Hailing from Halifax, alternative country singer-songwriter Shiloh Lindsey brings her musical mastery to Fratters on June 16th. Folks will be able to hear tunes from her newly-released disc Bloomfield and Isleville (named after a street corner in Halifax).
Her latest recording, built in and around a house in Halifax, takes on challenging universal themes of homesickness, history, and self-improvement with heart rendering commonality. In contrast to the richly orchestrated tapestries of her previous efforts, this EP is a more intimate, acoustic glimpse of the artist.
Taking the reins from trusted producers John Ellis (For My Smoke) and Kirk Douglas (2010’s Western Violence and Brief Sensuality) Lindsey proves that she can truly stand alone, as strong as ever.
“I lived in Halifax for about three years, and the songs on this CD were written there,” she explains of the sources of inspiration for the project. She has since moved back to Vancouver, having lived in B.C. since she was a kid. Originally, she hails from Wetaskiwin.
At about age eight, she and her family moved to northern B.C. and she ultimately made her way to Vancouver.
During her growing up years, there was music in the family for sure – mainly from her grandfather and uncles on banjo and fiddle.
“When I was about 14 I got an electric guitar,” she recalls of those formative years. “So I started with that – and then it sat in my closet for a long time. Then one of my older brothers gave me his acoustic guitar.” And a new path was set as that’s when her songwriting gift began to blossom. “Even before I started playing guitar, I was writing poetry,” she said, adding that artists of the singer/songwriter variety were influential on her style over the years as well.
“I kind of fell back into the country-alt (style) as I got a little bit older.”
These days, inspiration for new tunes can surface unexpectedly. Other times, she takes a more conventional, disciplined approach to her craft. Either way, her commitment to follow her own path has proven successful. Lindsey has been described as a most unique character in Canadian music.
According to her web site, “She pairs open country authenticity with big city sensibilities, for a complex blend of prairie, mountain and coastal textures.
“Painstakingly documenting the triumphs and failures of life and love, her honest words and melodies pull the listener in close to rest their ears against the comforting heartbeat of each song she sings.”
For Lindsey, taking her music to the masses is the life that indeed suits her best. “It’s about all the people that I’ve been meeting, and the experiences that I wouldn’t have been able to have had,” she said, adding that seeing so much of the country is also an added bonus.
Among her career highlights, Lindsey has performed at NXNE and shared the stage with the likes of Kinky Friedman.
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