Claire Coupland releases folk-rock single “The Flame”
Canadian singer-songwriter, Claire Coup
Like many other artists, the stasis of the pandemic left Claire Coupland with a substantial period of reflection. Without live performances and the usual music engagements, her creative focus was turned inward towards a collection of partially written songs that had long been lying dormant in her imagination. Deeper, darker, and more vulnerable songwriting exploration unearthed stories of fragile family dynamics, the struggle to belong, homesickness, painful goodbyes, and hope for the future.
After half a year of email and phone correspondence, Covid-19 vaccine rollouts, and easing of border restrictions, the stars finally aligned, and Coupland made a trip to Los Angeles to join creative forces with JUNO award-winning musician and producer Sam Weber (Bahamas, Terra Lightfoot, Madison Cunningham). Together, with a hand-picked selection of LA’s finest musicians (including members of Dawes, one of Claire’s biggest musical influences), the team laid down a collection of exciting new songs with bluegrass, folk, soft rock, and grunge flavours, and thus her brand new album, New Light, is set to release in early 2023.
Review
“The Flame” begins with a beautiful yet eerie beat, which quickly transforms into a mysterious sound that does the job of pulling you in.
Claire’s vocals jump from graceful tranquility to a dramatic and poetic vibe. The lyrics throughout the track follow a consistent ebb and flow, keeping the listener’s attention locked in.
The chorus, “Games, the games we play, I should turn the other way, But I wanna touch the flame,” is a straightforward lyric but, at the same time, thought-provoking. Isn’t it just human nature to want to do the opposite of what our brain says? The brain always wants us to flee from scary or uncomfortable situations, but the heart wants us to be open and do what we desire.
Being a fan of Claire’s previous tracks, “Love Song” and “1000 Miles From A Dream,” I’m not surprised I love this song and am happy to hear another side of her talents. I’m left wanting more and anxiously awaiting her upcoming album, New Light.