Former Estevan resident Joel Henderson, in the world of music better known as Poor Nameless Boy, has his new album put together.
The Wake Up Call EP’s release is scheduled for March 29. Right after that, on March 30, Henderson will come back to Estevan’s Art Concepts with this stop being his second on a Western Canada tour.
Southeast Lifestyles had a chance to talk to the artist about the new album and his music.
A lot has changed since his last album Bravery was released in 2016. More than two years later the new project turned out to be another unique experience.
“The last project was made by a lot of friends; it was made by a lot of people really putting in contributions. Songs were written over a shorter period of time, it was a big shot in the dark. And this one, the biggest difference to me is the evolution of songwriting. People will be able to tell from these tracks that the style is just a little different. And I love it,” Henderson said.
He explained that there will be a little bit less roots and country in the new album, and a little bit more Americana.
His producer took on the project along with Henderson and there was a number of musicians joining Poor Nameless Boy for some of the songs, so it still was a collaborative project. All songwriting was done by Henderson.
Some concerts on the tour will have the entire band performing together, while others, including Estevan, will have a solo acoustic program by Henderson.
So far, just one song from the new album was released. Henderson said that the response to Catch Up and Slow Down song was really good.
“Radio picked it up. We went with the new radio tracker for that from the last one. And results are very good, I was really happy,” Henderson noted.
Henderson believes that “this song is a slow-burner and over time people will come down to understand the message of Catch Up and Slow Down and realize that it’s just a call to realize what’s important in life and spend time with that.”
The rest of the album is about communication in general. The social realm made Henderson look this way and address the topic in his art.
“There was a bit of a time where everyone can kind of hear a bit of a political shift in Canada and the United States. And the one thing that I noticed above everything else was just not necessarily the rise and the rhetoric, but how people were talking to one another,” said Henderson.
“It was wanting to be right, instead of wanting to hear the other side of the argument, consider that you were wrong, or to just gain more perspective, or the conversation became shouting matches, or it became blame pointing. And it was constant as well.
“I think over the last few years people have tuned out some people in society, or they’ve muted them in a sense.”
His album was created to become a call to wake up and come back to important people, to give each other grace and a chance to be heard.
The inspiration for this album was gained over the past couple years, while Poor Nameless Boy had many successful tours and performances all over the world.
“I’ve been showcasing and touring in multiple different international places. I’ve been to Australia, Germany twice, Denmark, Switzerland, UK, including Scotland, to Belgium, France and down to the United States as well,” Henderson said.
The reception in many countries was good.
“It’s been really cool. I’m really hoping to get back to Australia at some point. I know that I will be back to the UK pretty soon. But Germany was, I think, probably where I was well received the most. I got into some different playlists there, and some wonderful showcases, and some great reviews while I was in their country,” Henderson said.
The contemporary tour will cover many places in western Canada, but Henderson is the most excited about performing in Regina and Saskatoon, since those venues will have the entire band playing together and will also be bigger venues, which will provide some understanding of how many fans he has by now.
“It’s really where the fullness of the sound is going to come out,” he said.
However, having a heart of the songwriter Henderson still loves smaller intimate concerts.
“I’m loving to take the songs on the road, because I still have a heart of the song writer where there is nothing like just sitting with the acoustic guitar and playing the songs.”
Besides, coming back to Estevan also always makes his heart beat.
“It’s just always great to play in Estevan, it was my home for 18 years and it s always interesting to come back,” he said.
Poor Nameless Boy will also be bringing another songwriter Adyn Townes of New Brunswick, for the performance in Estevan.
