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Justin Rutledge & Melissa McClelland - Nov 14, McDougall
14 Sep, 2009
Continuing on his quest to infuse country music with his love for the literary world, Justin Rutledge returns with his third album, Man Descending; a collection of songs that focus on the quieter, darker spaces in between our everyday lives. Inspired by the 1982 book by Guy Vanderhaeghe, Man Descending follows ten characters down certain half-deserted avenues of their lives where they encounter alternate sides of themselves of which they are relatively unfamiliar. As each character reevaluates their lot in life, the songs tend to function as questions rather than answers. Rutledge's debut album, No Never Alone (2005), was released to critical acclaim in the UK and Canada. Tastemakers like the UK's NME called the album "an incredible breakthrough," while on this side of the pond it was garnished with 4 star ratings. Rutledge's sophomore release, The Devil On A Bench In Stanley Park (2006), was released to equal acclaim, including a Juno nomination, the Galaxie Rising Star Award at the Edmonton Folk Festival, and a tip of the hat from Toronto's NOW Magazine, who hailed Rutledge as the best Toronto songwriter of 2006.
Melissa McClelland returns with her highly anticipated third album, Victoria Day. Produced by husband Luke Doucet, her Six Shooter Records debut finds McClelland deeply in touch with a sense of melody and wordplay that rivals any of her contemporaries.
Like a roadmap tracing the veins of a country one can only dream of visiting, Victoria Day is both seductive and compelling. 'Glenrio' invites us to a rusty locale where one can only leave with bloody knuckles. Snow falls slowly over the gentle 'Seasoned Lovers,' which also features a stunning vocal performance by Ron Sexsmith. McClelland's virtuosity as a lyricist is best illustrated in 'When the Lights Went Off In Hogtown,' which immortalizes the Toronto blackout of 2003 with a playful and surreal command of imagery. Melissa's song crafting skills have not gone unnoticed south of the border, where 'Passenger 24' from the album Thumbelina's One Night Stand captured the title of 'Best Americana Song' at the Independent Music Awards.
Justin Rutledge & Melissa McClelland November 14 - Edmonton, McDougall United Church Presented by Vue Weekly & CKUA Tickets are $18 plus service charges & on sale Friday, September 18 2009 at 10am at Ticketmaster