Mayes finds a new groove

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This article was published 05/05/2015 (3987 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A well-known Wolseley artist is ready to hit the road with her latest, locally-produced album.

Juno nominee Romi Mayes is touring across Canada this summer, from Nova Scotia to British Columbia, to deliver her new album, Devil on Both Shoulders. The roots artist will play a special hometown release show at the West End Cultural Centre on May 8 four days prior to the album’s official release on May 12.

Devil on Both Shoulders, Mayes’s sixth full-length recording, proposes a new vibe compared to her past work.

“Most of the material on my past albums has leaned towards the blues and country side of roots music, but this album is more of a groove rocker album,” Mayes said. “More J.J. Cale than the Stones, which is a nice change for me.”

Part of that difference is the influence of local producer Grant Siemens. While Mayes was originally thinking of heading to Austin to record her album, she switched her plans to have more pre-production time to work through her songs and mould them for the album.

“I was really lucky that Grant was off the road from touring with Corb Lund,” Mayes said. “He is one of my dear friends and a musical hero of mine so it was an amazing opportunity as well as a bit of a stress relief to choose to stay here in Winnipeg where we have all we need and more at our fingertips.”

The album was produced locally and funded in part by Mayes’ supportive fan base through a widely successful Indiegogo campaign, which brought in upwards of $33,000. Mayes says she is beyond grateful for the support she received and that every contributor has claim to this record as she couldn’t have done it without them.

It’s been four years since Mayes put out her last album, Lucky Tonight, and she is ready to take this one for a ride. Apart from her Canadian tour, Mayes is playing various summer music festivals and preparing for a U.S. tour in October followed by a Europe circuit set for March 2016.

Mayes quit smoking six months before recording this album and says she worked every lyric to its last syllable to bring her best words forward.

“Grant pulled the very best out of me and it is safe to say this is my masterpiece,” Mayes said. “I don’t know if I can top this one.”

In the past, the Winnipeg musician has scooped up three Western Canadian Music Awards for Songwriter of the year and two for Album of the Year, along with numerous other nominations.

To purchase tickets for the hometown release show, visit wecc.ca