Celebrating 20 years of anything in an era of shrinking attention spans feels worth applauding.
For the Joel Plaskett Emergency, it is an opportunity to lean in.
With their brand new single, “Fill in the Blanks,” the band delivers their first new music since 2021’s Twenty Years Gone: Joel Plaskett Emergency Revisits Down at the Khyber.
SWOMP caught up with Plaskett to discuss the track ahead of their set at Meadows Music Festival in Fergus, Ontario on Saturday, May 30, 2026.
Here are SWOMP’s photos from their Meadows set:
Marking two decades of rollin’ and rockin’ in their current incarnation, Plaskett himself on guitars, Dave Marsh on drums, and Chris Pennell on bass, the trio returns with a strutting ‘70s-style riff-rocker with playful lyrics subtly inspired by the theory of “hot” and “cool” media established by influential Canadian philosopher Marshall McLuhan.
“I was imagining April Wine jamming with Steve Miller but then Dave and Chris took it to Portland Street like they always do,” says Plaskett.
Written as an assignment for an online course Plaskett was taking from Andrew McLuhan on his grandfather’s seminal 1964 book Understanding Media, the song began as a “low def” four-track cassette demo in 2024 before evolving into a full-band recording this past winter.
The result is a raucous anthem that looks back fondly on life before attention-hijacking technologies, encouraging listeners to embrace ambiguity and participate in the moment.
As Plaskett sings, “In a world that’s so explicit, at the risk of losing everything, don’t make me spell it out.”
The tune struts with the Emergency’s slippery style as tumbling drum rolls and harmonized guitar lines weave through punchy bar-rock rhythms.
It’s a fitting new song for a songwriter and band that continue to deliver their message through analog mediums and spontaneous performances.
Throughout their 20+ years, the Emergency has remained committed to the unvarnished push-and-pull that makes their trio so compelling. When they take the stage this summer for a score of dates, they’ll prove this commitment once again.
“Fill in the Blanks” is available now as a limited 7” vinyl single and on all streaming platforms via turtlemusik, distributed by ADA Worldwide/Warner Music Canada.
To prove there is more than one way to skin a track, Plaskett’s original, “low def” cassette version appears on the vinyl B-side.
The new single arrives just a year after the celebratory surprise 2025 double cover album Songs From The Gang – A Celebration of Joel Plaskett, released in honour of his 50th birthday and featuring Frank Turner, Jill Barber, City and Colour, Bahamas, Julian Taylor and more.
The album included some iconic Emergency tracks such “Down at the Khyber” (The Sheepdogs) and “Come On, Teacher” (Arkells). Plaskett was just awarded the prestigious Order of Nova Scotia and in late 2025 received the Portia White Prize.
With nearly three decades of odometers rolling, the Joel Plaskett Emergency remains a Nova Scotia band whose joyful energy has rocked the corners of Canada, from Newfoundland and Labrador to Iqaluit and Dawson City. The band returns to select festival stages this summer.
Joel Plaskett Emergency LIVE this summer
July 9 – Sydney, NS – Makin’ Waves at Wentworth Park
July 17 – Woodstock, NB – Dooryard Arts Festival
July 25 – Fredericton, NB – New Brunswick Highland Games
August 1 – New Glasgow, NS – New Glasgow Riverfront Jubilee
August 20 – Hubbards, NS – Shore Club on the Cove
August 21 – Hubbards, NS – Shore Club on the Cove – SOLD OUT
August 22 – Hubbards, NS – Shore Club on the Cove – SOLD OUT
Visit https://joelplaskett.com/ for more details.