Mark Weber - The Red Deer Express

Calgary's bluessmyth is launching a disc packed with the creative
 wizardry that makes the trio such an outstabding musical force. 
They play the Vat May 19, 20. 

"The disc is heavier and in some ways more thoughtful than our 
first disc,  30 Pieces Of Silver," explains Chris Yaholkoski, lead 
guitarist, and singer for the band. Rounding out the band is 
Calvin Becker (drums/keyboards/back-up vocals),  and 
Jason Yaholkoski (bass/back-up vocals).
The tunes, masterully produced in the space of just two 
weeks, tap  into themes from choosing between good and 
evil, and finding  your place in the world, to the 
mysteries of life and death. 

The guys of bluessmyth are  masters at melding thoughtful,
 clever, insightful and at times spiritually rich lyrics with
 powerful, urgent tunes to match.  This new project reflects 
that flourishing skill all the more - everything simply
 fits together in sophisticated, slick production, without 
losing the  energized, 'live -off-the-floor' feel.  Taking
 it to the fans marks the high point in an inspiring creative
 process that never loses its appeal, he adds.  "It may be the
 one moment in my life when I totally give myself without
 being guarded," says Chris. "There're  moments when we
 play and we can be completly free."

The project kicks off beautifully,  with the aptly titled song,
THE DUEL,  a riveting  back-and-forth showdown between
 guitar and drums, that flows into the lively, finely  crafted
 fury of ROLLIN' PENNY and BRING IT ON.
Then we come to a poignant set of tunes that truly sets 
the disc apart. Chris is perhaps most proud of 
THE STORY OF EMMETT TILL, a trilogy of tunes
 about a 14-year-old African American boy,  brutally
 beaten, mutilated and murdered in Mississippi in
 1955, for  whistling at a white woman. Two men were 
tried for the crime,  but founf not guilty by an all-white jury.
"Through the music, we tried to capture the emotions of what
 he was feeling," explains Chris.
The trilogy opens with the breezy, engaging instrumental
 INNOCENCE BOUND, painting a picture of a
 youthful, carefree Emmett. Things turn darker in 
the driving RUN FOR YOUR LIFE, as the sensibilities point
 to the youngster trying to escape his attackers. Rounding out the
 trilogy is THE PHOENIX - a brisk, hopeful tune that points
 to the ultimate influence Emmett had, helping spark the 
outrage that would fuel the Civil Rights Movement. 
Chris knew it was a story the band had to put to music. "It's 
something  I find a lot of people don't  know about,  but 
are very interested in," he adds. "It's something I wanted 
to talk about."

The moniker BLUESSMYTH is based on a good-luck 
myth,  of  a blacksmith so accomplished in his trade that
 the devil pays him  a visit.  Showing up as a goat, he asks 
the blacksmith to make him some shoes for his hoofs. 
The final product is a tad tight - giving constant pain 
to the devil. They also serve as a reminder to the evil
 one to steer clear.

The disc's final cut, entitled BLUESSMYTH, tells the 
intriguing tale against a smoky, compelling  musical
 backdrop. A superb  vocalist, Chris again sounds terrific
 as the piece unfolds; he easily nails every  nuance 
of emotion the song demands. The message, or the tune, fits 
with what the band essentially  wants to be about. As 
Becker  says, "In many ways, bluessmyth is about making  
joy out of pain, good out of bad, rising above - to  us, it's also
 like a good-luck myth." Pick up a copy of "bluessmyth"
 at Records to the Rafters or HMV.