Roots songwriter Del Barber hails from Winnipeg, and he's putting his prairie upbringing to good use by naming his new album Prairieography. It's due out on February 4 through True North Records, and its release will be supported by lots of Canadian live dates.
The album was captured live-to-tape at Empire Recording in Winnipeg, with Barber self-producing the record along with his steel player Bill Western. Interestingly, the reverb was recorded using a 150-foot grain silo.
"We had to disassemble the studio, scale the walls of the silo, hang microphones and a speaker," Barber explained in a statement. "We amplified the instrument, like the pedal steel, into the silo and recorded again, then the track would have to be synched up with the song."
Fans can expect to hear rustic sounds that harken back to classic artists from the past. Barber further explained, "My co-producer Bill Western and I really wanted to incorporate a few songs on this album that would lean on heavy grooves and simple soul driven rhythm sections."
See the tracklist below, along with Barber's upcoming Canadian tour schedule. Scroll past that to stream the premiere of the nostalgic acoustic number "Tel Me Where to Start."
Prairieography:
1. Living With a Long Way to Go
2. Farewell, God Bless You, Goodbye
3. Walking in a Straight Line
4. Arianna
5. Country Girl
6. Peter and Jenny Lee
7. It's Harder Than You Think
8. Big Smoke
9. Yellowhead Road
10. The Wind and the Wire
11. The Sparrow and the Crow
12. All That It Takes
13. Tell Me Where to Start
14. White Lines and Taillights
Tour dates:
01/23 Indianhead, SK - Indian Head United Church
01/24 Langenburg, SK - Langenburg Theatre
01/25 Biggar, SK - Majestic Theatre
01/28 Lloydminster, SK - Vic Juba Theatre
01/29 Kindersley, SK - Norman Ritchie Community Centre
01/30 Leader, SK - Leader Community Centre
01/31 Calgary, AB - Calgary Folk Club (Dalhousie Community Centre)
02/08 Wakefield, QC - The Blacksheep Inn
02/06 Toronto, ON - Hugh's Room
02/08 Wakefield, QC - The Blacksheep Inn
02/15 Cochrane, AB - Cochrane Aliance Church
02/17 Vernon, BC - Vernon & District Performing Arts Centre Show Lounge
02/18 Chiliwack, BC - Bozzini's
02/19 Victoria, BC - Lucky Bar
02/20 Vancouver, BC - CBC Studio
02/26 Saskatoon, SK - The Bassment
02/27 Rosthem, SK - Station Arts Centre
03/01 Calgary, AB - Strathcona Community Centre
03/02 Lethbridge, AB - Geomatic
03/05 Jasper, AB - Jasper Legion
03/06 Prairie, AB - Geoff's House
03/07 Edmonton, AB - St. Basil's Cultural Centre
03/08 Forestburg, AB - Forestburg Community Hall
03/21 Winnipeg, MB - Park Theatre
03/27 Winnipeg, MB - Radison Winnipeg Hotel Ballroom
The album was captured live-to-tape at Empire Recording in Winnipeg, with Barber self-producing the record along with his steel player Bill Western. Interestingly, the reverb was recorded using a 150-foot grain silo.
"We had to disassemble the studio, scale the walls of the silo, hang microphones and a speaker," Barber explained in a statement. "We amplified the instrument, like the pedal steel, into the silo and recorded again, then the track would have to be synched up with the song."
Fans can expect to hear rustic sounds that harken back to classic artists from the past. Barber further explained, "My co-producer Bill Western and I really wanted to incorporate a few songs on this album that would lean on heavy grooves and simple soul driven rhythm sections."
See the tracklist below, along with Barber's upcoming Canadian tour schedule. Scroll past that to stream the premiere of the nostalgic acoustic number "Tel Me Where to Start."
Prairieography:
1. Living With a Long Way to Go
2. Farewell, God Bless You, Goodbye
3. Walking in a Straight Line
4. Arianna
5. Country Girl
6. Peter and Jenny Lee
7. It's Harder Than You Think
8. Big Smoke
9. Yellowhead Road
10. The Wind and the Wire
11. The Sparrow and the Crow
12. All That It Takes
13. Tell Me Where to Start
14. White Lines and Taillights
Tour dates:
01/23 Indianhead, SK - Indian Head United Church
01/24 Langenburg, SK - Langenburg Theatre
01/25 Biggar, SK - Majestic Theatre
01/28 Lloydminster, SK - Vic Juba Theatre
01/29 Kindersley, SK - Norman Ritchie Community Centre
01/30 Leader, SK - Leader Community Centre
01/31 Calgary, AB - Calgary Folk Club (Dalhousie Community Centre)
02/08 Wakefield, QC - The Blacksheep Inn
02/06 Toronto, ON - Hugh's Room
02/08 Wakefield, QC - The Blacksheep Inn
02/15 Cochrane, AB - Cochrane Aliance Church
02/17 Vernon, BC - Vernon & District Performing Arts Centre Show Lounge
02/18 Chiliwack, BC - Bozzini's
02/19 Victoria, BC - Lucky Bar
02/20 Vancouver, BC - CBC Studio
02/26 Saskatoon, SK - The Bassment
02/27 Rosthem, SK - Station Arts Centre
03/01 Calgary, AB - Strathcona Community Centre
03/02 Lethbridge, AB - Geomatic
03/05 Jasper, AB - Jasper Legion
03/06 Prairie, AB - Geoff's House
03/07 Edmonton, AB - St. Basil's Cultural Centre
03/08 Forestburg, AB - Forestburg Community Hall
03/21 Winnipeg, MB - Park Theatre
03/27 Winnipeg, MB - Radison Winnipeg Hotel Ballroom
