Jay Burns brings a surprising breath of fresh air to the Canadian music scene, defying the traditions of the singer-songwriter archetype with his rock-driven sound. Not satisfied with the traditionally muted, overly-introspective compositions, Burns [+]Jay Burns brings a surprising breath of fresh air to the Canadian music scene, defying the traditions of the singer-songwriter archetype with his rock-driven sound. Not satisfied with the traditionally muted, overly-introspective compositions, Burns delivers a collection of stirring and energetic tunes, genuine in sentiment, but also exciting and inspirational, delivered with a signature voice - both tender and roaring - at times reminiscent of Lou Reid or Greg Dulli, and at others drawing comparisons to Chris Martin or Jeff Tweedy.
Burns spent the last decade honing his craft, living across North America and drawing inspiration from his experiences in New York City, Toronto, Winnipeg and Calgary. He began his musical career as the front man of Winnipeg-based Fleshtone Rockets, a band who sold more than 3,000 copies of their self-produced EP and full-length album from the back of their touring van. Word-of-mouth excitement for the band and their no-nonsense approach to rock music grew over the years, landing them showcase spots at Music West in Vancouver, the COCA Conference in Ottawa and Banff and North by Northeast in Toronto. Extensive touring saw Burns leading Fleshtone Rockets to open for the likes of The Proclaimers and The Mathew Good Band.
Driven to create a more personal brand of music, Burns pursued a solo career in 2003. He began to craft a series of songs that catch ears on both sonic and lyrical levels, inspiring listeners to both feel his music and listen closely to what's being said. The multi-level appeal allowed Burns to push the boundaries of the singer-songwriter model, explicitly incorporating elements of blues, soul, and roots-rock, and repeatedly capture the hearts of audiences across Western Canada. Burns confesses that he has, "never felt so inspired, and never felt so vital as a musician," as he has in the two years he's performed as a solo act.
In 2005, Burns collaborated with Juno-nominated producer Daniel Elmes (The Sweatshop Union, Kypreos, Ras Jahronimo) at Vancouver's Dubvibe Productions to record his first full-length solo album, Letters: Volume 1. Burns comments that, "having Dan behind the console allowed my work to sound very current, very contemporary, and very compelling."
Letters: Volume 1 instant
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