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Music

The widow maker

JUSTIN RUTLEDGE at Lee’s Palace (529 Bloor West), Saturday (May 8). $18. rotate.com.


Until recently, Justin Rutledge was a fairly solitary songwriter. But that may be because he hadn’t yet found the right collaborators. The latest album by the Toronto native, The Early Widows (Six Shooter), sees him working with an expanded cast, and it’s the biggest statement of his career.

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Thematically, it follows the precedent of literary cross-pollination set by his 2008 Man Descending, which was inspired by Guy Vanderhaeghe’s short story collection of the same name. This time, Rutledge draws from Michael Ondaatje’s Divisadero and has managed to get the participation of the author himself.

“The week before I went in to record, I brought Michael about five songs that were 99 per cent done but that I just couldn’t quite finish,” Rutledge says from his “office” at the Cadillac Lounge.

“He was like the interior decorator. He said, ‘You’ve got all the furniture there you just need to arrange it.’ He took a word here, put it there, took another word, put it there and chipped away at it very meticulously. His changes were all minor, but they really cemented the overall idea for the songs.”

Calling upon the literary icon for lyric-writing help makes sense once you know the genesis behind Rutledge’s new songs. Ondaatje contacted Rutledge first, years ago, asking him to score a stage adaptation of Divisadero. Although just a few of the resulting songs will be used in the play, set to debut in February 2011, the writing of the album remained inextricably informed by the novel.

“When he called me, I actually hadn’t read the book yet,” Rutledge says, “but after spending the last two and a half years with it, I haven’t been able to get it out of my head.”

Like the novel, the album weaves together themes of isolation, responsibility and identity formation while leaning heavily on imagery. Unlike the sparseness of his previous albums, the arrangements have been beefed up to match the weightiness of the words.

Rutledge credits the instrumental sophistication to his producer, Hawksley Workman.

“The songs I’d been writing seemed ideal for his treatment,” Rutledge explains. “He brings a certain energy to the table that I thought could really elevate the album.”

Acting on Workman’s suggestions, Rutledge traded his acoustic guitar for an electric and added a string section, a second drummer and a gospel choir to his regular backing band.

“I do a lot less strumming this time around,” he says. “There’s more space in the arrangements and a better sense of dynamics.”

Considering the effort put into every detail, it’s understandable that his hopes for the album are high.

“The calibre of people I’m working with has really challenged me to rise above my previous standards. I put a lot more work into these songs than anything I’ve ever done before, and I really hope it shows.”

Interview Clips

Justin Rutledge describes the difficulty of interpreting a Michael Ondaatje novel

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How Rutledge was unwittingly cast in Necessary Angel?s play adaptation of Divisadero, When My Name Was Anna

Download associated audio clip.

On his collaboration with country songwriter Darrell Scott

Download associated audio clip.

music@nowtoronto.com

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