Robbie Tucker is proving to be a real wildcard. We were introduced to the Miramichi-based artist through his unconventional Christmas album, Peppermints, and while that might seem like an odd jumping-off point, we’re learning that strong left turns is exactly what we should expect from Tucker.
He has just released a pair of singles from the fantastical world contained within his upcoming seventh album, Blue Candy, and, given the stylistic gulf between the two, they’re a pretty good example of how broad Tucker’s creative horizon is.
As unconventional as “Nevermore” and “Mr. Felix Del Tredici and the Time Machine” might seem, Robbie Tucker is following in the footsteps of two eminent trendsetters: Roy Orbison and Paul McCartney. There some tell-tale hallmarks and nods to both artists but, for Tucker, it’s just as much about taking those bits and pieces and forging your own path.
“These are the guys! These are the guys who follow their musical hearts! People you love, artists that you really respect, their sounds bleed into your music,” says Tucker. “That’s not trying to sound like somebody else, that’s paying tribute.
“I always try to honour the musical voice that I hear in my head. It always tells me where to go and what to do next. There shouldn’t be a set structure or x amount of verses. If I have something catchy, great. But you won’t hear me repeat it ten times.
“I don’t want to be like anybody else. I don’t want to sound like anybody else. I want to be as authentically Robbie Tucker as I can possibly get. In order to do that you have to listen to that voice. And I always listen to the voice.”
For Tucker, even when paying homage to his idols, it has meant a long process of absorbing and internalizing that music. Like picking any language, you begin by first learning the sounds, then the words and meanings, and only then (and with much practice) do you start shooting off your own poetry.
“I can remember sitting in front of my grandmother’s piano when I was just a little kid. I couldn’t play it at all. But I would just play the low notes over and over,” says Tucker. “It just penetrated my skin into my blood.
“I was a huge fan of Elvis Presley growing up. Especially ’70s Elvis, live performing with big brass! When I was performing live in Montreal I had a big nine-piece band with a four-part brass section because I loved it so much. It always reminded me of live Elvis. That brass moved into my bones. Same with piano.”
So, when it comes to the two very distinct singles of “Nevermore” and “Mr. Felix Del Tredici and the Time Machine,” how does Tucker balance his music predecessors and his own musical legacy? Very differently, it turns out.
“Nevermore” is the newer of the two singles; written earlier this year, while “Mr. Felix Del Tredici” formed a glimmer in Tucker’s eye sometime in 2009. “Nevermore” is easily the more off-the-wall tune of the two, but at its heart is an ode to Roy Orbison’s high falsetto and that playful growl he had borrowed from Bob Hope for “Pretty Woman.”
“I’ve also been trying to work that ‘Pretty Woman’ growl into a song for a while now,” says Tucker. “When I wrote nevermore I was really just following that musical voice. There’s a lot of nonsensical lyrics, quite often the way I work is I click record and then I make the words up on the spot. I like not knowing what’s going to come out of my mouth. I didn’t overwork anything and I tried to keep it as fresh as possible.”
In that way, filled with bits of gibberish, “Nevermore” is not entirely unlike The Beatles’ “Glass Onion” and “I am the Walrus,” but their presence is far more clearly felt on “Mr. Felix Del Tredici and the Time Machine.” In fact, it lays out a complete story about how Mr. Felix travels back in time to meet the Fab Four and does it very much in the style of “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer” or “Rocky Racoon.”
Both single make for fun examples of how key stylistic elements can be turned back on themselves, with very differing results. If Tucker’s Christmas album is the benchmark we are to compare them to, we’re in for a very interesting experience for Blue Candy.
“I really wanted to put everything I had into this album. I worked hard to move into new musical territory. I really feel that this album is an evolution in my sound,” says Tucker.
Robbie Tucker’s Blue Candy is being released on July 30th, 2021.