Toronto-based acoustic folk group Samways sets poetry in musical motion again with their new single, “The Mother,” and debut album, Untrodden Ways.

With previously released singles “The Wind of Death” and the album’s title track, “Untrodden Ways,” serving as previews to the 10+2-track LP, the Toronto-based innovative quartet unveils another intriguing mashup of turn of the century poetry in “The Mother.”

Check out “Untrodden Ways” on YouTube here:

Not this century, but the last one… Complete with a soundscape that is totally today; the song is ancient prose living in perfect harmony with modern folk.

Don’t let the title fool you... The folk music forecast just got brighter and livelier with the release of “The Wind of Death” from Canadian acoustic quartet, Samways.

The second single to drop ahead of the group’s forthcoming debut album, the song juxtaposes   a muscular, driving rhythm and sunny vocal harmonies with the moving poem, “The Wind of Death.” Written by Canadian poet and journalist Ethelwyn Wetherald well over a century ago, the poem touches on the tenuous and reflective last moments of someone’s life.

The wind of death, that softly blows
The last warm petal from the rose
The last dry leaf from off the tree
Tonight, has come to breathe on me

Respectively all known and loved Toronto-based artists in their own rights, lead songwriter, guitarist and composer Nathan Hiltz — and the vocal trio of Shannon Butcher, Jessica Lalonde and Melissa Lauren — have combined their formidable talents to form the creative core of Samways.

As they succinctly put it, they create and perform “acoustic music with lyrics drawn from early Canadian poetry.”

Toronto-based folk quartet Samways acknowledge the work of a late, great Canadian poet in this, their new single, “Untrodden Ways” – check out the YouTube here:

Untrodden Ways by Samways:

Landing ahead of their forthcoming debut album, the song is backed by a steady bass groove and the sounds of lead songwriter, guitarist and composer Nathan Hiltz’s acoustic, and driven by the beautiful and smile-inducing vocal harmonies of co-lead singers Shannon Butcher, Melissa Lauren, and Jessica Lalonde. On the creation of the “Untrodden Ways,” Nathan said: “I tried to channel Joni (Mitchell)’s rambunctious and expressive strumming,” adding that it highlights a “polyrhythmic feeling … which might fit in with Paul Brady — somewhere between a jig and a 1960s songwriter.”