Sarah Harmer Returns with Her First New Album in a Decade

Get a taste of 'Are You Gone' with the single "New Low"

BY Brock ThiessenPublished Nov 14, 2019

Beloved Canadian singer-songwriter Sarah Harmer has just announced her first new album in a decade. Title Are You Gone, the record is set to arrive on February 21 via Arts & Crafts.

The album marks her first since 2010's Oh Little Fire, and right now, you can get a taste of what's in store via the newly shared single "New Low."

A press release describes the album as "a deeply personal and political collection of songs motivated by the beauty of life, the urgency of the climate crisis, and the question of loss," adding that Are You Gone acts as a spiritual successor to her 2000 album You Were Here.

Down below, you can hear the album track "New Low." In a statement, Harmer had this to say of the track:

I was seeing more of my public square and many more people out protesting and standing vigil, beyond the usually dedicated Indigenous leaders and social justice activists. I met with Queen's University students who were organizing to push the university to divest from fossil fuel investments, and then met with the principal of the university. When pressed, he dismissed the idea of divestment largely because he said it wouldn't make a difference to the fossil fuel industry, and also that sizeable donations and sponsorships made to the university by former students now at oil and gas companies created a 'grey area' of policy. The term stuck with me.  Sometimes it's good to see the nuance of a situation, and sometimes the calls for nuance are just straight-up cop outs. 

I hope this song gets people to their feet, and not only to dance.


Besides the album release, Harmer is also reissuing her back catalog on vinyl through Arts & Crafts. Among those titles receiving reissues include Songs for Clem, You Were Here, All of Our Names, I'm A Mountain and Oh Little Fire.

All those reissues, as well as Are You Gone, are now available to pre-order.

While so far no tour dates have been announced, Harmer will travel North America in support of the new album later in 2020.

For now, see the tracklist for Are You Gone and hear "New Low" below.

Are You Gone:

1. St. Peter's Bay
2. New Low
3. Just Get Here
4. Take Me Out
5. Squeaking Voices
6. What I Was To You
7. The Lookout
8. Wildlife
9. Cowbirds
10. Little Frogs
11. Shoemaker
12. See Her Wave

Latest Coverage