Joseph Blood

He’s been called the “Second coming of Gram Parsons” a “true renaissance man” and “one of the classiest musicians you’ll meet”. However you want to see him Joseph Blood strives to entertain and expand his horizons at every turn on the road.

Blood’s career as an acclaimed Vancouver based guitar player has seen him play with groups like Jakalope, Bend Sinister, Crystal Pistol, Nim Vind and Jessica Beach. He has played stages on seven different countries and has shared bills with acts ranging from 2 Live Crew, Demented are Go and Spirit of the West. It doesn’t get more varied than that.

His self produced, debut full length “For Friends and Family” is his foray to the front of the stage. “Hitting all the best parts of modern Americana” Blood’s songs are a blend of dark country, celtic punk and chamber pop. His self described “acid-country” has been winning him fans across North America and Europe as more and more people latch on to his urgent, captivating melodies and songs.

He writes about living on the road, love found and lost and all the booze and heartache that fills up the cracks of life. And he certainly knows what he’s talking about.

After seven years of professionally touring, Joseph has his share of stories. From playing world war 2 army bunkers in Germany to showing up to gigs to find a dead body inside, he has seen just about everything that the road has to offer. Just about.

“That’s why I keep playing,” says Blood. “I’m pretty much unemployable in any conventional sense but I’m able to travel and have all these crazy experiences. There’s always somewhere new to go or someone new to meet. It never stops being exciting.”

Everything/person he comes across may not make it into a song but he certainly has a deep well to draw from. It’s evident in the self-deprecatory “Rock’n’roll is Gonna Ruin My Life” where he sings about loading up a van in the rain at five in the morning and eating nothing but toast. Or perhaps in “East Van Kitchen”, a straight up boot stomper that describes life in a squat in the notorious Canadian district.

“I always see the beauty and comedy in the things that other people might find bizarre or even repulsive. I like to draw out the parts of a situation that allow you to get through it.”

But don’t get him wrong, take a listen to “Best Not to Talk” or “Cemetery Town” and it’s evident that Blood has a distinct connection to the darker, heart breaking aspect of life.

Truthfully “For Friends and Family” is a remarkably diverse record. Four to the floor drinking songs are followed up with minimalist murder ballads. The smarmy swagger of “Whiskey and Wine” has you singing at the top of your longs while the album’s closer “November Morning” is a lush orchestral piece featuring a string quartet. Guest vocal spots from the Be Good Tanya’s Frazey Ford and Toronto’s Rebecca Ramone offer distinct shades of the great collaborations between Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris.

“Life isn’t one dimensional. It’s constantly in flux. Good, bad, love and anger. It’s all part of the same mess we’re in and my songs are just my own way of trying to come to terms with it all. If any one else happens to find something in them that they can relate too than that is just a bonus. It means I’m not totally nuts.”