DENNIS ELLSWORTH’S MODERN HOPE IS OFFICIALLY OUT NOW VIA TONIC RECORDS
After being released independently in the Fall of 2023, Dennis Ellsworth‘s latest album Modern Hope has been released via Vancouver-based Tonic Records. This comes on the heels of Modern Hope earning an East Coast Music Awards nomination for Solo Recording of the Year. Dennis will also be performing as part of this year’s ECMA festivities in his hometown, Charlottetown PEI, from May 1-5.
Modern Hope was produced by Ellsworth’s friend and collaborator Leeroy Stagger during a whirlwind four-day session at Vancouver’s Afterlife Studios (formerly Mushroom Studios), with its 10 songs drawing inspiration from classic British folk-rock by the likes of Van Morrison, Nick Drake and Bert Jansch. Some of the album’s hushed tones are also a product of Dennis becoming a new father and having to keep things quiet around the house.
It was all enough to convince Tonic’s founder Kate Wattie to add Dennis to her label roster.
“Leeroy Stagger introduced me to Dennis’ music and I was blown away by the beauty of the lyrics and the musicianship,” she says. “With the assistance of Creative BC we managed to get Dennis out to B.C. to record, and the final result is this stunning album.”
Having previously shared several tracks as singles, the new focus track is “Money Ramble,” a mesmerizing song whose direct message about greed is contrasted by a gorgeous, string-laden arrangement.
Other standouts on Modern Hope are the jangly “Luna” and the heart-swelling “Hold You Close,” containing perhaps Ellsworth’s finest vocal performance on the album.
Modern Hope is, in the truest sense, an album; that is, its power comes across most effectively when listened to in a single sitting. That seems to be a rare accomplishment these days, but Dennis Ellsworth has never been one to follow trends.
With a discography now in the double digits, Dennis has firmly established himself as one of Canada’s premiere songwriters. Since signing a publishing deal with Toronto’s Cymba Music in 2015, his songs have been heard in many television shows aired on CBC, Netflix, and HBO. He has also collaborated with artists including the late Gord Downie, Andy Maize, and Josh Finlayson of Skydiggers, Joel Plaskett, Donovan Woods, Rose Cousins, and others.
Now with Modern Hope, Dennis Ellsworth seems finally poised to have his work receive the recognition it has long deserved.
“Sometimes a collection of songs just comes out feeling one way and they all work together,” he says. “Most of the time, whatever I am doing is decided somewhere between the conscious and subconscious. I don’t want to assume some other identity… Whatever I do, I want it to come from my natural voice.”