Midnight Shine

Midnight Shine / James Bay
(Remastered Debut)
Release Date: June 30, 2020
Label: Midnight Shine Music
Genre: Roots / Americana

Songs by Adrian Sutherland (MAPL/SOCAN)

midnightshineonline.com
Bandcamp
Facebook: @midnightshineon
Twitter: @midnightshineon
Instagram: @midnightshineon

DOWNLOADS
Full Bio (PDF)
Press Photo 1 (JPG)
Press Photo 2 (JPG)
Album Cover (JPG)
James Bay [Remastered] (MP3) / Contact for password
James Bay [Remastered] on SoundCloud
NEW TRACK “Since You Been Gone” (Radio Edit) on SoundCloud

Midnight Shine’s next album will bring the roots-rockers full circle. Right back to where they started, in fact.

It was 2013 when Adrian Sutherland from the Cree community of Attawapiskat released his debut album with newly-formed band Midnight Shine. This solid collection of songs written by Sutherland provided the foundation needed to start pursuing his music dream from the Far North. Now, these songs are returning to the forefront once more, in a fully remastered version of Midnight Shine’s debut album to be released June 30 on Sutherland’s own label Midnight Shine Music.

James Bay will feature stunning artwork of its namesake region, a special greeting by Adrian in his Mushkegowuk Cree language, a brand new radio edit of debut single “Since You Been Gone,” and a bonus track – the previously unreleased “Misguided Woman,” one of the first songs ever to be written by Sutherland.

“It’s been pretty special to revisit this album. These are some of the songs that mean the most to me, and that I’m most proud to share,” says Sutherland. “The fans who have been with us from the beginning, they already know and love Midnight Shine’s early songs and we’re sure they’ll enjoy the remastered versions – they sound amazing! For new fans, releasing these songs again will bring new attention to the music that laid the early groundwork for the band.”

A strong sense of melody has always been at the heart of Adrian Sutherland’s songwriting. Inspired by his musically-inclined mother, and the many artists he listened to on radio, Sutherland’s lyrics often reveal what life has been like for him in the North.

Title track “James Bay” pays homage to Sutherland’s remote home region in Northern Ontario, while “Mooshum” honours the memory of his grandfather. “Indian In Disguise” makes a powerful statement about losing one’s identity, and “Save My Life” reveals the darkness that comes with addiction – a struggle that Sutherland (now sober 20 years) has known firsthand. On the lighter side, “Hopeless Romantic” is a love song about secretly yearning for someone who “don’t even know my name,” while “Small Town Girl” paints the picture of “a simple smile, one of a kind.”

Songwriting is Sutherland’s way of sharing a glimpse into his life, while bringing further awareness to important issues. He says, “Everybody has a story to share, and I think it’s important for First Nations people to shed positive light on our culture and values. That’s what I hope to do with my music.”