UNESSENTIAL OILS UNVEILS “NIC AT THE MUSEUM,” A SONG INSPIRED BY HIS PLANTS AND ANIMALS’ BANDMATE
Unessential Oils, the new project from Warren Spicer (singer-songwriter of Plants and Animals, award-winning producer) shares the new single “Nic at the Museum,” which is inspired by his Plants and Animals bandmate Nic Basque. This song will appear on his self-titled debut album, to be released May 31 via Secret City Records in vinyl format. Spicer will perform at Club TD as part of the Festival international de Jazz de Montréal on June 27.
“Nic at the Museum” is a tribute to Nic Basque who, while on tour with Plants and Animals, always made it a priority to get up early and visit local museums. Warren explains the writing process of the song:
“I can remember working on this song and realizing that I was writing a song about him, and accepting that it was simply about him going to museums and looking at art. Strange idea. However, with the performance of the band and singers the song took on a transcendental quality. All of a sudden, I was no longer sure what the song was about, all I understood was the feeling that it was giving me.”
Basque’s silhouette can be seen in the video that accompanies this new single.
Warren also announces festival performances at Santa Teresa at Bar Le Cha Cha on May 10 and at the Festival international de Jazz de Montréal on the Club TD outdoor stage on June 27.
Inspired by jazz, folk, Brazilian Tropicalía and more, the album was co-produced by Christophe Lamarche-Ledoux (Chocolat, Organ Mood) and features bassist Mishka Stein (Patrick Watson, Teke Teke), drummer Tommy Crane (Aaron Parks, Martha Wainwright) and percussionist Martin Dicham (Sade, Talk Talk, Mark Hollis, Tina Turner). The project has already received support from CULT Montreal, ICI Musique “Tellement Courteau,” Exclaim!, Billboard Canada, Le Canal Auditif, and others, in addition to opening for Alabaster DePlume and Bye Parula last fall.
“The feeling is very personal; I’m looking you straight in the eyes. I read somewhere that if you lock eyes with someone for four minutes straight, you will both leave feeling connected and empathetic towards each other. That’s the vibe,” tells Warren about his solo debut.
Unessential Oils’ is the search for something authentic. Bits and pieces of Warren Spicer’s life’s traumas and weaknesses, successes and breakthroughs, moments of clarity and enlightenment mixed with the mundane and menial. The weight of grief and anger imposed on the joy and ecstatic freedom of new life.
Unessential Oils has produced albums from such important figures of the Montreal music scene as La Force, Comment Debord, Plants and Animals, Chocolat, Ludovic Alarie and Emilie Kahn, among others.
Upcoming Shows
May 10 – Sainte-Thérèse, QC – Bar Le Cha Cha (Festival Santa Teresa)
June 27 – Montreal, QC – Club TD (Festival international de Jazz de Montréal)