Gordy the moose reviews some of his favourite new submissions to the Roots Music Canada virtual mailbox.
Rachel Kane – “Follow You Down”
Rachel Kane! Where have you been all these years?! You seemed to come out of nowhere back around the turn of the millennium, and then you just kind of disappeared again.
But I still remember that debut of yours, Groundwire. Damn, what a great album that was.
So wow, am I ever excited to hear you’ve got a new record coming out, Holler at the Wind, due March 14.
And this single – exquisite!
The songcraft is wonderful. The lyrics are pithy and poetic. Your voice is rich and resonant, recalling artists like Eliza Gilkyson and even a touch of Lucinda Williams.
And the production by your son, Beatox, is so cool – combining rootsy guitar and banjo with hip hop percussion.
Also, this video by Beatox is amazing.
“The silhouettes in the video represent a mother caring for her children through life’s storms,” Beatox tells us in the news release, “and the grey imagery helps capture the heavy emotional tone of the album.”
This album will be your first in 20 years, and this song is about the thing you were doing between then and now: raising your kids. Really, it’s about watching them fly the coop and becoming an empty nester.
But, you say, it’s also about other losses, and it sounds like you’ve lived through a few.
It says here that you developed an addiction to pills while making your third record – something you’re admirably open about. And you also deal with depression.
I’m so sorry to hear all of this. And so happy that you keep taking steps forward. This single is an incredible one.
Here’s what your son said about the latest project.
“Working with my mom on her album was one of the more difficult things I’ve undertaken and one of my proudest achievements. It was emotionally challenging, especially given my mom’s struggles with mental health and addiction. I think a small part of me had hoped this project would somehow heal her mental illness. I know that she may never be fully healed but working on this project helped us both, and certainly helped me understand her more as a human being, a mother, and as an artist. She is still struggling but refuses to give up.”
Thanks for not giving up, Rachel. I can’t tell you how happy it makes me to hear your voice and your songs again. And I’m super excited to hear the new record.
