The sea shanty craze of early 2021 caught everyone by surprise, but not the members of Pressgang Mutiny. The Toronto quartet has actually been keeping the tradition alive since 2013, performing both traditional material and putting a sea shanty spin on a range of contemporary songs.
In fact, the group had its sophomore album Across The Western Ocean in the can long before the first sea shanty hit Tik Tok, meaning the timing couldn’t be more ideal for it to be officially released in Canada Feb. 5 on all digital platforms and Bandcamp and at pressgangmutiny.com.
Across the Western Ocean balances the tight harmonies and ruggedness that has made Pressgang Mutiny a festival favourite across North America and Europe. The album’s 13 tracks offer a fresh and relevant take on sea music, combining traditional shanty work songs with contemporary pieces by Jonathan Byrd, Martin Green, and Anais Mitchell.
James McKie, Richard Kott, Tim Pyron and Stefan Read have developed Pressgang Mutiny out of a love of sea shanties, as well as Tim and Stefan’s work as tall ship sailors. They are dedicated to showcasing a vital tradition of work songs that represents the world’s first truly multicultural music to new and familiar audiences alike, all while celebrating the joy of group singing.
