By Will Yannacoulias
Saskatoon's GreenWing stormed the scene in 2022 with their debut Late Bloomer, an eight-track effort that successfully bottled the explosive energy of their live show and introduced the world to their signature brand of hard, guitar driven, punk-tinged alt rock. Last spring audiences eager for new music from the band were temporarily appeased by the stand-alone single "Dark", but today marks the beginning of the next chapter in the GreenWing story; the debut of "At The Time", the lead single from their forthcoming sophomore release Eatin' It.
"At The Time" is a welcome return to the catchy, uptempo fare GreenWing have built their reputation on. Vocalist & guitarist Matt Stinn relays a story of his friends staging a mental health intervention, but frames the narrative with a wry, cheeky candor that perfectly compliments the jump-rope groove of bassist Travis Williams. Drummer Kolton Kimbley confidently takes the wheel throughout, giving guitarist Anthony Allegretto plenty of freedom to run with his signature creative leads.
"At The Time" is an exciting step for the band as it marks Kimbley and Allegretto's true GreenWing debut. Both joined the band in late 2022 and made their first studio appearance on last year's "Dark", but the track was already written and arranged before they joined. "At The Time" is the first release to be collaboratively created by the current lineup of the band, so we thought it would be fitting to talk to the two new members about the single and the upcoming album.
NSMZ: There's a natural chemistry with the four of you that has been really enjoyable for the audience to experience at GreenWing's live shows in the last year. What's it been like for you two playing with Matt and Travis?
Kimbley: "Playing with GreenWing the past year has been loads of fun! We all clicked together fairly fast at the beginning. Our playing styles matched up perfectly, as well as our ability to write together as a group. All our ideas seemed to fit together like puzzle pieces."
Allegretto: "I joined the band in October 2022, played the two of the biggest shows of my life right afterwards, and it’s been amazing since then. Touring, creating, writing and recording with these guys has been awesome."
NSMZ: "At The Time" comes out of the recording sessions for the new album, which followed on the heels of an impressive touring schedule. What was that studio experience like? Did that momentum and chemistry from the road translate directly into the studio?
Kimbley: "We were out on the road a good chunk of 2023. By the time we hit the studio at the end of the year, we were very confident and eager to release more material as the new lineup. The whole recording process seemed to fly by, we were all focused and had our parts down. It's for sure the tightest we’ve ever been, having a good year of shows under our belt."
Allegretto: "Even though we all had a pretty clear vision of what we wanted this record to sound like, there’s always that magic that happens in the studio, where special things you couldn’t have envisioned beforehand seem to come out."
NSMZ: "At The Time" certainly seems to pick up where the Late Bloomer album left off, delivering more of that loud, catchy goodness GreenWing is known for. What should people expect from the Eatin' It album next month?
Kimbley: "I’m very excited for our upcoming album! All our parts are super heavy and hard hitting, but it definitely has a cool pop influence to it. Lots of catchy choruses and guitar licks.
Over the past year, our sound developed quite a bit from when the band started, and it certainly shows in this new album. I think it showcases perfectly what the new lineup brings."
Allegretto: "We’re really excited for everyone to hear the evolution from the first record, that same GreenWing punk attitude with lyrics you can yell and heavy hitting, catchy rhythms you can jump along to. I think the four of us surprised ourselves a little, and together created something special."
"At The Time" is available now on all streaming platforms. Eatin' It is scheduled for release on March 15th. The Eatin' It album release party is planned for March 23 at Amigos Cantina in Saskatoon.