Canadian Roots, Rock, and Soul band Bywater Call are excited to release their second single of 2024, “Roll”, an uplifting and quirky retro-soul number. Stream the single here and watch the official video below.
The single release accompanies the official announcement that the band will release their highly anticipated third studio album “Shepherd” on August 9th, 2024. The album will be available to pre-order on May 15th here.
“Roll” was recorded and mixed by Bywater drummer Bruce McCarthy at his studio The BeatFarm in Toronto. “This song, through the stories of three ordinary people, speaks to the curve balls thrown at us all in the game of life”, says Bywater Call’s singer, Megan Parnell. “The lesson: you have to hold your head up and just keep moving forward”.
Featuring a signature bass line played by Mike Meusel and conceived by keyboard player John Kervin, who throws in his own tasteful organ lick, the original inspiration for “Roll” was an old James Carr R&B tune, “The Dark End of the Street”. The song, however, quickly took on a life of it’s own.
Throw in the classic soul of Otis Redding, the American rootsiness of the Wood Brothers, a little humour and quirk, mainly supplied by drummer Bruce McCarthy’s percussion, some twangy resonator and fiery slide guitar from Dave Barnes, sultry vocals from Meghan Parnell, and then top it all off with the unforgettable horn section of Julian Nalli (sax) and Stephen Dyte (trumpet) and a gospel-inspired build that will have us all celebrating our resilience; out comes “Roll”.
The release of “Roll” follows the early March release of “Holler”, which saw extensive A-list radio play on UK’s Planet Rock Radio, and the 2023 releases of singles “Sweet Maria” and “For All We Know”, which received rave reviews from UK, Europe, and North America. All three tunes will be included on the new album.
Set to be released August 9th, 2024, “Shepherd” features a captivating mix of 10 original songs, showcasing the bands continual exploration, experimentation, and reach beyond the boundaries of their genre, further developing their own unique voice. The new music shows their growth, while still paying tribute to their historical and contemporary influences.
Packed with ripping rock tunes, quirky off-beat numbers, and beautiful ballads, the upcoming album “Shepherd” is exuberant, rootsy, funky, joyful, and heartbreaking all at once. At its core, this album celebrates, and reflects the human experience with all its highs and lows: love, passion, regret, patience, resilience, reconciliation, anger, hardship. This album will truly take the listener on a journey.
“Shepherd” is the Bywater Call’s first fully self-produced and self-recorded album.
Often transcending genres, Bywater Call is known for their dynamic, emotional live shows, featuring powerful vocals and exciting interplay between all band members.
Bywater Call is currently UK Blues Award nominated for International Blues Artist of the year. They have toured extensively in Europe where shows have been praised by Dutch, German and UK media, with references to Meghan as one of the best female voices in blues and roots today.
The band has been busy. In 2023 alone, they played a total of 96 shows in 10 countries, 89 cities, 19 US states and 3 Canadian provinces, including Joe Bonamassa’s third Keeping the Blues Alive at Sea Mediterranean Cruise.
In October 2024, they will headline their second UK tour. Tour info here.
UK Tour Dates 2024:
Oct 16 – Manchester Academy – Manchester, United Kingdom
Oct 17 – The Globe – Cardiff, United Kingdom
Oct 18 – Foxlowe Arts Centre – Leek, United Kingdom
Oct 19 – Brudenell Social Club – Leeds, United Kingdom
Oct 20 – Oran Mor – Glasgow, United Kingdom
Oct 22 – Cluny – Newcastle Upon Tyne, United Kingdom
Oct 23 – Corporation – Sheffield, United Kingdom
Oct 24 – The Waterfront Studio – Norwich, United Kingdom
Oct 25 – Dingwalls – London, United Kingdom
Oct 26 – Arlington Arts Centre – Newbury, United Kingdom
Oct 27 – The Bourne Music Club – Sittingbourne, United Kingdom
European Tour Dates 2024:
19-April Piteå, Sweden Studio Acusticum
20-April Luleå, Sweden Kulturens hus
22-April Stockholm, Sweden Melodybox
23-April Näsby, Sweden Carla’s Café
24-April Malmö, Sweden Folk å Rock
25-April Kristianstad, Sweden Kulturkvarteret
26-April Falkenberg, Sweden Tryckhallen
27-April Joldelund, Germany Gerd’s Juke Joint
28-April Joldelund, Germany Gerd’s Juke Joint (duo show)
30-April Norderstedt, Germany Music Star
1-May Bremen, Germany Meisenfrei
2-May Leiden, Netherlands Qbus
3-May Weert, Netherlands Moulin Blues
4-May Dortmund, Germany Musiktheater Piano
5-May Assen, Netherlands Bevrijdings Festival
7-May Burglengenfeld, Germany VAZ
8-May Zwickau, Germany St Barbara
9-May Eppstein, Germany Wunderbar
10-May Kufstein, Austria KuFa
11-May Ludwigshafen, Germany DasHaus
12-May Krefeld, Germany Kulturrampe
14-May Madrid, Spain El Sol
15-May Jerez, Spain La Guarida Del Angel
16-May Castellon, Spain Sala Because
17-May Valencia, Spain Loco Club
18-May Peer Belgium Blues Peer Festival
19-May Schöppingen Germany Grolsch Blues Festival
21-May Santander, Spain Sala Niagara
22-May Bilbao, Spain Antzokia
23-May A Coruña, Spain Sala Mardi Gras
24-May Aviles, Spain Niemeyer
25-May Vallés Spain Bocanegra
26-May San Sebastian, Spain Dabadaba
North American Tour Dates 2024:
7-June – Montrose, CO, Montrose Summer Music Series
13-June – Syracuse, NY, New York State Blues Festival
14-June – Somers Point, NJ, Somer’s Point Beach Concerts
16-June – Franklin, PA, Franklin Blues & BBQ
18-June – Lima, NY, Fanatics
19-June – Sellersville, PA, Sellersville Theatre
20-June – Tuckerton, NJ, Lizzie Rose Music Room
21-June – Hagerstown, MD, HubCity Vinyl
22-June – Hughesville, PA, Billtown Blues Festival
5-July – Ottawa, Ontario, Ottawa Blues Fest
12-July – Omaha, NB, Playing with Fire
13-July – Kansas City, MO, Knuckleheads
23-July – Syracuse, NY, Club 443
24-July – Syracuse, NY, Club 443
25-July – Athens, NY, Summer Music Series
28-July – Norwood, MA, Fallout Shelter
2-August – Pomeroy, OH, Big Bend Blues Bash
3-August – Nashville, TN, City Winery
4-August – Knoxville, TN, Tennessee Riverboat
9-August – Nanaimo, BC, Nanaimo Blues Festival
11-August – Wheeling, WV, Heritage Music Blues Fest
16-August – Norwich, NY, Chenango Blues Fest
17-August – Thornton, NH, White Mountain Boogie N’ Blues Fest
24-August – Ontonagon, MI, Porcupine Mountains Music Festival
29-August – Pelham, ON, Fonhtill Bandshell Concerts
6-September – Port Credit, ON, Southside Shuffle
7-September – Drumheller, AB, Canada Badlands Roots, Blues and BBQ
Festival 2024:
19-July – Brezoi, Romania, Brezoi Open Air Festival
European Fall Tour Dates 2024:
2-October Verviers, Belgium Spirit of 66
3-October Heilbronn, Germany Waldhaus
4-October Zaandam, Netherlands De Flux
5-October Enschede, Netherlands Mystiek Theatre
6-October Weert, Netherlands De Bosuil 8-October Fulda, Germany Kulturkeller
9-October Utrecht, Netherlands Tivoli (Cloud 9)
10-October Herent, Belgium GC De Wildeman
11-October Isernhagen, Germany Blues Garage
12-October Assen, Netherlands New Blues Festival
13-October Bonn, Germany Harmonie
Weblinks:
bywatercall.com
www.facebook.com/bywatercall
