Frazey Ford: U kin B the Sun
Her soulful voice soars above piano and gospel-inflected backing vocals.
By Kerry Doole
Frazey Ford - U kin B the Sun ( Arts & Crafts): This is the title cut from the third full-length by the highly-lauded Vancouver soul/roots songstress.
Released in 2020, the album attracted rave reviews from the likes of Q, Mojo, Guardian, Uncut, and Financial Times, but the pandemic prevented Ford from promoting it on tour. Thankfully, Canadian dates have now been announced, and the release of a new video to accompany this song will help rekindle interest.
The trippy atmospheric clip was directed and conceived with Brian Lye and artist/bandmate Caroline Ballhorn. In a press release, Ford explains that "U Kin Be the Sun explores the vast and eternal within us, the reoccurring ancient mythology of the individual as the universal, as light, as the sun. Shot on location on Gabriola Island, BC, traditional territory of the Snuneymuxw nation. The moonscape sandstone caves, lush rainforests and the ocean itself, serve as hypnotic and reverent imagery, the transcendent experience of communion with the natural world. Paper animation weaves between the dimensions of reality, of self, of the natural realm, and the cosmos."
The song's arrangement is based around piano and gospel-inflected backing vocals, over which Ford's voice, a thing of beauty, soars effortlessly while delivering uplifting lyrics - "U can be the be sun, Well shinin’ all over me, shining all over."
U kin B the Sun was recorded at John Raham’s Afterlife Studios in Vancouver, featuring A-list local musicians. It follows Ford’s 2014 release Indian Ocean, an album made with members of legendary Memphis soul band The Hi Rhythm Section. That release confirmed that the former founding member of folk favourites The Be Good Tanyas had matured into a compelling solo artist, one of the most soulful we have.
Ford starts an extensive US tour on Oct. 22, while dates in 10 Canadian cities begin in Winnipeg on Jan. 13. Itinerary here.
Links
Publicity: Ken Beattie, Killbeat
Agent: Todd Jordan, Paquin Artists Agency
Management: Mandy Wheelwright, Ms. Management
Aya NakamuraMarion Gomez/Billboard France