Album three for Canadian all-rounder with a varied repertoire.
McKearney has been building a seriously solid reputation for blending a range of genres into his powerful sound, and here we have a thirteen-strong collection showcasing his strong voice and distinctive storytelling.
He comes from Metis heritage (of mixed indigenous and European ancestry), and this album continues to explore the roots he’s so justly proud of. As McKearney says, “this record sings of family, hardship, my home town of Alberta and of the things that connect us all.” He has a fascinating background: he’s appeared in a rock musical; his first band was his father’s, which he joined straight out of high school; he’s also veered from being a performer to simply a writer, but now, having been garnished with numerous awards, he’s definitely a performer. This album was co-produced by McKearney and Russell Broom and was mixed by Grammy Award winner Vance Powell and there’s songwriting from some revered Canadian writers, including Noeline Hofmann, Aaron Pollock and Lydia Sutherland.
The album contains a range of styles from country, blues, rock, bluegrass and folk, with opener ‘Skeletons’ being a powerful tribute to his wife Sarah (“you turn my poison into medicine”). She’s a mainstay throughout the album with her powerful vocals enhancing most of the songs on the album. Next up in ‘Tomorrow’, a more laid-back fiddle and banjo tune that looks at the bittersweet nature of love and loyalty. ‘Broken Hearts Hide’ is a driving anthem about rekindled love, and ‘First’ is a rocking belter with a distinctive Bryan Adams feel. ‘These Drugs’ is a witty honky tonk song that lightens the mood, and ‘Wedding Day’ is a powerful song about the pain of watching someone else live out the life you imagined. A driving beat is the backbone, with some sturdy fiddle and a catchy and memorable chorus.
Having appeared in a Queen musical earlier in his career, it’s apt the album closes with a Queen-style, tribal, percussion-drenched epic, ‘Fight This Fire‘ with a hopeful tone urging us to hold onto faith and love each other in these troubled times.
This is a strong and confident album, with lovely coverart by the way, and shows why McKearney is so feted back in Canada. He’s a really talented musician, and he also really looks the part – a true dude.
