Blissful State of Mind
OUT NOV 7, 2024
Brooks & Bowskill have returned with an 11-song opus that is already a folk-rock classic.
A lot has happened since the release of Too Many Roads, the debut record from Jim Bowskill and Brittany Brooks. First, they got married, making official the deep connection between the pair that was so clear in the songs of that first LP. They also moved their studio, Ganaraska Recording Co, from a former Ontario Hydro building in an industrial part of Cobourg, Ontario to a nearly 200-year-old farmhouse in the Northumberland Hills. Lastly, they introduced themselves and their songs to live audiences across southern Ontario. The shows garnered rave reviews from concert goers in small community halls, downtown rock bars, and stately, storied theatres. Every stage, no matter what size, became a place for Brooks and Bowskill, along with their band the Hometown Beauts, to show their love for live performance, for their new songs and treasured covers, for their audience and for each other.
Now Brooks and Bowskill present their second long playing album, Blissful State of Mind, a record of the last two years for the band. It is the sound of the marriage of two old souled songwriters, merging their histories together and imbuing each other with confidence. It is the sound of the rolling hills north of Cobourg, and an old farmhouse resurrected and filled with life again. It’s also the sound of a band of musicians who have played together long enough to be able to anticipate each other’s next moves. In sum, Blissful State of Mind is the sound of a group at home, for a moment, in the moment.
The debut LP from Brooks and Bowskill was described as a “record store clerk’s nightmare”; impossible to file into any single genre’s bin. This sophomore effort aims to be equally difficult to categorize, touching musically on buoyant 60s psychedelic pop, strong armed southern rock, and folky Canadiana. The through line is the lyrical honesty of both songwriters, and the crisp and spacious, but also intimate, production. Bowskill, in the engineer’s chair, has crafted a sound that is deceptively simple, sonically alike to Matthew’s Southern Comfort’s Later That Same Year, Sandy Denny’s Sandy, or The Band’s Stage Fright. It may have been mixed on a pair of giant Altec speakers, but it is a headphone album from start to finish. The other permanent fixture on Blissful State of Mind is the band: Kyler Tapscott, Ian McKeown, Wayne DeAdder, and Steve O’Connor. “We knew having the full band playing as live as possible would be the best way to treat these songs,” says Brooks. “You can hear them playing off each other and that’s what creates the excitement.”
The album opens with a pair of songs, segueing quickly from one to the next, enticing listeners to buckle up for a sonic journey. On “Draw the Line”, Brooks’ dreamy, Leslie-fied vocal advocates for doing more and talking less, marking boundaries with conviction and putting the past behind you. Track two, “Never Be There Again”, finds Bowskill reflecting on similar themes in a quieter moment while the band simmers underneath, before a string section appears to sweep the whole affair towards a decisive acoustic guitar solo and conclusion.
“Carousel of Time” and “You Run To” both showcase Brittany Brooks’ ability to craft compact, hook-filled earworms. The former features hypnotic 12-string guitars and a dizzying circus organ, emphasizing the overwhelming feeling that the carousel never stops spinning. “You Run To” is a slice of 60s pop perfection with a chorus that shows off the range of both vocalists. Bowskill’s “Francis” is a song about a dear friend and his cross country journey in search of personal history. The strong emphasis on story and character and an east-coast inspired fiddle and mandolin accompaniment recalls the folky Canadiana of David Essig and Stan Rogers.
The title track is a slow burning epic that finds Brooks writing her most confessional and pleading lyric of the record. The dynamic build is almost imperceptible, with each verse adding to the drama before a soaring pedal steel break courtesy of Bowskill, followed by a towering final verse and chorus. Brooks calls on the listener to “take my hand, I’ll pull you out when the times are proving hard”, even though she herself is still on the hunt for peace. The theme is echoed through the album: to give, even when you’re not sure what you have left to.
“Over and Over” shows the potency of the mixture of Brooks’ song writing and Bowskill’s expansive abilities as a musician and producer. He supplies the entire string section, as well as the flute, that opens the song, meticulously multitracked to turn single instruments into an orchestra. “Brittany wrote this song, and the arrangement is exactly how she presented it to me on guitar for the first time. I immediately heard the string section in my head and how it would transition into a rock song,” he says. “I Guess So” and “Take Me Back” both feature standout guitar solos, the latter from Bowskill, and the former from Hometown Beaut Kyler Tapscott. Both songs are highlights of the band’s live shows, which often find the two guitarists face to face, trading licks and building off each other’s guitar acrobatics.
The album comes to a quiet, contemplative end. “Linda Lou” features the lightest touch from all musicians, notably Steve O’Connor on piano. “Falling Behind” returns to the feeling of watching the carousel spin, especially when you’re not on it. Fitted into the rest of the album, it serves as an important reminder of impermanence, and the changing of feelings like seasons.
Blissful State of Mind is an 11-song folk-rock opus, forever solidifying the prolific collaboration of these two songwriters and the unbelievable wealth of musicianship in their band. It is a victorious marker of a particular moment in time for this ensemble, who have succeeded in creating a timeless collection of original songs.
Now Brooks and Bowskill present their second long playing album, Blissful State of Mind, a record of the last two years for the band. It is the sound of the marriage of two old souled songwriters, merging their histories together and imbuing each other with confidence. It is the sound of the rolling hills north of Cobourg, and an old farmhouse resurrected and filled with life again. It’s also the sound of a band of musicians who have played together long enough to be able to anticipate each other’s next moves. In sum, Blissful State of Mind is the sound of a group at home, for a moment, in the moment.
The debut LP from Brooks and Bowskill was described as a “record store clerk’s nightmare”; impossible to file into any single genre’s bin. This sophomore effort aims to be equally difficult to categorize, touching musically on buoyant 60s psychedelic pop, strong armed southern rock, and folky Canadiana. The through line is the lyrical honesty of both songwriters, and the crisp and spacious, but also intimate, production. Bowskill, in the engineer’s chair, has crafted a sound that is deceptively simple, sonically alike to Matthew’s Southern Comfort’s Later That Same Year, Sandy Denny’s Sandy, or The Band’s Stage Fright. It may have been mixed on a pair of giant Altec speakers, but it is a headphone album from start to finish. The other permanent fixture on Blissful State of Mind is the band: Kyler Tapscott, Ian McKeown, Wayne DeAdder, and Steve O’Connor. “We knew having the full band playing as live as possible would be the best way to treat these songs,” says Brooks. “You can hear them playing off each other and that’s what creates the excitement.”
The album opens with a pair of songs, segueing quickly from one to the next, enticing listeners to buckle up for a sonic journey. On “Draw the Line”, Brooks’ dreamy, Leslie-fied vocal advocates for doing more and talking less, marking boundaries with conviction and putting the past behind you. Track two, “Never Be There Again”, finds Bowskill reflecting on similar themes in a quieter moment while the band simmers underneath, before a string section appears to sweep the whole affair towards a decisive acoustic guitar solo and conclusion.
“Carousel of Time” and “You Run To” both showcase Brittany Brooks’ ability to craft compact, hook-filled earworms. The former features hypnotic 12-string guitars and a dizzying circus organ, emphasizing the overwhelming feeling that the carousel never stops spinning. “You Run To” is a slice of 60s pop perfection with a chorus that shows off the range of both vocalists. Bowskill’s “Francis” is a song about a dear friend and his cross country journey in search of personal history. The strong emphasis on story and character and an east-coast inspired fiddle and mandolin accompaniment recalls the folky Canadiana of David Essig and Stan Rogers.
The title track is a slow burning epic that finds Brooks writing her most confessional and pleading lyric of the record. The dynamic build is almost imperceptible, with each verse adding to the drama before a soaring pedal steel break courtesy of Bowskill, followed by a towering final verse and chorus. Brooks calls on the listener to “take my hand, I’ll pull you out when the times are proving hard”, even though she herself is still on the hunt for peace. The theme is echoed through the album: to give, even when you’re not sure what you have left to.
“Over and Over” shows the potency of the mixture of Brooks’ song writing and Bowskill’s expansive abilities as a musician and producer. He supplies the entire string section, as well as the flute, that opens the song, meticulously multitracked to turn single instruments into an orchestra. “Brittany wrote this song, and the arrangement is exactly how she presented it to me on guitar for the first time. I immediately heard the string section in my head and how it would transition into a rock song,” he says. “I Guess So” and “Take Me Back” both feature standout guitar solos, the latter from Bowskill, and the former from Hometown Beaut Kyler Tapscott. Both songs are highlights of the band’s live shows, which often find the two guitarists face to face, trading licks and building off each other’s guitar acrobatics.
The album comes to a quiet, contemplative end. “Linda Lou” features the lightest touch from all musicians, notably Steve O’Connor on piano. “Falling Behind” returns to the feeling of watching the carousel spin, especially when you’re not on it. Fitted into the rest of the album, it serves as an important reminder of impermanence, and the changing of feelings like seasons.
Blissful State of Mind is an 11-song folk-rock opus, forever solidifying the prolific collaboration of these two songwriters and the unbelievable wealth of musicianship in their band. It is a victorious marker of a particular moment in time for this ensemble, who have succeeded in creating a timeless collection of original songs.
"Blissful State of Mind" Track Listing:
1. Draw the Line
2. Never Be There Again
3. Carousel of Time
4. Francis
5. Blissful State of Mind
6. Over and Over
7. You Run To
8. I Guess So
9. Take Me Back (For the Night)
10. Linda Lou
11. Falling Behind
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"Blissful State of Mind" Album Liner Notes:
Produced by Jim Bowskill and Brittany Brooks
All songs written by Brittany Brooks and Jim Bowskill
I Guess So written by Jim Bowskill, Brittany Brooks and Steve Puchalski
Engineered by Jim Bowskill
Mixed by Steve Marriner and Jim Bowskill
Mastered by Philip Shaw Bova
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Recorded at Ganaraska Recording Co.
Baltimore, ON, Canada - 2024
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Brittany Brooks: Lead Vocals, Guitar
Jim Bowskill: Lead Vocals, Guitars, String Sections,
Pedal Steel Guitar, Mandolin, Flute, Q-Chord
The Hometown Beauts:
Ian McKeown: Drums, Percussion, Harmony Vocals
Wayne DeAdder: Bass Guitar
Steve O’Connor: Keyboards, Accordion
Kyler Tapscott: Guitars
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Art Direction and Layout: Brittany Brooks
Cover Photo: Lauren Garbutt
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