The Fugitives Share New Single, “Edge Of The Sea” Ahead Of No Help Coming Album
Vancouver-based modern folk outfit The Fugitives wanted to write their new album No Help Coming about the climate emergency, taking what they’d learned from the months of research they had done for their previous, Juno Award-nominated album, Trench Songs, inspired by music made during the First World War—songs as humorous as they were harrowing.
“It was the voice of people in the thick of things,” says Brendan McLeod, one-half of The Fugitives’ songwriting duo. “All the reading we did around the climate crisis lacked this kind of playfulness. Part of that is the seriousness of the topic, but another part seemed like a lack of immediacy. Society still doesn’t feel, or talk, or act, like we’re in it.”
No Help Coming constantly reminds us that we’re in it, with day-to-day challenges like fraying friendships (“Dead Money”), career changes (“Wing and a Prayer”), coping mechanisms (“Not Burning Out”), romance (“It Might Just Rain Like This For Days”), all explored under the spectre of environmental disaster.
By combining climate concerns with everyday concerns, No Help Coming grapples with a global phenomenon through the personal lenses of its four members—McLeod, Glynn, violinist Carly Frey, and banjo player Chris Suen–and they tracked the record accordingly. Everyone sings lead at some point, background at others. Thanks to Vancouver producer, Tom Dobrzanski, the overall sound of No Help Coming is highly polished, but there are also live off-the-floor takes, song snippets from jam sessions, and voice memo recordings. These elements keep the album real, raw, and most importantly, human.
The band has unveiled their single, “Edge of the Sea” today, along with a music video to accompany the release.
THE FUGITIVES / Tour Dates
Fri, OCT 20 – Rogue Folk Club, St James Hall, Kitsilano BC [Album release show]
Sun, OCT 22 – ArtSpring, Salt Spring Island, BC
Wed, OCT 25 – Richmond Hill Performing Arts Centre, Richmond Hill, BC
Thu, OCT 26 – Hugh’s Room, Toronto, ON
Fri, OCT 27 – Studio Theatre, Perth, ON
Sat, OCT 28 – First Unitarian Church, Ottawa, ON
Wed, NOV 1 – Stephen Leacock Theatre, Georgina, ON
Thu, NOV 2 – Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts, Oakville, ON
Fri, NOV 3 – Sanderson Centre, Brantford, ON
Sat, NOV 4 – Mary Webb Centre, Highgate, ON
Tue, NOV 7 – Capitol Centre, North Bay, ON
Wed, NOV 8 – MacLab Centre, Leduc, AB
Thu, NOV 9 – Horizon Stage, Spruce Grove, AB
Fri, NOV 10 – Jeanne and Peter Lougheed Performing Arts Centre, Camrose, AB
Sat, NOV 11 – The Arden Theatre, St Albert, AB
Sun, NOV 12 – Dow Centennial Centre, Fort Saskatchewan, AB
Sat, NOV 18 – Evangel Church, Kelowna, BC
Sun, NOV 19 – The ACT Centre, Maple Ridge, BC