No, it’s not Freddie Mercury come back to haunt us in the form of a Cape Breton cover band—though come to think of it, that might not be the worst—but The Town Heroes’ second installment in their upcoming concept album. Set in the midst of a Cape Breton summer, Home is the band’s fictionalized tribute to the heady days of their youth. The album’s second single, “Queen,” is the boozy rush that comes from meeting the CFA of your dreams down at dance at the Strathlorne Hall.
Mixed by Nico Essig (The Rolling Stones, Kings of Leon, Father John Misty), this chapter seems a pivotal moment in the album. The mythical creature that wanders out of the wilderness, onto the dance floor, and right into our pubescent little hearts. This is boy meets girl with a soundtrack.
“I wanted to make an album that paid tribute to small-town Cape Breton in the summer,” says The Town Heroes’ Mike Ryan. “It was such a magical time when your tiny, quiet hometown was suddenly overflowing with new people, energy and endless possibilities.
“The exact story of the album is fictional, but I know that myself and countless others have experienced variations of it. It’s inevitable that at that time in our life, we experience those coming of age realities: so many firsts, carefree days, and — in your own eyes, at least — having the world at your fingertips.”
These two characters are just part of the concept album’s cast, with a larger story unfolding about a father returning to his Cape Breton homework after having moved to San Francisco for work. The daughter he brings with him falls for a local boy and the whole situation comes together and falls apart over the course of 9 songs, with a story told from 3 different perspectives about youth, love, and the often painful results of that combination.
“Every song comes to me in a different way,” says Ryan. “Sometimes it takes five minutes, and sometimes I’m picking away at it for multiple months. ‘Queen’ was the latter. I knew instantly that this could be a really good song, and it took a lot of time crafting each individual part to fit the song and do it justice.”
The Town Heroes’ new album Home is being released on August 20, 2021.
Tour Dates:
07.16.21 – Truro, Belly Up BBQ
07.24.21 – Inverness, The Inverness Arts Center
08.05.21 – Sydney, Makin’ Waves Festival
08.14.21 – Chester, Chester Legion