Before the pandemic, songwriter, musician, and producer Ben Rowley travelled from Vancouver on Canada’s west coast to Montreal in its Mideast. It reinvigorated his music, and Super Pyramid was born.

By Graeme Smith

Feature photo by Josh McLeod

The project has found its way to my attention through their new album, Comment if This Is Paradise!

For the album, Rowley worked with Isaac Symonds, a songwriter, producer, multi-instrumentalist and “Brian Wilson of Montreal.”

Together they’ve created a dreamy, philosophical collection. Elements of the classic are brought to modern relief through pop sensibilities. A smoothness purrs throughout, largely thanks to Rowley’s vocals.

Opener Before & After You is the perfect case in point, and there are other moments that share the vibe. Lonerwave is rich with a sultry soul-searching. Slow & Easy is lush and delicate, and cuts close to the emotional bone. Never Better closes the album in stripped-back and poetic style.

Elsewhere we get brightness and swagger in Better Angels. It Doesn’t Matter is warm and laidback. Only the Vain meanders into folk rock and introduces some charming harmonies.

There are dichotomies of joy and disillusionment, and nostalgia and clarity. “There’s a quote by Louise Glück that I think is the closest thing to explaining what this album is about,” Rowley says. “‘The fundamental experience of the writer is helplessness.’ I’d say helplessness is the fundamental experience of being human.”

Comment if This Is Paradise! is out now, and you can listen to it below.