Dennis Ellsworth unveils new album, Hardcore Freewheelin’ via Tonic Records
With the release of Hardcore Freewheelin’ on Tonic Records, acclaimed Canadian singer-songwriter Dennis Ellsworth has added yet another compelling chapter to his ever-evolving catalogue. The album, which follows 2023’s Modern Hope—nominated for Solo Recording of the Year at the East Coast Music Awards—has been quietly making its way into hearts with its blend of melodic introspection and lyrical honesty.
Produced by longtime friend and collaborator Jim Bryson (Kathleen Edwards, Sarah Harmer, The Tragically Hip), Hardcore Freewheelin’ captures Ellsworth in a new creative gear. Across its 11 tracks, the album pairs a breezy, unhurried surface with a deeper emotional current, exploring themes of love, commitment, fatherhood, and the hard-won joys of personal growth. Standouts like “Count To Ten,” “Keep My Joy,” and “I Can’t Impress You” highlight Ellsworth’s knack for crafting songs that feel both timeless and timely.
From the shimmering opener “Ride With You” to the album’s final reflective notes, Hardcore Freewheelin’ showcases Ellsworth’s growing sense of artistic confidence—rooted in vulnerability and delivered with a quiet kind of grace.
Hardcore Freewheelin’ feels like a natural evolution from Modern Hope. What were you hoping to explore or say with this new collection of songs?
I honestly didn’t make any effort to write under any theme for this one, like I had done for Modern Hope. I wrote and recorded this one in three different phases. Overall, it took about a year to finish, where Modern Hope was recorded in 4 days. There was a real focus to Modern Hope, and it’s not that there wasn’t on this one, but I was literally freewheelin’. I made 3 separate trips to Ontario, and we had different drummers and players on every session. I was really just trying to make sure that I showed up with 6 really great songs every time, and I let Jim pick which ones he wanted to work on. If there is a lyrical theme on this record, or a center to it, I would say that would be an extension of some of the themes I explored on Modern Hope. There are songs or verses about my kids. Songs of love and dedication. Songs of compromise. Songs of determination. Some fear. Introspection. Just life. I always want to write about my own experience in this world, and naturally, that brings family to the front.
Your collaboration with Jim Bryson seems like a perfect match. How did you two come together for this project, and what did he bring to the process that helped shape the album?
We first spoke about doing something together in 2015. Jim was on tour with Oh Susanna, and we were on the same bill in Glasgow, Scotland, for Celtic Connections. They had us at the same hotel, so after the show we were hanging around in the bar, and I floated the idea to him. I’ve been a fan since The North Side Benches, and I was always keeping tabs on who he was working with. I don’t recall what prompted me to ask him in 2022, but when I did, he was receptive. It took us another year before we even started working, and then another year to complete the work. Over time, we developed a great friendship and appreciation for each other.
Jim is a wealth of melodic ideas. He is a very skilled musician, and he approaches things in an interesting way. Much like my own freewheelin’ in the process, he matched it with his, and I think we tried our best not to stress, have fun, not to over-record things or have too many things happening. He created a fine balance. There’s lots of space, great sounding stuff, ear candy, very calculated and somewhat minimalist parts that do a lot of work. That’s not easy to do, and he’s definitely got a knack for that. On top of all this, he really understands songwriting and how to make a better song. This record feels like a perfect blend of me and Jim, and all, or most of our strengths.
“Ride With You” opens the album with a sense of warmth and connection. Can you talk about how that song sets the tone for the rest of Hardcore Freewheelin’?
This song grew from the memory of meeting my wife. It’s a song about new love and all the wavy feelings that come on from knowing it’s the real stuff. It’s got lines about desire, longing, and feeling saved. Basically, it’s saying, we got this great thing happening, I’m all in, let’s ride…I really wanna ride with you. The ride has its ups and downs, as everyone knows…
It’s about the romance and the intense euphoria. The end of the song repeats…I’ll be your Moonlight Mile….I’ll buzz like a radio dial. The reference to Moonlight Mile is all to say, I’ll be your closing track on a classic record…I’ll be there till the end.
What do you hope listeners take away from Hardcore Freewheelin’, especially those navigating their own moments of reflection or transition?
I just hope they find something in there that resonates with them. Maybe something will make them feel better, or feel good, or happy…or think about something a little longer and come out the other end feeling right about whatever it is they were pondering. I hope the melodies or words bring some tingling moments. It’s all about feelings.
I also hope that people check out more artwork from the artist who created the cover art. His name is Joel Jamensky. He’s an Ottawa-based artist, and his work is really cool and interesting. Check out his work. He goes by the name J. Positive.
Looking back at your career so far, where does Hardcore Freewheelin’ sit in your personal journey as an artist?
I’m not entirely sure. It feels like I’m still placing it and processing it myself. I wrote it and recorded it in a way that left long gaps in between the sessions and plenty of time for me to listen and refine ideas or figure out what kind of songs were missing. I am very proud of the songs, and the recordings of the songs are beautiful. Jim really made it sound so great. It does feel like my songwriting is still being refined, and as a result, I feel like I’m growing and getting better at saying what I want to say in clean, efficient ways. It feels like a record that is going to age really well.