As the pride of Lethbridge, AB, a city that serves as the hub of the local rural community, Starpainter likes to think of itself in similar geographic terms—a little bit town, and a little bit country. The six-piece unit demonstrated that on 2023’s Rattlesnake Dream and is set to follow it up this fall with a new album that sees the band pushing its sonic ambitions even further.
Produced in Calgary by Chris Dadge — who also plays drums with Alvvays and Chad VanGaalen — the new collection’s first single, “I Found a River,” adds a bit of shoegaze haziness to Starpainter’s alt-country foundation. Lead singer-guitarist Joel Stretch says the song came to him quickly as a simple folk-rock tune but blossomed into something entirely unexpected when they got into the studio, particularly once lead guitarist Joel Grey broke out his fuzz box.
Joel explained, “‘I Found a River’ explores a déjà vu feeling that hits pretty often for me. Have I been here before? In this room with these exact people having this exact conversation? It can be a nice feeling sometimes—there is comfort and pleasure to be found in life’s repetitions. I used to see life in terms of growth and forward movement; in some ways I still do, but these days I notice cycles and seasons that leave and return. So, I think this song celebrates familiarity and dependability.”
“I Found A River” is further proof that Starpainter is a band determined not to be pigeonholed but instead evolve with each album. As Joel said, “I guess the through-line with the artists that inspire me the most is longevity and a willingness to try out bold ideas and create something that reflects wherever they’re at.”
Starpainter’s “I Found A River” is out via Ram On Records and available at Bandcamp and on all streaming platforms.
