“When we listened back to the initial recordings for our new record, we realized they weren’t what we needed,” says John Showman, fiddle player and one-third of Toronto-based, acoustic power trio, Lonesome Ace Stringband.
Collectively, the band wanted the studio versions of their road-honed songs to reflect the same energy and vigor that comes across from on stage. Showman (familiar to some because of his work with New Country Rehab), along with his bandmates Chris Coole on banjo and Max Malone on bass, made the tough decision to scrap those first-round recording sessions—along with the time and money put into them—and start the process fresh.
“You have to make sacrifices to get what you want as an artist, and these first sessions were what we had to give up,” he says. For the band and their growing fanbase, this reevaluation and regrouping paid off.
On October 13th, Lonesome Ace Stringband released their brand new album Try To Make It Fly, marking not only their reinvigorated, live-on-stage sound but also a venture into more Americana-leaning songwriting. “We have a unique take on all of the traditional material we do and wanted to keep pushing our sound to new places,” says Showman—not unlike the paths taken by legendary predecessors like John Hartford or The Band. And while it’s Lonesome Ace Stringband’s finely tuned musicianship and command of the old-time and bluegrass music catalog that’s garnered new listeners and premier festival slots, the trio finds comfort in reaching out to a new, song-hungry audience. “It felt like a place where we could be ourselves as writers and craft music that would fit the genre regardless of what we found ourselves writing about lyrically.” Add that to the trio’s already dynamic concoction of fiddle, banjo, and bass, and the results reveal a bright future for the ever-evolving Lonesome Ace Stringband.
“…A killer combo wrapped up in an infectious energetic bliss…” Folk Radio UK premiered the album-opening track, “Sweeter Sound,” which features the band’s inspired, layered harmonies. The song opens with Showman’s somber fiddle pull before Coole joins in on banjo, igniting the rollicking journey to “make a sweeter sound.”
According to Malone, “The opening line of the chorus, ‘Try to make it better than the way we found,’ is something of a mantra for the band. Perseverance and belief in what you love to do and trying despite evidence of success is the essence of its message.”
Try To Make It Fly Tracklist:
Sweeter Sound
Praying For Rain
You’ll Be There
First Frost/Blue Grouse
Midnight Band
Come With Me Tonight
Simply Going Sideways
Crossing The Junction/Deer River
Smoke On The Shoulder
The Echo
Country Mile
Lonesome Ace Number 1
Check out the remaining Lonesome Ace Stringband Tour Dates:
Nov. 23 – Saskatoon, SK – The Bassment
Nov. 24 – Red Deer, AB – The Velvet Olive
Nov. 25 – Calgary, AB – Foothills Bluegrass Circle Music Society
Nov. 27 – Missoula, MT – Longstaff House
Nov. 29 – Sisters, OR – The Belfry
Dec. 1 – Portland, OR – McMenamins White Eagle Saloon & Hotel
Dec. 2 – Seattle, WA – Ballard Homestead
Dec. 3 – Victoria, BC – Victoria Event Centre
Dec. 4 – Vancouver, BC – The Anza Club
Dec. 5 – Oliver, BC – The Oliver Theatre
More About Lonesome Ace Stringband:
Masters of their trade, The Lonesome Ace Stringband bring grit, skill and abandon to Americana music, bridging old-time, bluegrass and folk traditions into a seamless hybrid of original material that is at once fresh and timeless.
Instrumentation alone sets this Toronto-based trio’s sound apart: consisting simply of fiddle (John Showman), clawhammer banjo (Chris Coole), and upright bass (Max Heineman). The spine-tingling harmonies and interchanging lead vocals only bring more magic to the equation. They’ve become festival favourites at Rockygrass, Celtic Connections, Winnipeg Folk Festival, Merlefest and regularly tour the USA, UK, Germany and, of course, Canada.
With more than a decade of group music-making under their belts, they’re releasing their fifth album, a feisty and mighty collection of all-original material titled ‘Try To Make It Fly’ .
Call Lonesome Ace Stringband whatever genre you want – they are just unorthodox enough to be brilliant.
Learn more about the band on their official website https://lonesomeace.com/.
Photo Credit: Joel Varjassy