Toronto-based songsmith Jerry Leger has been steadily releasing music over the last couple years, following up 2014's Early Riser with albums alongside the Del Fi's and the Bop Fi's, but he's not slowing down anytime soon. In fact, Leger will return with a brand new double album titled Nonsense and Heartache on March 31 via Latent Recordings.
As the title somewhat implies, the new record blends light-hearted rock'n'roll with "raw, confessional balladry," and it was helmed by producer Michael Timmins. James McKie, Dan Mock, Kyle Sullivan and Angie Hilts provided musical accompaniment.
The album arrives in two connected but distinctive parts — at the suggestion of Timmins. The Nonsense component pushes "electric, bluesy, dirty rock and roll" to the forefront, while Heartache takes a quieter singer-songwriter approach and plays with acoustic guitar, piano, fiddle, lap steel, upright bass and brushes on the drums.
"It's not an ego trip for either of us," Leger said in a statement. "It just felt like it made more sense to put them together, plus the fact that neither is overly long, just about 35 minutes each."
The first single from the upcoming double album has arrived via Nonsense cut "The Big Smoke Blues," and it should ring familiar to any Torontonian trying to settle in the city. It's "basically about trying to find your place and survive in the big city while maintaining your integrity and a roof over your head," Leger said in a statement.
Check out the full tracklisting for Nonsense and Heartache and Leger's upcoming tour dates below, and give "The Big Smoke Blues" a spin.
Nonsense:
1. Coat On The Rack
2. Forged Check
3. Baby's Got A Rare Gun
4. On The Fishing Line
5. The Big Smoke Blues
6. For Hire
7. Wedding Dress
8. She's The Best Writer You've Never Heard Of
Heartache:
9. Things Are Changing 'Round Here
10. Troubled Morn
11. It Don't Make The Wrong Go Away
12. Another Dead Radio Star
13. Lucy And Little Billy The Kid
14. The Great Unknown
15. Take The Ashes And Run
16. He's The Lonely One Now
17. Buckskin Wall
18. Pawn Shop Piano
Tour dates:
04/05 Toronto, ON - Monarch Pub (album release show)
04/28 Kemptville, ON - South Branch Bistro
04/29 Brockville, ON - Spitfire Cafe
05/02 Moncton, NB - Plan b
05/03 Antigonish, NS - The Townhouse
05/04 Mount Stewart, PEI - Trailside Inn
05/05 Halifax, NS - TBD
05/06 Kingston, NB - House Show
06/07 Winnipeg, MB - Good Will Social Club
06/09 Dauphin, MB - Bruce's Firehouse House Show
06/11 Calgary, AB - The Ironwood
06/15 Kelowna, BC - Fernando's
As the title somewhat implies, the new record blends light-hearted rock'n'roll with "raw, confessional balladry," and it was helmed by producer Michael Timmins. James McKie, Dan Mock, Kyle Sullivan and Angie Hilts provided musical accompaniment.
The album arrives in two connected but distinctive parts — at the suggestion of Timmins. The Nonsense component pushes "electric, bluesy, dirty rock and roll" to the forefront, while Heartache takes a quieter singer-songwriter approach and plays with acoustic guitar, piano, fiddle, lap steel, upright bass and brushes on the drums.
"It's not an ego trip for either of us," Leger said in a statement. "It just felt like it made more sense to put them together, plus the fact that neither is overly long, just about 35 minutes each."
The first single from the upcoming double album has arrived via Nonsense cut "The Big Smoke Blues," and it should ring familiar to any Torontonian trying to settle in the city. It's "basically about trying to find your place and survive in the big city while maintaining your integrity and a roof over your head," Leger said in a statement.
Check out the full tracklisting for Nonsense and Heartache and Leger's upcoming tour dates below, and give "The Big Smoke Blues" a spin.
Nonsense:
1. Coat On The Rack
2. Forged Check
3. Baby's Got A Rare Gun
4. On The Fishing Line
5. The Big Smoke Blues
6. For Hire
7. Wedding Dress
8. She's The Best Writer You've Never Heard Of
Heartache:
9. Things Are Changing 'Round Here
10. Troubled Morn
11. It Don't Make The Wrong Go Away
12. Another Dead Radio Star
13. Lucy And Little Billy The Kid
14. The Great Unknown
15. Take The Ashes And Run
16. He's The Lonely One Now
17. Buckskin Wall
18. Pawn Shop Piano
Tour dates:
04/05 Toronto, ON - Monarch Pub (album release show)
04/28 Kemptville, ON - South Branch Bistro
04/29 Brockville, ON - Spitfire Cafe
05/02 Moncton, NB - Plan b
05/03 Antigonish, NS - The Townhouse
05/04 Mount Stewart, PEI - Trailside Inn
05/05 Halifax, NS - TBD
05/06 Kingston, NB - House Show
06/07 Winnipeg, MB - Good Will Social Club
06/09 Dauphin, MB - Bruce's Firehouse House Show
06/11 Calgary, AB - The Ironwood
06/15 Kelowna, BC - Fernando's