We were delighted to catch up with the well-traveled singer-songwriter Dana Sipos twice last year, enjoying her performances in both Gravenhurst, ON, and Philadelphia, PA. Continuing to enjoy her most recent 2018 “Trick of the Light” album, her first with Miranda Mulholland’s Roaring Girl Records label, Dana recently reached out to us with some exciting news. Currently on a writing retreat at the Banff Centre for the Arts in Alberta, Dana has crafted a fresh batch of material, and is making preparations to return to the studio to commence work on her next album.
Making a return to Currie’s Music in the small town of Gravenhurst, Dana caught up with some good friends to record a live video for “Fine Line,” the final track, and closing chapter, from “Trick of the Light.” Joined by an all-female cast of Caroline Brooks (The Good Lovelies), Carlie Howell (Fiver) and Miranda Mulholland (Harrow Fair), and directed by JUNO award winner Ali Eisner, this ‘live off the floor’ video perfectly captures both the stellar musicianship of these artists, and the charming essence of Rob & Andrew Currie’s vintage time capsule of a recording studio. “We were surrounded by old guitars, mics, and violins,” Dana shares. “Relics of the past that became a part of our performance, in a way, not only the visual depth they lent, but with the stories they have helped a lot of musicians tell over the years.”
Surrounded by the stunning collection of musical antiquities, the four artists are captured beautifully here as they gather around a single vintage microphone for this collaboration. With the intimacy of Dana’s voice and guitar at the forefront, the sweet accompaniment from Caroline (electric guitar), Miranda (violin) and Carlie (upright bass) provoke goosebumps. Drawing inspiration from her on-going travels and tours, Dana brings her real-life observations to this song. “It gently probes at the places and people from our experiences,” she explains. “I wrote this after spending time touring the southern [US] states, and they seem to be the prominent characters in this song.”
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.
