The debut solo album from Toronto’s The Actual Goners co-founder, The Lonely Avenue, is officially out March 7
Tristan Armstrong is one of those “they don’t write ‘em like that anymore” artists. For the past several years, the Toronto-based singer/songwriter has been following in the footsteps of Pete Townshend, Alex Chilton, Matthew Sweet, Redd Kross, and other power pop icons in establishing his own melody-driven, guitar-focused corner of the universe.
“Queen of Diamonds” is one of nine songs on Armstrong’s debut solo album The Lonely Avenue, available March 7 via Littleknown Records, a collection that rocks with the combined swagger of every Dazed and Confused cast member, and rolls with the sleekness of a ’72 Cutlass Supreme. Meticulously produced by Armstrong himself – with assistance by John Dinsmore (Sarah Harmer, Elliott Brood, Kathleen Edwards) – The Lonely Avenue is a testament to how the right alchemy leads to stunning results.
Tristan explains,
“The process of writing and recording The Lonely Avenue began during the pandemic, and for me the songs reflect a period of growing up. Some of the themes touch on forgiveness and enjoying the slower pace of domestic life, but I also feel it’s important that my songs include a sense of imagination. I once heard someone say there are two things that should never get in the way of writing a good song – grammatical rules, and the truth. So, in those terms, I feel this collection of songs is somewhat eclectic. But mainly it’s a reflection of what I value these days, both musically and in life.”
Prior to making The Lonely Avenue, Armstrong had co-founded roots rock band The Actual Goners (whose Duncan Symonds contributes pedal steel to a few tracks on The Lonely Avenue), which made frequent appearances at Toronto venues such as the Horseshoe Tavern, the Rivoli, and the Cameron House. Although his new songs still contain some Americana echoes, having to work in isolation with drummer Trevor Falls during the pandemic brought out Armstrong’s pure inner rocker, fully displayed on “Queen Of Diamonds.”
“I suppose the song is about committing,” Tristan says. “Whether you want to describe it as putting all your eggs in one basket, or ‘time to push all my chips into the pile,’ as the lyrics state, the song took on a romantic slant the more time I spent with it. My wife and I got married this past summer, and some of that energy is present in the song. In terms of musical influence, Joel Plaskett is definitely in there. And when Trevor Falls and I were working out the drum part, we settled on an Odds-meets-The Who sort of vibe.”
It’s hard not to describe every song on The Lonely Avenue as a gem, but other standout songs are the more adventurous “Periscope” featuring Kevin Breit on slide guitar, along with Armstrong’s tribute to The Tragically Hip’s Gord Downie “Gimme a Sign,” and the pull-no-punches title track, mixed by Carlin Nicholson of fellow Toronto power pop stalwarts Zeus. This last selection sets the tone for the entire album and reflects its inner dichotomy of blending the raucous with the melancholy, which, at its heart, is the essence of great power pop.