Joseph Tennant is a Calgary, Canada-based singer songwriter who has just come to my attention through the release of his new EP. Very much a winter record, it straddles the line between hope and melancholy, reflecting on themes such as young love and the end of life.

By Graeme Smith

Across the four tracks of Every Fabric, Every Seam, we go on a subtle but definitively emotional rollercoaster. Things started relatively upbeat with As the River Bends – its reflective acoustic guitar is beautifully punctuated with bright saxophone and playful banjo – and by the time we reach Every Fabric we have come to a philosophical, heart-breaking conclusion.

In between, Make Me New gives us seething anger that gives way to cathartic fun, while Newborn Day bristles with impatient optimism. Joseph describes the latter as the collection’s most accessible track and it certainly has an air of familiarity about its melody, happy whistling and marching percussion. It’s a highlight.

Each moment comes together to create something that feels undefinable genre-wise. It’s folk, I suppose, but there are twists and turns in the compositions which feel positively un-folk-ish, and in just twelve minutes of playing, Joseph manages to bring in elements of rock, jazz and bluegrass.

Perhaps what stands out the most, though, are the lyrics. Deep, intimate and confessional, Joseph bares his soul for us, making the EP’s stories relatable while also casting a fresh, poetic light on the everyday. It was his intention to create a personal record that invites us in and that’s certainly what we get.

I’m always excited when I get to share music from an artist who is forging a new path in the world of music, so it pleases me greatly to be sharing Every Fabric, Every Seam with you. The EP is out now via Dimeless Recordings and you can check it out below.