Music

Track Of The Week: "The Weight" by High Ends

by Chris Budd

Photo:Mandy-Lyn

When I spotted this track in the subject line of a press release,I thought it was going to be a cover. Turns out it’s an original, from an artist you should get familiar with:High Ends.

You’re probably already familiar with the band, even if you’re not yet aware of it.High Ends is Yukon Blonde’s Jeffrey Innes, who, in the second half of 2013 had free time to explore this adventurous songwriting outlet while back home in Vancouver.

“I initially wanted to do something that was really collaborative, so I wrote a bunch of songs with the idea of bringing friends in,” says Innes, in a statement. “But all of my friends were on tour, so I ended up doing it myself.”

Using an array of analogue synthesizers, Innes had a feverishly creative burst of unfiltered solo experimentation, resulting in a 10-song album. The record was recorded with producer Colin Stewart (Dan Mangan, the New Pornographers) at his Vancouver Island facility with Gold & Youth drummer Jeff Mitchelmore handling percussion, Ladyhawk’s Darcy Hancock on guitarand Louise Burns and New Pornographers’ Kathryn Calder contributing backing vocals.

Listen to “The Weight” below.