Gord Downie & Bob Rock: Lustre Parfait

By Kerry Doole

Gord Downie & Bob Rock - Lustre Parfait (label): In exciting news for fans of the late great Gord Downie, it has been revealed that he had long been working on a collaborative album with Canadian super-producer Bob Rock (The Cult, Metallica, Motley Crue). An announcement for the upcoming joint release notes that the project began more than a decade ago after the producer finished work on 2009’s We Are the Same, his second album with the Hip.

Downie asked Rock about the possibility of a duo collaboration, which led Downie to “delve into the depths of his notebooks” for material. In a label press release, Bob Rock says: “First and foremost Gord was my friend, and having the opportunity to work with him on these songs was one of the biggest highlights of my professional life. I am grateful that I got to witness his genius in such close proximity.”   

The first taste of this project is the just-released track Lustre Parfait, composed by Rock and featuring lyrics and vocals from Downie. It is indeed a tasty sonic treat, a full-blooded romp featuring lusty horns (per Tom Keenlyside and Steve Madaio), soulful backing vocals (Camille and Saffron Henderson), cool organ, and a typically spirited vocal turn from Downie, as he implores us to "gather in the dark." On the cut, Rock contributes guitars, keyboards, and percussion, joined by co-producers Jamey Koch on bass and Adam Greenholtz on keyboards and percussion.

Lustre Parfait is another vivid example of the way Downie was able to shine beyond the sonic confines of The Tragically Hip, as shown by his solo work and the wonderful (if somewhat overlooked) album, And the Conquering Sun, Downie's 2014 collaboration with The Sadies.

We await the full album with keen anticipation.

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Gord Downie online

Lustreparfait.com

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Publicity: Ken Beattie, Killbeat