Splitting her time between Toronto, Montreal and Sackville, N.B., Julie Doiron is now heading west.
The Canadian folk rock singer-songwriter will play Communitea Cafe in Canmore Monday (Nov. 12), touring with her newest album, So Many Days.
“It’s a huge relief that it’s finally done and out,” she said, talking about the new release. “I haven’t put out a record in three and a half years, and part of the reason why I took so long to make a record is I was on tour so much for the last record and for a couple other projects. So after all that touring I wanted a break and I put it off as long as possible.”
So Many Days is Doiron’s 10th solo album since 1996, prior to which she had several with the band Eric’s Trip.
“And then I started writing it in December with Rick White (of Eric’s Trip), then got a job and stopped recording, and finally went back to his house in June and we finished it,” she said. “There are songs that I wrote while I was living in Montreal, songs that I wrote while I was living in Sackville, songs that I wrote while I was living in Toronto.
“I don’t even know what I wanted to do with it, what I wanted to say, I just wanted to put those songs out.”
The songs, which vary from rock to folk in style, are simply about life, she stressed.
“I’m just singing about the way I feel, about life,” said Doiron. “Sometimes I’m happy and sometimes I’m not, and that’s what I sing. Life is really great right now, though sometimes it’s stressful. I’m really hoping everyone has up and down days, and I just write about whatever I’m feeling.
“So Many Days is chronicling all those days of the last three and a half years, like a condensed version of the ups and downs.”
The album debuted last Tuesday (Oct. 30), with a performance at the Mod Club in Toronto, opening for The Grapes of Wrath.
“That went great, and it was our first show as this lineup, so that was really cool,” said Doiron. “Will Kidman on drums, Christopher MacLauchlan on bass and myself on guitar, so we’re like a power trio.”
While this will be Doiron’s first time at Communitea, she has played Canmore before.
“I’ve played Canmore before at the Canmore Hotel, and I remember staying there and that was fun, but I haven’t played Communitea,” she said. “My understanding is it’s a cool spot from people I know that have played there. It sounds like the kind of place where people like listening to music.”
The tour features big cities and small towns, variations Doiron quite enjoys.
“I like to play as often as possible, and playing Canmore is a logical thing to do,” she said. “I live in a town of 5,000 people, so it doesn’t have to be big cities for me, as long as there’s an audience to be there, that’s all I need.”
In Saskatchewan, Doiron will make a stop in Bruno, which has dedicated a day to her.
“June 7th is Julie Doiron Day -– the first time I played there, it was unbeknownst to me, they did a ceremony and had a mayor cut a ribbon – and they celebrate it every year,” she explained. “This will be maybe my fourth time back there.
“It’s a really sweet place to play. It’s tiny, only holds about 35 people, so hopefully we can sell that one out. They had another venue that only held 18 and we’d sell out that one, so our fingers are crossed.
“I never know what to expect, I don’t know what I’m going to get, although on the west coast it’s always really good.”
Following this Western Canada tour, Doiron has plans to tour Spain, Japan and possibly Australia in the new year.
For more information on Doiron, visit her website at juliedoiron.com
