Four years is way too long in between studio albums.
“That’s too long. We released our studio album four years ago and had a greatest hits album in between that. But four years is too long. We won’t be doing that again,” said Trews lead guitarist John-Angus MacDonald from his home of Hamilton, noting he is pleased to have finally released their new album Civilianaires and is excited to embark on a tour in support of it.
The Trews Civilianaires tours stops by Average Joes, Feb. 5 with Edmonton’s Altameda.
The Trews played Whoop Up Days in 2016, but were at Average Joes , in 2016 in support of the greatest hits package “Time Capsule” and companion album “The Vault.”
They recorded the new album “Civilianaires” over the past two years with two different producers, including the legendary Bob Rock and young up and comer Derek Hoffman who has worked with The Elwins and Seaway.
In the process, Hoffman helped the Trews experiment with their sound.
“A lot of the sounds that sound like keyboards are actually guitar sounds with looping and effects. I don’t have the patience, but Derek can do them lightning fast,” MacDonald said, adding the band wrote a lot of songs for the CD.
“ We wrote at least 20 songs for it,” he said.
“We’re very pleased with it. It’s been received very well by people who are giving it a life of it’s own,” he said.
“Vintage Love” has also been used for Sports Centre.
MacDonald is looking forward to the tour in support of Civilianaires.
“It begins in Victoria and we’re playing a lot of smaller cities,“ he said.
“ It can be challenging,” he said, adding they are also looking forward to meeting Altameda.
“ They joining us from B.C. to Manitoba,” he said, adding he can’t promise a big jam session at the end as it did with the Glorious sons a few years ago.
“ We’ve known the Sons since they started. We’ve been friends for a long so that jam session formed pretty organically,” he said.
After this tour they will begin work an on other new album.
“We’d like to have a new album out by the end of 2019 or early 2020,” he continued.
Trews and Altameda play Average Joes, Tuesday Feb. 5 at 8 p.m. sharp. Tickets are $35 in advance, $40 day of the show.
