' debut album, Il, was released in 2016 to critical acclaim, reaching #1 on Billboard's Classical chart in Canada 14 times and earning a Polaris Music Prize long list nomination. He has continued to release albums, including his most recent, aubades, which was released in February 2022 and received positive critical reception. It was longlisted for the 2022 Polaris Music Prize and won the Félix Award for Instrumental Album of the Year.

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01 117 (bach)
02 amour (piano)
03 la chute (piano)
04 morning (improv)
05 flâneur (piano)
06 yanni (piano)
07 ouessant (piano)
08 murmures (piano)

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