Canadian songwriter Sarah Jane Scouten is at the top of her craft. Her new full-length album, When the Bloom Falls from The Rose drops on June 16th on Vancouver indie label Light Organ Records. The album is a luminous body of work, shining a light on the wind-whipped highway of Scouten’s life as a songwriter, scholar of roots music history, and hard-traveling musician. The two-time Canadian Folk Music Award nominee’s new songs are faithful to the folk tradition, but spill over into modern themes that are outspoken and edgy, from homelessness to midwifery to tongue-in-cheek heartache songs and unabashed Canadiana. With flavors of Lucinda Williams, Nanci Griffith, and a wealth of old-time and bluegrass music, Scouten’s raw, untainted voice hits like a rock to a windshield.
One of the clear standouts on the album is “When The Bloom Falls”, which we are excited to premiere on Glide Magazine today. The song kicks off with wash of fiddle before Scouten’s soft gorgeous vocals come in. A banjo builds tension as Scouten sings and suddenly the chorus soars with harmonic power and massive guitar riffs. Ultimately it proves Scouten can write big songs that linger on your mind long after listening.
Sarah Jane Scouten reflects on “When the Bloom Falls”:
“I never expected to write a song like this. It has been exhilarating to allow my band-sound to develop by playing with some exceptional musicians. It’s almost on auto-pilot. I really trust them. I just open my eyes now and again to make sure it’s not going to crash. This song is about someone I met at a music conference in Kansas City, MO, where you sleep 3 hours a night and wreck your health having a very good time. It’s customary for me to come down with a cold after every one of those I go to. The song is also about seeing the futility of maintaining a connection with another itinerant musician, who is blazing their own hell-bent career in another country. I sent the lyrics to that person in a letter, as we both half-heartedly tried to keep in touch, and never heard from him again. I figured he thought it was my way of saying goodbye, but he probably just forgot to write back.”
LISTEN:
Sarah Jane Scouten releases When the Bloom Falls from The Rose on June 16th via Light Organ Records. For more music and info visit sarahjanescouten.com.
Photo: Jen Squires
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