After having celebrated the release of her latest studio record Song In Me before a sold-out audience at Saint John’s BMO Theatre this past October, Hampton resident Jessica Rhaye is getting ready to celebrate the album’s release again, but this time on vinyl.
Rhaye says that while she had hoped to have vinyl copies of the record ready for the original release show this past fall, a minor yet inconvenient combination of factors prevented that from happening.
Better late than never, however, Rhaye is looking forward to finally getting vinyl copies of her latest record into the hands of fans.
“The vinyl format is so popular with music fans these days,” Rhaye says. “If you walk into Backstreet Records today, there is more vinyl than anything else where years ago, it would have been primarily CD’s on the store’s shelves.”
Asked why she believes the vinyl format has seen such a significant renaissance over the last five years, Rhaye believes it’s because it offers superior sound compared to CD’s, and is also more visually appealing than other mediums.
“From a listening perspective, it’s tough to rival the warmth that vinyl can offer, but speaking from a graphic designer standpoint, it’s wonderful to get to see the album artwork up close. It offers a bit of a different perspective than looking at a CD jacket,” she says.
It was in the rustic surroundings of Hampton, overlooking the Kennebecasis River that the bulk of the material featured on The Song In Me came together. After having brought her last three studio efforts – 2013’s Far Gone Lullabies, Good Things (2009) and 2006’s Short Stories – to life with the same production team, the singer-songwriter’s most recent record came together with producer Dale Murray at his studio in the rural surroundings of Port Howe, N.S.
With co-writing credits from an impressive array of peers including Saint John’s Brent Mason, Matt Andersen, and Winnipeg artist Matt Epp, the organic feel and immediate accessibility of the material featured on Song In Me is one of the record’s undeniable strong suits.
In addition to having secured past song placements in television shows including CBC’s Heartland and the CMT program Unstable in the past, Rhaye is a multiple East Coast Music Award nominee and is also a Music New Brunswick Award winner.
This coming August, Rhaye is slated to perform at Saint John’s Area 506 festival, while in September, she and Brent Mason will be playing in support of Martha Wainwright.
What: Jessica Rhaye Song In Me Vinyl Release Show
When: Saturday June 24, 8 p.m.
Where: Five & Dime, 40 Grannen Lane, Saint John
Tickets for the show are $10. A show ticket and a vinyl copy of Song In Me is $20. Advance tickets are available at Backstreet Records and at the Five & Dime.