A wicked winter storm picked up the lighthouse at Lion’s Head and threw it into Georgian Bay, unceremoniously yanking a sacred local landmark from its plinth. It was January 2020. “This was the second time in recent memory the weather consumed our lighthouse,” says local recording artist Steve Woeller. “The way things are going, I’m pretty sure it won’t be the last world famous monument to go down to foul weather.”

Wiretone Records is pleased to announce the release of Try It Up Here, Woeller’s new solo album. The first single off the album is Brambles and Thorns which will be released on June 4. “It’s a bit of a gospel tinged weather forecast,” says Trace MacKay, Woeller’s partner and bandmate. “The song speaks of levitating landmarks like the Lion’s Head lighthouse and the awesome power of a changing climate.”

“Try It Up Here is a genuine COVID-19 baby,” says Woeller. Like a lot of musicians, I was sequestered with time to reflect on the state of the world and the good fortune to have a place to record basic tracks and a supportive partner/bandmate to keep me fed and washed”.

Try It Up Here was produced at Monastereo Studios, Guelph, by Andrew McPherson over several months in 2021, sometimes in person, often over Zoom and with an array of handpicked musicians including Tyler Wagler on bass guitar, Adam Bowman on drums, Chris Bartos on pedal steel, violin and electric guitar, Lisa Patterson on Accordion, Trace MacKay on harmony vocals. McPherson filled in the gaps brilliantly on keys, synths, bass, vocals and programming.

“I couldn’t be happier with how things turned out,” says Woeller. “It was a joy to work with amazing musicians to interpret and deliver these songs. And It’s wonderful to have the support of our local record label - Wiretone Records -  to help get the album out into the world.”

The first single - Brambles and Thorns is available June 3rd, 2022 online at iTunes/Apple , Spotify, Amazon, Deezer Music, Pandora, Shazam, Spotify, Tencent, and TIDAL. An accompanying video will be released on Youtube to follow.

You can see Woeller live with an ensemble of excellent local players including Trace Mackay, Barry Randall, Dominik Franken and Dan Corcoran. Upcoming dates include: 

• Earthbound Gardens, Red Bay, June 26, 2022

• Harbourside Stage, Lion's Head, July 30, 2022

• Maja's Garden Bistro, Manitoulin Is., Aug 6, 2022

• Earthbound Gardens, Red Bay, Aug 28, 2022

“Try It Up Here'' is meant as an encouragement to my peers, friends and family. Despite these dark days, I think there are lots of things to look forward to, so many reasons to be hopeful and that we need to  explore alternatives with little hesitation if and when we’re stuck.”

source: media release