Saint John folk duo Tomato/Tomato have released a live video of a track from their yet-to-be-named and yet-to-be-released album. Following in the footsteps of many a singer/songwriter who has seen troubled times, the new tune “Gotta Get Up” has the band donning the mantle of political folk-heroes.
“We can’t wait for the album so we are making some live videos to share,” says Lisa McLaggan.
The band just recently returned from their venture southward to record at Grammy-producing Nashville studio The Bomb Shelter. There, they worked with Jon Estes, studio owner Andrija Tokic, a variety of Grammy-winning and associated session players, and John Baldwin, who has worked on projects by the likes of Neil Young, The Rolling Stones, The White Stripes, Ricky Skaggs, Motley Crue and others.
Written by John McLaggan, the song takes a strikingly different path from what we’re used to hearing from Tomato/Tomato. It does not tell another cutesy story about enduring relationships, but rather equally wholesome messages about changing the world for the better, the frustration of having failed to progress in the past fifty years and the responsibility we have for the future.
“The world is in a funny place right now. And it’s about getting away from all of it. Climbing up, out of the muck,” says Lisa.
“The lyrics are quite poignant and direct. It’s one of my favourite things he’s written. The last verse brought me to tears when I first heard it and it still gives me goosebumps every time I sing it. He originally had himself in mind to sing lead on it – but then I convinced him to change the key and give me a run at it.”
Lisa hints that the original version featuring John’s vocals might still exist somewhere, even if only on his phone.
“It is a completely different song now compared to when he first shared it with me.”
“He also was messing around with the resonator and has been incorporating different guitars and pedals in general. It’s also a change for me live—because I have my fancy new cymbal and I’m playing some tambourine.”
“The biggest influence we took away from Nashville was more studio-related. John was really soaking it all in in terms of the mixing process, gear they were using, microphones, etc. Also the pace we were working at was awesome. We were super comfortable but it was all moving pretty fast. We were so in the zone. In fact, a couple of my vocal tracks that ended up on the record were scratch tracks. Everyone there was just so beyond both musically and professionally—it was impossible for them to not bring out our best.”
Tomato/Tomato say they’re not ready to share the release date, or the name of the album just yet. We’re hoping Bernie Sanders is featured prominently in the album art.