St.Arnaud

St.Arnaud

St.Arnaud is an Edmonton-based folk and indie rock group active since 2018. The project centres on Ian St. Arnaud and drummer Will Holowaychuk, who previously played together in the Americana/folk trio North of Here.

Background

Ian St. Arnaud and his bandmates in North of Here meet in high school and begin performing in small settings, including a library show to an audience of 14. The trio develops a following in the Canadian folk scene and releases the singles Without Windows and Milk & Honey in 2017. Plans to record a full-length follow-up are interrupted when bandmate Luke Jansen dies.

After North of Here dissolves, Ian St. Arnaud and Will Holowaychuk rework material from the earlier project into new songs under the St.Arnaud name. The project’s early releases include the singles Dark Horse and Morning Dreamers in 2018, followed by the six-track EP Morning, Buddy.

Sound and recording

St.Arnaud’s music draws on 1970s protest folk, with understated arrangements and lyrics that mix dark subject matter with humour and directness. The recordings feature trumpet and electrified tenor guitar alongside a rhythm section. Ian St. Arnaud works with producer Graham Lessard, who receives a Juno Award nomination and has worked with The Barr Brothers, Timber Timbre and Basia Bulat.

Album

The debut album The Cost of Living grows out of songs originally connected to North of Here and is shaped by themes of death, loss and confusion, as well as personal, love-song writing. The title is chosen before the death of Luke Jansen, and the material is later revised to honour the earlier band and its loss.