Clever Hopes shares new single, “The Only One”

Clever Hopes (fronted by Andrew Shaver) Releases New Single “The Only One” Feat. Eva Foote

Clever Hopes has embarked on a new chapter, with Andrew Shaver leading the way, supported by a rotating ensemble of musical friends, as he delves deeper into his personal journey since the debut LP Artefact. 

The Americana Folk Act – fronted by Andrew – has released “The Only One” featuring Eva Foote. 

“It can be tough to move forward while holding on to the stings of the past, but I figure that’s ok. They do eventually all fall away.” shares Andrew. “The Only One is my way of telling myself that, along with the honey, new love inevitably brings new stings that mercifully supplant those that came before.”

Andrew started writing “The Only One” years ago but never got past the first verse. He tried coming back to it several times, from various perspectives, to no avail.

“After making Artefact with Eva, it became clear that The Only One was meant to be a duet,” shares Andrew. “Shaver’s so good at writing songs that capture an expansive range of colours – from simple quiet moments to brazen recklessness, and singing this song with him took me through it all,” says Eva about the new single. “He takes beautiful, intense, charged moments out of his life and turns them into songs that pull you right into his breast pocket.”

Andrew finished writing it after having moved to a new city with a new love and his new kid. It was a big change, and this album runs the gamut of that transition.

“We began the recording session with this song. I thought it made sense to kick things off with one of the album duets, and I chose “The Only One” specifically because we were recording in a studio on the very street I sing about in the song – Portland Street,” shares Andrew. “I’d have walked by the studio dozens of times, soaked to the bone but going home, without ever once thinking I’d spend three stormy winter days in it recording my next album. Honestly, I’m not even sure I knew it was there.“

They had a bit of a hectic first day in the studio, as the engineer, Thomas’ wife, had come down with a nasty bout of Covid the night before. Between the risk of him also having Covid and the fact that due to the storm, the schools were closed and he now needed to take care of his kids, they decided they’d have to go without an engineer. Thomas came in early that morning, set up all the mics and lines with Matt, and left them to it.

“I am used to Matt Barber being able to do it all, but this took things to another level,” says Andrew. “He was now running the board and producing a session in a studio he’d walked into for the first time that morning.“

“Recording live off the floor has stakes, and for me, it’s the most satisfying way to sing with Andrew,” shares Eva. “It gives space to surrender to the song; small mistakes become character, and maybe that makes sense given that we’re both performers through and through. And you know, it didn’t hurt that we had Joe Grass and Afie Jurvanen ripping it on the guitar a couple metres away from us.” 

The single is complemented by a gorgeous new lyric video.

The single will be featured on the eagerly-awaited sophomore album, New Kind of Familiar, to arrive on May 3rd (Independent). The album includes the lead single “Blue Parachutes,” which garnered love from SiriusXM’s “North Americana,” CBC Radio One across the country, Corby’s Orbit, Exclaim, Great Dark Wonder, Julian Taylor’s Jukebox, Just Us Folk, Northern Wish with Stephen Stanley, Out of The Woods Radio, Radio Humber, SlowCity, The International Americana Music Show, UMFM and many more.  

The new collection of songs, helmed by producer Matthew Barber, showcases Andrew on vocals and acoustic guitar, with the notable talents of Eva Foote on vocals and Joe Grass (renowned for producing Elisapie’s remarkable album “Inuktitut”) contributing on guitar. Additionally, the single includes acclaimed artist Afie Jurvanen (Bahamas) on guitar, Steve O’Connor on keys, Kyle Cunjak on bass, and JUNO award-winning producer Joshua Van Tassel on drums (known for his work with The Fortunate Ones, Christine Bougie, David Myles). This impressive collaboration was recorded at Joel Plaskett’s studio, Fang Recording, located just down the road from Andrew’s new home in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.

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