Shaye: Silver Civic

By Kerry Doole

Shaye - Silver Civic (Independent): Given that the group comprises three highly-accomplished singer/songwriters, Kim Stockwood, Damhnait Doyle, and Tara MacLean, Shaye can be viewed as something of a Canadian folk/pop super-trio.

As the principals explain in a press release, "In 2002 at the urging of then EMI President, Deane Cameron, we came together to form Shaye. We then went on to release two records, win numerous awards, and receive crazy amounts of airplay. While the band broke up in 2017, the friendship that drew us together to form Shaye has not waned."

To mark the 20th anniversary of its formation, the group has reunited to release a new track, a rendition of Charlotte Cornfield’s Silver Civic. Shaye notes that "we spent weeks listening to dozens of amazing Canadian songs. Finding consensus is never easy with a band but one day while we were on Zoom, reviewing our shortlist yet again, Damhnait looked out her window and saw Charlotte Cornfield walking down the street! The universe sealed the deal."

"Charlotte’s Silver Civic spoke to us equally and we wish we wrote it. That heartbreak where you see the person you love everywhere, in everything. We wanted to take people on that journey of loss and longing with us. Now every car we see is a silver Civic!"

The tune, a slow and haunting and reflective one, showcases Shaye's trademark vocal harmonies and is sweetly embellished by gentle horns. The accompanying lyric video spotlights Cornfield's poetic lyrics - "I careen down highways of doubt."

Hopefully, this cover will focus more attention upon Cornfield, an eloquent roots singer/songwriter from Toronto whose own work deserves far more attention. This can be streamed now. Her current album, Highs in the Minuses, is well worth exploring.

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