When Canadian singer-songwriter Bry Webb initially announced the upcoming summer reunion of his band Constantines back in February, he initially had some reservations about its proximity to the release of his second solo album, Free Will.
"I want the two things to be appreciated in their own light," he tells Exclaim! when asked if he was worried about one project overshadowing the other, "but it's all part of what I've been a part of."
That being said, gone are the guttural grows and venomously vehement lyrics that drew listeners to his band's previous LPs, and in their place are Webb's cocksure croon and a steady sense of song structure that has previously been the trademark of fellow Canadian folk luminaries like Neil Young and Leonard Cohen.
Hear for yourself by listening to Webb's second Idée Fixe effort on Exclaim.ca ahead of its May 20 release.
Recorded once again by trusted sound engineer Jeff McMurrich (who previously assisted Webb on Provider and the Constantines last two studio albums), Free Will finds Webb continuing on in his folk-friendly ways, while adding ample amounts of nuance and plaintive introspection to the proceedings. "Positive People" toys with the silliness of heteronormative ideals, while songs like "Prove Me Wrong," "AM Blues" and the album's title track play with string-hopping segues, feedback loops and delayed squawks, respectively, in what seems like an attempt to determine what is acceptable on a modern-day folk foray.
Stream the album in full in the player below and pre-order it here.
Bry Webb tour dates:
05/14 Boston, MA - Tt The Bear's *
05/15 Brooklyn, NY - The Bell House *
05/16 Philadelphia, PA - Milkboy *
05/17 Washington, DC - Rock And Roll Hotel *
05/18 Pittsburgh, PA - Brillobox *
05/19 Cincinnati, OH - Motr Pub *
05/20 Columbus, OH - The Basement *
05/21 Indianapolis, IN - Do317 Lounge *
05/22 Chicago, IL - Empty Bottle *
05/31 Toronto, ON - Massey Hall ^
06/07 Hamilton, ON - Hamilton Blues & Roots Festival
06/16 Kelowna, BC - Fernando's
06/17 Victoria, BC - Copper Owl
06/18 Vancouver, BC - The Biltmore
06/20 Calgary, AB - Sled Island
06/21 Montréal, QC - Montréal Folk Festival On The Canal
07/09 Saskatoon, SK - Amigo's
07/10 Regina, SK - The Exchange
07/11-13 Winnipeg, MB - Winnipeg Folk Festival
07/18 Sudbury, ON - River & Sky Festival
07/19-20 London, ON - Home County Music And Art Festival
07/26-27 Guelph, ON - Hillside Festival
08/01-03 Sackville, NB - Sappyfest
08/08 Owen Sound, ON - Mudtown Music & Arts Festival
08/09 Kingston, ON - Wolfe Island Festival
* with Chad Vangaalen
^ with Coeur De Pirate
Constantines tour dates:
06/07-08 Toronto, ON - Fort York (Field Trip)
08/03 Sackville, NB - SappyFest
08/22 Peterborough, ON - Peterborough Folk Festival
08/23 Ottawa, ON - Arboretum Festival
Read our Questionnaire with Bry Webb here.
"I want the two things to be appreciated in their own light," he tells Exclaim! when asked if he was worried about one project overshadowing the other, "but it's all part of what I've been a part of."
That being said, gone are the guttural grows and venomously vehement lyrics that drew listeners to his band's previous LPs, and in their place are Webb's cocksure croon and a steady sense of song structure that has previously been the trademark of fellow Canadian folk luminaries like Neil Young and Leonard Cohen.
Hear for yourself by listening to Webb's second Idée Fixe effort on Exclaim.ca ahead of its May 20 release.
Recorded once again by trusted sound engineer Jeff McMurrich (who previously assisted Webb on Provider and the Constantines last two studio albums), Free Will finds Webb continuing on in his folk-friendly ways, while adding ample amounts of nuance and plaintive introspection to the proceedings. "Positive People" toys with the silliness of heteronormative ideals, while songs like "Prove Me Wrong," "AM Blues" and the album's title track play with string-hopping segues, feedback loops and delayed squawks, respectively, in what seems like an attempt to determine what is acceptable on a modern-day folk foray.
Stream the album in full in the player below and pre-order it here.
Bry Webb tour dates:
05/14 Boston, MA - Tt The Bear's *
05/15 Brooklyn, NY - The Bell House *
05/16 Philadelphia, PA - Milkboy *
05/17 Washington, DC - Rock And Roll Hotel *
05/18 Pittsburgh, PA - Brillobox *
05/19 Cincinnati, OH - Motr Pub *
05/20 Columbus, OH - The Basement *
05/21 Indianapolis, IN - Do317 Lounge *
05/22 Chicago, IL - Empty Bottle *
05/31 Toronto, ON - Massey Hall ^
06/07 Hamilton, ON - Hamilton Blues & Roots Festival
06/16 Kelowna, BC - Fernando's
06/17 Victoria, BC - Copper Owl
06/18 Vancouver, BC - The Biltmore
06/20 Calgary, AB - Sled Island
06/21 Montréal, QC - Montréal Folk Festival On The Canal
07/09 Saskatoon, SK - Amigo's
07/10 Regina, SK - The Exchange
07/11-13 Winnipeg, MB - Winnipeg Folk Festival
07/18 Sudbury, ON - River & Sky Festival
07/19-20 London, ON - Home County Music And Art Festival
07/26-27 Guelph, ON - Hillside Festival
08/01-03 Sackville, NB - Sappyfest
08/08 Owen Sound, ON - Mudtown Music & Arts Festival
08/09 Kingston, ON - Wolfe Island Festival
* with Chad Vangaalen
^ with Coeur De Pirate
Constantines tour dates:
06/07-08 Toronto, ON - Fort York (Field Trip)
08/03 Sackville, NB - SappyFest
08/22 Peterborough, ON - Peterborough Folk Festival
08/23 Ottawa, ON - Arboretum Festival
Read our Questionnaire with Bry Webb here.
