FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Canadian Singer/Songwriter Chris LeDrew Releases Third Solo Album
After a span of almost ten years since the release of his award-winning second album Stronger Man, veteran Newfoundland singer/songwriter Chris LeDrew has recorded a new full-length album that is an abrupt and exciting departure from his jangly pop roots. Art of the Confessor is a 9-song collection that features LeDrew at his most atmospheric and metaphorical. Working with producer Joshua Grange (K.D. Lang, Dwight Yoakam, Sheryl Crow) at his Nashville studio Resistor, LeDrew’s sound has gone from straightforward melodic pragmatism to dark Americana and poetic landscapes.
Encouraged by Grange to abandon cerebral lyric writing and tap into the currents of his subconscious thought, LeDrew’s style has taken on a more impressionistic feel. Grange envisioned a more thoughtful, meaningful songwriter than what he was hearing on some of LeDrew’s initial demos, so the duo spent a fruitful three days together in May 2016 at Resistor studio composing the bulk of the album’s material – which accounts for the record’s unified and thematic appeal. In August they reconvened in Nashville to make the recording, utilizing Brothers in Stereo drummer Barry LeDrew to handle percussion and high harmonies. Although the songs had been framed up, many lyrics were yet to be written. Grange set LeDrew up in the lounge of the studio with a stack of philosophy books and a pad of paper. While Grange did preliminary mixes, LeDrew focused on writing draft upon draft of lyrics for each song, presenting them to Grange until they matched the producer’s stringent standards. For ten days the trio bore down on the material, shaping the soundscape of what was to become Art of the Confessor.
The album’s listeners will hear a more introverted and reflective musical and lyrical style, something that LeDrew had initially worried about. Always wanting lyrical transparency and a balance of tempo on a record, LeDrew had a hard time letting go of the notion that an album should prescribe to a certain set of constraints. Grange’s biggest challenge was to push LeDrew out of his comfort zone to create without the burden of audience expectation. The result is an album that breathes new life into LeDrew’s music and promises to take him on an adventure that he would not have experienced had he stayed in his formulaic past.
Update: LeDrew is currently working on his fourth album with producer Cory Tetford, titled Westbound. It is set for a Fall 2020 release.
Contact Chris at info@chrisledrew.com to set up an interview or personal appearance.