WATCH/SHARE LIVE VIDEO HERE

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Toronto bluegrass powerhouse The Barrel Boys were unable to tour in support of their new album Mainline when it came out in September but they're trying to make up for it with the release of a live video for their latest single 'Upgraded Love'.

‘Upgraded Love’ is the 3rd single to be released from The Barrel Boys’ 4th album Mainline. A heartbreaker of a song, 'Upgraded Love' was written by the band's banjo player Rob McLaren who got the idea for the song from a friend.

"A friend of mine went through a breakup a few years ago that left him feeling unsure whether he wanted to continue with where he was living and working," says Rob. "However, in a short time he had started a new job, met someone new, and bought a house. It's a happy story, but makes for a sad song, as told from the opposite perspective."

Produced by Canadian mandolin icon and decorated engineer/producer Andrew Collins, Mainline is jam-packed with new original material penned by each of the band’s five members. With this project, the band digs deeper into the sounds of traditional bluegrass, classic country, folk, and new acoustic music while also exploring classic tropes of bluegrass (including trains, heartbreak, mining, and murder), grounding those themes in a distinctly Canadian context and bringing their own experiences into the stories.

Since the release of their debut album, Early On, in 2014, The Barrel Boys have endeared themselves to folk and bluegrass audiences across Canada, honing their craft through a long-running weekly residency at Toronto’s Cloak and Dagger Pub. Notable performances include: Mariposa Folk Festival (ON), Folk Fest sur le Canal (QC), and Northern Lights Bluegrass and Old-Tyme Music Festival (SK).

The Barrel Boys' new album Mainline is available now on Spotify, Apple Music/iTunes, and other digital retailers and streaming services. For more information, please visit: thebarrelboys.com

THE BARREL BOYS ARE:
Kyle Kirkpatrick (dobro)
Rob McLaren (banjo)
Tim O’Reilly (bass)
Nathan Smith (fiddle)
Ben Wright (guitar)

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WATCH/POST The Barrel Boys' 'Upgraded Love' live video HERE
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