“It was a really positive time making a pretty sad record. Haha. It does feel like the closest I've gotten to an expression of myself on an album yet” - Jonas Bonnetta
By Will McGuirk
Heavy Nights, the latest album from Evening Hymns (Jonas Bonnetta) is a dream world, in a time between the folding and unfolding of life, between the closing of eyes on one relationship and the opening of eyes onto another.
Heavy Nights is soft, soothing; songs brush with the casual caress of yacht rock, in the lap of a canoe, with the squeaks and squawks and soaring solos of sax on a beach, and the lulling lapping, slow slapping, leaning into the lightness of the night and of following the music into the dream which gives up the ghost.
“I wake up crying to a dream of you trying to walk
And then lying down calling on my dog over to talk
It was a sweet dream with nightmare intensity
Nice to see you Dad”
Its a heavy night, under the stars, watching the woodsmoke furl upwards away and in the ashes the sparks of a new light. Its a heavy night with family present, past and future, of the gatherings of friends and in the fullness seeing the absence in the centre.
Its the heavy weight of moving thoughtfully, succinctly, inevitably from son of to father of,
“Of course I live where you belong”
Slowcity.ca: Tell me about the genesis of the album?
Evening Hymns: “Well I'm always writing here and there and feel like I'll always be working towards a record. This collection started to take shape a few years back. I had a bunch of songs that started on the piano and then just stayed on it. I was loaned this Rhodes piano from a friend and it became the centre piece of the record. I was listening to McCartney solo records and Jackson Browne and The Blue Nile and Emitt Rhodes a bunch and wanted to make a keys-based pop record with bass, drums, and sax. Heavy Nights was born out of that... and the break up of my long relationship. I wanted to make a late night romantic poem on the piano.”
SC: What has been the impact on the album by where and how you are living, being remote, access to a studio - how has it shaped this record in contrast to previous releases?
EH: “This is actually the first record I self-produced. I really took my time with the arrangements. I ended up playing a lot of the drums and some bass. Messed about with the songs for a long time on my own. It was a really positive time making a pretty sad record. Haha. It does feel like the closest I've gotten to an expression of myself on an album yet. Having my own space out here just gave me time to obsess and think things through. It's a real gift.”
SC: You have some guests, are they long standing relationships or brought in for sessions? Why were they chosen?
EH: “Well I knew early on that I wanted Joseph Shabason to play sax. He's a bud and an incredible musician. I love what he adds to other peoples tunes. Always very musical and thoughtful. I also was a fan of his solo instrumental work. There's a real sensitivity to it that I adore. Sending tracks out to him was a real treat. The most recent touring band for Evening Hymns helped me lay down the initial ideas. Caylie Runciman on drums and Phil Charbonneau on bass. We toured some of these songs before we recorded them which was helpful and the two of us spent a week together in the beginning recording these. A few other buddies show up. Josh Daignault on bass and some drums. We've toured together and have a project together. José Contreras added some guitar. I played on his record last year and he's a creative force and I just wanted him to be a part of this. My friend Edwin Huizinga played the strings. We also collaborated on a record that came out this year called Dark Watchers. So all good friends and collaborators.”
SC: Obviously the usual album drop routine has changed due to Covid what are your plans for performances going forward?
EH: “No clue man. I'm happy for this record to find people wherever they're hunkered down. Hopefully late at night. Once things get going again I'd love to play some of these songs for people in nice small rooms with candles. Bass, drums, sax, and Rhodes. I hope it gets to happen.”