Filled with unparalleled vocals often compared to Susan Tedeschi and brilliant musicianship, Bywater Call makes their mark on the Canadian and international Blues/Roots scene with their brand-new album, “Remain”
Formed in 2017, Toronto’s Bywater Call has quickly become one of the most highly anticipated live acts in the Canadian and international Blues/Roots music scene. Their distinctive sound features a seamless blend of Rock, Americana, and Soul, and is highlighted by the explosive vocal talent of lead singer, Meghan Parnell, with a voice coined as one of the “best in Roots and Blues today” by European press. With unparalleled musical craftsmanship, the seven-piece band masterfully communicates through not only their lyrics, but also their sound with the intentional use of each note.
With the release of their debut and only album at the end of 2019, Bywater Call has made a significant impact within their genre. From performing on Global TV’s “Your Morning” to spending eleven weeks at #1 on the Roots Music Canada charts, Bywater Call has been prominently featured on Stingray, Canadian campus radio, and by the International Blues Broadcasters. Lead vocalist, Meghan Parnell, was selected to be a featured performer at the Women’s Blues Review at Toronto’s legendary Roy Thomson Hall, and the Maple Blues Award nominees have also racked up Independent Blues Award nominations, and have been prominently featured on the cover of a top European Blues publication. The group has recently signed with US-based Intrepid Artists International, a booking agency that has been recognized three times by the Blues Foundation as the best agency in the business. In Canada, Bywater Call is represented by Artists in Motion, and in Europe by Teenage Head Music.
Bywater Call’s sophomore album marks a new chapter for the band, showcasing their growth as a group while staying true to their core values of emotion driven lyrics and the highest quality musicianship. “Remain” will be released through Gypsy Soul Records, and was produced by JUNO-nominated label head Renan Yildizdogan and engineered by EMMY-winning and JUNO-nominated engineer, Ross Hayes Citrullo (The Sheepdogs, Mariana’s Trench). The album was recorded in just four days at Jukasa Studio outside of Hamilton, Ontario, with finishing touches added at Ross’s own studio, RHC Music, in Toronto.
Filled with stories both deeply personal and imagined, Bywater Call’s “Remain” is a powerfully moving collection of songs that highlight their exceptional talent as musicians, songwriters, and vocalists. Marking a notable departure from their preferred way of refining their work, the group was unable to perform their latest music in front of an audience until recently. This eliminated the road-testing method the band has typically enjoyed. With songs written about experiences of love, loss, happiness, along with encouraging tracks intended to inspire, Bywater Call’s “Remain” stands out as a project that showcases their evolution both as a group and individual artists.
The title track of the album, “Remain“, is a stand out ballad about the loss of love due to distance, both physical and emotional. From its delicate and sparse beginning to its musically powerful end, “Remain” flawlessly uses both its lyrics and instrumentation to tell the story of an unwillingness to move on. Parnell’s exceptional vocal ability stands out, while fitting in like an additional instrument to the song. With lead track “Left Behind”, the band adds elements of Roots-Rock to their new project. A southern swamp, easygoing, and encouraging track about going for what you want, the percussion filled single is a gentle nudge at changing one’s situation. Soulful ballad “Locked” starts with a delicate church organ and builds into a soaring anthem, rooted in traditional Blues sensibilities with modern elements. The song features a raw, intimate, and delicate vocal from lead singer Meghan Parnell, and builds towards a moving musical and vocal climax. The pandemic inspired love song is focused on Parnell and Barnes’ isolation during Covid.
The album closes with “Bring it Back”, a hopeful, upbeat anthem filled with memorable guitar licks, an energetic solo, rousing horns, and Meghan’s soaring and gritty vocals. A natural closing tune, “Bring it Back” is an encouraging tune about standing up for what you believe in, closing the album on a spirited high note that leaves listeners wanting more.
With their exceptional ability to intricately fuse together a variety of musical genres, detailed musicianship, and unparalleled vocals, Canada’s Bywater Call profoundly takes the Blues/Roots genre by storm with their latest project. Capturing a variety of emotions through storytelling and musical mastery, the band celebrates their growth as artists on “Remain”, their most exceptional body of work to date. Offering listeners comfort and encouragement in the way only the most talented of artists can, Bywater Call’s “Remain” is an exquisite expression of artistic growth by the band, and is sure to delight both old and new fans alike.
“Remain” is available everywhere, now!
Album Release Show: October 7, Toronto – The Rivoli – 7:00pm – Tickets
