Released today, “Perfect Fit” is the latest single from Canmore, AB quartet Northern Quarter, their first since “Rocky Mountain Song” back in January. Composed by vocalist/rhythm guitarist Kerry Hunter as a personal dedication to her husband on their wedding day, this is more than just a simple love song – more a testament to the everlasting love and devotion she has for that one special person, on that one special day, and forever beyond.
Joined as always by Carlos Nadeau (guitars), Wendy Crewe (bass) and Dave Crewe (drums/synths), the up-tempo opening notes alone have all the hallmarks of the signature Northern Quarter sound – jangly guitar riffs, powerful bass tones, and super-tight percussion. “Musically, the band have created a sublime backdrop for this ode, with simple, driving guitar chords and lush orchestration,” Dave shares. “And a guitar solo that makes life worth living.” Yet, as instrumentally talented this band happens to be, it is the added bonus of having a gifted vocalist front and center that draws you into their soundscapes. This is not the first time I have been rendered speechless by Kerry’s stunning voice. No matter what ingredient the song needs – passionate or emotive, sultry or sexy – Kerry brings them all to the mixing bowl.
Looking to expand further afield from their immediate fan-base in the western provinces, an exciting opportunity arose recently for this new single to reach an audience much further than the band could have possibly envisioned. “The song blasted off into space with William Shatner a couple of weeks ago,” Dave proudly shares. “One of Captain Kirk’s fellow passengers was Dr. Chris Boshuizen, who is also a musician and asked for submissions of songs to go onto a Star Trek USB stick which he took with him, and will be auctioning off for a music charity.”
I’m pretty confident believing that Northern Quarter would have been more than content with securing national radio airplay for the single, but “Perfect Fit” literally did blast into orbit recently, travelling to the edge of the Kármán Line, over 65 miles above the planet. In a recent interview with Jordan Small for ‘Rocky Mountain Outlook,’ Dave also stated that the presence of Captain Kirk on the Blue Origin spaceflight added to the band’s motivation to submit their track for consideration. “For a man that you’ve imagined trotted around the galaxy and met all sorts of aliens, his actual 10 minutes into space really humbled him,” Dave mentions in that interview. “[As a band], we’re going to keep trying to get that dream and aim high, like Captain Kirk.”
The British guy that crossed the ocean and crash landed in central Pennsylvania (to quote Greg Keelor, “And I wonder what am I doing here?”). As the youngest of four siblings, exposure to music from a very early age nurtured my passion and appreciation for many musical genres. Continuing to discover some amazingly diverse and talented musicians based in Canada, I gravitate to live music experiences and remain devoted to spreading the word about such a vibrant music scene.
