Here's a song that took a long time to write for some reason. Inspired by tragedy and also, driving back and forth across Canada. 

Lyrics: 

We stayed up all night, drove a hard line through the province
Drank cold coffee, left my thermos on the ledge
Yelling "Yer Favorites" through open windows
Staved off "Full Moon Fever" letting the north wind catch my breath

Switch to the top tank where the treeline breaks
This rusted highway abides the miles
Holding hands along the lake
It's enough to tear
Off the rumble strips as the tires catch
Ill fated providence sends us to the ditch

We drove by vanguard light, the stars, the moon, the sun to guide us
Elk lake serenade us towards our journey's end
We take solace in Lady Evelyn
I reach for my last drop of coffee, throw the empty in the back

Switch to the top tank where the treeline breaks
This rusted highway abides the miles
Holding hands along the lake
It's enough to tear
Off the rumble strips as the tires catch
Ill fated providence sends us to the ditch

We lie beside the shores of Lady Evelyn
Escaped from the wreckage, but not escaped from the wreck
My hands are holding yours, keeping pressure on your bleeding
I'm not leaving cause I'm not sure if we'll ever make it back

Holding hands along the lake
It's enough to tear
Off the rumble strips as the tires catch
Ill fated providence sends us to the ditch

Providence Treelines

Ampetago

Farts and Spoons

Gypsy Blues

Inspired by Michael Ondaatje's "In the Skin of a Lion"
One of my favourite writers

Lyrics:
You free fall into darkness
solitary mercury without the weight
blue eyes curious, Alicia needs you
she picked up your glass and drank, but just for the pain

So many scars all over me
turn on the radio, learn how to speak
blue eyes curious, Alicia needs you
she stayed there until he fell asleep

Asleep before me
and I'd hate to ask, but what is your name?

She looked in the mirror searching for a confession
she turned from her image, her illicit thought
blue eyes curious, Alicia needs you
strangers kiss, oh but softly as moths

Asleep before me
and I'd hate to ask, but what is your name?

Tree change their looks and their names
words on the far side of her skin
blue eyes curious, Alicia needs you
permanent evening, offhand of the veil

Alicia

Automatic Harvest

Ghosts in the Halls

January falls away, highlights were regret and snow
February's misery keeps the rabble indoors
I stand before a calendar
I contemplate next month's theme
the disappointment of monotony 
strikes before the page hits the floor

I call out to the ghosts in the halls
it's important they hear their names out loud
getting pulled back from the veil
away from the dark and the cold

Everyone's home again. The busses all frozen shut
I suit up with my toque and scarf for the wind
the city is alone again
I sing out loud to the rooftops
the streets reply in harmony, 
but only cause no one else is around

I call out to the ghosts in the halls
it's important they hear their names out loud
getting pulled back from the veil
away from the dark and the cold
We call out to the ghosts in the halls
bring them back to a non-ethereal plane
show the world their skill and their grace
and balance the burden of their pain

I remember her sitting there. She said she heard them too
she said, "I'm shy, so I sing when no one's around."
she offered me her name, then she asked me for mine
she said, "it's such a simple thing to hear your name out loud."

I call out to the ghosts in the halls
it's important they hear their names out loud
getting pulled back from the veil
away from the dark and the cold
We call out to the ghosts in the halls
bring them back to a non-ethereal plane
show the world their skill and their grace
and balance the burden of their pain

Ghosts in the Halls

I wrote this tune for a songwriting contest in Leduc, Alberta #rocktheblockcontest2017
Enjoy?

Pioneers of the Prairies

It started with a boon and a basin
the cornerstone of Telford and telegraph station
What shall we name it Mr. McKinlay?
"We shall name it after the first person who comes in."

In through the door came Father Leduc
and the decree rang forth as the community grew

Pioneers of the Prairies
sowed the land, laid the rails
built and rebuilt, firmly prevailed
Pioneers of the Prairies
We hold each other up as we gather 'round the block

R.T's Hotel, she burnt down
rebuilt as the Waldorf as the oil came to town
expanded the fields, always persisting
the land became a village, then a town, then a city

In through the door came Father Leduc
and the decree rang forth as the community grew

Pioneers of the Prairies
sowed the land, laid the rails
built and rebuilt, firmly prevailed
Pioneers of the Prairies
We hold each other up as we gather 'round the block

Pioneers of the Prairies

Prairie Disaster

For all those longs days we worked until close, hopped in the car and drove through the night, no matter the weather, to visit those we love.

River Poets