Bobbyisms: Northcote brings new album to London Music Hall

Header image for Interrobang article CREDIT: TYSON ELDER
Northcote's Hope Is Made Of Steel is a mix of folk rock and Americana; for those coming to their concert Friday, Nov. 13, you're in for a treat.

I write about random things a lot. I write a lot about random things. Halloween is a receding memory now, but if you’re the type to place any stock in the supernatural you’ve got one more obstacle ahead of you, Friday the 13th.

It can’t be denied that some unsettling stuff has happened on the 13th throughout the years, and this is the third such Friday we’ve had this year.

The music industry largely marks past Black Fridays in November, in 1942, 1953, 1959, 1964, 1970, 1981, 1987, etc., with successes.

For example, The Rolling Stones’ version of Willie Dixon’s “Little Red Rooster” was released in 1964 and remains to this day the only blues song to have ever reached number one on the UK pop charts.

Allow me to submit then that the safest place you could spend your Friday night may well be the London Music Hall.

This week, Northcote returns to town in support of a new album and their esteemed label mates The Glorious Sons are joining the Contender Tour across Canada. They kicked off the tour with Poor Young Things close to a month ago and together, these three bands on the bill are a hot ticket.

“It’s unique for us, it’s a good challenge on a rock tour,” said Matt Goud, Northcote front man and one–time sole member.

Individually and collectively, Goud has been shaping the Northcote brand of folk rock and Americana over several albums to culminate in their latest full–length release called Hope Is Made Of Steel.

“I feel like touring with The Gaslight Anthem earlier this year warmed us up for a rock crowd,” Goud said. “We’re happy to be supporting The Glorious Sons, and to have an opportunity to go from Victoria to Halifax playing the new record.”

Released Sept. 25 by Black Box Recordings, Hope Is Made Of Steel represents a period of personal reflection and growth for Goud as a songwriter, as well as a shift in the sound that the band would strive for.

Guided by producer Dave Genn, this new album places a focus on full band arrangement and takes Goud out of his comfort zone as a solo performer. This is exactly the dynamic he’ll take on tour with album guitarist Steven McGillivray and drummer Mike Battle, with Eric Paone touring in place of album bassist Derek Heathfield.

“I wanted to experiment a bit, have a bit more help getting the production up to snuff,” Goud said. “This record has guitar solos and lots of drums... it feels experimental for us. Lots of people think of an experimental record and they think of effects pedals and weird vocal effects, but for us, it was more like trying to be direct and to get more of a physical aspect to the songs.”

Hope Is Made Of Steel was written largely in the summer of 2014 while on the road with Dave Hause, roughly the time that Northcote spoke to the Interrobang last year.

The experience of touring with a friend was inspiring to Goud, who hit the studio and recorded the album immediately after in September.

In fact, the album made such quick progress that only an opportunity to tour in support of The Gaslight Anthem earlier this year caused Goud to hold back the release until now, and the resulting excitement to be touring is palpable.

Hope Is Made Of Steel features all the easy sing-ability of its self– titled predecessor from the onset. Kicking off the record with “This Is Our Time” featuring Chuck Ragan not only underlines the anthemic nature of the tune, but also sets a good energy into the program.

“Small Town Dreams” recalls road trips with friends as a means of escape from small town prairie life, and along with highlight tracks “Leaving Wyoming” and “Just Kids” illustrates the strengths of the new lineup, complementing Goud’s prowess as a songwriter with equal passion and energy.

“I’m proud of it, because we could’ve made an acoustic–centered one but we didn’t,” Goud affirmed. “We took a step out on a ledge a little bit. It’s been nerve– wracking but exciting for all of us.”

For more on Northcote, their show in town or the album that brings them here, visit northcotemusic.com or follow on Twitter or Instagram. Doors open at 8 p.m. for their show this Friday; tickets are $16 in advance from ticketfly.com or available at Grooves Records and the London Music Hall box office downtown.

And for more of the latest music news, album streams and gigs coming to London, add @fsu_bobbyisms to your Twitter timeline. Rest assured you’re in good hands with Northcote this Friday, get out and support local music. I’m out of words.