The Lonesome Weekends

The Lonesome Weekends

Songs from a Barstool

13th Ave Records



Coming only seven months after The Lonesome Weekends’ first release is their follow-up, Songs from a Barstool. Even if you dislike, detest, or absolutely deplore country music (like me), chances are you’ll still enjoy Songs from a Barstool.



The album is filled with The Lonesome Weekends’ signature alt-country tunes about drinking and heartache which can only be described as quintessentially Saskatchewanian. Most songs do not venture much further than the three-minute mark, with the exception of “Elisha”, which may be one of the bands most interesting songs with its improvised jam showcasing the individual talents as well as the musicianship between the members. It also has less of a country-rock feel and is much more Old West. Think Clint Eastwood, outlaws, rattlesnakes, unbearable heat, and tumbleweeds.


A disappointing song doesn’t exist on Songs from a Barstool. Start to finish the album is thoroughly enjoyable, although one issue with this album exists; do not listen to it in your car. You will likely find people laughing at your embarrassingly loud (and slightly off-key) singing as you drive around with the windows down on a hot day. - Carillon Regina

The Lonesome Weekends

Songs from a Barstool

13th Ave Records



Coming only seven months after The Lonesome Weekends’ first release is their follow-up, Songs from a Barstool. Even if you dislike, detest, or absolutely deplore country music (like me), chances are you’ll still enjoy Songs from a Barstool.



The album is filled with The Lonesome Weekends’ signature alt-country tunes about drinking and heartache which can only be described as quintessentially Saskatchewanian. Most songs do not venture much further than the three-minute mark, with the exception of “Elisha”, which may be one of the bands most interesting songs with its improvised jam showcasing the individual talents as well as the musicianship between the members. It also has less of a country-rock feel and is much more Old West. Think Clint Eastwood, outlaws, rattlesnakes, unbearable heat, and tumbleweeds.


A disappointing song doesn’t exist on Songs from a Barstool. Start to finish the album is thoroughly enjoyable, although one issue with this album exists; do not listen to it in your car. You will likely find people laughing at your embarrassingly loud (and slightly off-key) singing as you drive around with the windows down on a hot day. - Carillon Regina

A band name like Lonesome Weekends evokes a collection of images: empty bottles and broken hearts; dusty old standards and cowboy boots; faded jeans and acoustic guitars.

The Regina band began jamming in the summer of 2009, spurred on by a mutual love of drinking and old country songs, and drinking while playing old country songs.

“Originally we all had a bit of a thing for older country tunes. We’d never been able to play songs like that before in our bands,” said guitarist and singer Chris Sleightholm in a gravelly voice.

He and bandmate Devon Floyd (formerly of Thee Hoolies) were joined by Marshall Burns of globe trotting Regina indie band Rah Rah. Later in the year three more musicians joined the party, with Chris Prpich and Tyler Hammer of the Lazy MKs and Steve Jeske of Sun Zoom Sparks filling out the rhythm section.

“We basically wanted to try to write country music,” said Sleightholm. “We didn’t really end up doing that but that’s how it started I guess.”

With a mutual love of country legends like Merle Haggard, Buck Owens, Ernest Tubb and Lefty Frizzell and an affection for classic bands like The Flying Burrito Brothers and The Band, the Lonesome Weekends began playing bar gigs around Regina and in small towns, where the reception was overwhelmingly positive.

“We end up getting paid a lot better playing these small towns than if you did the regular indie circuit,” said Sleightholm. The small town scene suits the band, says Sleightholm, save for one legendary dust-up and a Bob Marley request or two they were unable to fulfil. The band also has a love of recording and have released the full-length Songs for Lonesome Weekends and a short collection of home recordings, with another album ready and waiting for release.

“That’s one of our main goals, to just keep putting out records,” said Sleightholm.

They plan to release Songs from a Barstool next year. - Saskatoon Star Phoenix

A band name like Lonesome Weekends evokes a collection of images: empty bottles and broken hearts; dusty old standards and cowboy boots; faded jeans and acoustic guitars.

The Regina band began jamming in the summer of 2009, spurred on by a mutual love of drinking and old country songs, and drinking while playing old country songs.

“Originally we all had a bit of a thing for older country tunes. We’d never been able to play songs like that before in our bands,” said guitarist and singer Chris Sleightholm in a gravelly voice.

He and bandmate Devon Floyd (formerly of Thee Hoolies) were joined by Marshall Burns of globe trotting Regina indie band Rah Rah. Later in the year three more musicians joined the party, with Chris Prpich and Tyler Hammer of the Lazy MKs and Steve Jeske of Sun Zoom Sparks filling out the rhythm section.

“We basically wanted to try to write country music,” said Sleightholm. “We didn’t really end up doing that but that’s how it started I guess.”

With a mutual love of country legends like Merle Haggard, Buck Owens, Ernest Tubb and Lefty Frizzell and an affection for classic bands like The Flying Burrito Brothers and The Band, the Lonesome Weekends began playing bar gigs around Regina and in small towns, where the reception was overwhelmingly positive.

“We end up getting paid a lot better playing these small towns than if you did the regular indie circuit,” said Sleightholm. The small town scene suits the band, says Sleightholm, save for one legendary dust-up and a Bob Marley request or two they were unable to fulfil. The band also has a love of recording and have released the full-length Songs for Lonesome Weekends and a short collection of home recordings, with another album ready and waiting for release.

“That’s one of our main goals, to just keep putting out records,” said Sleightholm.

They plan to release Songs from a Barstool next year. - Saskatoon Star Phoenix

I have a question for anybody who listens to the Lonesome Weekend's debut album: how could you not like this? Even their CD jacket was printed on recycled paper. But, seriously, as far as albums filled with tightly produced, carefully crafted, harmonious and masterful alt-country songs are concerned, this one belongs on the top shelf with other alt-gold that has come from Canada in the past five years (think Deep Dark Woods and the Wooden Sky). "Friend Running West" is a gem, the chorus filled with open concept harmonies and lilting, optimistic nostalgia ? three words that I would use to describe the mood of every single track here. Marshall Burns (of Rah Rah fame) is one of the trio of songwriters that make up the Lonesome Weekend and his whimsical approach to lyricism shows. Go ahead and pick this up; it is a great last minute addition to the 2011 year in music. - exclaim!

I have a question for anybody who listens to the Lonesome Weekend's debut album: how could you not like this? Even their CD jacket was printed on recycled paper. But, seriously, as far as albums filled with tightly produced, carefully crafted, harmonious and masterful alt-country songs are concerned, this one belongs on the top shelf with other alt-gold that has come from Canada in the past five years (think Deep Dark Woods and the Wooden Sky). "Friend Running West" is a gem, the chorus filled with open concept harmonies and lilting, optimistic nostalgia ? three words that I would use to describe the mood of every single track here. Marshall Burns (of Rah Rah fame) is one of the trio of songwriters that make up the Lonesome Weekend and his whimsical approach to lyricism shows. Go ahead and pick this up; it is a great last minute addition to the 2011 year in music. - exclaim!

"We've have a few things up our sleeve," coyly answers guitarist W Chris Sleightholm, describing his band's CD release show Friday night at the Artesian on 13th.

Named The Lonesome Weekends, the group is comprised of six Regina lads from various local bands of varying notoriety who started this enterprise with rather inauspicious beginnings.

Sleightholm describes the birth of the group as unintentional and purely organic.

"(Guitarist) Marshall Burns, from the band Rah Rah, and myself were just jamming songs we had written," Sleightholm recalled.

"We both like country-ish and folky music, so it started with the two of us. It wasn't even meant to be a band. It was just the two of us getting together to jam in our backyard and basements.

All the people who wanted to play with us are in other bands, and we all liked the way that each other played in our respective bands.

"The six of us had been playing together for about a month when we went into the studio to record a demo of three songs. We went in there and it was just going so well that we recorded all 10 in one afternoon. We liked the way it sounded so much that we decided we'd turn it into an album. That was in January 2010, so it's been awhile, but the whole thing came about in a rather happenstance kind of way. I have to admit that we didn't plan on it happening that way as a band, but it worked out well."

The group, which also features guitarist Devon Floyd, bassist Chris Prpich, and Tyler Hammer and Steve Jeske on drums and keyboards respectively, is excited to finally release their debut CD, titled Songs For Lonesome Weekends.

Although a year old at this point, Sleightholm feels the record is an apt portrayal of who the band was at that time, as well as fairly representing them now.

"It feels like we captured the moment as a band where we discovered our collective themes. We were timidly playing these songs as we'd record and that kind of spontaneity -flying by the seat of your pants kind of thing -came through really nice. It adds an excitement that I don't think we would have been able to create had we been practising the songs longer, or even had the idea that we'd be producing an album. That would have added a lot more pressure, and we didn't have that pressure as we were just having fun."

With a bio that lists inspiration from luminaries such as Buck Owens and Merle Haggard, and contemporary acts Wilco and The Sadies, it is apparent the group isn't going for a new country sound.

"A lot of our inspiration," Sleightholm confirmed, "does come from early country like Ernest Tubb, Lefty Frizzell and really old country from the 1940s, 50s, and 60s. There's six of us in the band and there's lots of different influences and characteristics that when it all comes together it doesn't really sound like early country music like we thought it might. It's more a mix of rock and roll, folk, country and even a bit of Motown soul and punk. We really just want to let the songs dictate the style of the band. All the songs fit together, but there's really not a certain style."

With songs streaming on their Myspace page, The Lonesome Weekends leave little doubt that they're an act that is capable of great things, though one gets the impression from talking to Sleightholm that the band is really just a labour of love for the band's members.

For now, he notes the band's biggest concern is making Friday night as fun as possible.

"There are quite a few surprises we're going to do at the show that we really don't want to give away at the moment. We're going to play the album front to back. We're also going to have a contest for the person best dressed in western wear. The Rusty Augers are going to be opening up the show, so overall it should be a good night.

"I think it'll be a pretty lively evening. We like to have fun when we play, and our music is very fun and upbeat, so I think people coming to the show will feel the excitement in the air.

"A lot of people who come to our shows like to dance -it's not like a sit-down kind of show -it's like a party atmosphere, so I hope that's what will people will experience if they come out to see us."
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