Shane Ghostkeeper - Songs for my People
Victory Pool
Released July 28th, 2023
Shane Ghostkeeper’s Songs For My People is not a full-scale departure per se, but maybe a step (or more aptly, a two-step) into new artistic expression for the Calgary scene staple. Most obviously, and maybe as a bit of a surprise to listeners familiar with Ghostkeeper’s previous alternative indie work, this is a country and western record. Although not immediately obvious in the first 30-seconds or so of opener “Into the Night”, which begins with a breathy, haunting swell, by the time the train shuffle beat kicks in, it’s clearly apparent that this is an album designed to scoot some boots.
In less experienced hands, the turn from avant-leaning indie alternative towards a “Bakersfield Sound” country album could risk falling into the gimmicky, but Songs For My People is a tender homage from someone clearly deeply steeped in the genre. Ghostkeeper describes the album as “a gift to my people, an exploration of the country & western and roots records they surrounded me with since childhood.” Songs For My People draws influence from artists like Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings, and when dropping to the low end of the register, Ghostkeeper conjures a Johnny Cash-esque baritone drawl. The record pays loving tribute to outlaw country and country rock of the 50s, 60s, and 70s. But it’s not a one-trick pony - in addition to the honky-tonk, Songs For My People pulls from psychedelia and classic rock, and also imbibes these genres with modern indie sensibilities. “Sunbeam” is a personal highlight - a fuzz-drenched psych-rock spiral dripping with groove. His take on classic hymn “Just a Closer Walk With Thee” to close the album is dreamlike and haunting. Vocally, Ghostkeeper applies a diverse vocal approach, ranging from breathy, to percussive, to conversational, imbuing depths of dimension into lyrics that brim with story and personal connection.
And although maybe new sonic territory for listeners, Songs For My People remains true to the elements that make Ghostkeeper’s previous work so compelling, such as 2022’s Polaris Prize long-listed Multidimensional Culture. Although released as a Shane Ghostkeeper record, as opposed to a Ghostkeeper (the band) record, his usual bandmates join on this album, which was also recorded and produced by long-time collaborator Lorrie Matheson. Beyond these pragmatic elements, Songs For My People carries on with Ghostkeeper’s thoughtful, multifaceted songwriting and lyricism - exploring his Paddle Prairie and High Level experiences of family, identity, community, and country music in rich and nuanced ways. As an example, “Hunger Strike'' is a certified beer-hall romp; lilty, fun, and full of vibrancy. But its light, uptempo feel belies the weightier substance of the lyrical narrative, which tells the story of Shane’s Grandmother’s husband, who, in grief of her passing, declared a hunger strike, gathered his loved ones to say goodbye, and passed away on their anniversary. Such juxtapositions help Songs For My People explore the nuanced realities of things like connection and loss in a multidimensional way that draws in even listeners without direct experience with the northern Alberta Métis and Indigenous communities celebrated in these songs. Indeed, the album feels fully invitational: pull up a stool and listen. Shane Ghostkeeper has some stories to tell.
- Chris Lammiman
