Folk Singer Kylie Fox Debuts Sophomore Release "Sequoia"
Featuring the Hauntingly Beautiful Title Trac,k
Burgeoning New Brunswick-based singer-songwriter Kylie Fox is happy to be sharing her second studio full-length, Sequoia, that was made with the support of ArtsNB, Music New Brunswick and Canada Council for the Arts. Sequoia has come to life as an 11-track album, developed with her band and six-time ECMA-winning producer, Daniel Ledwell (Jenn Grant, Fortunate Ones, The Good Lovelies).
Sequoia is deeply rooted in folk-Canadiana elements that have characterized Fox’s career, while also exploring folk-rock and jazz-pop fusion. The album could be described as 70s Sesame Street meets Sharon Van Etten. “The 11 songs that make up Sequoia are reflections on gratitude in relation to the women in my life, my environment, my relationships, and myself.” says Fox. The title Sequoia refers to the source of inspiration for the project which struck upon a news story that told of firefighters working throughout the night to prevent a Sequoia tree from burning in a forest fire. “It resonated with me how severely nature and time have been taken for granted.” concludes Fox. Like Joni Mitchell’s “Big Yellow Taxi,” the collection of songs on Sequoia acknowledge moments when something was taken for granted, while also functioning as pieces of gratitude in and of themselves in how they uplift and celebrate love and life.
The record’s title track features an epic, circus chaos climax at the end, that feels like a life montage. In the song, Fox draws comparisons to how nature is neglected to how she sometimes takes the most important people in her life for granted – something that is pretty honest and can be scary to say out loud.
We recorded Sequoia at Daniel Ledwell’s studio on Lake Echo, Nova Scotia during Thanksgiving weekend. I made a turkey, and chili, and the leaves changed. We watched a horror movie that we still reference. It was very collaborative, creative and cozy and Dan made us feel at home. “Sequoia” was a fun one to work through because I wanted it to build to a chaotic circus climax, so Kelly (Waterhouse) and Dan went wild with their horns and we recorded gong sounds. It was energetic. – Kylie Fox
Freelance Writer
Emily Hinde