Written, recorded and released on the unceded indigenous territory of Tiohtiá:ke (Kanienʼkehá꞉ka Nation), The King of Bedroom Country is the latest album from songwriter Ian Davies. Along with drums from Marshall Vaillancourt, and supporting vocals from Margaret Lapp and Mischa Greig, Davies conjures a sound at once laid back and fatalistic, employing the classic country amalgamation of sadness, nostalgia and fondness that sits next to the likes of Adeline Hotel.
Opening track and lead single ‘Where I’m At’ sets the tone. “Honey, I’ve been stumbling,” Davies sings, “I’ve been fumbling through the days / I get up, I go out / and I come back home again.” This daily inertia is complicated by another force, one which has snared more than its fair share of country musicians. A subtle downward pull that follows the aimless wanderer, as though by going nowhere, one in fact sinks into days or time itself, which is all too ready to accumulate above their head. “Fleeting are the moments and lonely are my dreams,” concludes the opening verse. “It’s a long way to the bottom, but it’s quicker than it seems.”
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There’s nevertheless a warmth to ‘Where I’m At’, especially the chorus with its additional vocals and sense of solidarity if not solution. This juxtaposition of downcast and upbeat is the key theme of the release, the easy-going rhythms and relaxed vibes at once tired of life yet glad to be breathing. From the disarmingly bright ‘Sad & Lonely’ to the loose-limbed ‘What if I’m Right’, Davies repeatedly pairs bummed out lyrics with pleasantly wistful instrumentation.
But far from coming across as playful or jarring, this blend of moods only strengthens the spirit underpinning the Ian Davies style. Not only does the sound provide a sense of distance and context for the emotions, preventing things from descending into melodrama, but it also forms a unifying compassion. The sense that, no matter how painful or dispiriting, there’s some connection to be found within melancholy. Some proof that hope still exists. Because the past would not smart so much if there was no promise of a future.
The King of Bedroom Country is out now and available from the Ian Davies Bandcamp page, and 100% of sales will be donated to the Native Women’s Shelter of Montreal.
