Halifax via Enfield, N.S. singer-songwriter Corey Isenor is getting set to embark on a 14-date tour of eastern Canada including several shows throughout New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Quebec and Ontario. Prior to venturing off to the bright lights and big cities of Ontario and Quebec however, Isenor will be performing Friday night at the Royal Canadian Legion in Sackville. Admission is $8.
Now three full-length records deep into his career, Isenor got his start in music dabbling in a myriad of musical ventures but ended up forging a strong bond with another singer-songwriter, Sackville’s Pat Lepoidevin. The two songwriters met while attending university, collaborating on a number of tracks while also individually performing songs from their respective pasts.
Isenor says that a friendly rivalry to ensued between he and Lepoidevin, ultimately driving both of them to up their songwriting game in order to try to keep up with what the other was doing.
“Both Pat and I were constantly writing and performing which ended up creating a nice little bit of competition for both of us in the respect that we were each trying to keep up with the other’s level of songwriting,” Isenor says. “Of course, once Pat brought his loop pedal into the mix though, he jumped a whole notch ahead of me. But really, even after university wrapped up, I made a point to keep up with him and his music and what he was up to.”
At Isenor’s upcoming shows in Toronto, he and Lepoidevin will be reunited for two shows at the city’s Tranzac club, something that Corey is anticipating.
“Pat just returned from teaching in South Korea so our shows at the Tranzac will serve as a reunion of sorts for us.”
Isenor’s newest record The Hunting Party was released in November. Recorded in Port Greville, N.S., the album is an uplifting reflection of his musical sensibilities, fleshed out with flourishes of banjo, harmonica and more. It’s not an outright folk record but it’s not a full-on rock record either. With The Hunting Party, Isenor, like Neil Young before him, successfully finds that elusive middle ground.
Though he would have preferred hitting the road to promote The Hunting Party long before now, the reality of holding down a full-time job factored into the picture. Nonetheless, Isenor is happy to finally be staring down the prospects of getting his music out to the masses.
“I wasn’t really in a position to tour the record much before now,” he says. “I’m really looking forward to traveling around Canada for the summer. Everything is working out rather well for me.”
Article published in July 13, 2012 edition of the Times & Transcript