Charlottetown country singer Whitney Rose is ready to reveal her sophomore album Heartbreaker of the Year, and Exclaim! has got an exclusive advanced stream for you to hear right now.
The LP was recorded over four days at Revolution Recording in Toronto, and was produced by Raul Malo of Rose's former and upcoming tourmates the Mavericks. Fellow Mavericks Jay Weaver, Jerry Dale McFadden and Paul Deakin all made musical contributions to the new record, as did Nichol Robertson of the Devin Cuddy Band, Burke Carroll and Drew Jurecka.
"It was a perfect storm," Rose said in a previous statement. "Raul and his band the Mavericks had a show on PEI and their next show was in Ottawa five days later. We managed to bring a few of them into the studio for four days to cut ten tracks. Excepting Raul, none of the guys had heard my demos so the recording process was entirely spontaneous. It was a magical musical experience. I don't even care how cliche of a statement that is. It just was. Witnessing what Raul and the band did with these songs I had written was incredibly humbling and educational. He is a musical monster."
The 10 new songs harken back to the old-school country music charm that Rose is known for. Eschewing the robotic, repetitive tropes of current Top 40 country music, Rose favours the time-honoured traditions of the genre's roots. That vintage feel comes across from the first piano chords of romantic ditty and album opener "Little Piece of You"; carries on through the slow-paced, woebegone ballad "The Last Party"; shines on the dark, bluesy twang of the title track; and manifests one final time on the sweet, sad album closer "Tear in My Beer."
Heartbreaker of the Year is officially out on April 21 via Cameron House Records, but you can give it an early spin in the player below.
Signed CDs can be pre-ordered here, and the digital version can be ordered on iTunes.
Tour dates:
04/21 Toronto, ON - The Horseshoe Tavern (album release show)
04/22 Hamilton, ON - Hamilton Place*
04/23 Belleville, ON - Empire Theatre*
04/24 Toronto, ON - Phoenix Concert Centre*
05/14 Sudbury, ON - The Townehouse
05/15 Sault Ste Marie, ON - Lop Lops
05/16 Thunder Bay, ON - Crocks
05/20 Vancouver, BC - Commodore Ballroom *
05/21 Kamloops, BC - Cactus Jack's
05/23 Calgary, AB Reclaimed Canada Trading Post
05/24 Jasper, AB - Jasper Legion
05/26 Edmonton, AB - Mercury Room
05/27 Saskatoon, SK - Village Guitar Co
05/28 Regina, SK - Mercury Café
05/30 Drumheller, AB - Handhill Stampede
06/02 Winnipeg, MB - West End Cultural Centre
07/10 Mirimichi, NB - Vogue Theatre
07/11 Cavendish, PE - Cavendish Beach Music Festival
07/12 Port Hawkesbury, NS - Granville Green ^
07/15 Riverview, NB - Caseley Park Summer Series
* with Mavericks
^ with Sarah Harmer
The LP was recorded over four days at Revolution Recording in Toronto, and was produced by Raul Malo of Rose's former and upcoming tourmates the Mavericks. Fellow Mavericks Jay Weaver, Jerry Dale McFadden and Paul Deakin all made musical contributions to the new record, as did Nichol Robertson of the Devin Cuddy Band, Burke Carroll and Drew Jurecka.
"It was a perfect storm," Rose said in a previous statement. "Raul and his band the Mavericks had a show on PEI and their next show was in Ottawa five days later. We managed to bring a few of them into the studio for four days to cut ten tracks. Excepting Raul, none of the guys had heard my demos so the recording process was entirely spontaneous. It was a magical musical experience. I don't even care how cliche of a statement that is. It just was. Witnessing what Raul and the band did with these songs I had written was incredibly humbling and educational. He is a musical monster."
The 10 new songs harken back to the old-school country music charm that Rose is known for. Eschewing the robotic, repetitive tropes of current Top 40 country music, Rose favours the time-honoured traditions of the genre's roots. That vintage feel comes across from the first piano chords of romantic ditty and album opener "Little Piece of You"; carries on through the slow-paced, woebegone ballad "The Last Party"; shines on the dark, bluesy twang of the title track; and manifests one final time on the sweet, sad album closer "Tear in My Beer."
Heartbreaker of the Year is officially out on April 21 via Cameron House Records, but you can give it an early spin in the player below.
Signed CDs can be pre-ordered here, and the digital version can be ordered on iTunes.
Tour dates:
04/21 Toronto, ON - The Horseshoe Tavern (album release show)
04/22 Hamilton, ON - Hamilton Place*
04/23 Belleville, ON - Empire Theatre*
04/24 Toronto, ON - Phoenix Concert Centre*
05/14 Sudbury, ON - The Townehouse
05/15 Sault Ste Marie, ON - Lop Lops
05/16 Thunder Bay, ON - Crocks
05/20 Vancouver, BC - Commodore Ballroom *
05/21 Kamloops, BC - Cactus Jack's
05/23 Calgary, AB Reclaimed Canada Trading Post
05/24 Jasper, AB - Jasper Legion
05/26 Edmonton, AB - Mercury Room
05/27 Saskatoon, SK - Village Guitar Co
05/28 Regina, SK - Mercury Café
05/30 Drumheller, AB - Handhill Stampede
06/02 Winnipeg, MB - West End Cultural Centre
07/10 Mirimichi, NB - Vogue Theatre
07/11 Cavendish, PE - Cavendish Beach Music Festival
07/12 Port Hawkesbury, NS - Granville Green ^
07/15 Riverview, NB - Caseley Park Summer Series
* with Mavericks
^ with Sarah Harmer