Rolling up the night sky is perhaps an appropriate metaphor for what singer-songwriter Dana Sipos does. Originally from Yellowknife, she has spent the past few years on the road in some of the most unique ways (touring by tall ship and bicycle and currently planning a few by train and, of all things, canoe). Her latest release — yes, Roll Up the Night Sky — emulates this nomadic existence, drawing on a range of musical and landscape influences from the arctic to Nashville.
The album starts on an understated note with "Old Sin," a simple tune containing a subtle bass line, quiet drums and Dana's lilting voice, which acts as a sort of introductory paragraph to the rest of the more heavily-produced songs. "My Beloved" stands out with its sing-along lyrics, Dana's recognizable mandolin picking (which weaves its way throughout the whole album) and the overall feeling of a summer bike ride down a country dirt road. It's on tunes like the blues-inspired, melancholy "Shadows" where Natalie Merchant comparisons shine through, while the almost title track "Night Sky" channels a bit of the early Be Good Tanyas with its old-timey feel and soulful but quirky lyrics ("Roll up the night sky… hang the moon in your bedroom").
And it's not just Dana's songwriting and influences that makes this album a well-traveled experience. Recorded in Montreal, produced by Yukon-based Jordy Walker (Tanya Tagaq) and now released on Nashville's Muddy Roots Records, Roll Up the Night Sky is bound for a long-life on the road.
(Muddy Roots)The album starts on an understated note with "Old Sin," a simple tune containing a subtle bass line, quiet drums and Dana's lilting voice, which acts as a sort of introductory paragraph to the rest of the more heavily-produced songs. "My Beloved" stands out with its sing-along lyrics, Dana's recognizable mandolin picking (which weaves its way throughout the whole album) and the overall feeling of a summer bike ride down a country dirt road. It's on tunes like the blues-inspired, melancholy "Shadows" where Natalie Merchant comparisons shine through, while the almost title track "Night Sky" channels a bit of the early Be Good Tanyas with its old-timey feel and soulful but quirky lyrics ("Roll up the night sky… hang the moon in your bedroom").
And it's not just Dana's songwriting and influences that makes this album a well-traveled experience. Recorded in Montreal, produced by Yukon-based Jordy Walker (Tanya Tagaq) and now released on Nashville's Muddy Roots Records, Roll Up the Night Sky is bound for a long-life on the road.