Listening to Brett Wildeman鈥檚 first full-length album, Mother Earth, it鈥檚 apparent that natural elements influence his sound.
鈥淚 studied geography at university, so I think the natural environment has influenced my music and will continue to influence it,鈥� said the musician from Roberts Creek, B.C., a small town on the Sunshine Coast. 鈥淚 spend a lot of time outside, whether it鈥檚 at the beach or in the forest.鈥�
Wildeman also spent a lot of time outdoors during a 1,200 km bike journey along the US West Coast last year. 鈥淚t was totally on a whim. It really provided me with the opportunity to explore different places.鈥�
With a topographic map and book to read, and no cell phone, Wildeman became acquainted with numerous characters during his journey. 鈥淚t made me meet the local people in each town, I had to figure out where was a good place to eat, or if there was a town nearby, or where I could buy beer.鈥�
Wildeman integrated the three-week cycling journey into Mother Earth, his latest release of organic folk tunes, recorded at StraitSound Studio in Roberts Creek.
If someone had to listen to only one song on Mother Earth, he recommends 鈥淒earest Friend鈥� or 鈥淟ife鈥檚 Storm鈥� because both songs are the 鈥渕ost cohesive鈥� and provide the listener with a perspective of the entire album.
Wildeman is most proud of聽 鈥淏rooks, Alberta鈥�, a peculiar melody accented by bell and cranking sounds and paired with lyrics delivered in sotto voce, mirroring the steady, fluctuating roll of ocean waves. 鈥淚鈥檓 really proud of how weird it is, how it kind of works.鈥�
Mother Earth also addresses contentious issues, like the proposed Northern Gateway pipeline in 鈥淔oreign Affairs鈥�.
鈥淚t鈥檚 just my two cents on the pipeline going across B.C., especially when a majority of the population doesn鈥檛 want it, not because of the concern of a potential spill, but when the spill will happen.鈥�
He鈥檚 anxious to see how the song is perceived when he performs later this month at the Edge of the World music festival in Haida Gwaii, a place he hasn鈥檛 travelled before. 鈥淭hat would be 鈥榞round zero鈥� if there was a spill. I鈥檓 really interested to see how [the song] resonates with the people.鈥�
Wildeman has visited Jasper before, but hasn鈥檛 set foot in SnowDome, where he鈥檒l play during Coin Clean Laundry鈥檚 51st anniversary celebration. 鈥淚鈥檓 excited to be back in Jasper, I鈥檒l be there all weekend.鈥�
For more information on Wildeman, visit www.brettwildeman.tumblr.com. His music is available for download at www.mynameisbrettwildeman.bandcamp.com/album/mother-earth.
Sarah Makowsky
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