Edmonton Baroque folk duo F & M aren’t afraid to do their own thing.
Their last album “At Sunset We Sing” was inspired by husband and wife Rebecca and Ryan Anderson’s experiences in Portugal.
Their next album, to be released in late fall, “Lessons From Losers” is about the joys of doing your own thing and not fitting in.
They return to the Owl Acoustic Lounge, Feb.10 to support “At Sunset We Sing” as well as give the audience a preview of the new album.
“ We’re still trying to figure out what it‘s about,“ said Ryan Anderson, from the couple’s home in Edmonton.
“These days people race to ignorance. It’s all about winning. And in that race it’s not a bad thing to be a loser,” he continued.
“It’s a very humbling album,” he said.
“ We spent a lot of time with the lyrics and really enjoying the creative process,” added Rebecca Anderson.
“It‘s okay not to be successful. We’re not going to get rich doing this, but we enjoy it and I get to be in a band with my wife and she‘s pretty cool,” added Ryan Anderson.
They recorded the new record with long time guitarist Brian Miot Reichert.
“ We did everything in house but he moved to Kamloops and took his recording studio with him,” Ryan Anderson observed.
“ But the record is done and designed. We’re just waiting on the vinyl. But we will be playing some of the new songs in Lethbridge,” he continued.
“ The album has a really big sound. The music was inspired a lot by the band we were playing with in 2015 and 16 but we‘re touring as a duo. It still has a big sound,“ Rebecca Anderson said.
“ I’m exploring a lot of synth sound and experimenting with distorted lines,” she continued.
She was playing accordion the last time F & M was in Lethbridge, but there isn’t any accordion on the new album.
“ There was one accordion song on the album, but we cut it. But I’ll have the accordion in Lethbridge because we’re still playing songs from the last album and they’re the strongest parts of the set,” she said, noting they also cut a cover of Leonard Cohen’s “Take this Waltz,” and another one they recorded with a Montreal musician.
“We released the Leonard Cohen song when he died, but we had to cut it because it was too long. Vinyl has that limitation.
The one with the Montreal musician just didn’t fit with the album. But it’s the Internet, so we can release it any time. We’re hoping to release it with her when we‘re in Montreal, ” she said.
“It’s very cohesive and beautiful,” said Ryan Anderson.
“ We love coming to Lethbridge. We love the Owl Acoustic Lounge. It’s a very special room. it’s also very loud. Steve always treats us very well, better than anywhere else we’ve played. They really go the extra mile for us. It’s a very special place,” he said
“And there’s no cover, so people come and go. Some like the music in the background and like to chat. Others come to listen and sit up front. Of course, we welcome more people coming up to the front and listening,” Rebecca Anderson continued.
F & M play the Owl Acoustic lounge, Feb. 10 at around 9 p.m. Admission is by donation.
