When Joel Plaskett was pouring through the past for his latest release – Emergencys, False Alarms, Shipwrecks, Castaways, Fragile Creatures, Special Features, Demons and Demonstrations: 1999-2010 – the 30-something singer-songwriter faced a daunting task.
“There was so much material to choose from that it could have easily been a double-CD,” notes the long-time Dartmouth resident.
“I literally listened to hundreds of old outtakes, alternative versions and live recordings from the last decade and picked out the most interesting pieces to put this collection together – it was almost as exhausting as making a new record.”
Fans of the multi-award winning artist are in for a real treat; the new work is more than a trip down memory lane.
“It really offers some insight into the creative process,” he explains of the 20+ rarities. “I’ve always found it interesting how songs are constructed, de-constructed and then re-constructed.”
Standout tracks include Extraordinary, Blood in My Veins and Waiting to be Discovered.
“I threw that (Waiting to be Discovered) in there because it was one of the first solo-songs that I ever recorded,” he says of his post-Thrush Hermit career. “The irony of the title was not lost on me.”
The multi-award winning musician has never been afraid to bare his songwriting soul.
“Most of this material is very raw, so it’s a little revealing and humbling to hear some of those early missteps. Still, every artist has to start somewhere right? Despite their obvious flaws, I’m really proud of those pieces.”
Plaskett is taking his show on the road across the country all summer. His only local appearance will be the Lunenburg Folk Harbour Festival this August.
“I’m always writing new material, even on tour and I am very stoked to get back into the studio this fall to start recording the next album.”
