Shuyler Jansen

Shuyler Jansen leans casually against a coffee shop couch, dressed in an Edmonton Oilers jersey and Ray Ban sunglasses, telling stories about a musical upbringing in a scene still suffering the traumatic effects of drugs and hair metal.

The Edmonton-expat is one of the brave who created a scene for original music in the early 1990s. There weren't many venues to play in, so they often did basement gigs or rented halls to play in.

"Right after Nirvana everything changed. (Before), it was more metal bars. There was that sort of Long & McQuade kind of music where the people that worked at L & M back then wore trench coats and played synths. It wasn't Goth or anything good, it was just crappy sort of coked-out New Wave," he said. "Everything had lots of chorus on it, there was lots of teased blond hair and trench coats, Steinburger basses."

More than two decades into his career, Jansen is old stock in the Canadian music industry. Times have changed for the artist, who began his career crossing the country with Edmonton grunge turned country rock band Old Reliable. These days he's busy parenting three children, working a government job in Saskatoon, going to school and releasing music.

"You don't hang out in people's houses for five days in a row anymore like we used to," he said. Travels have become more focused, a by-product of experience and knowledge of what it takes to keep it working.

"I think the more you tour the more focused you get, or you give up," he said. "Ninety per cent of my friends, not from Saskatoon but from Edmonton, have quit. They don't tour or they don't really even play in bands anymore. It just wore them down."

Jansen relocated to Saskatoon with his family about seven years ago and began working with members of Saskatoon's Deep Dark Woods as his back up band. Jansen possesses a powerful voice, and the musical chops to deftly deliver obscure Neil Young songs or dissect and perform the music of JJ. Cale. Jansen began working with Saskatoon band Foam Lake on a set of Cale covers for a Black Flash magazine fundraiser. The band of brothers have become his most frequent collaborators, joining him on ambitious short tours across North America. Both bands recently showcased in Los Angeles for music and TV representatives.

He remains optimistic for someone who has weathered the ups, downs and sideways parts of the music industry. He's been around as the major labels crumbled and the Internet sped up music consumption. He remembers taking the bus to Sound Connection in Edmonton in the late 1980s and spending five hours listening to vinyl and tapes.

"I think it made it more meaningful," he said, waxing nostalgic about finding a Screaming Trees vinyl or something similarly alternative.

Jansen's eclectic taste has informed his three diverse solo albums. The most recent, Voices From the Lake (recorded in Vancouver with New Pornographers production team JC/DC), strikes a happy balance between Hobotron, his electronic solo debut, and Today's Remains, a haunting roots record. Jansen is a fantastic lyricist, his themes often lean toward disillusionment and disappointment, sadness and melancholy.

This March he'll release a limited edition remix record of songs from Voices From the Lake, featuring luminaries ranging from rapper Cadence Weapon to noise weirdo Holzkopf.

Shuyler Jansen and Foam Lake perform with guests Powder Blue Feb. 10 at the Bassment. Doors at 8 p.m. Admission is $12 for members, $15 for non-members. - Jeanette Stewart

Edmonton born, Saskatoon based singer/ songwriter Shuyler Jansen is going back to his roots in Lethbridge by playing a solo acoustic show at the Slice, March 17 opening for Leeroy Stagger and Cowpuncher. His band Foam Lake is off to South by Southwest in Austin, leaving the Saskatoon roots rocker on his own.

“I’ve actually played more shows acoustic than with the band, but I like to rock,” he said, returning from a family vacation in the United States. They released their Pink Floyd influenced psychedelic roots CD , “ Voice From The Lake,” about this time last year.

“It’s just psychedelic folk rock.There is definitely some Floyd in there and a lot of early ’80s music like the Pretenders, and early Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers,” he said adding the return to his roots resulted in reuniting with his long time friend and drummer Mike Silverman who moved to Toronto and recently returned home.

“We started playing together again and we pushed each other in that direction,” he continued. He noted his show, which will be his first Lethbridge show in about three or four years, will include much of the CD.

“They will sound a lot like they did the first time I played them for a group of people,” he continued. He is pleased to see the Saskatchewan music scene starting to take off including well known acts like the Deep Dark Woods, Library Voices, Rah Rah and lately Rolling Stone magazine cover contest winners the Sheepdogs.

“People here quietly start playing and making great music and they tour a lot. There are a lot of really great bands in the Saskatoon/ Regina area,” he observed.

“If this were Seattle or Halifax in the early ’90s, then this scene would be hyped a lot, but that doesn’t happen anymore. There are too many great records coming out and too many bands,” he observed.

“Hopefully the good ones rise to the top,” he said. Jansen noted he and the band will start writing new music for a new CD which they plan to release near the end of summer. In the meantime, he is working on an electronica project.

“There has always been some low key electronica in my music but it was more off stage. This one is more hard core and includes songs from ‘Voice From The Lake’ but will be more for people who are into techno music,” he said.

He is looking forward to being part of the Prairie Folk Tournament.
“I’m very much so looking forward to it and seeing what it is all about,” he said. - Richard Amery

Top 10 Albums of 2011
2. SHUYLER JANSEN - Voice From The Lake (Scratch)
I have to admit I wasn’t familiar with Saskatoon songwriter Jansen’s pre-vious work with Edmonton alt-country rockers Old Reliable, or with his folk and electro-folk solo albums on Steve Dawson’s Black Hen label. I started instead with this year’s urgent and lush pop/rock album Voice From The Lake, produced by JC/DC (the New Pornographers), with guest appearances by Ford Pier, Amritha Vaz and the Deep Dark Woods. Wedding Band is a catchy nod to Jansen’s earlier straight-up roots songs, Falcon’s Wings (Hellhounds Return) a beautifully distorted sonic exploration, and fuzzy Totally Anonymous has one of the best choruses I’ve ever heard. - Sarah Greene

Top 10 Albums of 2011
2. SHUYLER JANSEN - Voice From The Lake (Scratch)
I have to admit I wasn’t familiar with Saskatoon songwriter Jansen’s pre-vious work with Edmonton alt-country rockers Old Reliable, or with his folk and electro-folk solo albums on Steve Dawson’s Black Hen label. I started instead with this year’s urgent and lush pop/rock album Voice From The Lake, produced by JC/DC (the New Pornographers), with guest appearances by Ford Pier, Amritha Vaz and the Deep Dark Woods. Wedding Band is a catchy nod to Jansen’s earlier straight-up roots songs, Falcon’s Wings (Hellhounds Return) a beautifully distorted sonic exploration, and fuzzy Totally Anonymous has one of the best choruses I’ve ever heard. - Sarah Greene

Saskatoon-based Shuyler Jansen established himself as a blue-collar alt-country rocker playing with Edmonton band Old Reliable, but on this, his third solo record, Jansen proves that his vision goes far beyond the distortion-heavy Motörhead country he once reveled in. With John Collins and David Carswell of JC/DC (The New Pornographers, Tegan and Sara, Destroyer) behind the soundboard, the venerated Vancouver producers were just what Jansen needed to progress musically without completely alienating his former fans. The new LP has its brooding rootsy rock moments that drip with flicks of pedal steel and violins (Work of Art), but is a step sideways from even the electronica-hued solo stuff he released with 2004’s Hobotron. Most memorable are the songs that echo the halcyon days of '80s alternative rock — in particular the slightly psychedelic Totally Anonymous and Kill January with its groggy drone-riffs and sharp, laconic guitar pangs that channel a hybrid form of early Meat Puppets cowpunk and psych-pop. - Julijana Capone

What if, right after recording Tonight’s the Night in 1975, Neil Young and Crazy Horse were hired to score the dystopian 1976 sci-fi film Logan’s Run? Right, odd question.

But what if one of the finest Canadian purveyors of gothic psychedelic country outside of the Sadies made a record with the two guys who produce the New Pornographers and Destroyer? That question isn’t so ridiculously hypothetical, as Old Reliable’s Shuyler Jansen proves by heading to Galliano Island to work with John Collins and Dave Carswell, who help him achieve a towering sound with layers of spacey synthesizers, eerie violins, Hammond organs, and fuzzy electric guitars.

Equally anthemic and haunting, Voice From the Lake shines not just because of the production and arrangements — which are uniformly stunning — but Jansen’s songwriting, which hasn’t been in this fine a form since the 2002 Old Reliable album Pulse of Light / Dark Landscape, an unheralded classic of Canadian alt-country. Though fans of that genre will no doubt love this, it should also introduce Jansen to the kind of wider audience who enjoy Neko Case’s recent material (her guitarist, Paul Rigby, appears here). Either way, his underdog days are soon behind him. - Michael Barclay

I ended up at the Marquee Room to see now Saskatoon-based Shuyler Jansen (he’s originally from Edmonton) playing with the brothers Ross from Foam Lake. These are all dudes who know their way around their instruments and the stage. Watching them play makes me feel awful for not being as amazing at something as they are by now but also grateful for being in a position where I can be at a music festival in Alberta watching them do their thing. Shuyler’s new album, Voice From the Lake, is his best yet and well worth checking out. Foam Lake has an album of their own coming out soon and I can already tell you it’s one of my favourites of the summer. Eyes open on that one, folks. - Dana Durell

Voice From The Lake (Scratch) is a departure for Shuyler Jansen, who’s known for his work with Edmonton alt-country group Old Reliable and rootsy solo recordings with Steve Dawson. The Saskatoon songwriter has embraced his pop-rock side on his third album, produced by JCDC Studios, but says he could have taken it further.

“I don’t think it turned out as weird as I wanted it to,” he says. “It has one foot in a more mainstream world.”

Jansen’s early influences – including Hüsker Dü, the Replacements, the Pixies and REM – are evident in this new direction, a dramatic blend of fuzzy power pop, synths, strings, country and psychedelic rock.

As a lyricist, Jansen isn’t afraid to delve into dark places.

“It’s just depression and all these things that I’ve been battling with personally for years,” he says. “It’s about wanting to do something amazing and actually doing it.”

Jansen is working on new material with Saskatoon brothers Foam Lake and is planning further collaborations with close friends the Deep Dark Woods.

“They also dwell in that dark place,” he says. “So we’re really well suited. They write a lot of murder ballads; it’s a more classical version of what I do.” - Sarah Greene

Now that's more like it. A glorious afternoon and night of music. It began at Kelp Records' barbecue at Global Village backpacking (King and Spadina), where Saskatoon's sextet Slow Down Molasses played engaging rock in a stage space smaller than my downstairs bathroom, before rootsy Shuyler Jansen really dazzled me. His album Voice From the Lake, as I'd written before, had a warm and soft sound, really underlining the lonesome quality in the lyrics of tunes like "Can't See It Changin.' "

Live, it was - to the credit of him and his backing band Foam Lake - much peppier fare. (Not that it quite caused the jaded barbecue audience (music journos and the odd passing-by Aussie backpacker) to explode in enthusiasm, but you don't seem to get that much at NXNE.) His set at Painted Lady later that night reminded me he's a rare songwriting talent, and one not afraid to muck with his sound to add performance energy; with Jansen's low moan of a voice, it was like Richard Buckner, but less poetic and a lot more propulsive.) Even some of the jaded party animals on Ossington on a Friday night were won over. - Garnet Fraser

Saskatoon songwriter Shuyler Jansen and the brothers in Foam Lake pulled off a very good set despite being jammed into a shoebox like space at the back of the Painted Lady on Ossington.

The group played some new material and a John Cale cover, but focused on songs off of Voice From The Lake.

Energetic and raw, Jansen's writing and singing shone through, especially on Totally Anonymous, Wedding Band and Kill January. Some ladies in the audience were howling throughout. - Sarah Greene

Shuyler Jansen isn't who you think he is. Both in his solo work and with his former band Old Reliable, Jansen has long been seen as a purveyor of country and western music. But this isn't everything the man is. On his latest record, Voice From the Lake, Jansen steps out of the alt-country pigeonhole into a rockier sound, looking to cast off whatever preconceptions people had of him.
"People always tend to put [my records] in some kind of specialty-folk or alt-country section in the record store and I'd rather they just put it in the pop section or the rock section, back the way record stores used to be in the early '90s when everything was just in one big section," he says. "I thought that that was such a superior way to have music sold to people."

The record itself describes the struggle he's had with performing over the past couple of years because of a panic disorder. A dark record on first listen, Jansen insists that, in the end, it's full of hope about battling through and walking away, if not totally unscathed, then at least wiser for having the scars.

"I think it's a record about trying to overcome something that's inside of you and just get to the other side and it's working through a dark place back into the light or back into some place positive," he says. "Personally that was what I was going through: battling several things and trying to figure out how to deal with them and walk away from them and not get worse."

One of the things Jansen points to as being the most helpful in overcoming his anxiety was working with a new band, Foam Lake. Composed of four brothers from Saskatoon, Jansen points to them as being the catalyst that got him back onstage and on tour after a couple years of only sparse playing.
"It was just a real positive experience working with them and going down two or three times a week and rehearsing with them," he says. "I was still battling through some of this stuff while this was going on but they helped me overcome the fear of things and start to see the fun in it again and start to see how worthwhile it is to play live and change the songs up all the time and make noise and be psychedelic." - Bryan Birtles

EDMONTON - When Shuyler Jansen was a kid, growing up in the city’s Parkview area, he fell in love with a book about sunken castles, dwarfs and evil witches.

“I guess it’s a fantasy novel about a couple of kids who discover a whole world that exists underneath the cabin that they go to every summer,” says the singer-songwriter, who used to front Edmonton’s country-rock act Old Reliable.

“It’s very Star Wars, Lords of the Rings, but a bit more in the present. I remember carrying it around for years when I was a kid.”

Twenty or so years later, Jansen is still gleaning inspiration from the pages of The Marrow of the World, written by Ruth Nichols and illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman.

His third and latest solo album, Voice From The Lake, features art by Edmonton’s Bob Prodor, adapted from the novel — Jansen is depicted as a sort of medieval warlock in a purple cloak. Jansen’s lyrical themes, of regret and rebirth, hearken back to a life less jaded.

“I think the overall premise of the book — discovering something new that changes you or purifies you — is part of the inspiration,” says Jansen, who now lives in Saskatoon with his wife and three children.

“It also reminds me of that era of my life when I was an innocent kid, just combing the ravines and river valley, always being inspired and discovering new things. On the whole, I think the record is about coming out of a dark place and simplify your life and treat everything like it’s new again, not with a cynical perspective. Trying to be childish again.”

To that end, he’s back in school — studying business administration — and adding new textures to his alt-country songs. In a sense, Voice From The Lake feels like Bon Iver’s self-titled masterpiece — replete with eerie, ‘Is-that-a-guitar-or-synth?’ soundscapes weaving in and out of the folk-roots fabric of the record.

“There’s a lot of people layering albums, which is good because I think it makes it better for the stoners and the lovers of headphones,” says Jansen, who recorded his latest album with Vancouver’s JC/DC team of John Collins and David Carswell.

“Everyone’s on headphones now; you might as well swirl the sounds around your head. The premise of the album was: ‘OK, everybody, get out all your ideas,’ and then we’ll get the scissors out and cut things up. There was TONS of chopping — it was like Paul Bunyan went in there and chopped the whole record up.” - Sandra Sperounes

Later that evening over at the Marquee Room, Shuyler Jansen was backed by the boys from Foam Lake for a set drawing heavily from his new release Voice From The Lake. Gone are the country sounds of his previous group Old Reliable, with an electronic treatment replacing the acoustic vibe he's employed in the past. Still retaining some elements of folk writing though, the songs take on an edgier feel with Foam Lake's electric instrumentation, as Kalen Ross' synth parts added an extra texture to great effect alongside his three brothers holding down the harmonic meat of the tunes. Shuyler Jansen and Foam Lake are pushing the folk/roots label into new and exciting territory, which is leading to more progressive interpretations of what modern folk music can be. - Tyler J. Stewart

Then it was off to The Painted Lady for SHUYLER JANSEN. He’s one of the country’s best singer/songwriters, and tunes from his brilliant new CD, Voice From the Lake, sounded strong live. Bonus points for covering a JOHN CALE song too. He deserved a larger better venue and a more attentive crowd though - Kerry Doole

Shuyler Jansen is best known for his alt-country outfit Old Reliable. The Edmonton quintet was deservedly legendary for channeling The Band and Townes Van Zandt before everyone else hopped on the bandwagon. This isn't Jansen's first foray into solo material but it's definitely far from any country or folk leanings he may have had. This might disappoint twang purists, but Jansen has made a rock record. An epic rock record at that. Recorded with members of Neko Case's band, Ford Pier, Mike Silverman (Old Reliable's former drummer) and John Collins of the New Pornographers, Jansen and band make multi-faceted songs that recall some of the best aspects of shoegaze, post-punk and possibly some of the more experimental aspects of Wilco, Voice from the Lake could have easily come from Chicago, were Jansen not based in Saskatoon. There are the odd songs with a trace of country influence such as "If It's Meant to Be" and "Wedding Band," but the album openers, "Can't See Through Tomorrow" and "Kill January," let the listener know what they're in for. Fans of brooding, intense rock and roll records will be satisfied with Voice from The Lake — not to mention forever free Shuyler Jansen from the alt-country tag. - Spencer Brown

If you lived in Saskatoon, as Shuyler Jansen does, you’d probably want to kill not just January but all the hopeless months between October and May. It’s lyrically bleak, but this searing rocker might offer consolation on a frozen prairie night. - Unknown

If you lived in Saskatoon, as Shuyler Jansen does, you’d probably want to kill not just January but all the hopeless months between October and May. It’s lyrically bleak, but this searing rocker might offer consolation on a frozen prairie night. - Unknown

The quality of this Saskatoon artist’s new record, Voice From the Lake, jumps out and smacks you in the face. His haunting folk rock penetrates the dark prairie night with the flicker of cold neon. With Deep Dark Woods (best band in Saskatchewan) and local folk wizards Harlan Pepper, Wednesday, May 4, at This Ain’t Hollywood - Graham Rockingham

Shuyler Jansen has evolved since his days with well-loved Edmonton alt-country outfit Old Reliable, a fact hammered home with electric guitars, synths and big drums in the first three songs on his third solo album. The recording also sees Jansen move from Steve Dawson’s rootsy Black Hen label to Vancouver’s heavier Scratch.

Production team JC/DC (the New Pornographers) weave their magic throughout, showing off their knack for radio-ready power pop on songs like Kill January and Totally Anonymous. But the album’s dark heart takes you on a nuanced journey to a familiar place filled with Jansen’s baritone guitar and guitarist Paul Rigby’s work. If It’s Meant To Be soars with string arrangements by Amritha Vaz, piano by Ford Pier and backup vocals by the Deep Dark Woods; Wedding Band sounds like a Go-Betweens song; and distortion, percussion and violin mingle on Falcons Wing (Hellhounds Return). - Sarah Greene

JANSEN TRADES ACOUSTIC ROOTS FOR ELECTRIC EFFORT

When it comes to his music, you can call Shuyler Jansen a lot of things, and he’ll take no offence — but be warned, music journalists: one of them better not be the term “alt-country.”

“I’m not frightened to be called a rock, pop, country or folk singer because I’m capable of all of those things depending on my mood,” says Jansen. “But it’s unfortunate that so many horrible, horrible bands aligned themselves with the tag ‘alt-country’ and a shame so many journalists adopted the term as an actual genre/phrase. Some uncreative scribe had to find a hideous way to describe bands that loved Sonic Youth and Gram Parsons — and then came ‘Americana.’ Ugggh!

“The real copout is when a band like The Deep Dark Woods is lazily tagged ‘alt-country’ and every blogger jumps on board; their music is as authentic as the Stanley Brothers or Fairport Convention.”

Thankfully, I didn’t call Jansen alt-country during this interview — because his new album, Voice from the Lake, is a much different animal than his earlier, more country-fried and acoustically-driven work. These days, Jansen is producing music that uses more electric guitar and layered instrumentation, all combined into a unique rock ‘n’ roll sound.

“I’m proud to say that Voice from the Lake sounds nothing like Today’s Remains,” he says. “The songs were barely rehearsed and the only concept discussed was ‘clean abrasion.’ There’s a vague sonic connection to my first album, Hobotron, or some of [my former band] Old Reliable’s Pulse of Light Dark Landscape, but this is mostly an electric powered effort, as opposed to synth- or acoustic-driven.”

Jansen left his former label Black Hen in 2008, and though he admits that it was probably the worst time in music history to shop for a new label, the new songs enticed quite a few labels to take a listen, with Vancouver’s Scratch Records ultimately getting behind Voice from the Lake. The album is available now, and it will also see a vinyl release at some point this summer.

Though he utilized the talents of some old friends and JC/DC studios in Vancouver while making the album, Jansen has taken on Saskatoon group Foam Lake as his backing band as he embarks on several upcoming tours. Foam Lake are the Ross Brothers (Paul, Barrett, Tyler, and Kalen), who are all well known in local music circles thanks to both Foam Lake and several other acts. It’s been an excellent match, says Jansen.

“Working with the Ross brothers came about very naturally through a suggestion from our [mutual] friend Phil Greer,” he says. “Since late in 2009, they’ve spoiled me with their talent, brotherly love, good taste, comedy, knowledge and looks.”

“The songs are always evolving,” says Jansen, “and there are multiple swirling, pulsing, chimey guitar parts, panoramic keyboard textures, and multiple vocal and percussion things going on. Lately we’ve been playing loud, and recently I’ve started dressing like Foam Lake — [even] our facial hair is identical.” - Craig Silliphant

JANSEN TRADES ACOUSTIC ROOTS FOR ELECTRIC EFFORT

When it comes to his music, you can call Shuyler Jansen a lot of things, and he’ll take no offence — but be warned, music journalists: one of them better not be the term “alt-country.”

“I’m not frightened to be called a rock, pop, country or folk singer because I’m capable of all of those things depending on my mood,” says Jansen. “But it’s unfortunate that so many horrible, horrible bands aligned themselves with the tag ‘alt-country’ and a shame so many journalists adopted the term as an actual genre/phrase. Some uncreative scribe had to find a hideous way to describe bands that loved Sonic Youth and Gram Parsons — and then came ‘Americana.’ Ugggh!

“The real copout is when a band like The Deep Dark Woods is lazily tagged ‘alt-country’ and every blogger jumps on board; their music is as authentic as the Stanley Brothers or Fairport Convention.”

Thankfully, I didn’t call Jansen alt-country during this interview — because his new album, Voice from the Lake, is a much different animal than his earlier, more country-fried and acoustically-driven work. These days, Jansen is producing music that uses more electric guitar and layered instrumentation, all combined into a unique rock ‘n’ roll sound.

“I’m proud to say that Voice from the Lake sounds nothing like Today’s Remains,” he says. “The songs were barely rehearsed and the only concept discussed was ‘clean abrasion.’ There’s a vague sonic connection to my first album, Hobotron, or some of [my former band] Old Reliable’s Pulse of Light Dark Landscape, but this is mostly an electric powered effort, as opposed to synth- or acoustic-driven.”

Jansen left his former label Black Hen in 2008, and though he admits that it was probably the worst time in music history to shop for a new label, the new songs enticed quite a few labels to take a listen, with Vancouver’s Scratch Records ultimately getting behind Voice from the Lake. The album is available now, and it will also see a vinyl release at some point this summer.

Though he utilized the talents of some old friends and JC/DC studios in Vancouver while making the album, Jansen has taken on Saskatoon group Foam Lake as his backing band as he embarks on several upcoming tours. Foam Lake are the Ross Brothers (Paul, Barrett, Tyler, and Kalen), who are all well known in local music circles thanks to both Foam Lake and several other acts. It’s been an excellent match, says Jansen.

“Working with the Ross brothers came about very naturally through a suggestion from our [mutual] friend Phil Greer,” he says. “Since late in 2009, they’ve spoiled me with their talent, brotherly love, good taste, comedy, knowledge and looks.”

“The songs are always evolving,” says Jansen, “and there are multiple swirling, pulsing, chimey guitar parts, panoramic keyboard textures, and multiple vocal and percussion things going on. Lately we’ve been playing loud, and recently I’ve started dressing like Foam Lake — [even] our facial hair is identical.” - Craig Silliphant

JANSEN TRADES ACOUSTIC ROOTS FOR ELECTRIC EFFORT

When it comes to his music, you can call Shuyler Jansen a lot of things, and he’ll take no offence — but be warned, music journalists: one of them better not be the term “alt-country.”

“I’m not frightened to be called a rock, pop, country or folk singer because I’m capable of all of those things depending on my mood,” says Jansen. “But it’s unfortunate that so many horrible, horrible bands aligned themselves with the tag ‘alt-country’ and a shame so many journalists adopted the term as an actual genre/phrase. Some uncreative scribe had to find a hideous way to describe bands that loved Sonic Youth and Gram Parsons — and then came ‘Americana.’ Ugggh!

“The real copout is when a band like The Deep Dark Woods is lazily tagged ‘alt-country’ and every blogger jumps on board; their music is as authentic as the Stanley Brothers or Fairport Convention.”

Thankfully, I didn’t call Jansen alt-country during this interview — because his new album, Voice from the Lake, is a much different animal than his earlier, more country-fried and acoustically-driven work. These days, Jansen is producing music that uses more electric guitar and layered instrumentation, all combined into a unique rock ‘n’ roll sound.

“I’m proud to say that Voice from the Lake sounds nothing like Today’s Remains,” he says. “The songs were barely rehearsed and the only concept discussed was ‘clean abrasion.’ There’s a vague sonic connection to my first album, Hobotron, or some of [my former band] Old Reliable’s Pulse of Light Dark Landscape, but this is mostly an electric powered effort, as opposed to synth- or acoustic-driven.”

Jansen left his former label Black Hen in 2008, and though he admits that it was probably the worst time in music history to shop for a new label, the new songs enticed quite a few labels to take a listen, with Vancouver’s Scratch Records ultimately getting behind Voice from the Lake. The album is available now, and it will also see a vinyl release at some point this summer.

Though he utilized the talents of some old friends and JC/DC studios in Vancouver while making the album, Jansen has taken on Saskatoon group Foam Lake as his backing band as he embarks on several upcoming tours. Foam Lake are the Ross Brothers (Paul, Barrett, Tyler, and Kalen), who are all well known in local music circles thanks to both Foam Lake and several other acts. It’s been an excellent match, says Jansen.

“Working with the Ross brothers came about very naturally through a suggestion from our [mutual] friend Phil Greer,” he says. “Since late in 2009, they’ve spoiled me with their talent, brotherly love, good taste, comedy, knowledge and looks.”

“The songs are always evolving,” says Jansen, “and there are multiple swirling, pulsing, chimey guitar parts, panoramic keyboard textures, and multiple vocal and percussion things going on. Lately we’ve been playing loud, and recently I’ve started dressing like Foam Lake — [even] our facial hair is identical.” - Craig Silliphant

JANSEN TRADES ACOUSTIC ROOTS FOR ELECTRIC EFFORT

When it comes to his music, you can call Shuyler Jansen a lot of things, and he’ll take no offence — but be warned, music journalists: one of them better not be the term “alt-country.”

“I’m not frightened to be called a rock, pop, country or folk singer because I’m capable of all of those things depending on my mood,” says Jansen. “But it’s unfortunate that so many horrible, horrible bands aligned themselves with the tag ‘alt-country’ and a shame so many journalists adopted the term as an actual genre/phrase. Some uncreative scribe had to find a hideous way to describe bands that loved Sonic Youth and Gram Parsons — and then came ‘Americana.’ Ugggh!

“The real copout is when a band like The Deep Dark Woods is lazily tagged ‘alt-country’ and every blogger jumps on board; their music is as authentic as the Stanley Brothers or Fairport Convention.”

Thankfully, I didn’t call Jansen alt-country during this interview — because his new album, Voice from the Lake, is a much different animal than his earlier, more country-fried and acoustically-driven work. These days, Jansen is producing music that uses more electric guitar and layered instrumentation, all combined into a unique rock ‘n’ roll sound.

“I’m proud to say that Voice from the Lake sounds nothing like Today’s Remains,” he says. “The songs were barely rehearsed and the only concept discussed was ‘clean abrasion.’ There’s a vague sonic connection to my first album, Hobotron, or some of [my former band] Old Reliable’s Pulse of Light Dark Landscape, but this is mostly an electric powered effort, as opposed to synth- or acoustic-driven.”

Jansen left his former label Black Hen in 2008, and though he admits that it was probably the worst time in music history to shop for a new label, the new songs enticed quite a few labels to take a listen, with Vancouver’s Scratch Records ultimately getting behind Voice from the Lake. The album is available now, and it will also see a vinyl release at some point this summer.

Though he utilized the talents of some old friends and JC/DC studios in Vancouver while making the album, Jansen has taken on Saskatoon group Foam Lake as his backing band as he embarks on several upcoming tours. Foam Lake are the Ross Brothers (Paul, Barrett, Tyler, and Kalen), who are all well known in local music circles thanks to both Foam Lake and several other acts. It’s been an excellent match, says Jansen.

“Working with the Ross brothers came about very naturally through a suggestion from our [mutual] friend Phil Greer,” he says. “Since late in 2009, they’ve spoiled me with their talent, brotherly love, good taste, comedy, knowledge and looks.”

“The songs are always evolving,” says Jansen, “and there are multiple swirling, pulsing, chimey guitar parts, panoramic keyboard textures, and multiple vocal and percussion things going on. Lately we’ve been playing loud, and recently I’ve started dressing like Foam Lake — [even] our facial hair is identical.” - Craig Silliphant

Shuyler Jansen is a familiar name in the Prairies - having put in a decade in Edmonton country-rock staple Old Reliable before decamping to Saskatoon and going solo. But his new album Voice From the Lake has more to offer than twang and lovelorn lyrics; it's got a warm, fully produced sound - courtesy Vancouver producers David Carswell and John Collins - that reminds me a bit of John Grant, whose Queen of Denmark was tapped by MOJO as beingthe top album of last year - Garnet Fraser

Shuyler Jansen is a familiar name in the Prairies - having put in a decade in Edmonton country-rock staple Old Reliable before decamping to Saskatoon and going solo. But his new album Voice From the Lake has more to offer than twang and lovelorn lyrics; it's got a warm, fully produced sound - courtesy Vancouver producers David Carswell and John Collins - that reminds me a bit of John Grant, whose Queen of Denmark was tapped by MOJO as beingthe top album of last year - Garnet Fraser

Shuyler Jansen’s psychedelic sounds
Saskatoon songsmith broadens his range on new album
By Kerry Doole

Saskatoon - based singer/songwriter Shuyler Jansen has long been a critical favourite of the music press, but the wider recognition his work richly deserves has thus far eluded him. Hopefully, that may change with the release of his third solo album, Voice From The Lake. It has been receiving near-unanimous high praise, and Jansen is suitably pleased. “I’m always happy when people take the time to get into it and dig it. It is just kind of a privilege to play music in this day and age. It is so tough, just to afford to make records and tour, so I’m very happy and very grateful to be doing it.”

Fiscal realities mean Jansen can’t always tour with the full cast that help make Voice From The Lake such a sophisticated and atmospheric record. “It is a little frustrating not to be able to take the band everywhere and play the psychedelic rock version of the record,” he admits. “It’s a matter of what shows you’re getting and your budget. We’ll be out your way in June with the full band and I’m looking forward to those performances too.”

Prior to that, Toronto fans can get a taste of the new album when Jansen plays The Dakota on May 5. “On this tour, I am mostly opening up solo for The Deep Dark Woods [excellent Saskatoon roots-rockers]. I play acoustic guitar and I use bass pedals that create low synth-organ basslines. What I have to do is take a step back and rather remember how the songs were when I wrote them in a mostly stripped-down fashion.”

There is nothing stripped down about the sound of the album, however. It was recorded in Vancouver and on Galliano Island with ace producers/engineers David Carswell and John Collins. This team has crafted acclaimed albums by the likes of The New Pornographers, Destroyer, and Tegan & Sara, and Jansen gave them real creative input on his record. “Obviously working with those guys there will be a shaped sound that happens all the time. I didn’t ask anything of them in particular. We just assembled this group of people, and Paul Rigby had as much to do with shaping the album as those guys did.”

Guitar ace Rigby plays pedal steel, electric and acoustic guitars and bass on the album, and Jansen gave his talents full rein. “I told him, ‘lay down every idea you have, and we’ll pick and choose when we mix.’ I think he really enjoyed that freedom. In the end it was predominantly David Carswell and Paul who did the most work on the record. John was busy touring with The New Pornographers, but Paul and Dave were there every day through the whole thing.”

Rigby is best known as a longtime guitarist with Neko Case, an artist who is an appropriate reference point for Jansen’s career. Given the adventurous soundscapes Case now sculpts, she can no longer be pigeonholed as a country-folk artist, and Jansen’s work on Voice From the Lake similarly defies genre definition.

Other notable players on Voice From the Lake include violinist/harmony singer Kendel Carson, violinist Amritha Vaz, and drummer Mike Silverman, a member of Jansen’s previous band, Old Reliable. That Edmonton-based alt-country band put out four albums between 1999 and 2005, and were regional favourites. They never officially broke up, and Jansen doesn’t discount the chances of future work together. In fact, Jansen is featured on an imminent new record by fellow Old Reliable songsmith Mark Davis.

Jansen’s first solo record, 2005’s Shuyler Jansen’s Hobotron, was an interesting fusion of electronica and roots music, while his 2007 album, Today’s Remains, was a brilliant work that showcased his full talent as a singer and songwriter. He agrees with the observation that Voice From The Lake can be
viewed as a synthesis of those previous elements. “I wasn’t really happy doing one or the other. I think this is a combination of the best of both worlds. It is not predominantly roots or electronic or rock. It’s just nice to be able to do whatever you want.”

He is committed to the concept of constant change as an artist. “I think over the span of a career that is the best thing any musician can do or should do. In the moment, that can be challenging for fans or the media or even the people you play with.They don’t know where to group you the whole time. I just like the idea of really trying to change it. It’d be nice to put out something so different that people wouldn’t know how to take it, but that’d take a lot of guts and hard work. Like a weird techno record. Maybe one day!”

Voice From the Lake is now out on Scratch Records. Shuyler Jansen plays the Dakota on May 5. - Kerry Doole

Shuyler Jansen’s psychedelic sounds
Saskatoon songsmith broadens his range on new album
By Kerry Doole

Saskatoon - based singer/songwriter Shuyler Jansen has long been a critical favourite of the music press, but the wider recognition his work richly deserves has thus far eluded him. Hopefully, that may change with the release of his third solo album, Voice From The Lake. It has been receiving near-unanimous high praise, and Jansen is suitably pleased. “I’m always happy when people take the time to get into it and dig it. It is just kind of a privilege to play music in this day and age. It is so tough, just to afford to make records and tour, so I’m very happy and very grateful to be doing it.”

Fiscal realities mean Jansen can’t always tour with the full cast that help make Voice From The Lake such a sophisticated and atmospheric record. “It is a little frustrating not to be able to take the band everywhere and play the psychedelic rock version of the record,” he admits. “It’s a matter of what shows you’re getting and your budget. We’ll be out your way in June with the full band and I’m looking forward to those performances too.”

Prior to that, Toronto fans can get a taste of the new album when Jansen plays The Dakota on May 5. “On this tour, I am mostly opening up solo for The Deep Dark Woods [excellent Saskatoon roots-rockers]. I play acoustic guitar and I use bass pedals that create low synth-organ basslines. What I have to do is take a step back and rather remember how the songs were when I wrote them in a mostly stripped-down fashion.”

There is nothing stripped down about the sound of the album, however. It was recorded in Vancouver and on Galliano Island with ace producers/engineers David Carswell and John Collins. This team has crafted acclaimed albums by the likes of The New Pornographers, Destroyer, and Tegan & Sara, and Jansen gave them real creative input on his record. “Obviously working with those guys there will be a shaped sound that happens all the time. I didn’t ask anything of them in particular. We just assembled this group of people, and Paul Rigby had as much to do with shaping the album as those guys did.”

Guitar ace Rigby plays pedal steel, electric and acoustic guitars and bass on the album, and Jansen gave his talents full rein. “I told him, ‘lay down every idea you have, and we’ll pick and choose when we mix.’ I think he really enjoyed that freedom. In the end it was predominantly David Carswell and Paul who did the most work on the record. John was busy touring with The New Pornographers, but Paul and Dave were there every day through the whole thing.”

Rigby is best known as a longtime guitarist with Neko Case, an artist who is an appropriate reference point for Jansen’s career. Given the adventurous soundscapes Case now sculpts, she can no longer be pigeonholed as a country-folk artist, and Jansen’s work on Voice From the Lake similarly defies genre definition.

Other notable players on Voice From the Lake include violinist/harmony singer Kendel Carson, violinist Amritha Vaz, and drummer Mike Silverman, a member of Jansen’s previous band, Old Reliable. That Edmonton-based alt-country band put out four albums between 1999 and 2005, and were regional favourites. They never officially broke up, and Jansen doesn’t discount the chances of future work together. In fact, Jansen is featured on an imminent new record by fellow Old Reliable songsmith Mark Davis.

Jansen’s first solo record, 2005’s Shuyler Jansen’s Hobotron, was an interesting fusion of electronica and roots music, while his 2007 album, Today’s Remains, was a brilliant work that showcased his full talent as a singer and songwriter. He agrees with the observation that Voice From The Lake can be
viewed as a synthesis of those previous elements. “I wasn’t really happy doing one or the other. I think this is a combination of the best of both worlds. It is not predominantly roots or electronic or rock. It’s just nice to be able to do whatever you want.”

He is committed to the concept of constant change as an artist. “I think over the span of a career that is the best thing any musician can do or should do. In the moment, that can be challenging for fans or the media or even the people you play with.They don’t know where to group you the whole time. I just like the idea of really trying to change it. It’d be nice to put out something so different that people wouldn’t know how to take it, but that’d take a lot of guts and hard work. Like a weird techno record. Maybe one day!”

Voice From the Lake is now out on Scratch Records. Shuyler Jansen plays the Dakota on May 5. - Kerry Doole

Full disclosure time: I played music with Shuyler Jansen for most of a decade, and while you could argue that should disqualify me from commenting on his new album, the third under his own name, I would argue that I’ve had a better than average chance to observe the evolution of the Edmonton-born, Saskatoon-based singer-songwriter-autodidact. Ambitious is a pale adjective for his discography to date—Jansen’s writing and arranging have long strived for the heights attained by his genre-spanning top-drawer influences—and Voice of the Lake is no different, drenching a slate of 10 originals in gorgeous, fathoms-deep musical layers expedited by a starry (in the Canadian indie music sense) supporting cast that includes the New Pornographers’ John Collins and Neko Case/Calexico conspirator Paul Rigby. Songs like “If It’s Meant to Be” and “Falcons Wing” exemplify the melding of Jansen’s inspired songcraft with sophisticated arrangements embroidered with shimmering, moodily melodic interpolations of guitar, keyboard, strings and keys, even as they flaunt the aggravatingly random use of apostrophes endemic to the lyric sheet. He might moan “Where has my vision gone?” on the album’s opening track, but it’s manifest throughout that Jansen’s vision isn’t just intact—it matures with every trip to the studio. - Scott Lingley

Recorded with a cast of skilled Vancouver musicians, Voice From The Lake evidently is a Saskatchewan product. Jansen makes a powerful introduction with "Can't See Through Tomorrow," which acts as a statement and reveals some of his character. It's a song rich in drama and is arrestingly brooding. Too bad the album doesn't live up to the promise created by the opener but Jansen does have his moments that raise this above ordinary singer/writer fare: The imploring "Kill January," or contained energy of "Wedding Band" or angry moodiness of "Falcon's Wing" that suggest Richard Thompson for examples. - Tom Harrison

Recorded with a cast of skilled Vancouver musicians, Voice From The Lake evidently is a Saskatchewan product. Jansen makes a powerful introduction with "Can't See Through Tomorrow," which acts as a statement and reveals some of his character. It's a song rich in drama and is arrestingly brooding. Too bad the album doesn't live up to the promise created by the opener but Jansen does have his moments that raise this above ordinary singer/writer fare: The imploring "Kill January," or contained energy of "Wedding Band" or angry moodiness of "Falcon's Wing" that suggest Richard Thompson for examples. - Tom Harrison

Like many Saskatoon music-listeners, I first heard Shuyler Jansen play at Amigos Cantina after he relocated here from Edmonton, leaving behind his alt-country band Old Reliable.

Jansen has released three solo records since playing with Old Reliable, the most recent being Voice from the Lake, released on Vancouver’s Scratch Recordings.

Voice from the Lake is unlike anything Jansen has put out to date. While Hobotron (2003) and Today’s Remains (2007) are undoubtedly strong albums, both are very conscious of the genres they are working within. Hobotron (as the name suggests) is an active melding of electronic and country, while Today’s Remains is essentially working within the alt-country framework. Voice from the Lake contains elements of many genres without actively trying to subvert, adhere to or resist them. The result is an album that goes where it needs to go.

Sure, there are songs that are essentially country songs with more effects like “Wedding Band,” but that’s beside the point. The point is that the concerns of individual songs are first and foremost. Howling synthesizers meld into whining pedal steel; thickly distorted guitars sit atop tribal drumbeats.

If the music is self-assured, the lyrics are the opposite. Full of questions and broken images, the lyrics express confusion, mystery and longing. The cover features a sketch of Jansen, wearing what look to be elven robes, surrounded by purplish-blue, wind-swept faces. Strangely, the cover image seems to capture the mood of the album: experimental, idiosyncratic and loud. And if you’re looking for lyrics to match the strangeness of the cover art, check out “Brand New Wick.”

The combination of heavy reverb, melody, effects, enigmatic lyrics and rapidly shifting moods makes Voice from the Lake somewhat reminiscent of late ’90s alt-rock.

In any case, Voice from the Lake is an unrestrained and powerful album. On “Don’t See it Changin’” Jansen asks, “Where’d I learn to keep my guard up?” But Jansen has dropped his guard and created a cool and unique new record. - Greg Reese

Like many Saskatoon music-listeners, I first heard Shuyler Jansen play at Amigos Cantina after he relocated here from Edmonton, leaving behind his alt-country band Old Reliable.

Jansen has released three solo records since playing with Old Reliable, the most recent being Voice from the Lake, released on Vancouver’s Scratch Recordings.

Voice from the Lake is unlike anything Jansen has put out to date. While Hobotron (2003) and Today’s Remains (2007) are undoubtedly strong albums, both are very conscious of the genres they are working within. Hobotron (as the name suggests) is an active melding of electronic and country, while Today’s Remains is essentially working within the alt-country framework. Voice from the Lake contains elements of many genres without actively trying to subvert, adhere to or resist them. The result is an album that goes where it needs to go.

Sure, there are songs that are essentially country songs with more effects like “Wedding Band,” but that’s beside the point. The point is that the concerns of individual songs are first and foremost. Howling synthesizers meld into whining pedal steel; thickly distorted guitars sit atop tribal drumbeats.

If the music is self-assured, the lyrics are the opposite. Full of questions and broken images, the lyrics express confusion, mystery and longing. The cover features a sketch of Jansen, wearing what look to be elven robes, surrounded by purplish-blue, wind-swept faces. Strangely, the cover image seems to capture the mood of the album: experimental, idiosyncratic and loud. And if you’re looking for lyrics to match the strangeness of the cover art, check out “Brand New Wick.”

The combination of heavy reverb, melody, effects, enigmatic lyrics and rapidly shifting moods makes Voice from the Lake somewhat reminiscent of late ’90s alt-rock.

In any case, Voice from the Lake is an unrestrained and powerful album. On “Don’t See it Changin’” Jansen asks, “Where’d I learn to keep my guard up?” But Jansen has dropped his guard and created a cool and unique new record. - Greg Reese

Not quite country, not quite folky, but rootsy in the way Blue Rodeo is earthy but sophisticated. Jansen is a good songwriter given a varied production by Steve Dawson that is almost symphonic in its sweep -- when do fiddles become violins? -- and appealing. - Tom Harrison

There's a glut of singer-songwriter alt-country records out there, so fans of the genre are rightfully wary. However, Shuyler Jansen, of Edmonton band Old Reliable, does it better than most, and Today's Remains' dusty lost-love laments don't waste your time. - Shawn Conner

The ambient-country soundscapes of Shuyler Jansen's first album, Hobotron, are yesterday's remains. The Edmonton native opts for a more traditional approach on his latest roots effort, produced by guitar whiz and label boss Steve Dawson. Organs hum, strings weep, drums shuffle and guitars gently trot while Jansen recounts tales of lost souls, horse races, jealous girls and naive boys. As a result, Today's Remains isn't as sweeping as his debut, emotionally or sonically, and isn't quite as captivating. Jansen bursts out of the gate with five strong numbers -- particularly the wistful, prancing Pegasus and the hauntingly gorgeous Windswept -- but
runs out of steam before he gets to the finish line.
- Sandra Sperounes

The ambient-country soundscapes of Shuyler Jansen's first album, Hobotron, are yesterday's remains. The Edmonton native opts for a more traditional approach on his latest roots effort, produced by guitar whiz and label boss Steve Dawson. Organs hum, strings weep, drums shuffle and guitars gently trot while Jansen recounts tales of lost souls, horse races, jealous girls and naive boys. As a result, Today's Remains isn't as sweeping as his debut, emotionally or sonically, and isn't quite as captivating. Jansen bursts out of the gate with five strong numbers -- particularly the wistful, prancing Pegasus and the hauntingly gorgeous Windswept -- but
runs out of steam before he gets to the finish line.
- Sandra Sperounes

Wow. Talk about a lead off hitter. The opening number, Pegasus, clocks in at 5:15 seconds and still somehow feels too short! Shuyler's narrative about a down on her luck young female who gets hit hard by life makes the epic fly by like a page turning novel. Unlike his last release - the genre crossing Hobotron -Shuyler stays true to the elements (infidelity, lost love, regret and addiction) and sounds (dusty trail guitar work and nice female harmonies) of traditional country on Today's Remains.

He still adds some interesting elements to modernize the songs (like the keyboard work on Today's Remains), but the focus of this record is definitely Shuyler's lyrics. There are countless ways to try to describe his lyrics, but in reality, he's just a good story teller. Don't Ask Why and Cowgirls use more nice keyboard work to really kick them up a notch, but the songs don't need the extra help. Shuyler can lure you in with simple guitar driven ditties like Jealous Girl or Chief. For fans of good country music, Shuyler would be a nice addition to your collection.
- http://www.herohill.com/2007/09/country-corner.htm

Saskatoon (by way of Vancouver) is home to Shuyler Jansen. Jansen's second solo record is vocally reminiscent of Dwight Yoakam and musically influenced by country music from when it was really country, not CMT and civic center commercialized drivel.

Modestly clocking in at just over forty minutes, Today's Remains (Black Hen Music, 2007) opens with a jaunty dramatic ditty ("Pegasus") that introduces ten songs of tales tall and true. With sliding guitars, pedal steel ("Rivals") and dulcet strings (title track), Today's Remains continues Jansen's challenge to storytellers like Willie Nelson and songwriters like Tom Petty, stirring together genres to form a dusty and leathery country record that is unfortunately too clever and well-done to succeed on American country radio.
- http://blawk359.blogspot.com/2007/10/shuyler-jansen-todays-remains.html

Shuyler Jansen: A new hometown
Shuyler Jansen forms new bonds in Saskatoon

Moving can be a tough row for anyone to hoe, but it holds a special challenge for a musician: so much of what happens in music, from finding the right guys for a band to getting some cheap and plentiful studio space to slipping onto the right bill comes from the ties you make in the community, and there's no guarantee that those ties will follow you to your new home, or that you'll be able to make new ones.

Fortunately for Shuyler Jansen, who pulled up roots and left his long-time Edmonton home to settle down in Saskatoon some four years ago, the transition has been a relatively smooth one. No doubt helped by some name-recognition from his days in alt-country stalwarts Old Reliable, Jansen has found himself welcomed into our Saskatchewinian sister city with open arms—despite the fact that three kids and a wife have made him a bit less social than he was as an up-and-coming musician in our fair city.

"It's taken me a while to kind of work my way in: I don't really party like I used to. There was a time when I would be at the Black Dog two nights a week, but I don't really go for pints on a regular basis anymore," Jansen explains in his low, gritty baritone, the voice that's always made him a perfect fit for singing songs about prairies and hurt. "But, I mean, just like in Edmonton, there's an artistic community that you get to be a part of as a musician. Actually, what I find here is that I don't really have any friends who aren't artists, which kind of has its ups and downs."

One of the definite ups has been the chance for collaboration, of which Jansen has taken full advantage. Though he's been busy with solo work—the electronic-tinged Hobotron was released not long before his move, though his time in the wheat fields led to the more roots-showing follow-up Today's Remains in 2008, and he has another on the way this year—and a second career scoring film music (including Hank Williams First Nation), some of Jansen's most fruitful work has come helping out with a few of Saskatoon's more interesting acts.

First there was his year-long collaboration with the down-home Deep Dark Woods, with he and the fivesome trading off supporting duties on a few cross-country tours. More recently, he has hooked up with Foam Lake—the Hobotron to Deep Dark Woods' Today's Remains—who are doing a similar double duty on this tour through Alberta. By now, Jansen is adept at finding the middle ground between being a singer-songwriter in your own right and fitting in with the established dynamics of a band, though Foam Lake is a pretty unique situation: the foursome aren't just bandmates, they're brothers.

One would think that working your way in to a dynamic that's literally been built over a lifetime would be an imposing task, but Jansen has found that the family bond actually makes the whole process smoother.

"It's almost easier because they're brothers, because there's a communication that you can sense going on right way," explains Jansen knowingly. "They sort things out like brothers, whereas I find when you work with other musicians there's always those moments of non-communication death. And if it doesn't come out, it can get rough.

"I mean, working with the Woods was kind of a longer process, and we went through all kinds of highs and lows, with me being the third wheel or sixth wheel or whatever you want to call it," he continues. "When you're a songwriter, you never quite know how it's going to work with people, but this has been good. They're kind of an anamoly, four blood brothers who play in a band together, but it's really fun kind of being the fifth, adopted stepbrother type of thing."

I guess check that note about it being harder for musicians to move: Jansen has gone from newcomer to adopted brother. It can't be too long before he gets a key to the city - David Berry

Shuyler Jansen Nabs New Pornographers' John Collins, Ford Pier and Deep Dark Woods for New LP

Folk singer Shuyler Jansen is based out of Saskatoon, SK, but his latest LP features contributions from some of the who's who of the Vancouver music scene. It makes sense then that the album, entitled Voice from the Lake, will be out digitally on February 22 and in stores on March 29 via Vancity institution Scratch Records.

The ten-song collection was recorded in Vancouver by the production team of John Collins and Dave Carswell. Sessions took at place at JC/DC Studios, which has played host to beloved Vancouver acts like the New Pornographers, Destroyer and Apollo Ghosts.

Among the musicians who appear on the album are Vancouver's Ford Pier on keyboards and Neko Case collaborator Paul Rigby on guitar. Members of the Saskatchewan folk rock outfit Deep Dark Woods also provided backing. According to a press release, the album marks a "departure from his [Jansen's] former alt-country tag into the farther reaches of his musical personality."

Go to MySpace to listen to three album tracks and expect Jansen to hit the road this spring with his new backing band, Foam Lake. In the meantime, check out the LP tracklist below.

Voice from the Lake:

1. "Can't See Through Tomorrow"
2. "Kill January"
3. "Totally Anonymous"
4. "If It's Meant to Be"
5. "Wedding Band"
6. "Falcon's Wing"
7. "Brand New Wick"
8. "Inseparable"
9. "Work of Art"
10. "Don't See It Changin'" - Alex Hudson

BRINGIN’ THE ROCK

Shuyler Jansen has been a mainstay in Saskatoon’s country-folk scene for years, so it might come as a bit of a surprise that he’s hanging up his cowboy hat — at least for now. Although he’s had plenty of success as an alt-country, roots-folk artist, Jansen’s new album, Voice From the Lake, is most definitely a rock album with plenty of indie-pop sensibilities.

It might sound like a departure — but as Jansen says, it’s more of a return.

“It’s definitely a new beginning,” says Jansen, who released several albums with the Edmonton-based alt-country group Old Reliable before reaching out as a solo artist. “But it’s more accurate to say that I’m going back to playing the music I played when I was younger, before I got diverted into the roots thing. When I was younger I was into Husker Du, The Replacements and Dinosaur Jr., so I feel like I’m heading back in that direction.

“I guess playing with Mike [Silverman] again — the drummer who I played with in my early bands — pushed me towards rock,” he says. “He basically said ‘fuck you and your dumb country folk music’ — except it was probably more vulgar than that.”

After leaving Old Reliable, Jansen released his first solo outing, Hobotron, in 2004 — a record that combined elements of both folk and electronica. On his second solo album, Today’s Remains, Jansen began delving into roots music — although roots music with a “dirge ballad” twist, as he puts it.

Voice From The Lakeis definitely a transition, but it’s also one that makes sense in terms of the songs he’s always been writing, says Jansen.

“I think a lot of my material could have been rock songs if I really wanted them to be,” says Jansen.

Along with a new musical direction, Jansen says the business side of his career is also in transition — and, just like switching up his sound, the process has been daunting and exciting at the same time.

“I’ve got to pick and choose my battles this year — we’re going to Europe later this year, and I’m hoping to find a licensing deal and an agent over there. Now that I’ve switched labels I have to do everything all over again — and the music is different, so I can’t play the same clubs I played at before.” - Chris Morin

Shuyler Jansen moves beyond alt-country

Saskatoon’s Shuyler Jansen is shedding his alt-country tag on his newest album, a “ghostly folk rock” record called Voice From the Lake. It’s a change in sound that might surprise some listeners, Jansen hopes in a good way.

“I was getting sick of being known as one sort of music movement. But I’ve always been interested in artists that switch genres all the time like Neil Young, Bob Dylan and Tom Waits, people like that. It’s natural for me to do that,” he said.

Voice From the Lake was recorded in Vancouver by JC/DC (Destroyer, New Pornographers). It features contributions from guitarist Paul Rigby, drummer Mike Silverman, keyboardist Ford Pier and members of The Deep Dark Woods.

Jansen is keeping the lake theme going with his new backup band Foam Lake. The quartet of Saskatoon’s Ross brothers are lending the live show a real rock feel, a change from the decidedly more country tone of Jansen’s solo or Deep Dark Woods-backed concerts.

The perk of working with a group of siblings is that arguments are always resolved, Jansen said.

“All bands are temperamental and emotional. But with brothers the best part about it is that everything gets resolved because these are guys that are going to stick together forever,” he said.

Voice From the Lake will be digitally released on Tuesday. Physical copies will be available March 29. A CD release party for Voice From The Lake will be held Friday at Amigo's.

THE FACTS

- Favourite thing about Voice From the Lake: It’s the first album I’ve made in many years with my best friend Mike Silverman, he plays drums on the record. We grew up playing music together.

- New song you’re most excited to play: I’ve been really enjoying playing Totally Anonymous, the third song from the record.

- Last music-related purchase: I haven’t bought it yet, but I’m going to buy it, the new Gruff Rhys album, the guy from Super Furry Animals. He was streaming his new record, Hotel Shampoo, on his website and it’s really, really good.

- First song you remember learning to play: I had this really funny Phys. Ed. teacher in junior high when I first picked up guitar and he was kind of a Christian, easy-hard rock guy. He liked Boston. He taught me several Boston songs. As far as songs I was interested in I was trying to learn Neil Young Crazy Horse songs.

- Nickname(s): Lately a couple of the guys have been calling me Dad or Grandpa or Pops, just because I have kids and I’m the oldest one out of the group. But I’ve never had many nicknames because my name is so weird to begin with. When people first learn it they’re just happy to have remembered it because it’s so easy to mispronounce.

Me and the Deep Dark Woods were playing at CMW in Toronto and the guy that was in charge of the show thought there were four bands on the bill: Shuyler Jansen, the Deep Dark Woods, a band from Australia and this guy Shoulder Dancing. We were so confused. He thought Shuyler Jansen was Shoulder Dancing. Burke Barlow from the Woods always calls me Shoulder.

- Favourite non-music hobby: I’m a big Edmonton Oilers fan and I read a lot of books. But I’m in school and I work and I’ve got a family so when I do have time I head straight for music.

- Favourite lake past-time: I love fishing and growing up I did a lot of fishing at Wabamun Lake and Pigeon Lake. I’m not much of a walk around in a swimsuit person. I’m too pale.

- Favourite part about making music: I love making records. If there’s one thing that I want to keep doing consistently every year it’s making records. Touring is something that you sort of have to do. I enjoy aspects of it, but I’m not madly in love with it anymore.

- Best concert ever: One that blew my mind was Amadou and Mariam, a blind couple originally from Mali. That was hands-down the best musical experience I’ve ever seen. But I also saw Tom Petty last year and that was amazing too. - Stephanie McKay

Although he has long been known for his self-proclaimed folk “dirge ballads”, Saskatoon’s Shuyler Jansen is finally getting back into making some loud rock noises with his latest album, entitled Voice From The Lake.

But unlike 99% of acoustic dudes who start going bald and worrying about the decline in quality and quantity of the chicks they take home from the bar, Jansen is hardly having a mid-life crisis. In fact, for anyone who has followed Jansen’s career, Voice From The Lake is easily one of his best, most inspired albums to date. Also, he’s totally got an amazing head of hair going for him too.

Now backed by members of Foam Lake – a supercute local boy band who mash up crunky keyboards with plenty of fuzz-driven indie rock – Jansen has found a new home with Scratch Records – a totally huge deal considering he’s now label mates with the likes of Black Mountain.

Opening the album with some tell-tale alt-country sounds – slide guitars will do that to a song – Voice From The Lake quickly gets cranked up by the second song, “Kill January”. But throughout the album, Jansen’s voice keeps the music rolling and sounding classic and radio-ready. And by mid-album, it becomes apparent that Jansen isn’t pulling any punches, as “Wedding Song” rightfully deserves massive repeated plays with hooky choruses and perfect instrumentation flourishes.

Fans of Jansen’s earlier acoustic work needn’t despair however – Voice From the Lake is hardly an abandonment of past success; call it a mastery of a second language. - Chris Morin

Waking up with a sunrise of noise that makes you have to adjust your stereo every time, Shuyler Jansen’s new album contains the best songs he’s ever come up with. The planetary suite of the first six are dizzyingly creative — from a dreamy pre-game stretch to kinetic pop on the level of the Sadies/Blue Rodeo/the Hip when they’re making eye contact. You need to listen to the songs “Kill January” and “Totally Anonymous” to fully get what I’m saying — they have the shoulder-looseness of ‘90s college bands like Pavement, there’s even a pervasive electro whine borrowed from U2’s brilliant and under-rated Pop.

But none of this comparing is really getting to the nuggets. Voice of the Lake as a whole has a structural confidence that equates to timelessness — we may once have called this experimental, but nothing is out of place. “If it’s Meant to Be” flicks through sounds from Jansen’s entire history of bands, delivering an experience you and your parents would both like, which I think is the secret of why I like this album so much. It’s a record I could’ve played at Big Valley Jamboree back when all the grandparents used to go. “Wedding Band” sees the ghost of Old Reliable flowing through it, especially Mike Silverman’s steady hand on the drums. The Deep Dark Woods join in almost imperceptibly on another song. His production is crisp, full of fiddles and steel guitars which cut across the songs like comets. The notes dance in tiny loops throughout the songs, joining larger patterns spun through foot-pedal distortion. Almost every song has a moment of freakiness saturate; but control is never lost. This is how to make music, kids. Make a listener sing along to the chorus before they’ve even heard the whole song once.

“Words have lost their meaning, nobody listening,” Jansen sings on “Totally Anonymous,” then, “3000 miles from home and you’ve been up all night.” This is clearly the angst of a touring musician — or any artist, really — asking “why bother?” This album is the answer, Major Hobotron. You’re exploring new worlds, and Mission Control is very pleased with the results.

5 out of 5 Stars - Fish Griwkowsky

Saskatoon's Shuyler Jansen once again toys with genre boundaries on his third solo album, hanging raw psychedelic trimmings upon a rootsy framework. It's the same formula he tested on his eccentric solo debut, Hobotron, but this time he strikes a more comfortable balance. Voice From the Lake effortlessly blends electronic elements with a folky twang in songs that are bursting with lyrical regret, resentment, alienation and feverish passion. Formerly of Edmonton, AB's beloved country rock outfit Old Reliable, this is Jansen's third solo album and the follow-up to 2007's Steve Dawson-produced, full-on roots record, Today's Remains. Recorded with Vancouver, BC production team JC/DC (New Pornographers, Destroyer), Voice From the Lake features appearances by keyboardist Ford Pier, guitarist Paul Rigby and members of Deep Dark Woods. Alternately simmering with synthesizer and exploding with robust electric guitar, the album contains some genuinely heart-pounding moments. It's an artistic triumph for an evolving and consistently captivating Canadian songwriter. - Rachel Sanders

Shuyler Jansen and Foam Lake are hunkering down in Saskatoon, preparing to hit the frozen highway in just under 3 weeks' time.

Destination: Alberta. Plan: a hat trick of shows to kick the winter blues and bone up for a pair of spring album releases.

Jansen's upcoming third solo album "Voice From The Lake" was produced in Vancouver by John Collins and David Carswell (Destroyer, New Pornographers). Shuyler's musical directions have involved a shift away from the roots rock he has always been associated with into more abstract territory. His songs reflect deliberate ideas about our relationship between nature and nurture, creating music that occupies a personal nook in our record collections and ipods.

Foam Lake are set to release their debut this spring. They are four blood brothers who have been playing together longer than they can remember. In late 2008, after the sudden demise of a band half the brothers were members of, the Ross brothers decided it was time to make it official and Foam Lake was born.

Heavily influenced by their father’s obsession for the drums and his extensive record collection, the Ross’ bring together a mixture of the guitar tones of Neil Young and My Bloody Valentine, the driving beat of the Ramones, electronic elements of post punk and new wave with lyrics influenced by the Smiths and Magazine.

Foam Lake have been training this winter as Shuyler’s backing band for this mini-tour. Their relaxed, symbiotic relationship should make for 3 very interesting shows. Adding to that, these two acts are set to share the stage with The Ramblin' Ambassadors and Eamon McGrath in Calgary and Edmonton, respectively.

Show Details:

The Ramblin' Ambassadors, Foam Lake, Shuyler Jansen
The Marquee Room
Calgary, AB
Fri Jan 22

Shuyler Jansen, Eamon McGrath, Foam Lake
The Haven Social Club
Edmonton, AB
Sat Jan 23

Foam Lake, Shuyler Jansen
Rose & Crown
Banff, AB
Sun Jan 24 - NXEW

Later this month, Saskatoon, SK-based songwriter Shuyler Jansen will release Voice from the Lake via Scratch Records. Once the album drops, he will hit the road for a brief Canadian tour.

In early April, Jansen will play a one-off show at his hometown's Vivefest3, an event that also includes performances by Chad VanGaalen, Braids and Woodpigeon. Then, a month later, he will hit the road for seven more shows. Six of these will be in Ontario before the outing wraps up in Montreal on May 9.

Jansen will be joined on tour (and on stage) by Deep Dark Woods. The folk rock outfit also backed the songwriter on Voice from the Lake.

UPDATE: Deep Dark Woods' Lucas Goetz informs us that they in fact will not be playing with Jansen on his Ontario dates. Jansen instead will be doing a solo opening slot during the round of dates.

Read more about the many guests who appeared on that album here.

Look out for more tour dates to be announced in the coming months. Jansen will be making is hoping to make an appearance at NXNE in Toronto in June and will head west later in the summer.

Also, expect the songwriter to release a video for the track "Totally Anonymous" in the coming weeks. A press release says that it will be "a visual homage to Rasputin, Star Wars, SCTV and Tim & Eric." You can hear the song, along with other cuts from Voice from the Lake, over at Jansen's MySpace.

Tour dates:

4/3 Saskatoon, SK - Caffe Sola (Vivefest3)
5/1 Guelph, ON - Van Gogh's *
5/3 Windsor, ON - The Phog Lounge *
5/4 Hamilton, ON - This Ain't Hollywood *
5/5 Toronto, ON - The Dakota Tavern *
5/6 Wakefield, ON - Kaffe 1870
5/7 Ottawa, ON - National Arts Centre 4th Stage (Prairie Scene) *
5/9 Montreal, QC - Il Motore * - Alex Hudson

There has always been a duality to the music of Shuyler Jansen. On the surface, Jansen deftly writes poignant and melodic songs, but there has always been more to his approach than that. Perhaps best described by the title his first solo album, Hobotron, Jansen’s music treads on the line between tradition and progression, where the dusty road meets the information super highway. Often using haunting soundscapes as the backdrop for his melodies, Jansen’s work has often shown a certain eerie intensity just below the surface.

On his latest offering, Voice From The Lake, this intensity continues, with the first sounds of slow-burning opening track “Can’t See Through Tomorrow” building the ghostly sonic palate of the album, literally like a voice rising up from watery depths. From there, the pace picks up with the barely-controlled chaos of “Kill January” and stand-out track “Totally Anonymous.” From there the album continues with song after song of moody, echoing twang-rock.

John Collins of The New Pornographers provides both instrumental and production direction on the album, which is dark, deep and layered, providing an ominous base for Jansen’s melodic vocal delivery.

Voice From The Lake is a step forward for Shuyler Jansen and arguably his best album yet. His sound remains difficult to categorize, but easy to listen to; a continuation of the music he’s become known for, while offering something more dense, rich and engaging. - Jay Allen

How’s this for a wonderful coincidence? Two of the frontmen from Edmonton’s venerable folk-roots act, Old Reliable, are about to release new solo albums.

Shuyler Jansen, who now lives in Saskatoon, will unveil his third disc, Voice from the Lake, on Tuesday, March 29. Four of his tunes, If It’s Meant To Be, Totally Anonymous, Can’t See Through Tomorrow, and Canada’s newest unofficial anthem, Kill January, are now streaming on his Facebook page. (Oh, and it's already available on iTunes, if you're no longer buying CDs.)

Mark Davis, who still resides in the murder capital of Alberta, will weigh in with his third solo effort, Eliminate the Toxins later this year. A release date is still in the works, but four of his tunes – Dragons, In The Waters, Wounded Wing and the title track are now streaming on his website.

Old Reliable released their last album, The Burning Truth, in 2005. Will the folk-rock musicians, which also featured Journal freelancer Tom Murray on bass, ever release a new disc? There’s been talk of one, but so far, nada. Never say never, as Justin Bieber likes to remind us. - Sandra Sperounes

Saskatoon-based Shuyler Jansen, probably best known for his work with Edmonton country-rock outfit Old Reliable, steps out on his own with an impressive set of quirky originals. Strong narratives and sour irony distinguish the material, with a vaguely '70s California country-rock feel, including strings and pedal steel to complement Jansen's voice, with its echoes of Ian Matthews and Michael Nesmith. Top track: "Hellhounds," for its sinister twang. - Greg Quill

He's 32 years old and has made a half dozen records already, but Shuyler Jansen may only now be hitting his stride.
As his new album, Today's Remains, is released this week, the Edmonton-raised, Saskatoon-based country-rocker admits he's a late bloomer. A working musician since the late '80s, Jansen has been around long enough to realize that his best music lay ahead, and he's had the patience to wait for it.
"There are guys like the Beatles, who are 22 or 23 and they were just amazing," Jansen says. "I wasn't one of those people."
He got his start in music at Edmonton's Parkview High School. There, Jansen was a kid who wrote songs and poems -- he loved Allen Ginsberg -- and when one day he came across a band doing Husker Du and REM covers, he had to be part of it. Jansen begged to be the band's bass player.
The group became the Naked and the Dead and would first release a cassette (nearly selling out of 3,000 copies), and in 1993 put out a CD. But the band, which attracted interest from a host of labels, including Sub Pop, was young and dysfunctional -- "totally fried," as Jansen puts it. While working on an ambitious double album, the Naked and the Dead broke up.
Jansen and drummer Mike Silverman went on to form country-rock band Old Reliable in the mid-'90s. The band expanded to include co-frontman Mark Davis and a rotating cast of other members as it released four albums in 12 years so far.
In 2004, Jansen released his first solo effort, the electro-tinged folk collection Hobotron, and a year later he moved with his wife, Angie, and family (which now includes three children) to Saskatoon.
He has settled down, got married, become a family man and bought a house, all in the last few years, and that has meant giving up the hard partying of his past.
"You're turning your back on a cliché, that's what you're turning your back on," said Jansen in a recent interview. "If I'm going to be on this planet for another 50 or 60 years, why shouldn't I pace myself?"
"It's nice to have that stuff done with so you can deal with the other things."
While Jansen has turned much of his attention to raising the family (he and Angie's youngest is just a few months old), the lifestyle change has also helped his songwriting.
"Everyone's so distracted with a million things that are going on in the world . . . your brain gets clouded, and sometimes it's good to just go hide," he said. "If I wander around the yard, or just go on bike rides and hang out with the family, it's a good way to find those moments where you're going to jot down lyrics or pick up the guitar."
The songs on Today's Remains, recorded in Vancouver over just five days and produced by Steve Dawson, confront raw, painful and personal stories of addiction, infidelity and broken trust.
The songs are intense, the mood mournful, but the album is ultimately hopeful. The subtly gorgeous instrumentation -- in the form of pedal steel guitar, strings, keyboards and organs -- gives the music a rich, classic feel.
Jansen's songs are rarely slick, but Today's Remains is a refined and confident effort. It sounds like an album from a songwriter comfortable coming into his own.
- Silas Polkinghorne

Old Reliable entertain with their gritty party brand of country rock. Mark Davis tells us dramatic tales of fiction and personal experience via his double-disc release. And Shuyler Jansen? What sort of country crooning can we expect from his current solo work? From Jansen’s latest album, Today’s Remains, it’s clear that yet another facet of country music is being explored in all its gritty, teary nostalgia. Jansen’s astute and seasoned sound props up the entire album, specifically through the wall-of-sound effect that’s created by repetitive harmonies and proud instrumentals. “Today’s Remains” and “Windswept” are sophisticated, crisp and incisive, and couldn’t be performed in a nobler manner, while “Pegasus” is the record’s most prized accomplishment, epitomising Jansen’s storytelling skills within the track’s tragic lyrics. If you can picture Shuyler Jansen dressed in a suit and tie, a beaten banjo in one hand and his life’s dreams in another, transfer that into notes and chords and you’ve got Today’s Remains. This is a record that lives up to, and possibly surpasses, the previous discs released by Old Reliable, et al., although we should probably admit that Today’s Remains isn’t the last we’ll see of this prairie quintet.

Why did you record the album in the first place?
I’d been talking to Steve Dawson about doing a follow-up to Hobotron for more than a year. I would’ve liked to have put out a record quicker than I did — there were a couple of years between the two — but it was scheduling and having enough good songs to make it that held me back.

Mark Davis just released two CDs and now you’ve released a record. Are solo projects something the Old Reliable crew are aiming towards now rather than group projects?
Yeah, I think Old Reliable will always be making records but I doubt we’ll be much of a touring band. I’m sort of focused on my solo career as a full-time gig, and then we’re going to try to get together every couple of years and make a record, because we’re still good friends and like making music. It’s the touring logistics of Old Reliable that are more complicated, considering everybody’s involved in a bunch of other musical projects, jobs, journalism and all that kind of stuff.

One of the things I noticed with Today’s Remains is the full-bodied instrumental accompaniment. It’s almost like a wall of sound. Is this something you were consciously aiming for?
Steve Dawson produced the record, so a lot of it is his vision. This is actually one of the only records I’ve worked on where I haven’t been in control of the whole project, and I kind of wanted it that way. The record was sort of Steve’s baby. We recorded it in about five or six days together, then I went back home to Saskatoon and he finished it off in Vancouver. There was no concept before we did it. We talked a bit about records and labels we liked and stuff like that but he’s got a sound already established through the other 20 or 30 records he’s produced.

Why did you choose to hand over the reins to Dawson?
I’m a fan of the records he’s produced with other people. He works with a lot of unique musicians and people who are multi-instrumentalists. We did a little tour together about two years ago and talked about [making a record] then, but mostly it was because I’m a fan of his and I’m on his label, which promotes a sort of family-type atmosphere. They’re trying to run the label the way that maybe Motown was, where you’ve got a house band that play on everybody’s record and everything gets done from home that way. It produces great records and as long as you’ve got good songs, it’s going to work.

How might Today’s Remains be a reflection of your life until now?
Some of the songs are a few years old and some are newer. I think mood-wise, it might have some consistency there, but I don’t know if the songs really reflect the past five or six years. It’s not really about personal things either — sometimes I like to write stories that are made up. Typically, because you’re a songwriter, people think it’s about your life but it isn’t; it’s just my imagination. When you write a lot of songs, they can’t all be about things in your life. I don’t think my life’s that exciting anyway. I don’t think Bob Dylan’s life was that exciting, either. But that’s the job of a good songwriter: to write something that has an emotional quality to it. It doesn’t really matter what it’s about or where it came from. It just has to be about something that’s real.

Near the end of “Pegasus,” the lyrics talk about a girl placing all her money on a horse. What sort of significance do these lyrics hold for you?
Oh, I don’t know! That song is one of those classic story songs. I’m a fan of listening to songs that are like that by Guy Clark, Steve Earle, Bob Dylan and Neil Young but I don’t know if “Pegasus” has any significance for me. It does for the girl, though. In the song, she gets to the point where she’s sort of giving up on everything and th - Amanda Ash

Who: Ramblin’ Alberta troubadour best known for co-fronting alt-country mavericks Old Reliable.

Why: He’s not the first guy to trade in Black Flags records for a Willie Nelson box set, but Jansen’s clocked countless miles across this vast country and sounds like he was born to play lonesome prairie rock. His new album, Today’s Remains (Black Hen), is the sound of an artist fully realizing the potential of his talent.

Buzz factor: Medium. Electrified folk rock might not be what kids are loading their iPods with these days, but the genre’s still holding strong thanks to so many ex-rockers going the rural route. However, Jansen isn’t some urban hipster cowboy; he’s the real deal. The fact that he moved to Saskatoon says it all. - Jason Keller

Really cool and effective soft pop laced with hints of Americana, bluegrass, and country and western. Shuyler Jansen has already experienced a good deal of success with his roots rock band Old Reliable...but he is also now releasing solo albums as well. Today's Remains is the second full-length release from this remarkably talented fellow. The album resonates with pure sincerity and timeless melodies. Although his music bears little resemblance to either, Jansen's overall approach reminds us of artists like Neil Young and Richard Thompson...talented songwriters who forged their own career paths and succeeded. Remains was recorded using traditional instruments. The arrangements are sparse and open...allowing listeners to focus on Shuyler's calm and cool vocals. The title track bears a strange resemblance to Don McLean's "Vincent"...but that is where the similarities end. On the first listen we found this CD to be pleasant enough...but ten or twenty spins later we found ourselves completely immersed in Shuyler's highly stylized soft pop. Wonderfully moody cuts include "Pegasus," "Windswept," "Jealous Girl," and "Chief." An obvious TOP PICK. Recommended. - www.babysue.com