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Key of D Minor:
For John Wort Hannam the past few years haven't been easy ones, so the Alberta-based singer-songwriter tried the music as therapy approach and created songs out of them, resulting in his brand new album, Acres of Elbow Room, out September 7th. Today marks the release of the first single, the beautifully sparse and sorrowful 'Key Of D Minor', a song he wrote about his battle with depression (listen here). John Wort Hannam will be touring in support of the album, starting in Edmonton on August 31st at The Blue Chair. See below for complete tour listing.
Making 'Key of D Minor' the first single was a wild card choice because the track stands alone on the album, it's not like any of the other songs.
"It it the one song where there is no guitar and the piano takes the spotlight," says John. " I merely sing on the track. I wanted the song to sound sparse, almost empty, to represent the subject matter. On a thematic level it is unlike any of the other songs. I grew up in a generation where people whispered about depression, like it was a dirty town secret. Men especially were perceived as weak if they vocalized their struggles with depression and anxiety. The song is the most personally revealing song I’ve ever written."
Recent years have seen a great deal of change in John’s life – becoming a Dad, turning 50, a move to the big city (Lethbridge), a marital reckoning, a long, deep bout of depression, and episodes of losing his singing voice. But John has emerged a better songwriter, a better singer, and a better player.
On Acres Of Elbow Room, John has further found his lyrical style and has landed squarely on his niche in the folk/roots world. He's spent years learning the craft of songwriting and used those tools to write some of his most personal songs. When recording his 7th studio album, the approach was very different from other recordings.
"Previous recordings have seen me send the players demos of the songs and then recording them without properly working on the arrangement," says John. "This record was made at the Banff Centre for the Arts. The four of us lived, ate, and holed up in a room for 8 days before we entered the studio. In that time we took the songs apart and put them back together multiple times. We experimented with different tempos, keys, and grooves. It was very much a collaborative effort from all players. It felt more like a band making music instead of musicians playing on my songs."
Acres of Elbow Room will be available on Spotify, Apple Music/iTunes, and other digital retailers and streaming services on Friday, September 7th. For more information and the most up to date tour listings, please visit: johnworthannam.com
JOHN WORT HANNAM UPCOMING TOUR DATES
August 31 - Edmonton, AB - The Blue Chair
September 1 - Jasper, AB - Jasper Legion
September 7 - Twin Butte, AB - Twin Butte General Store
September 8 - Millarville, AB - Broke Fish Barn
September 9 - Lethbridge, AB - Geomattic Attic
September 14 - Calgary, AB - Fish Creek Concerts
September 15 - Fernie, BC - Fernie Chautaqua + Fall Fair
September 16 - Carstairs, AB - Carstairs Heritage Centre
September 21 - Canning, NS - Sea-Esta
September 22 - Mount Stewart, PEI - Trailside Cafe
September 26 - Halifax, NS - The Carleton
September 27 - Fredericton, NB - Wilser’s Room
September 28 - Fredericton, NB - Landsdowne Concert Series
September 29 - St. John, NB - Dancing Tree Concert Series
September 30 - Bridgetown, NS - Temple on Queen
October 5 - Athabasca, AB - Nancy Appleby Theatre
JOHN WORT HANNAM - ACRES OF ELBOW ROOM TRACKLISTING
RELEASE DATE: SEPTEMBER 7th, 2018 (Independent)
1. Acres Of Elbow Room
2. Old Flame New Regret
3. Only Love
4. Key Of D Minor
5. That's Life
6. The Quiet Life
7. I Believe
8. Song For A Young Son
9. Wild Young Things
10. Ain't Enough
11. Day I Die
FOR MORE INFO: johnworthannam.com
Twitter: @johnworthannam
Instagram: @johnworthannam
FB: facebook.com/johnworthannammusic
MEDIA TOOLS
WATCH/POST John Wort Hannam - 'Key Of D Minor' HERE (via YouTube)
STREAM/POST John Wort Hannam - 'Key Of D Minor' HERE (via SoundCloud)
CLICK HERE for high-res press photos + album art (photo credit: David Guenther)