Family, friends and nature suffuse melodious debut from First Nations Canadian.
Born and raised in parts of Treaty Six Territory in Canada, Wyatt C. Louis is a nêhiyaw Plains Cree singer-songwriter, the title of whose début album references their middle name, Chandler. Recorded in Calgary, Alberta, Louis brings a gentle, melodic voice to the ten songs which represent the culmination of several years’ gestation. ‘Chandler’ puts this portfolio into a finely crafted and well-produced package and seems set to extend Louis’ reputation well beyond their homeland.
Though Louis is an accomplished guitarist who has often played alone on local radio stations, having a full band behind them takes their solo performances to a more commercial level. Producer and engineer Colin Carbonera has utilised the intimate space at Phenix Warren’s Alta Sound studio, maintaining a live feel to each track. Subtle use of lap and pedal steel, organ, banjo, mellow saxophone, drums played with brushes and upright or electric bass provide a warmly sympathetic palette for Louis’ ethereal vocal textures.
One of the standout tracks is ‘Dancing With Sue’ which has aired widely on music streaming platforms. In an infectious and eminently danceable three minutes, the song looks at femininity and binary issues. As Louis says, “It’s an ode to all my teachers growing up, and for the people who really saw what I’d be at a young age”.
Lyrically, ‘Chandler’ focuses on particular times and places, moments in the writer’s experience that led to some sort of epiphany. There’s a backdrop of Canadian prairies, the seasons, sun and moon, while a weekend spent in Seattle reinforces Louis’ homing instinct. Simply phrased, the lyrics suggest rather than spell out their meaning, leaving scope for the listener to paint their own scenes. Perhaps a little abstract for some, the words act as prompts, evoking images and experiences that this talented musician expresses with obvious commitment and authenticity. And though the circumstances of Louis’ upbringing and cultural heritage may vary widely from those of a wider demographic, in ‘Chandler’ they have portrayed an inner life that contains universal themes of love, family and friendship.
