Skip to main content

Maverick Ad

Home

Main navigation

  • Home
  • Cover Stories
  • Features
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Cashbox Legacy Awards
  • Past Covers
  • Weekly Archive
Folk-Country Rocker JEFF GAY Turns His Gaze to Relationships in New Album, Stargazer

Breadcrumb

  • Home
  • Folk-Country Rocker JEFF GAY Turns His Gaze to Relationships in New Album, Stargazer
Jeff Gay
Thu Sep 24, 2020
Cashbox Canada

Canadian Americana folk-country rocker Jeff Gay is looking way up in his new album, Stargazer, including single “XOXO” — featuring multi-award winning singer/songwriter Christina Martin — each available now.

Watch and listen to“XOXO” by Jeff Gay feat. Christina Martin:

Many of tracks on Stargazer wade into the darker depths of romantic relationships, and “XOXO” is no exception. “Honestly? I was thinking about women I’ve known through the years who’ve told me stories about their partners threatening suicide as a way to try and hang onto them,” Gay shares, immediately delving deep into the inspiration behind the song. “As much as I despise this idea, and that kind of man, I really wanted to try and get into the head of a person who would do this.”

“I imagined a sort of self-absorbed individual while songwriting, or someone with a real depression or mental illness, but it’s truly open to interpretation of what type of individual’s perspective is shared; like, maybe it could be you? Or maybe he’s just looking for that impossible person to put the stars in his crown?

“I think one line says it all: ‘I love, and I grieve, and I always feel bad,’ as if his trouble should be his lover’s problem.”

Jeff Gay got his first foray into singing as a young soprano, even singing with Symphony Nova Scotia on one occasion. The Cole Harbour-based singer/songwriter soon moved to rock, taking part in BARK alongside Matt Mays in 1994, and some many years later, country-rock outfit, The Legendary Golden River Show Band. Through his years, he’s released critically acclaimed albums, including 2008’s Jeff Gay and Special Blends’ Kindly Requests, and Cuban Rum via Hungry Records in 2017.

2020’s Stargazer sees the Nova Scotian folk-country rocker taking to all instruments as well as lead vocals himself, while ushering in backing harmonies from the likes of Christina Martin, Laura Merrimen, Norma MacDonald, Ronok Sarkar, and more. His band features Curtis MacPhee, Maxwell Cranford, Brett Waye, and Drew Debay, and the album was produced by Jeff MacDonald.

“At this point, I feel like every album is just a response to the last one,” Gay considers, name checking Cuban Rum. “I was super pleased with my previous effort, and I even remember saying in an article that, with it, I felt like I’d found my ‘album template’ — short, 40 to 45 minutes in length, with nine or ten songs.

Listen to “Stargazer” here: open.spotify.com/album/7yZKsx1ediLM2WOFlYU4dc

“Meanwhile, though, songs are accumulating,” he laughs. “And also, because every album is a response to the last one, I wanted to go less understated. Ya, know… Make a big statement!”

For Gay, that was part of the mission to create a body of work inspired by Prince’s Sign O the Times and Marvin Gaye’s post-divorce tome, Here, My Dear. “That is the album Gaye had to record as a condition of his divorce with Barry Gordy’s daughter, Anna,” Gay considers. “Here, My Dear runs the gamut of emotions, but the concept is all the feelings that come up in a divorce situation. He even sings at one point, ‘why do I have to pay attorney fees?,’ like he’s working through something in the recording studio.

“It’s raw and got to the heart of the subject matter in a very convincing way to me.”

“When I was in my early 20s, I tried to write a concept album about a relationship,” he continues. “The idea was abandoned, but I guess I always had it in the back of my head. With the creation of Stargazer, I told a friend I wanted it to replace Paris, France as the romantic capital of the universe. (I told you I was thinking about making a big statement!)

“This is a very personal album to me; it’s like Here, My Dear without the divorce.”

For more visit:
jeffgaymusic.ca/
instagram.com/jeffgaymusic/?hl=en
facebook.com/jeffgaymusic
twitter.com/JgayJust
open.spotify.com/album/7yZKsx1ediLM2WOFlYU4dc

Reviews
Album
Jeff Gay
Month: Dec 2024
Carla Muller Woolwich Folk Singer Carla Muller Spreads Holiday Cheer with Yuletide…
DANCELAND Toronto Jam Band DANCELAND Grooves with Intricate Gem "Sapphire"…
Donny Smith Toronto Pop-Soul Artist Donny Smith Shines with New Single "Adore You…
Mike Bern Tobique First Nation Folk Rocker Mike Bern Releases Reflective…
 oH! oH! The Artist 'Risks It All' With New Single: 2.8M
Alex Blum Alex Blum Channels Chapel Hill Roots in Blues Rock Single "Hometown"
Dutchman Dutchman Unveils Highly Anticipated Double Single “I Need You Now…
Goldy lockS Nashville Rockers Goldy lockS Band Deliver a Crushing Groove and…
Izzo Blues Coalition Izzo Blues Coalition Brings Bluesy Energy to the Holidays with “Merry…
Joèe Toronto Pop Singer Joèe Releases Soulful New Christmas Single With…
Justine Chantale Tillsonburg Roots Meets Toronto Pop Rock: Justine Chantale and Broadtree…
KC Armstrong Brantford Americana Artist KC Armstrong Delivers Festive Fun with…
Sammy Jackson JUNO Winner Sammy Jackson Shines with New Single "Home Sweet Home…
Sarah Sokal album design by Philip Faith Montreal Blues Powerhouse Sarah Sokal Debuts Bold Single "Man…
Sussex Quebec-Based Folk Group Sussex Delivers Release "Under Your…

Pagination

  • First page « First
  • Previous page ‹ Previous
  • …
  • Page 136
  • Page 137
  • Page 138
  • Page 139
  • Current page 140
  • Page 141
  • Page 142
  • Page 143
  • Page 144
  • …
  • 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