Matt Goud has been softening up his hardcore roots and showing off a folksier side as Northcote in recent years, and the Victoria-based musician is set to return with his third LP under that moniker this fall. Titled Hope Is Made of Steel, the new full-length is due out on September 25 via Black Box.
The new offering was recorded in Vancouver with producer Dave Genn (54-40, Matthew Good Band), and features additional musical instrumentation from Stephen McGillivray on guitar, Mike Battle on bass and Derek Heathfield on drums. Goud also managed to rope in some high-profile vocal accompaniment courtesy of Chuck Ragan, Dave Hause and Hannah Georgas.
A press release notes that Hope Is Made of Steel still hears remnants of Goud's punk rock past and forays into folk, though, overall, it embraces a more Americana-tinged alt-rock aesthetic.
The songs were inspired by experiences gathered from a grueling 18-months on the road, as well as uprooting his wife and dogs by moving from Victoria to Ottawa and back again — a process that raised questions about finding one's place in the world.
"There is a clarity to the songs that I think I may have struggled with in the past." Goud said in a statement. "I remember playing at the Horseshoe in Toronto last summer and a friend asked me what a particular song of mine meant to me, and I didn't haven't a very clear answer. I feel on this record, I have written a batch of songs that are more direct and feel less safe. I challenged myself to be more lyrically direct on this album, and I believe I have accomplished that."
He'll be heading out on the road to gather more life experience this fall, and you can scroll past the tracklisting for Hope Is Made of Steel to see those dates below.
Beyond that, hit play to hear the exclusive Canadian premiere of the album's title track. It's a guitar and drum-driven Springsteen-esque jam with Goud's gritty vocals getting softened a bit thanks to some sweeter sounding back-up from fellow West coaster Hannah Georgas. Give it a listen below.
Hope Is Made of Steel:
1. This Is Our Time (ft. Chuck Ragan)
2. Bitter End
3. Small Town Dreams
4. Hope Is Made of Steel (ft. Hannah Georgas)
5. Leaving Wyoming
6. You Could Never Let Me Down
7. Bracelet
8. Stronger Than You Know (ft. Dave Hause)
9. Just Kids
10. Your Rock And Roll
Tour dates:
09/18 Toronto, ON - Toronto Urban Roots Festival
10/14 Winnipeg, MB - The Pyramid
10/15 Regina, SK - The Exchange
10/16 Edmonton, AB - The Starlite
10/17 Calgary, AB - The Gateway
10/20 Cranbrook, BC - Key City Theatre
10/21 Kelowna, BC - Flashback's
10/22 Kamloops, BC - Cactus Jack's
10/23 Vancouver, BC - The Venue
10/24 Victoria, BC - Distrikt
10/30 Red Deer, AB - Bo's
10/31 Saskatoon, SK - The Capitol Music Club
11/03 Thunder Bay, ON - Crock's
11/05 Sudbury, ON - Coulson Night Club
11/07 Hamilton, ON - Absinthe
11/08 St. Catharines, ON - L3
11/11 Waterloo, ON - Maxwell's
11/13 London, ON - London Music Hall
11/20 Moncton, NB - Tide & Boar
11/21 Halifax, NS - The Marquee Club
11/22 Truro, NS - Champion's
11/26 Fredericton, NB - The Capital Complex
11/27 Montreal, QC - Petit Campus
11/28 Ottawa, ON - Maverick's
The new offering was recorded in Vancouver with producer Dave Genn (54-40, Matthew Good Band), and features additional musical instrumentation from Stephen McGillivray on guitar, Mike Battle on bass and Derek Heathfield on drums. Goud also managed to rope in some high-profile vocal accompaniment courtesy of Chuck Ragan, Dave Hause and Hannah Georgas.
A press release notes that Hope Is Made of Steel still hears remnants of Goud's punk rock past and forays into folk, though, overall, it embraces a more Americana-tinged alt-rock aesthetic.
The songs were inspired by experiences gathered from a grueling 18-months on the road, as well as uprooting his wife and dogs by moving from Victoria to Ottawa and back again — a process that raised questions about finding one's place in the world.
"There is a clarity to the songs that I think I may have struggled with in the past." Goud said in a statement. "I remember playing at the Horseshoe in Toronto last summer and a friend asked me what a particular song of mine meant to me, and I didn't haven't a very clear answer. I feel on this record, I have written a batch of songs that are more direct and feel less safe. I challenged myself to be more lyrically direct on this album, and I believe I have accomplished that."
He'll be heading out on the road to gather more life experience this fall, and you can scroll past the tracklisting for Hope Is Made of Steel to see those dates below.
Beyond that, hit play to hear the exclusive Canadian premiere of the album's title track. It's a guitar and drum-driven Springsteen-esque jam with Goud's gritty vocals getting softened a bit thanks to some sweeter sounding back-up from fellow West coaster Hannah Georgas. Give it a listen below.
Hope Is Made of Steel:
1. This Is Our Time (ft. Chuck Ragan)
2. Bitter End
3. Small Town Dreams
4. Hope Is Made of Steel (ft. Hannah Georgas)
5. Leaving Wyoming
6. You Could Never Let Me Down
7. Bracelet
8. Stronger Than You Know (ft. Dave Hause)
9. Just Kids
10. Your Rock And Roll
Tour dates:
09/18 Toronto, ON - Toronto Urban Roots Festival
10/14 Winnipeg, MB - The Pyramid
10/15 Regina, SK - The Exchange
10/16 Edmonton, AB - The Starlite
10/17 Calgary, AB - The Gateway
10/20 Cranbrook, BC - Key City Theatre
10/21 Kelowna, BC - Flashback's
10/22 Kamloops, BC - Cactus Jack's
10/23 Vancouver, BC - The Venue
10/24 Victoria, BC - Distrikt
10/30 Red Deer, AB - Bo's
10/31 Saskatoon, SK - The Capitol Music Club
11/03 Thunder Bay, ON - Crock's
11/05 Sudbury, ON - Coulson Night Club
11/07 Hamilton, ON - Absinthe
11/08 St. Catharines, ON - L3
11/11 Waterloo, ON - Maxwell's
11/13 London, ON - London Music Hall
11/20 Moncton, NB - Tide & Boar
11/21 Halifax, NS - The Marquee Club
11/22 Truro, NS - Champion's
11/26 Fredericton, NB - The Capital Complex
11/27 Montreal, QC - Petit Campus
11/28 Ottawa, ON - Maverick's
