Toronto-based, acoustic power trio Lonesome Ace Stringband will release their sixth release, Try To Make it Fly, on October 13th, ahead of which they premiere their video for ‘Sweeter Sound’…an apt title for a band who just keep sounding better all the time.
The Lonesome Ace String Band are made up of Chris Coole (banjo), John Showman (fiddle) and Max Malone (bass). They are each veterans of some of Canada’s top roots music acts, New Country Rehab, The David Francey Band, The Foggy Hogtown Boys, and Fiver. That collective weight of experience has been put to great use in their latest offering, where some tough decisions needed to be taken.
After listening back to their first recording sessions for the album, they realized that it wasn’t the sound they were after. They collectively decided to scrap those sessions and start again in an effort to try and capture the vibrancy of their live performances. Built on a similar bedrock to that of The Band, they have mastered that elusive alchemy of interpreting old traditional material and making it sound totally fresh and new.
Just to place this all in a greater context, David Morrison (so deeply missed) reviewed one of their shows for Folk Radio back in 2019. David was a total music head and huge live music fan, and if anyone could convey what a gig felt like, he could:
So, everything that makes bluegrass such a euphoric live experience was delivered by these three incredible musicians in abundance. The level of musicianship, the spine-tingling harmonies and lead vocals from all three were superb. The hoedowns were smokin’ hot and the tearjerkers were exactly that. The full house lapped up every joyous second, whooping and hollering as proceedings hit fever pitch when the guys were in full flight, and affording the band a standing ovation when it was all done and dusted…
That magic is on full display in their lead single, Sweeter Sound, on which Showman’s rootsy fiddle opens before being joined by Coole’s ringing banjo. In harmony, they just sound like they’re having a ball, and they don’t make you wait long before Max Malone’s bass, Sam Heineman’s drums and Justin Ruppel’s added percussion take it to the next level. But it’s far from over…they are then joined by Felicity Williams on backing vocals giving the song a sixties soulful sunshine glow. They sing, “The only way out is to dive right in; you’ve got to follow your heart, try to play your part…” something they all do here.
They tell us the roots of the song:
A fascination with the spawning salmon’s return to the Horsefly River near where Max (bass, vocals) now lives was the inspiration for the opening lyrics of this song, “swimming up the river ’til the die I die.” When he heard the melody and chords of a tune that John had been developing, Max knew that they had unknowingly co-written a song: the music and lyrics fit like a glove, and “Sweeter Sound” came to life. The opening line of the chorus, “Try to make it better than the way we found”, is something of a mantra for the band. Perseverance and belief in what you love to do and trying despite evidence of success is the essence of its message.
This is 100% pure joy, a killer combo wrapped up in an infectious energetic bliss…what more could you want? A most deserved ‘Song of the Day’. One more time now…
Pre-Save Sweeter Sound and more here
Try To Make It Fly Tracklist:
- Sweeter Sound
- Praying For Rain
- You’ll Be There
- First Frost/Blue Grouse
- Midnight Band
- Come With Me Tonight
- Simply Going Sideways
- Crossing The Junction/Deer River
- Smoke On The Shoulder
- The Echo
- Country Mile
- Lonesome Ace Number 1
Catch Lonesome Ace Stringband On Tour:
Aug. 26 – Sorrento, BC – Nimble Fingers Bluegrass & Old Time Workshop and Festival
Sept. 2 – Pilesgrove, NJ – Delaware Valley Bluegrass Festival
Sept. 15-16 – Flagstaff, AZ – Pickin’ In The Pines Bluegrass & Acoustic Music Festival
Sept. 19 – Nashville, TN – AMERICANAFEST
Oct. 18 – Cambridge, MA – Club Passim
Oct. 19 – Exeter, NH – The Wood Barn
Oct. 20 – Saratoga Springs, NY – Caffe Lena
Oct. 21 – Brownfield, ME – Stone Mountain Arts Center
Oct. 22 – Greenfield, MA – Hawks & Reed
Oct. 23 – New York, NY – City Vineyard at Pier 26
Oct. 25 – Vienna, VA – Jammin’ Java
Oct. 26 – Oberlin, OH – Music at Riverdog
Oct. 29 – Holland, MI – Park Theatre
Oct. 30 – Ann Arbour, MI – The Ark
Nov. 1 – Toronto, ON – The Tranzac Club
Nov. 22 – Edmonton, AB – Northern Bluegrass Circle Music Society
Nov. 23 – Saskatoon, SK – The Bassment
Nov. 24 – Red Deer, AB – The Velvet Olive
Nov. 25 – Calgary, AB – Foothills Bluegrass Circle Music Society
Nov. 27 – Missoula, MT – Longstaff House
Nov. 29 – Sisters, OR – The Belfry
Dec. 1 – Portland, OR – McMenamins White Eagle Saloon & Hotel
Dec. 2 – Seattle, WA – Ballard Homestead
Dec. 3 – Victoria, BC – Victoria Event Centre
Dec. 4 – Vancouver, BC – The Anza Club
Dec. 5 – Oliver, BC – The Oliver Theatre