While known for his bluesy vibrato and classic country chops at home in the U.S., Nashville-based singer-songwriter Robert Ellis has remained strangely absent north of the border. That is until now, as the up-and-coming crooner's third studio LP, The Lights from the Chemical Plant, is officially seeing its release on March 4 through New West Records. The record's debut is still a ways away, but until then, stream the album in its entirety on Exclaim.ca.
Recorded with producer Jacquire King (Tom Waits, Modest Mouse) at Nashville's Casino studio, the album perfectly channels the playful folk of Paul Simon ("TV Song") and road-hardened storytellers like George Jones and Randy Newman ("Chemical Plant," "Only Lies"), while mixing enough ragtime jazz ("Bottle of Wine") and R&B ("Still Crazy After All These years") to keep things interesting.
Along the way, the album features guests such as Dawes frontman Taylor Goldsmith, who co-wrote the song "Steady as the Rising Sun," as well as Deer Tick's Rob Crowell and Nashville player Skyler Wilson. Songwriter Jim Lauderdale also stops by to sing vocals on "Sing Along," a song that Ellis dubs a"traditional bluegrass atheist anthem."
Listen to the album now in the player below. Catch Ellis in person as he plays his only scheduled Canadian date of the year on February 13 at Toronto's Drake Hotel.
You can also see his busy U.S. schedule here.
UPDATE: This stream was available for one week only and is no longer available.
Recorded with producer Jacquire King (Tom Waits, Modest Mouse) at Nashville's Casino studio, the album perfectly channels the playful folk of Paul Simon ("TV Song") and road-hardened storytellers like George Jones and Randy Newman ("Chemical Plant," "Only Lies"), while mixing enough ragtime jazz ("Bottle of Wine") and R&B ("Still Crazy After All These years") to keep things interesting.
Along the way, the album features guests such as Dawes frontman Taylor Goldsmith, who co-wrote the song "Steady as the Rising Sun," as well as Deer Tick's Rob Crowell and Nashville player Skyler Wilson. Songwriter Jim Lauderdale also stops by to sing vocals on "Sing Along," a song that Ellis dubs a"traditional bluegrass atheist anthem."
Listen to the album now in the player below. Catch Ellis in person as he plays his only scheduled Canadian date of the year on February 13 at Toronto's Drake Hotel.
You can also see his busy U.S. schedule here.
UPDATE: This stream was available for one week only and is no longer available.