When I saw that Madison Violet was playing at the Carleton in Halifax this month I literally leapt at the chance to go. On Halloween it will be twenty years since Brenley MacEachern and Lisa MacIsaac first performed together, and then formed the duo formerly known as Madviolet. They have released nine records since 1999, their most recent, Everything’s Shifting, was just released on March 8th, recorded and mixed by Hill Kourkoutis and Daniel Ledwell.
They opened their set at the Carleton last night with the first single from their new record “Tell Me,” which speaks to a transitional time in a relationship where the singer reflects on her own transgressions, is poised to leave, but still offers an opportunity for possible reconciliation, as she entreats, “Tell me when you get your heart working, tell me when you’ve figured it out.” The music video, shot in the desert and featuring two young women, is inspired by the story of when MacEachern and MacIsaac first met, and were warned by those in the music industry that they should hide their (then) romantic relationship in order to find success for their music. Jillian Martin directs a beautiful video which sees the young girls at their most vulnerable being rejected by the community at large, but eventually finding a way to triumph together, which really seems to perfectly encapsulate the journey of Madison Violet.
They also sang “Sight of the Sun,” “All Over Again,” “Time to Right the Wrong,” “Heart Worth Fixing,” “Mama Told Me,” “Seal My Fate,” “Second Hand Fiction,” “Nobody,” and the title track from Everything’s Shifting. Every single song on the album is terrific. “Sight of the Sun” has a really catchy chorus, poetic lyrics, and showcases both the lush harmonies of MacEachern and MacIsaac’s voices, which are so flawless together, as well as MacIsaac’s evocative prowess on the fiddle. “All Over Again,” “Time to Right the Wrong” and “Heart Worth Fixing” are three of the most poignant songs on the album. The former are both reflections on the relationship between sisters and brothers. “All Over Again” was inspired by the very public coming out of MacIsaac’s older brother Ashley, and the overt and internalized homophobia that ran rampant in small villages like theirs in Creignish, Cape Breton, which poured down over her family in the mid 1990s. The song speaks with 2019 hindsight, of the singer wishing she had known more, had had more insight and more strength, feelings and wishes that one hopes many across the country and beyond who have grown, changed, and opened their minds and hearts since 1996 will share. It’s a beautiful and vulnerable expression of empathy, and sisterly love and protectiveness. “Time to Write the Wrong” is sung by MacEachern and was inspired by her brother; it is also a song about looking back with empathy and, perhaps, a deeper understanding, and seeking to find a sense of justice or retribution for someone else. MacEachern paints a vivid portrait of her brother. I love the image of him calling home for their mother’s recipes and the line in the chorus “I can just imagine how your life was unravellin’, it’s gone on too long” is especially touching. “Heart Worth Fixing” could also be seen as being a song about a brother, as it was inspired in part by a story MacEachern read in the newspaper about a young man who died when a doctor decided that his heart valve wasn’t worth fixing because it was so damaged from his OxyContin addiction. Certainly the young people who are dying in the opioid crisis here and throughout North America are all brothers, sons, sisters and daughters whose stories shouldn’t be shoved aside. This song does a beautiful job of layering the complexities of addiction, and weaving them into a heartbreaking narrative in under three minutes. “Mama Told Me” is a more “chipper” offering inspired by advice that MacIsaac’s mother gave her about grabbing love tightly and giving it everything you’ve got. “Second Hand Fiction” is similarly more upbeat, a love song professed (optimistically) to someone who doubtfully compares their relationship to “second hand fiction.” The chorus is both infectious and sweet. “Seal My Fate” captures beautifully the anxiety and self doubt that often plagues creative people who are feeling blocked, uninspired or especially judgemental of themselves. MacEachern told a great story about how when they recorded the song at Echo Lake, Nova Scotia even the owls outside were dancing to it.
Other highlights of the evening were MacEachern’s gorgeous rendition of “Small of My Heart,” a love letter to her hometown of Kincardine, Ontario from 2009’s No Fool for Trying. Also from that album is the raucous “Lauralee,” a bluegrassy ode to a free spirit named Laurelee, who sounds like she may have been friends with The Rankins’ Lisa Brown. The album version is wonderful, but the live version is even more of a party. Also fun and upbeat is “These Ships,” from 2016’s The Knight Sessions about maturing and finding a sense of calm after a tempest. “The Ransom,” from No Fool for Trying, received the Maxwell Song of the Year Award from the 2010 John Lennon Songwriting Contest. It is an unromantic portrait of being down to your last dollar, and how in that moment next to desperation we often just want the comforts of home. They also sang the very first song they wrote together “Haight Asbury,” which was co-written with Damhnait Doyle in Toronto. The fact that there are eight album’s worth of newer songs and this one still makes the set list is a testament to what a strong first song it is. “Come As You Are,” the duo’s uptempo sing-along, starts with some dreamy harmonica from MacEachern, and I love this song’s repeated phrase “You said come as you are I found lately you don’t come without a war,” which I think expresses so much in one single sentence.
Since they have been performing together for so long and know each other so well MacEachern and MacIsaac have hilarious and pitch-perfect onstage banter. MacEachern tells epic, winding stories, full of charm, with a little bit of whimsy thrown in at times for good measure, and MacIsaac has a dry, Gaelic sense of humour that accents the stories in exactly the right places. Their friendship and mutual respect for one another is apparent, and you do get a vivid sense of their adventurous and wayfaring spirit which is deeply infused in their music and the unique mixtures of styles and influences that oscillate from folk to bluegrass to country to pop to a sound and style that is entirely their own. Both MacEachern and MacIsaac play multiple instruments and they both have lovely, expressive voices that suit the emotional nature of their songs. They were joined last night by Jake Zapotockzny, who plays keyboards and electric guitar.
When I came home from the Carleton last night I promptly bought all their music from iTunes, if you are late to the party like I am, I strongly encourage you to do the same- and spring for the vinyl for Everything’s Shifting if you can swing it. It’s worth it.
Madison Violet played a sold out show in Port Hawkesbury tonight, but they will be playing at St. John’s Anglican Church in Lunenburg tomorrow (April 27, 2019) as part of the Folk Harbour Concert Series. For Ticket visit THIS WEBSITE. On May 14th they head to the United Kingdom for an array of shows, but they will be back on the East Coast July 24th and 25th in Mount Stewart, Prince Edward Island and they are Headlining Harmony Bazaar Festival of Women in Song on July 27th in Lockeport, Nova Scotia. For more information on Madison Violet’s Tour Schedule CLICK HERE.
You can follow Madison Violet on Social Media: Facebook. Twitter. Instagram (@madisonviolet). YouTube. You can Buy their music from Their Store. On iTunes/ Apple Music or Stream on Spotify.
Shout out, as always to the ECMA and Music Nova Scotia Award winning venue The Carleton, which is an amazing spot to go and to have some food and listen to some of the greatest artists from the East Coast, across the country and beyond. I love The Carleton because it’s a listening room, which means you get to hear the artists’ songs and stories without people talking overtop of them! You can check out The Carleton’s upcoming performance schedule HERE. The Carleton (1585 Argyle Street, Halifax) is open 4:00pm-11:00pm Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 4:00pm-1:00am on Thursdays and 4:00pm to 2:00am on Fridays and Saturdays. They’re closed Sundays and Mondays, unless there is a show scheduled. For reservations please call 902.422.6335.
