Octoberman Announces New LP Chutes With Advance Video-Single “Harry Nilsson”
Toronto-via-Vancouver indie folk-rock outfit Octoberman returns with Chutes, their seventh full-length album, set for release later this year on Ishmalia Records. The band has shared the advance single and video, “Harry Nilsson,” a shimmering blend of jangle-pop and introspective storytelling inspired by the late singer’s iconic rendition of “Without You.” Songwriter Marc Morrissette reflects on the song’s deeply personal roots: the recent loss of his mother made him acutely aware of mortality and the fragility of life, especially in his roles as father and husband, framing grief as both intimate and transformative.
The single’s video, featuring faux vintage footage by filmmaker and extreme skier Nick Steers, visually captures the song’s ethereal tone while exploring themes of aging and passion. Morrissette notes that while physical challenges define aging in sports, musicians face psychological ones in navigating a constantly evolving world. This blend of curiosity and vulnerability carries through Chutes, which opens with the line, “It’s hard to know just how to grow old.” The album reflects on change, grief, and reinvention with quiet grace, continuing Octoberman’s legacy of crafting personal, poetic, and resonant folk-rock.
Octoberman’s latest record, Harry Nilsson, was recorded live to two-inch tape at Little Bullhorn Studios in Ottawa, with longtime collaborator Jarrett Bartlett co-producing alongside frontman Marc Morrissette. Embracing an entirely analog approach, the core band—Marshall Bureau on drums, Tavo Diez de Bonilla on bass, and Morrissette—tracked live off the floor without a click or computer screen, while J.J. Ipsen (guitar) and Annelise Noronha (background vocals, banjo) added parts remotely from home studios. Bartlett mixed the album and Philip Shaw Bova mastered it, preserving the warmth and intimacy of the performances.
Critics have praised the album’s loose yet evocative sound, with Pitchfork calling it “Stephen Malkmus at his loosest” and Uncut dubbing it “a sunnier Elliott Smith or Sparklehorse.” Over the years, Octoberman has built a dedicated following across Canada and internationally, with placements on shows like Grey’s Anatomy and tours alongside Julie Doiron and Mount Eerie. Chutes stands as their most reflective record yet, capturing both nostalgia and forward momentum, while reinforcing the band’s reputation as one of Canada’s most enduring folk-rock collectives.
Make sure you check out “Harry Nilsson” on YouTube below and ‘Chutes’ on your favorite streaming platform when it drops!
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