Albums

I …Sings Revival Hymns (2009)

Join woodland telegraph on an eleven-song journey into the wilderness and history of the Rocky Mountains on their debut album of anthemic Canadian roots music

While living at a research station in the Kananaskis Valley, Alberta, songwriter Matthew Lovegrove began studying the history of the mountains, uncovering stories of stranded hunters, prisoners of war camps and abandoned gold rush towns. Crafting songs from found pieces of history, woodland telegraph was formed to bring these historical landscapes to life. Steeped in haunting lapsteel, rich vocal melody and drum builds, the songs of Revival Hymns cover a diverse terrain of genres. From indie-minded banjo refrains to dream-like atmospheric folk; from sunrise bluegrass to the anthemic title track, these songs are held together by a love of place and a passion to map out the landscape of our country. Historical moments depicted include the naming of Deadman’s Flats, the bust of Oil City ( located in Waterton Park), the story of George Pocaterra and the year of the Blue Snow (Kananaskis), prisoners of WWII helping create Barrier Lake (Kananaskis), among others.Northern Folklore is proud to present the debut album from woodland telegraph, packaged in hand-sewn cardboard cases complete with an origami insert depicting the cartography of the Rocky Mountains. With love¦

II. From the Fields (2011)

Join Woodland Telegraph on a journey into the prairies and farmland on From the Fields, an album of anthemic Canadian roots music …

Written and recorded in Southern Alberta, songwriter Matthew Lovegrove wanted to capture the atmosphere and feeling of the prairies while exploring the stories of the people who call it home. Crafting songs from personal anecdotes, newspaper clippings and historical books, the lyrics tell of the hardship and beauty of the plains, backed by a musical landscape rich in vocal harmony and diverse instrumentation. You will hear atmospheric folk songs and stomping bluegrass alongside orchestral washes and fierce electric guitar as Woodland Telegraph create a unique and often startling approach to roots/folk music. In Little Seed Rising we meet Saskatchewan farmers sued by a multi-national corporation, their message of hope resounding with choral vocals and driving train-track banjos. In the lush instrumentation of Niagara Escarpment, Ontario’s farmland winter nights are described with a dream-like ambience. From the harsh realities of prairie living to the awe of watching a harvest moon rising over the horizon, these songs are held together by a love of place and a passion to map out the landscape of our country…

Northern Folklore is proud to present the continuation of Woodland Telegraph’s Canadian Landscape Trilogy, packaged in hand-sewn cardboard cases with an origami insert depicting the moments of From the Fields.  As always, with love…