Home marks the fifth album from Cadence, Canada’s top a capella band. With members of the quartet hailing from across the country, including tenors Ross Lynde and Lucas Marchand, baritone and bass David Lane, and bass and vocal percussionist Kurt Sampson, it’s unsurprising that the band might possess a certain affinity for the natural majestic splendor of Canada that it so righteously represents. “The Watcher On The Rocks,” Cadence’s most recent video, was filmed in Saint John, New Brunswick’s Irving Nature Park, and one way or another it was bound to become a commentary on environmentalism.
Filmed by Andrew MacRae of Outreach Productions, who acted as director, producer and video editor on the project, the video for “The Watcher On The Rocks” was one of two videos completed during Cadence’s east coast tour back in May.
“Andrew was really drawn towards Watcher and he started scouting places to shoot,” says Kurt Sampson of Cadence.
“It was his idea to do something by the water and he was initially thinking the river in Fredericton would be a great place to shoot, but it was completely flooded when we were there. He was also considering the bay of Fundy, but it was a bit too far for us to travel with the time we had. So he had an idea of shooting at the Irving Nature Park which ended up being the perfect place.”
While the video featured an iconic Saint John location, the song is very much about the West Coast. “The Watcher On The Rocks” is rooted in the folklore of Vancouver’s Stanley Park, telling a story of the rock called Slhx̱í7lsh and our commitment to future generations. It is a monument to “Clean Fatherhood.”
“The song is based on a story of Squamish origin about a rock that sits at the end of Stanley Park on their traditional territory,” explains songwriter Lucas Marchand.
“The story tells of a young father who swims for a whole day in the ocean to ensure a good clean life for his unborn son. As a symbol of his dedication, the Creator transforms him into a rock to remind others of his sacrifice.”
While the Irving Nature Park might mirror the natural splendor of its West Coast counterpart, shooting in the park came with a dose of irony. In an otherwise perfect location, certain complications created challenges for the shoot but also really hammered home the necessity to remain vigilant in our stewardship of the land.
“Due to the Irving Oil refinery, we struggled at times to get shots without oil tankers,” explains Marchand. “There are a couple of moments in the video where you can catch them. The planned route of the Trans Mountain Pipeline is supposed to end right across the bay from the rock. The Squamish nation is currently fighting the Canadian government to prevent this from happening on their land.”
“I’m from Victoria and environmentalism was a big part of my experience growing up out there. It’s hard not to feel connected to the land when it’s so intensely a part of your everyday life. I think stories about the land are important in helping connect us to it as well. There aren’t a lot of places on the planet left that are as untouched as the remote areas of the west coast. I’d like to see protection of those areas be made more of a priority than revenue from fossil fuels.”
Along with original tracks like “The Watcher On The Rocks” Cadence’s newest album also features songs by David Clayton-Thomas, Feist, and the band’s own take on K-OS’s “Crabbuckit,” for which we can soon expect a video that was filmed inside of Fredericton’ Playhouse Theatre. Home was released June 22nd, 2018.