Matt Blais

Roots-rock troubadour Matt Blais makes his message clear on his newly released album, In Shadow and Light: We need to disconnect to reconnect. The standout opener, “Everything Connected,” muses on technology’s effect on social isolation amidst a whirl of toe-tapping harmonica riffs. The song appropriately sets the tone for the songwriter’s third full-length record in which he goes in search of authenticity in an increasingly deceptive world.

“In a world of influencers and online personas, what’s real is blurred and connection even more scarce,” says Blais. “Despite these forces of oppression, we’re all connected spiritually and technologically, and so I created this album with a lot of hope. Ultimately, there’s a call to action in these songs – to restore what’s been lost, to unplug and look around.”

Blais reveals his chops as a chameleonic songwriter, weaving heavy blues influences, rock ‘n’ pop hooks, slithering atmospherics, and twangy flourishes – all with his sit-up-and-listen harmonica work and belting vocals throughout. Indeed, Blais is an artist that fits as comfortably alongside the best of his bluesy roots-rock contemporaries as he does the revolutionaries of Canrock. Versatility his greatest asset, Blais carefully customizes his instrumentation and set lists designing unique shows for each audience. As a singer-songwriter, his wit and storytelling both charm and inspire. With his backing band, the live show is a dance floor provoking spectacle.

Music about the duality of man and yearning for connection in a detached world, the record features nine of Blais’ strongest songs to date – road-worn and refined, introspective and biting, illuminating within them the light that is found in the darkness. Featuring contributions from producer Brian Moncarz (Our Lady Peace, The Trews), JUNO Award-winning engineer Josh Gwilliam (The Road Hammers, George Canyon), and guitarists Jimmy Boskill (The Sheepdogs) and Russell Broom (Michael Bernard Fitzgerald, Jann Arden), In Shadow and Light has a duskier quality to it than the shimmery indie-pop-meets-blues-rock of The Heartbeat (2013) and vintage soul/funk leanings of Let It Out (2010).

In the six years Blais spent between albums, he’s collaborated with Sam Roberts, played nearly a thousand shows, including opening slots for Monster Truck, The Strumbellas, The Trews, and Blue Rodeo, trod some of Alberta’s biggest festival stages—Calgary Stampede’s Coca-Cola Stage, Big Valley Jamboree, and more. With awards such as "Male Artist of the Year" at the Calgary Music Awards (2018) and "Best Rock Song" at The Great American Song Contest (2016), he has solidified his reputation as a musical force both on and off the stage.

Look for Canadian tour dates in support of In Shadow and Light throughout 2019 and 2020.