“Criminally under-rated” – The Georgia Straight
CHRISTA COUTURE - LONG TIME LEAVING
APRIL 15, 2016 on BLACK HEN RECORDS
CANCON, produced by Steve Dawson
All songs written and composed by Christa Couture
Genre: Folk, Singer / Songwriter
For most musicians, the break-up album is the quintessential songwriter cliché – bringing with it the burden to eek out some kind of originality from an oversubscribed muse.
But for award-winning indie artist Christa Couture -- whose first three albums reflected on her teenage battle with cancer, the loss of her left leg to the disease, and the deaths of both of her young children under separate circumstances -- the opportunity to write songs about such ordinary heartache seemed like a welcome reprieve.
On the Steve Dawson-produced Long Time Leaving, Christa offers a truly unique take on the topic thanks in part to a long and complex relationship with grief that’s given her rare insight into its nuances.
It’s a mostly upbeat album filled with sweet soaring hooks, whimsical melodies, clever word-play and Christa’s trademark sweet, quirky vocals.
It is at times an album to sing along to, even an album to do housework too (!!) – something Christa was striving for – and an album about continuing to move forward in the aftermath of tragedy.
Case in point is “When it Gets Dark Again,” a compassionate ditty with an “Ooo ooo ooo” chorus, about the times when binge-drinking is a perfectly understandable and forgivable response to pain.
“Zookeeper” is a darkly amusing, musical theatre-influenced escapade that compares the process of couple’s counseling to that of a zookeeper tending to wild animals.
“In the Papers” is a clever, fictionalized account of that feeling when you know everyone’s talking about you.
And the album’s opener, “The Slaughter,” is a wistful melody with lush vocal reverb in which Christa describes post break-up dalliances with both women and men – and ponders queer identity, lust and exploration.
The collection seems effortlessly cohesive as Christa’s expansive vocals and singular writing style provide the foundation for an array of arrangements – ranging from the sprightly, minimalist “Aux Oiseaux” to the twangy “Alone in This.” The latter is Christa’s “Nashville breakup song,” in honor of the city where the album was recorded.
Juno-winner Dawson not only produced the album but also contributes as a musician, adding pedal steel Weissenborn, ukulele and electric guitar. The top-notch band is rounded out by Blackie and the Rodeo Kings’ rhythm section: John Dymond (k.d. lang, Bruce Cockburn) on bass and Gary Craig (Jann Arden, Anne Murray) on drums. Famed Nashville-based fiddler Fats Kaplin also makes an appearance on the coquettish “Lovely Like You.”
2016 SPRING CANADIAN TOUR DATES:
Apr 7 2016 Duncan, BC Duncan Showroom
Apr 8 2016 Victoria, BC Solstice Cafe
Apr 9 2016 Vancouver, BC CBC Studio 700
Apr 10 2016 Ymir, BC The Ymir Schoolhouse
Apr 11 2016 Calgary, AB The Ironwood
Apr 12 2016 Lloydminster, AB The Root
Apr 14 2016 Winnipeg, MB Times Change
Apr 20 2016 Saskatoon, SK The Bassment
Apr 23 2016 Edmonton, AB The Blue Chair
Apr 24 2016 Sherwood Park, AB R'Ouse
Apr 28 2016 Toronto, ON The Burdock
Apr 29 2016 Montreal, QC Le Cagibi
May 1 2016 Ottawa, ON Live on Elgin
May 5 2016 Coal Harbour, NS Rose & Kettle
May 6 2016 St. John, NB Homeport Homestages
May 7 2016 Fredericton, NB Grimross Taproom
LONG TIME LEAVING TRACK LISTINGS:
1. The Slaughter 4:38
2. Alone in This 3:46
3. Michigan Postscript 3:33
4. Separation/Agreement 3:47
5. Zookeeper 3:20
6. Lovely Like You 3:01
7. In the Papers 4:43
8. Solid Ground 3:55
9. That Little Part of My Heart 3:54
10. If I Still Love You 3:17
11. When it Gets Dark Again 4:18
12. Aux Oiseaux 2:48
Website: http://christacouture.com/
Black Hen Music: http://www.blackhenmusic.com/
CHRISTA COUTURE - LONG TIME LEAVING
APRIL 15, 2016 on BLACK HEN RECORDS
CANCON, produced by Steve Dawson
All songs written and composed by Christa Couture
Genre: Folk, Singer / Songwriter
For most musicians, the break-up album is the quintessential songwriter cliché – bringing with it the burden to eek out some kind of originality from an oversubscribed muse.
But for award-winning indie artist Christa Couture -- whose first three albums reflected on her teenage battle with cancer, the loss of her left leg to the disease, and the deaths of both of her young children under separate circumstances -- the opportunity to write songs about such ordinary heartache seemed like a welcome reprieve.
On the Steve Dawson-produced Long Time Leaving, Christa offers a truly unique take on the topic thanks in part to a long and complex relationship with grief that’s given her rare insight into its nuances.
It’s a mostly upbeat album filled with sweet soaring hooks, whimsical melodies, clever word-play and Christa’s trademark sweet, quirky vocals.
It is at times an album to sing along to, even an album to do housework too (!!) – something Christa was striving for – and an album about continuing to move forward in the aftermath of tragedy.
Case in point is “When it Gets Dark Again,” a compassionate ditty with an “Ooo ooo ooo” chorus, about the times when binge-drinking is a perfectly understandable and forgivable response to pain.
“Zookeeper” is a darkly amusing, musical theatre-influenced escapade that compares the process of couple’s counseling to that of a zookeeper tending to wild animals.
“In the Papers” is a clever, fictionalized account of that feeling when you know everyone’s talking about you.
And the album’s opener, “The Slaughter,” is a wistful melody with lush vocal reverb in which Christa describes post break-up dalliances with both women and men – and ponders queer identity, lust and exploration.
The collection seems effortlessly cohesive as Christa’s expansive vocals and singular writing style provide the foundation for an array of arrangements – ranging from the sprightly, minimalist “Aux Oiseaux” to the twangy “Alone in This.” The latter is Christa’s “Nashville breakup song,” in honor of the city where the album was recorded.
Juno-winner Dawson not only produced the album but also contributes as a musician, adding pedal steel Weissenborn, ukulele and electric guitar. The top-notch band is rounded out by Blackie and the Rodeo Kings’ rhythm section: John Dymond (k.d. lang, Bruce Cockburn) on bass and Gary Craig (Jann Arden, Anne Murray) on drums. Famed Nashville-based fiddler Fats Kaplin also makes an appearance on the coquettish “Lovely Like You.”
2016 SPRING CANADIAN TOUR DATES:
Apr 7 2016 Duncan, BC Duncan Showroom
Apr 8 2016 Victoria, BC Solstice Cafe
Apr 9 2016 Vancouver, BC CBC Studio 700
Apr 10 2016 Ymir, BC The Ymir Schoolhouse
Apr 11 2016 Calgary, AB The Ironwood
Apr 12 2016 Lloydminster, AB The Root
Apr 14 2016 Winnipeg, MB Times Change
Apr 20 2016 Saskatoon, SK The Bassment
Apr 23 2016 Edmonton, AB The Blue Chair
Apr 24 2016 Sherwood Park, AB R'Ouse
Apr 28 2016 Toronto, ON The Burdock
Apr 29 2016 Montreal, QC Le Cagibi
May 1 2016 Ottawa, ON Live on Elgin
May 5 2016 Coal Harbour, NS Rose & Kettle
May 6 2016 St. John, NB Homeport Homestages
May 7 2016 Fredericton, NB Grimross Taproom
LONG TIME LEAVING TRACK LISTINGS:
1. The Slaughter 4:38
2. Alone in This 3:46
3. Michigan Postscript 3:33
4. Separation/Agreement 3:47
5. Zookeeper 3:20
6. Lovely Like You 3:01
7. In the Papers 4:43
8. Solid Ground 3:55
9. That Little Part of My Heart 3:54
10. If I Still Love You 3:17
11. When it Gets Dark Again 4:18
12. Aux Oiseaux 2:48
Website: http://christacouture.com/
Black Hen Music: http://www.blackhenmusic.com/
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