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CKUA CD of the Week
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A couple of years back, Edmontonian youngster Daniel Moir put out a highly-lauded debut EP, entitl...
A couple of years back, Edmontonian youngster Daniel Moir put out a highly-lauded debut EP, entitled The Country and the Sea, and now, at the grand old age of twenty, he's issuing a follow-up -- his first full-length outing, a disc called Road.
Now, it might be customary to evaluate the work of a singer-songwriter who's barely out of his teens by taking his tender years into account, but that's entirely unnecessary in Moir's case; on his new disc, he has the self-assured sound of an artist who's already perfectly at home in his own skin. While there are certainly plenty of youthful touches of whimsy and naiveté in the ten songs on this album, there's an old-soul quality to Moir's songwriting and performance that makes the listener feel engaged right from the get-go.
His voice is what commands attention right away -- lithe, breezy and serene, with a touch of melancholy, it's an instrument that he seems to take a great deal of relish in playing around with. He's given to subtlety and understatement as a vocalist, letting the attractive melodies of the songs do most of the work for him. As a result, his lyrics are given plenty of opportunity to shine -- and Moir is possessed of that all-too-rare gift of enunciating each syllable with crystalline clarity, lending added resonance to the lyrics of these thoughtfully-crafted songs about love, family, spirituality and, yes, roads.
Adding to this effect is the disc's wonderfully gentle, low-key production, with the instrumentation and mixdown being strongly geared toward showing off the vocalist and his lovely melodies. That figures, when one considers that Moir's co-producer on this record is Calgary's Russell Broom, who's put in a lot of time with singer-songwriters over the years; he's probably best known for his lengthy stint as the guitar man in Jann Arden's band, and of late he's been making quite a name for himself as a producer, working on recent projects by CKUA favourites Michael Bernard Fitzgerald and the Dojo Workhorse, amongst others.
With a little help from Broom, Moir played most of the core instruments on the disc -- save for the drums (played by Cary Pratt, a recording artist himself, who makes music under the name Prairie Cat) and some tasteful trumpet, violin and viola here and there. Impressive though he may be as a multi-instrumentalist, Moir has recently assembled a seven-piece band to accompany him live when he officially releases this disc on Saturday, July 3rd, at the Artery in his hometown of Edmonton. Following that, he'll be jaunting off to criss-cross the country on a summertime CD release tour, making the title "Road" seem altogether quite appropriate.
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"Road" CD Review
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On Road, Daniel Moir has put together a collection of well-crafted songs that feel like classics on ...On Road, Daniel Moir has put together a collection of well-crafted songs that feel like classics on the first listen. This full-length debut follows in the same clean, acoustic style as his much-played EP. His singable melodies are catchy and prove Moir’s worth as a seasoned songwriter. You’ll be humming along with “Fruitless Journey” after the first verse. The lyrics of “Halcyon Days” can only be credible on the lips of an Edmontonian: “Summer please come set me free / this winter’s got a hold on me.” This album isn’t just about eternal cold, though. From start to finish, Moir delivers hopeful commentary on picking the pieces up and hitting the road again. He sums things up best with happy-go-lucky resolve on “The Leaving Song,” singing, “Break my back and crush my bones / time will heal what words cannot mend.”
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Vancouver show review
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For anyone who thought the current dirge of singer/songwriters was becoming all too dull and boring ...For anyone who thought the current dirge of singer/songwriters was becoming all too dull and boring here are two superb Canadian performers who offer an exciting variation.
Edmonton-based Stephanie Bosch, 21, and Daniel Moir, 19, are two very talented performers and songwriters who both share an incredible passion for music.
I meet up with the pair before their gig at the Trees Organic Coffee House, in Vancouver, on Friday night (November 12) alongside local singer Cassandra Bangel.
Speaking to them it is clearly obvious that playing, recording and performing music is what they live for.
Bosch explains: “It’s what I want and there’s no back-up plan. Anything I could settle for wouldn’t be as good as this so not making it scares the shit out of me.
“I’m afraid if I don’t reach what I want to achieve in music I’m not going to be happy in anything.”
The pair performed an impressive acoustic set taking it in turns to play tracks, with Bosch performing songs from her debut album Departures and Moir songs from his debut EP The Country And The Sea.
The evening got off to a good start with Bangel’s unique blend of acoustic guitar, using both six and twelve-stringed instruments, piano and her spell-bindingly powerful vocals. Performing a host of her own well-written tracks Bangel also offered up an impressive cover of KT Tunstall’s “Black Horse and the Cherry Tree” and two very entertaining renditions of tracks by The Dresden Dolls.
Bosch and Moir’s styles vary starkly yet also compliment each other well as they alternate on stage. Moir is clearly a very talented musician, as evidenced by his impressive bluesy-folky style guitar picking as well as a number of guitar solos towards the end of the show.
Moir’s music is more chilled out, although still retaining a rocky edge, but the general gist of his music carries a more folky feel as portrayed by his Bob Dylan-esque whistling in “The Buffalo Song” and “Laxadasical.” Comparing anyone to the great Dylan is obviously a dangerous game, but Moir possesses a special musical talent that warrants the comparison – not only is he accomplished on guitar and vocals he also excels on the bass guitar, piano, banjo, drums and harmonica.
Both have a great ability for songwriting, Moir’s style is more relaxed, deep and meaningful whereas Bosch focuses more on the personal emotions that impact upon her life. She has a naturally infectious singing voice with a great knack for writing songs that allow her to easily connect to her audience, such as the singalong “Broken Hearted Fool” with its colloquial style laughing noises and powerful, upbeat chorus.
The pair join up for an impressive cover of “Can’t You See” by the Marshall Tucker Band, which shows off the pair’s talents, in particular a great guitar solo by Moir.
Then Bosch shows off her versatility by playing an acoustic rendition of Marilyn Manson’s “The Beautiful People,” which really portrays the powerful voice she possesses in the strong, loud choruses contrasted by the shows of delicate fragility in her vocals that makes her performance so engaging, as also seen in the songs “24 Hours” and “1982.”
These two young musicians possess the writing and performing qualities and the musical ambition it takes to achieve great success in music and cannot afford to be missed in concert.
To check out Daniel Moir’s music and upcoming gigs visit his MySpace page or buy his songs on iTunes.
Stephanie Bosch will be on tour through January and returns to Vancouver for a special gig during the Winter Olympics at the specially setup Alberta House at 6pm on Saturday, February 20. Her album is available for free download here or visit her MySpace page for more music and tour dates.
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Record Review: Daniel Moir
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At just 20 years old, Daniel Moir has already earned comparisons to the likes of fellow Canadian sin...At just 20 years old, Daniel Moir has already earned comparisons to the likes of fellow Canadian singer-songwriter Dan Mangan, but comparisons aside, the Edmonton native possesses talent well beyond his years. Road is an impressive introduction to Moir's skills as not only a musician but as a songwriter, capable of creating stories like that of "Halcyon Days", a gorgeous folk-pop song that is among the album's highlights.
With the help of producer Russell Broom, Jann Arden's former guitarist and producer, Road is a full realized record chalk full of guitars, string arrangements, pianos and banjos, that showcase the young musicians considerable talent. Though Moir still has room to grow into his vocal stylings, it's the youthful energy of songs like "The Leaving Song" and Moir's naivete that's most charming. Moir's youth plays to his strength given plenty of time for further growth as an artist, don't be surprised to find Moir's name one day listed on Polaris.
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Reviews: Daniel Moir, welcome to Toronto!
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I love this boy.
Listening to his music makes me very happy.
It takes away all the pain of the wor...I love this boy.
Listening to his music makes me very happy.
It takes away all the pain of the world while you're listening and makes you appreciate the small things in life, like a single amazing song.
He plays this cutesy folk pop that features loads of violin and gorgeous female vocal compliments, and at a mere 20 years old he does it with the maturity, wisdom, and pure sincerity of a 50 year old who's already toured the world and is back home writing about his experiences.
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City Spice (Travel Alberta) interview
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Edmonton singer-songwriter Daniel Moir describes his first major solo project as "a sort of alternat...Edmonton singer-songwriter Daniel Moir describes his first major solo project as "a sort of alternative folk rock with lots of melody and sometimes weirdness." A veteran of the Edmonton music scene, Moir fronted Edmonton's Orange in the Light before the group disbanded in February.
Like many great musicians, Moir started playing early. He learned piano from the age of five, followed by drums and guitar. By the age of sixteen, he had already established a name for his band in the Edmonton all ages circuit. Recently, he's been dabbling in banjo, an instrument that fits his evolving, quirky sound. City Spice caught up with Moir to find out more.
Q: How does the city or town that you live in influence the music that you play?
A: Edmonton has a really neat underground music scene which really doesn't get much attention. There's some really great people that are making really great music which of course influences what I do. I get as much inspiration by going out to the local shows and seeing my friends play as I would listening to a big name like Feist on a record.
Q:You're a songwriter alone on a desert island with a tambourine, a singing parrot and a bottle of wine. What's the name of your hit tune?
A:"10 Reasons Why I Wish I had More Wine, Featuring Parrot and Tambourine."
Q: You've got one minute to perform a song for a dictator that will determine whether he lets you live or die. What will you play and why?
A:"Something by Coldplay. Coldplay is bound to make him realize he's just running away from the fact he got no love and hugs from his parents when he was a little boy. Clearly, he would no longer feel the need to kill me. We would have wine together."
-Trevor Tessier of City Spice (Travel Alberta)
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"the Country and the Sea" review
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I first met Daniel Moir when he contacted me about his band, Orange in the Light. That band has brok...I first met Daniel Moir when he contacted me about his band, Orange in the Light. That band has broken up and now this Edmonton, Alberta, Canada artist is going solo with the release of his new EP, The Country and the Sea.
The 5-songs (”The Country and the Sea,” “Vancouver,” “Change the World,” “Maybe Your Light,” “Lilacs”) found on this EP are folk pop based and filled with rich instrumentation, simple yet very interesting song arrangements, fanciful lyrics, and a real sincerity that’s not often heard anymore in today’s music.
Moir describes the music found on The Country and the Sea as, “a sort of alternative folk rock with lots of melody and sometimes weirdness.”
Daniel handles most of the instrumentation (guitar, piano/keys, banjo, bass) and lead vocals. He’s joined on the recording of the release by Vancouver artist, Cary Pratt (Said the Whale, Prairie Cat) on drums and Adaline supplying some very nice female harmony vocals.
Daniel Moir is an artist in the truest sense of the word seeking to make good music, not good money. That trait makes for some really nice music that can be found on this EP.
If you like your music in a folk pop style with a side order of uniqueness then do yourself a favor and get Daniel Moir’s, The Country and the Sea. Fans of artist like, Elliott Smith, Wilco, Sufjan Stevens and Iron and Wine should find a very happy home listening to Moir’s music.
reviewed 8.9/10
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Daniel Moir and Kevin Kane (yes Kevin Kane of Grapes of Wrath)
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If you remember the late '80's and '90's music scene then you probably remember the Canadian Folk Ro...If you remember the late '80's and '90's music scene then you probably remember the Canadian Folk Rock trio Grapes of Wrath. With 6 albums in that time frame and 12 singles off of the album they were one of the most dominant bands on the airwaves (if you don't remember airwaves, they were big before the internet, and broadcasted signals to something called a radio), really dominating here in the Shuswap and through the Okanagan, with them having originated from Kelowna.
Time has passed, and the lead singer/frontman Kevin Kane is well underway on a solo career with his album out titled "The Home Version", he's hitting the road, for a short while. Touring with Kane is Daniel Moir, this Edmonton based folk artist, with only two independent albums under his belt, has been making headway. His songs, many of which inspired by his rough childhood and travels through Europe, has been said to have "created a unique blend of folk music that shines wisdom far beyond his years." Moir seems to have seeked out the who's who of producers when putting together his albums, having worked with both, multi-Juno winning producer Russell Broom (Jann Arden and Sam Roberts) and Tom Dobrzanski (Said The Whale and first year Peak Performance Project winners We Are The City) so you can understand the quality that Moir expects from his music, which I am sure will pass over on stage.
You can catch Kevin Kane and Daniel Moir (click their names here to take a listen) at either Minstrel Cafe in Kelowna on Sept 19th, or Been Scene Coffee House in Vernon on Sept 22nd.
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Daniel Moir and Kevin Kane Announce BC Tour Dates
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Daniel Moir worked with producer Tom Dobrzanski (Said The Whale, We Are The City, Hey Ocean!, The Zo...Daniel Moir worked with producer Tom Dobrzanski (Said The Whale, We Are The City, Hey Ocean!, The Zolas) on his debut solo EP, The Country and the Sea. The album charted on college radio across Canada and was heavily licensed, with the song Change the World appearing in the season finale of NBC’s popular medical-drama, Mercy. Daniel’s sophomore album, Road, was recorded in Calgary, Alberta with multi-award and Juno-winning producer Russell Broom (Jan Arden, Emm Gryner, Sam Roberts), and was co-engineered by David Kean (Björk, Audities Foundation) More info at danielmoir.com
Joining forces with Daniel is Kevin Kane, The Grapes of Wrath’s frontman. The Grapes released 4 international albums beginning with “September Bowl Of Green“ (1985) and the gold-certified “Treehouse“ (1987), and concluding with the platinum-sellers “Now and Again” (1989) and “These Days” (1991). Post-Grapes, Kane released 4 solo albums which included How To Build A Lighthouse in 2007 which was distributed within Canada, Europe, Japan, and the US. It was short-listed for a 2009 Grammy nomination for “Best Pop Vocal Album“. Kevin’s latest release, The Home Version (2011), was produced by Darryl Neudorf (Blue Rodeo, Leeroy Stagger, Neko Case). More info at kevinkanemusic.com
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Daniel Moir Review on Road
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Daniel Moir’s sophomore release, Road, is a masterfully produced collection showcasing the Edmonton ...Daniel Moir’s sophomore release, Road, is a masterfully produced collection showcasing the Edmonton native’s songwriting skills. Road is a rootsy, alternative folk trip that takes the listener on a quasi-cinematic journey through the great Canadian landscape. While Moir himself is a gifted multi-instrumentalist—handling everything from the banjo to the mellotron—he’s supported by an excellent backing band. Jonathan Lewis’ violin work especially helps to create a great sense of atmosphere, whether it be hopeful (“Fruitless Journey”) or melancholic (“John Milyard”).
The sonic variety on Road, from the bouncy, trumpet and piano-laden “Sundrunk” (which almost sounds like an early Rufus Wainwright track) or the sparse, humorous acoustic blues of “Ma and Pa,” is commendable. A particular standout is the moody “Halycon Days” which at times sounds like a mix between Eddie Vedder’s Into The Wild material and the Beatles’ “Norwegian Wood.”
Moir’s impressive songcraft, coupled with his proficient backing band, leaves the listener with one heck of a good folk album. Road is definitely to be brought on any camping and backpacking trips.
