There’s something special about the bond shared between sisters. The creative results can be truly magical when that bond is tapped into, and The Ennis Sisters are living proof of that. The trio craft songs with the sort of harmony that can only be achieved through a lifetime of practice together.
All of this shines on their latest album, Keeping Time. All eleven tracks are heavily rooted in their traditional Newfoundland roots, further emphasized by being produced by Alan Doyle. Overlays of more modern pop and country influences give the album a fresh sound.
The album is self-described as a concept album about the different ways that time touches our lives. The overall sound feels optimistic for the future, but certain songs have more of a melancholy to their lyrics. Each emotion cuts that much deeper when armed with the knowledge that this album was partially made to honour the sisters’ father, who lost a battle to dementia.
There’s a beauty in the way The Ennis Sisters manage to wrap sadness in such a charming, hopeful package. “California Wine” sounds like an upbeat song on the surface, even though the lyrics are clearly about the pain of losing a loved one to dementia. In this way, it feels more that they seek to honour the loss they’ve been through rather than lock it away.
However, some songs on the album are just as cheery as the arrangement makes them seem. “Go Rosie Go” is a rhythmic, fiddle-heavy song about confidence and chasing goals that feels like it never stops building.
“Daughters of Newfoundland” is one of the more lyrically powerful songs on the album. It boasts proudly of the sense of identity and connection the sisters feel with their home province. “We roar louder than the ocean ever will” is a gut-punch of a line, and the song is filled with lines just like it that honour all of the women that came before them.
Filled with a sense of pride and tradition, the album gives us a raw glimpse at the values that The Ennis Sisters hold dear. The album officially releases on June 15th. In the meantime, the sisters will be playing several dates across Newfoundland.
Tour Dates:
June 29-30 – St. John’s, NL @ MUN music school
July 28 – Stratford, ON @ Stratford summer music series
July 29 – Burlington, ON @ Burlington summer music series
Aug 3-5 – St John’s, NL @ NL Folk Festival
Aug 10-12 – Lunenburg, NS @ Lunenburg Harbour Folk Festival
Aug 17 – Indian River, PEI @ Indian River summer music series
Aug 25-26 – Peterborough, ON @ Folk Festival
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