It’s no secret that we are big fans of Ontario’s Evening Hymns here at WTD. Ever since 2009’s Spirit Guides we’ve been entranced by Jonas Bonnetta’s songwriting and delivery, and follow up Spectral Dusk is one of the most beautiful, intimate albums about grief and loss you are ever likely to hear. Last year, the band put out their third release, Quiet Energies, a record about finding peace on the other side of mourning, carrying an arguably more important message than its predecessor:
“This isn’t about forgetting death, or even really ‘moving on’… [but instead] coming to a deeper understanding of one’s life… how a person can be so shaped by another, and how such an impact can and should be a source of immense pride and joy”
During an interview around the release of Quiet Energies, Bonnetta told us that we should expect a lot of new music from him in the coming months, and we now have the first song into which to sink our teeth. ‘Northern Arm’ sees an expansion on some of the themes on Quiet Energies, while also harping back to the remote romanticism that made Spirit Guides so special. As Bonnetta explains:
“The idea of being on the arm of someone still seems romantic to me and the idea of trying to maintain that alone in the woods even more so. Can two people entertain themselves with love forever? In our days of constant distraction can a real, clear love even exist?”
‘Northern Arm’ finds the band pushing further into dream pop territory while still retaining the folk influences and strong songwriting that has marked their career thus far. Electronics are utilised more than one might expect, coupled with sharp riffs and background vocals, though Bonnetta’s recognisable voice glides over the top of the instrumentation in what could be celebration or lament, echoing strongly like a shout in the woods.
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‘Northern Arm’ is forthcoming on Tin Angel Records and you can pre-order it now via Bandcamp. Evening Hymns are set to tour Europe this September and you can find the full run of dates below:
Sept 16th – Hamburg – Golem
Sept 17th – Berlin – Privatclub
Sept 18th – Darmstadt – Golden Leaves Festival (with Lanterns on the Lake)
Sept 19th – Munster-Pension Schmidt
Sept 20th – Koln – Die Wohngemeinschaft
Sept 21st – Amsterdam – Paradiso
Sept 22nd – Paris – Pointe Ephemere (with Chris Cohen)
Sept 23rd – Coventry – The Tin at The Coal Vaults
Sept 24th – London – Shacklewell Arms (with Mauno)