Song is latest preview of Better Off In Time & Other Songs For The Dance Floor out Sept. 18
On the heels of the soaring ballad “Glory For Me,” Sean Burns & Lost Country share their latest single “Tables & Chairs,” a rollicking instant honky tonk classic that is also included on the new album Better Off In Time & Other Songs For The Dance Floor, out Sept. 18 via Department Store Records. The video for “Tables & Chairs” premieres exclusively today at Americana Highways.
Sean says,
“Before making Better Off In Time, I fell deeper and deeper down the well of Texas dancehall country music made by artists like Johnny Bush and Amber Digby, as well as the earlier era of Ray Price. I was spinning a lot of that music on my radio program and was immersed in the style those bands play down there. I could have gone to Texas to make this album, but I had assembled a good band at home so I thought we could put our own spin on that Texas dancehall sound. I think “Tables & Chairs” is a good example of what we accomplished.”
The all-original 10-song Better Off In Time… is the follow-up to 2023’s Lost Country, which paid tribute to Canada’s forgotten country music heroes, and was recorded at Winnipeg’s No Fun Club with co-producers Skinny Dyck and Scott Franchuk. Along with Burns and his band — guitarist Chris Dunn, drummer Joanna Miller and pedal steel guitarist Dan Russell — the songs feature several guests including legendary piano player Floyd Domino (Asleep At The Wheel, Merle Haggard) who sent in his tracks from his home in Austin, Texas.
For Burns, who also plays bass in Corb Lund’s Hurtin’ Albertans, making Better Off In Time… was in many ways a matter of taking care of unfinished business that was disrupted by the pandemic. More than half the songs were written in 2018 and 2019, while others came together over the past few years whenever Burns was inspired to write while on tour. In the end, the pieces fell into place once Burns had the right group of musicians and some time to record.
Overall, fans of Sean’s work will be thrilled to hear him and the band continue to revitalize the sound of vintage honky tonk, with song titles such as “When The Heartaches Call,” “I Do My Crying Alone” and “Lord, I Hate To See Myself This Way” speaking volumes.
Such detail is common practice for Sean Burns, whose encyclopedic knowledge of country music has been established through his long-running radio show and early thematic solo albums. As with all of Sean’s work, it’s not necessary to be a country traditionalist to enjoy it. The songs stand on their own as not only a reminder of what country once was, but what it will always be, the music that maintains our unbreakable human bonds.
Upcoming Shows:
Sept 10 (Thurs) :: Moose Jaw SK :: house concert w/ Erika Fowler
Sept 11 (Fri) :: Calgary AB :: Ironwood Stage & Grill w/ Erika Fowler
Sept 12 (Sat) :: Vulcan AB :: Nine In A Line Brewing Co. w/ Erika Fowler
Sept 13 (Sun) :: Lethbridge AB :: Geomattic Attic w/ Skinny Dyck
Sept 15 (Tues) :: Valleyview AB :: house concert w/ Erika Fowler
Sept 16 (Wed) :: Edmonton AB :: The Aviary w/ Erika Fowler + Blue Coyote
Sept 17 (Thurs) :: Saskatoon SK :: The Bassment w/ Erika Fowler
Sept 18 (Fri) :: Winnipeg MB :: Sidestage w/ Erika Fowler + Skinny Dyck