Toronto Indie Folk Artist Shares Lead Single, “Tall Trees” Exploring His Metis Heritage and Heaviness of Pandemic Life
Toronto’s Shawn William Clarke pens warm indie folk songs, marrying narrative songwriting with innovative arrangements. Shawn has toured most of Canada and Europe, including his favourite destination, Iceland, where he performed at the Melodica and Iceland Airwaves festivals. Following up his Spectral Acoustics album series (Vol. 1 & 2 released in 2020 and 2021, respectively), Clarke is back with the lead single “Tall Trees” from his album Softer Scissors set for release on April 19, 2024.
Driven by delicate finger-picked style guitar and Clarke’s knack for image-rich storytelling and winding melodies, “Tall Trees” brings its listener a bittersweet comfort. Feeling all at once modern and nostalgic, “Tall Trees” sits somewhere between the dynamic nuance of Jeff Tweedy and the ‘60s singer-songwriter tradition of Simon and Garfunkel.
Written on the balcony of his upstairs neighbours while looking after their cat named Eugene, Clarke braids the comforting simplicity of the sights and sounds of his neighbourhood with the emotional heaviness of pandemic life.
Clarke shares,
”We were right in the middle of the pandemic, and I was worried about how it was affecting certain people in my life (“Narratives make strangers of us all”). At the same time, I was doing research into my family history, eventually joining the Metis Nation of Ontario (“Generations weighing on our minds”). I’m not sure if there was a message in ‘Tall Trees’ for other people, it was more of a self-examination. While all these things were going on, I still had a life to live, songs to write, and bills to pay. This song is such a snapshot of a time & place in my life, and hopefully, it resonates with others in a similar way.”
The track was recorded at Curries Music in Gravenhurst, Ontario with Rob Currie, who recorded, mixed, and co-produced “Tall Trees”. Clarke brought in musician friends Claire Coupland and Sarah Hiltz to add background vocals, with Graydon James (The Young Novelists) on percussion.
First off, care to introduce yourself to our readers?
My name is Shawn William Clarke, I’m a Métis singer-songwriter living in Toronto.
Tell us a bit about your most recent release.
“Tall Trees” is the first single off of my upcoming album Softer Scissors (out April 19, 2024). Written right in the middle of the pandemic, I was worried about how it was affecting certain people in my life, and at the same time, I was doing research into my family history, eventually joining the Metis Nation of Ontario. I’m not sure if there was a message in ‘Tall Trees’ for other people, it was more of a self-examination. This song is such a snapshot of a time & place in my life, and hopefully, it resonates with others in a similar way.
Do you have any upcoming shows you’d like to tell us about?
I actually don’t… yet. But I’m working on booking some shows around the release in April. Would love to play more house shows, for example, if anyone has any suggestions!
If given the chance, which Canadian artist would you love to work with in the future?
Oh wow, that’s a tough one. Canada has a lot of great producers I’d love to work with, Afie Jurvanen of Bahamas, Jim Bryson, Jojo Worthington… Slim Twig would bring a lot of interesting ideas… Daniel Lanois has a studio near my home. I slow my pace when walking by in the hopes that one day he’d walk out and say “You there! I need a musician to come in and record with me on something for vague and improbable reasons!”
What’s your goal for 2024?
I’ve been having a tough time booking shows in the last couple of years, and it all seems to be psychological. Like a blockage or something. I would love to get back into the swing of touring again, Ontario, East Coast, and especially Europe. I’m hoping the momentum or releasing an album will push me in the right direction.
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