Some months ago, we spoke with singer/songwriter Derek Harrison about his excellent solo album “Blossington.” Now, we’re delighted to offer you the exclusive debut of the new video from his band The Old Salts for their single “Mall Store Santa” – a timely release indeed! This bluesy, slightly rueful song is brought to life here by See You on the Moon, a Toronto-based stop motion studio.
Founded in East Toronto in 2012, The Old Salts blend rock, folk and psych, anchored by powerful baritone vocals and sweeping, singing lead guitar. This five-piece’s diverse catalogue is enhanced by rich group harmonies, frenetic mandolin and a well-traveled rhythm section.
“Mall Store Santa” is the last track on the group’s new EP, “Fisherman Jake.” The project completes the band’s transformation from folk duo to a powerhouse collective with an adventurous approach to structure and sonic texture. Recorded in 2017 at Toronto’s Desert Fish Studios, Fisherman Jake sees the band exploring every side of their sound. These six tracks are dense, detailed and carefully arranged to showcase each element of this five-piece outfit, from the rock and roll of “Hurricanes” to the folk singalong of “Nova Scotia” (the album’s unofficial title track) to the psychedelic spiritual that is “Stairs.”
You can preview and purchase “Fisherman Jake” on Bandcamp, or stream it on Spotify, but even before that, watch this awesome video.
