- Scott Roos reporting
Dust off your fedoras because Prince Albert based folkster Wade Fehr will be releasing sophomore EP "Of Ghosts and Graveyards" on Oct. 22nd. The highly antipated follow up to Fehr's April 2019 debut features six songs that are lyrically, literally about ghosts and graveyards. Thematically then, it's an admittedly darker, more bluesy tone for Fehr but it's something, at least in part, that Fehr has been working on for some time
"Both as a listener and as a musician I have a wide range of tastes. There has always been a diversity to my song writing. Over the years I feel like I have developed a sound of my own that carries though whatever style a song is leaning towards. This EP's six songs are all very different from each other musically but still all tie together. I did not plan on it having such a bluesy vibe but that is what came out the other end of the recording process on at least half of the tunes. My last record My Way Back Home was mostly a major key, happy sounding record. Where as this one is dark and all minor key songs," Fehr explains.
The EP was recorded and mixed by Prince Albert's own Joel Rohs who has also worked on Fehr's debut full length entitled My Way Back Home. At the outset, It's evident, at least from the tracks this writer has heard so far, that there is a comfort level that has been achieved with the choices of musicians for this outing as well as the choice of Joel himself who no doubt played a huge part in guiding Fehr through the process this go round.
"After working with Joel on my last record I had no desire to look for someone else (to record and mix the EP). He is such a pleasure to work with. A great musician, recording engineer and an even better human being. This time going into the studio we now had a history together and the process of doing a song was even smoother," Fehr continued, "He knows my music and the direction I’d like to take a song, and I know the ways he can help me get the sound I’m looking for. When I would bring the tunes to Joel they are pretty much a chord progression and lyrics, then together we fill it all in. The songs are all written and arranged by myself with help from my wife Tanya. Joel definitely has a lot to do with how the songs sound comes out on the record,"
At the end of the day, "Of Ghosts and Graveyards" serves to quicken Fehr's songwriting skills and no doubt enable him to make a permanent mark when it comes to being a highly respected musician in the Prince Albert area. Fehr has the proverbial "skills to pay the bills" and seems to always be striving for excellence as a local songwriting talent. Oct. 22nd indeed can't come too soon!
Wade adds via his facebook page:
"Help would be graciously appreciated with the final step of getting this project completed. If you are able I would be extremely grateful if you preordered one of these CD’s. I cannot wait to share these tunes with all of you. CD’s are $10 and will be sent to you as soon as they are printed! (Prior to the release date!)"