TENILLE TOWNES’ TRAIN TRACK WORKTAPES OUT NOW FEATURES MULTIPLE ONE-TAKE RECORDINGS AND SOLO-WRITES SIDE A + B TOUR UNDERWAY
Reigning CCMA Entertainer of the Year and two-time JUNO Award winner Tenille Townes’ Train Track Worktapes arrives today, just as she launches the U.S leg of her SIDE A + B TOUR. Listen to the introspective, stripped-down project HERE.
“I hope people feel like they are sitting next to us on this train as we were making this music. I hope it feels like a ride they want to keep getting on board for and feel comforted by the rattle of the tracks and the hum of the engine in the fabric of these songs,” said Townes. “I felt so inspired in the motion of this trip, and by the resilience and generosity of the human spirit, witnessing people bundled up in the freezing cold to come support their local food banks at these 65 shows we played along the way. I couldn’t help but write about it and record it, and I’m so glad we get to take this ride together through this project out there now.”
Conceptualized, written, and recorded on a charity train trip that covered nearly 3,000 miles across southern Canada, Train Track Worktapes is a collection as unique as the experience it was born from. A tradition in her native country, the CP Holiday Train benefits local food banks when their need is greatest, as each attendee brings donations to catch the free concert. Train doors fold down to create a stage, where Townes entertained crowds ranging from dozens to thousands, sometimes in temperatures as low as -24F. She performed 65 shows during her 15 days on board.
With acoustic, roots-driven sonics that call back to her debut release, Living Room Worktapes, Townes’ transcendent vocals shine with raw emotion across the EP’s five tracks. Throughout Train Track Worktapes, the gifted raconteur explores concepts such as what defines home, living life in motion, fulfilling a troubadour spirit, and feeling joy so all-consuming you fear its end. The project is highlighted by with a cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide” recorded in a single take, while additional tracks include autobiographical opener “Home to Me,” troubadour anthem “Pieces of my Heart,” wandering ode “Coming Together,” and additional one-take marvel “Wheels.” Each song is accented in its own way with the rattle and rhythm of the train, from the hum of the wheels against the track to the clang of the bells from a crossing.
To create the distinctive sound, Townes, a producer on the project alongside guitarist Jaxon Hargrove, and her band embraced the environment, getting resourceful with their setup. A suitcase turned into a kickdrum. Tin foil and paper bowls became a shaker. Teacups made the perfect substitute for a triangle. They used boxed wine to cover air vents, so the sound didn’t bleed into the recordings. They borrowed equipment and microphones from the train cars housing the stage and gear and recorded mainly in the train’s caboose, sometimes capturing takes in 20-minute spurts between shows.
The journey continues with new manifestations of the Train Track Worktapes magic, with details to be revealed soon. Stay Tuned via Townes’ Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok.
Train Track Worktapes Track Listing
1. Home to Me (Tenille Townes)
2. Pieces of My Heart (Tenille Townes)
3. Landslide (Stevie Nicks)
4. Coming Together (Tenille Townes, Jaxon Hargrove)
5. Wheels (Tenille Townes, Jaxon Hargrove)
Produced by Jaxon Hargrove and Tenille Townes