A new train is pulling into the valley this week, but it’s not riding in on CP Rail tracks.
Calgary’s Locomotive Ghost, an indie folk-rock band that takes a truly hands-on approach to its music for “nerds and lovers,” plays the Rose & Crown, Sept. 3-4.
Originally founded by Mike Buckley (guitar, banjo, vocals and keys, from Cranbrook) and Ben Nixon (bass and ukelele, from Vancouver) while attending Selkirk College in Nelson, B.C., the pair moved to Calgary in 2011 and, after trying out several musicians, more recently added Paul Orton (guitar) and Mac McDougall (drums) to round out Locomotive Ghost.
Having released a self-titled CD in 2010, Ghost released Close Your Eyes and Listen in 2011, then took a turn toward vinyl with four seven-inch four-song coloured vinyl EPs related to Mother Nature.
Overall dubbed Seasons, the band has released Spring and Summer, is ready to release Autumn and will follow up with Winter… this winter. Once Winter is out, all 16 songs will also then be made available on CD. Seasons explores life, love and the passage of time.
Going with seven-inch vinyls is something of a different tack these days, but no more so than the bandmembers slaving away over the mini album covers, painting each by hand. Here, Nixon’s artist girlfriend Rachelle Quinn no doubt had a hand in art creation.
“Some are painted, some are silk screened and some are tea-stained,” said Nixon, Friday (Aug. 23), while hanging out at college radio station CJSW in Calgary, copies of Autumn in hand. “We’re putting that much more into it and we feel we’re giving more to people with them. Theoretically, it’ll make people more interested in what we’re doing.”
The band originally had Winter ready to go, but decided to go with a seasonal approach, “to make the most of each opportunity,” said Nixon.
While relatively new on the music scene, Locomotive Ghost has performed steadily in Alberta, Saskatchewan and B.C. and have been finalists in a CBC Searchlight contest, Calgary Folk Fest songwriting competition and in 92.9 FM’s Xposure contest.
“We haven’t done any cross-country tours,” said Nixon. “But we’ve got a lineup that’s more flexible now and we all have day jobs we enjoy and want to keep and family connections. I think it’s a wonderful balance; art and things that are separate. You can’t make art about art, you have to have connections and experiences.”
Locomotive Ghost’s art features storytelling in a lot of the material, but also gives a nod to diverse, mind-broadening topics such as Isaac Newton (Buckley has a science degree) and creation of the universe.
“Some of it’s personal, some of it raw and personal,” said Nixon. “But then, it’s easier to speak from the heart with conviction if it’s personal.”
Locomotive Ghost draws on influences like The Band and Paul Simon, Dave Matthews and Feist. The band has received college, CBC and CKUA airplay and spent part of this summer playing festivals.
“I think we’re gaining some momentum and I hope more is possible,” said Nixon. “We call our music folk rock for nerds and lovers and each of the Seasons has a different genre. Spring was country folk, Summer was pop, Autumn will be more rock and Winter will be orchestral folk.
“For our Winter release we might try to get some strings and horns. We’ve been collaborating with a lot of other artists and for our Spring release, we did it in a laundromat and Rachelle had the place all decorated for it.
“We like unique experiences that inspire people, and us.”
