Skip to main content

Maverick Ad

Home

Main navigation

  • Home
  • Cover Stories
  • Features
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Cashbox Legacy Awards
  • Past Covers
  • Weekly Archive
4x MusicNL Nominated Rozalind MacPhail Reimagines Jill Barber’s 'In Perfect Time' with an Ethereal Indie Folktronica Twist

Breadcrumb

  • Home
  • 4x MusicNL Nominated Rozalind MacPhail Reimagines Jill Barber’s 'In Perfect Time' with an Ethereal Indie Folktronica Twist
Rozalind MacPhail
Fri Jan 10, 2025
Cashbox Canada

Artists sometimes pay tribute to those who have inspired them by covering their material. But often those renditions are run-of-the-mill, note-for-note efforts that rarely push the creative envelope. Thankfully, Toronto Island-born and now St. John's, Newfoundland-based indie pop singer and acclaimed flutist Rozalind MacPhail has given kudos to Canadian jazz pop singer Jill Barber with a sensational, chic cover of "In Perfect Time," a song Barber originally released on her 2004 EP entitled Oh Heart. It's the lead single from MacPhail's anticipated 2025 studio effort Push & Pull.

MacPhail was inspired to cover "In Perfect Time" during the Unscripted Twillingate -- Digital Artist Residency (DART), an artist residency MacPhail took located on rural Newfoundland's majestic island of Twillingate back in 2021. She says the song has "always held a special place in my heart" since it came out two decades ago. "Her melancholic melodies and heartfelt vocals paint a poignant picture of love lost and the ache of moving on," she says. "Jill's song has comforted me during many heavy moments throughout my life. Her lyrics speak to my soul."

open.spotify.com/track/6XN0B4DsYRfasLNatGsVc4

In Perfect TimeMacPhail, who plays omnichord and alto flute on the track to complement her adoring vocals and delivery, says the time and location was perfect to cover "In Perfect Time," creating "an indie folktronica version of this folk classic." As well, musician Brad Weber, best known for his work in his group Pick A Piper and drumming in the Juno Award-winning group Caribou, adds electronics for a mystical, atmospheric vibe. Terry Barrow recorded MacPhail's vocals in St. John's, Newfoundland while MacPhail recorded some tracks for the single in the rural island Salt Harbour, Newfoundland. Meanwhile, Jason Jaknunas mixed the song and Noah Mintz mastered it.

"In Perfect Time" differs from the roots-based, train chugging back beat of Barber's version, instead giving it an eclectic electronica flavoring, bringing to mind Metric or Metric's Emily Haines solo work, Florence & the Machine, Yeah Yeah Yeah's Karen O., or even Marianne Faithfull. It hits all the right notes in all the right places while taking the song in an entirely different but marvelous musical direction.

MacPhail also released a video for "In Perfect Time" shot in Twillingate by Newfoundland cinematographers Julian Earle and Joshua Caine. The video shows an elderly woman with middle stage dementia waiting for her husband (who passed several years prior) to return every day from work, forgetting he has died. "I lost my own grandmother to dementia, and my husband and I are currently caring for other family members who are experiencing different stages of dementia," MacPhail says. "It's a heartbreaking experience to witness their mental decline, but there are also many touching moments we experience where we get a glimpse of how our loved ones are still there. These tiny moments of clarity give us hope. This was our attempt to help those experiencing it with their loved ones feel less alone."

"In Perfect Time" is the first single from MacPhail's upcoming studio album Push & Pull, which will be a "waterfall release" over a 12-month period before being issued on vinyl at the end of 2025. It marks MacPhail's first time branching out into more vocal-oriented material after previously recording instrumentals on flute. The album was inspired by the singer feeling "a sense of urgency" to document the local history and stories from Twillingate and its residents through the eyes of a singer-songwriter.

MacPhail, a classically-trained looping flutist, has produced several solo albums while composing music for film the last 20 years. Her first solo album was 2007's Edgework. Since then, additional releases include 2013's Head First, 2016's From the River to the Ocean, 2017's Sunset Sunrise, 2018's Love and Let Be, 2019's Don't Let Me Fall Too Far, and 2021's single Never Let Go. The artist has received five ECMA nominations for Electronic Recording of the Year to go alongside four MusicNL nominations for Instrumental Recording of the Year over her career. She has also toured internationally while winning MusicNL's Music Educator of the Year Award in 2022. In 2023, MacPhail earned an East Coast Music Award Industry Innovator of the Year nomination. And she's also performed internationally in festivals while appearing on Radio Sweden, NPR, and CBC Radio.

Now with a new single in "In Perfect Time," a new studio album in Push & Pull, and plans for international touring with an "interactive hybrid concert" entitled Inspiration Soup, Rozalind MacPhail has found the perfect song that will be playing in your head for some time to come!

rozalindmacphail.com

Reviews
Album
Rozalind MacPhail
Jill Barber
Month: Dec 2020
Josie Bello Echoes Sentiments of Families This Year with Emotional Christmas Song, “Come Home” Josie Bello Echoes Sentiments of Families This Year with Emotional Christmas…
Arsenal Mills Arsenal Mills Deliver Sophomore Single Dripping with 80s Nostalgia &…
Carla Muller Carla Muller Releases "Christmas Eve” and “Christmas At Home" Double Single…
Cat Bernardi New Holiday Single, “Let’s Get Cozy” By Cat Bernardi
Leanne Pearson Winnipeg's Country Female Artist of the Year LEANNE PEARSON Releases…
Oliver Pigott Oliver Pigott Delivers End of 2020 with Aerosmith’s “Dream On” Cover
The Record Breakers Cozy Up With “Winter” Single The Record Breakers Cozy Up With “Winter” Single
Month: Jan 2021
Andrea Rankin Andrea Rankin Releases Debut Alt-Pop "Tides Of Life" Album
Hollowsage Funeral Director Sagen Pearse Drops “Haunted” Music Video Under His…
Katie Ditschun Katie Ditschun Releases Ethereal New Single, “The Moon”
The Divorcees Award-Winning Country Outlaws The Divorcees Mark 16 Years with Release of New Album…
Alexandra Beck Photo Credit Shannon Tao Saskatoon, SK's Alexandra Beck Offers Smooth Pop-Soul Double-Single Debut…
Kathryn Sinopoli Singer/Songwriter Kathryn Sinopoli Releases New Single “Waterproof”
Say Something - Jesse Cook Internationally Acclaimed Guitarist, Composer & Producer Jesse Cook New…
Bentwood Rocker First Time Recorded Live in 40 Years: Bentwood Rocker Release Video Album

Pagination

  • First page « First
  • Previous page ‹ Previous
  • …
  • Page 28
  • Page 29
  • Page 30
  • Page 31
  • Current page 32
  • Page 33
  • Page 34
  • Page 35
  • Page 36
  • …
  • Next page Next ›
  • Last page Last »

CEO/PUBLISHER/EDITOR IN CHIEF
SANDY GRAHAM

email:sandygrahamemg@gmail.com 

Canadian Journalists:

Contributing Journalist - Canada and Global
Don Graham
email: dongrahamwriter@gmail.com

Contributing Journalist - Canada and Global
Lisa Hartt
email: lisahartt87@hotmail.com

Contributing Journalist - Canada 
Michael Williams
email: greydread@gmail.com

 

 

 

 

International Journalists:

Contributing Journalist - Sweden
Malin Osth
email: malin@musicdays.se

Contributing Journalist - Sweden
Jonas Tancred
email: jonas@musicdays.se

Contributing Journalist - USA
Rob Durkee 
email: rockster2746@gmail.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

Web Developer/Technical Support
Chris Wardman

email: info@chriswardman.com
website: chriswardman.com

Cashbox Cover Design and Graphic Artist
Jain McMillan

email: jainmcmillan@gmail.com

Contributing Photographer 
Tracey Savein - South Paw Productions
southpawproductions@rogers.com

 

 

 

Footer menu

  • Home
  • Features
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Cashbox Archive
  • Issue Archive
  • Past Covers