Sleeping Giant Folk Music Society Kicks Off New Season

By Paula Marsh

 

The Sleeping Giant Folk Music Society will start off their new season with the folk/country harmony trio The Good Lovelies, who will grace the stage at the Port Arthur Polish Hall on June 2. Hailing from Toronto, The Good Lovelies are a pop-folk trio held together by intertwining harmonies and soft, upbeat acoustics. Caroline Brooks, Kerri Ough, and Susan Passmore have modernized Canadian folk music by adding pop influences with traditional folk beats. These women have a decade of music and experience under their belts; not to mention a Juno and four Canadian Folk Music Awards to decorate their mantles.

 

Catchy, upbeat, and sunny, The Good Lovelies embrace the happy-go-lucky vibe that many artists tend to shy away from. One of their earlier songs, “Lie Down,” is one you can’t help but bounce along to—relying on vocals, acoustic guitars, and clapping, it proves that good songs don’t need to be loud, overly edited, and busy to be a bop. Their raw-yet-gentle voices have an overwhelming feeling of familiarity that makes you feel as if you’ve known them all along, even when listening for the first time. “I See Gold,” the first single from their latest album Shapeshifters, sews pop undertones to their traditional sounds. It has a more mature, melancholy theme while still being unrelentingly upbeat and inspiring.

 

Original songs aren’t The Good Lovelies’ only strength. Their cover of “Crabbuckit” by k-os gives the song a unique twist, and the result is a sound that is reminiscent of a 1940s barbershop quartet meeting a jazz band. On the other end of the spectrum, they are known to cover Leonard Cohen’s famous ballad “Hallelujah.” This is a song that is often over-performed by many and becomes focused on the artist’s own vocal abilities. The Good Lovelies’ rendition, however, respects the message and the tranquility of the sadness, and their quiet, tender harmonies pay homage to Cohen’s haunting original performance.

 

For a taste of true musical talent, head down to the Port Arthur Polish Hall on June 2 for this sure-to-be entertaining concert. For more information on the Sleeping Giant Folk Music Society’s new season and memberships, visit sleepinggiant.ca or find them on Facebook.