Folk-rock group Locomotive Ghost will be performing at The Hideout June 21st in support of their recent release Spring.
The Calgary-based group released the first in its series of themed 7” vinyl records in April, and has been touring Alberta in support of it since.
The album series aims to capture the band’s perception of each season through lyrical themes, musical style and sonic texture.
The entire Seasons project has been undertaken with true ‘DIY’ sensibility.
The band themselves completed the recording and production of the album, and have handcrafted merchandise and painted the record jackets themselves.
The project’s first single All I Need has received airplay from radio stations across B.C. and Alberta as well as gaining the group the designation of finalists in X92.9‘s Xposure Contest and the Calgary Folk Festival Songwriting Competition.
Locomotive Ghost writes folk-rock for nerds and lovers.
They are a collection of musicians, poets, and artists who play guitars, keyboards, bass, ukulele, banjo, drums and percussion.
Together, they make music that draws from classic roots-rock influences like The Band and Paul Simon while incorporating contemporary inspirations such as Dave Matthews and Feist.
Meanwhile, with two conventional albums under their belt, Locomotive Ghost sought a new creative approach to stimulate their next venture.
After months of brainstorming, they conceptualized a set of seasonally-tied 7” vinyl records exploring the themes of life, love, and the passage of time.
The project follows an extremely strict schedule with three-month cycles for the creation of each four-song record. The financial challenge of multiple releases has also necessitated the group to stretch the limits of their do-it-yourself approach. From the home-studio recordings to the hand-painted record jackets, they are completing every possible aspect of the project in house.
To mark the release of each 7” record, the group is presenting seasonally-themed events and home-crafted sundries, both done in collaboration with Calgary artist Rachelle Quinn.
The series began with the release of Spring in April of and continues with Summer in July.
Locomotive Ghost was formed by Mike Buckley, Ben Nixon, and Cortney Osness while they were attending Selkirk College’s music program in Nelson, B.C.
The trio instantly connected when a casual jam brought forth a mesmerizing rendition of Neil Young’s Cortez the Killer.
They played together off-and-on for nearly a year before focusing on the project and settling on a name (taken from an Allen Ginsberg poem).
In 2010, Locomotive Ghost released their self-titled debut which was followed soon after by 2011’s Close Your Eyes and Listen.
After relocating to Calgary that same year, the group experimented with several different membership configurations.
Earlier this year, they welcomed local multi-instrumentalist Paul Orton into the fold.
Locomotive Ghost has performed extensively through Alberta and B.C. including appearances at a number of regional festivals and Calgary events.
The band’s music has been played on a dozen Canadian radio stations and several international podcasts, including the popular show This Week In Science.
So far this year, Locomotive Ghost were voted as regional finalists in CBC’s Searchlight contest, and were selected as finalists in the Calgary Folk Festival Songwriting Competition and X92.9’s Xposure contest.
-Weber