Prairies, trains & everyday conversations figure prominently in our latest video (watch here).
CBC Radio Saskatchewan’s
Shauna Powers, host of ‘Saskatchewan Weekend’, aired both Kathryn and Albert’s pre recorded backstory of ‘5 Miles Out’ & the song on her (08.06.23) show.
This new video was also an opportunity to recall Ms.Powers 2019 radio play of both ‘Big Open Sky, a single off Blue Dirt Girl’s ‘Crazy Beautiful’ album (2016), and a pre-recorded story about ‘Big Open sky’ importance on Blue Dirt Girl’s Via Rail Canada- Artist on Board- Vancouver to Toronto and Back Tour. (2019)
Consider watching 7 minute mash up of all Blue Dirt Girl’s No Street Signs No Straight Lines live shows-April to July 2023 video here. It Includes a fabulous 50 sec bit from BDG sets at Grand Prix of Art show at Britannia Shipyards in Richmond B.C. Thanks for video but Moira.
A limited run of ‘No Street Signs No Straight Lines’ CD’s are available now. Order CD on Blue Dirt Girls Bandcamp page or email bluedirtgirl.com directly. Purchase includes free Bandcamp album download card.
Here is is the final post for ‘5 Miles Out.’ The backstory or spruch of the song-
“In 2019 we rode VIA Rail from Vancouver to Toronto and back as “Artists On Board”. Somewhere east of the Rockies a guy got on the train and, as one does, got into a long conversation with Kathryn. The talk was light hearted and casual but as he was getting off the train he dropped this bomb: “Well, this is my stop. I’m on my way to my daughter’s funeral.”
Any writer or artist knows the feeling of being emotionally driven to create, and this comment was the spark for FiveMiles Out. In the first draft the lyrics were “Five miles out of Edson” but we changed it to “Five miles out of Bethune” because we like the way it sounds (we still love you, Edson). Our train didn’t even go through Bethune; this was a purely artistic choice.
After playing this song for maybe a year I got curious; what would I find fivemiles out of Bethune? I used the google maps distance measuring tool, and google street view, to plunk myself down on highway 11, five miles southeast of Bethune, and I found a roadside shrine. In a more recent street view image (June 2022) the flowers look fairly fresh, so it appears that someone has been maintaining it. If you are that someone we hope that time has begun to ease your pain.” Listen to the song here.
Lyric video for ‘5 Miles Out’ here
‘SPECULATE’ the 2nd track on Blue Dirt Girl’s new album is the polar opposite style of song from ‘5 Miles Out’. Dan Ponich’s distortion on Albert’s bass part reminds one of Montreal based indie band Beast, talk lyrics & slick wah pedal ideas from Kathryn. (studio wah pedal video here)make this song rock.
L A based Round magazine review says “Speculate’s lyrics act like abstract art, or a classic Chinese painting, forcing the listener’s imagination to fill in the details left out.” Listen to Speculate here.
Upcoming Sept 9 & 30th live shows info here.