Artist: The Weather Holds
Album: You Couldn’t Ask For A More Beautiful Day
Release Date: May 19, 2023
Genre: Folk / Roots
The Weather Holds is the latest project and supergroup formed by Montreal-based producer and composer Devon Bate.
You Couldn’t Ask For A More Beautiful Day serves as a return to his “folk roots with the electroacoustic influences of his musical training: a nostalgic remembrance of busking in Winnipeg, the careful curation of CDs on bus rides, and fog-ridden memories that sound like experimental country but smell like forest fire smoke.”
“The songs on the album cover a lot of conceptual ground that’s difficult to summarize – nostalgia, resisting nihilism, cops, heartbreak, bicycles, rosacea – but the album as a whole was largely inspired by my community in Montreal,” Bate explains. “As time goes on I’ve become an increasingly rare minority as an anglo who moved here for university but never left. The biggest reason I’ve been able to stay here and make a life off art is thanks to the community around me. Working as a music producer, I’m able to help lift up my people’s creative voices, and on this album they lift me up too.”
The twelve-song release features five singles, “With the Heat, Move Slowly,” “Deliberate,” “The General Idea/ Let’s Not Mince Words,” “Simple Song,” and “It Feels So Strange.”
“Simple Song” captivates listeners with its thought-provoking and immersive nature, demanding attentive engagement. The lyrics artfully explore themes of tension, passing time, and fleeting moments. The track weaves a tapestry of emotions and experiences through its intricate lyrics, inviting listeners to embark on a personal journey of interpretation and introspection.
Track six, “Plant Seeds in the Ground” walks a fine line between genres with tense rock-inspired instrumentation at times, with a twangy beat mixed in. The vocals throughout the track maintain a mellow quality while simultaneously exuding anthemic energy.
The focus track, “Five Roses” immediately caught my attention with its soft beat and repetitive lyrics. The track is described as a clichèd love letter to Montreal and its community. There are at least 12 musicians playing on this little song – most of them join in singing the chorus, “I wrote a song.” The song highlights some of the collaborators featured throughout the whole album – we hear Beatrice Ferreira try to figure out the fiddle part, Alex Rand ripping a banjo solo, and Jean-Michel Blais improvise around a theme, among many others.
Overall, the album presents a diverse collection of tracks that delve deep into the human experience, offering profound lyrical exploration across a range of themes.