Niagara Falls-based musician Nathan Warriner has been active in the Canadian music scene for over two decades. He’s just released a new album, The Day The Circus Left Town, featuring a collection of heartfelt songs written in the last few years. We had a chat with Nathan to discuss the new album, what made him want to be a musician, and his deserted island album picks.
From The Strait: Tell us a bit about your new album, The Day The Circus Left Town – it’s been four years since your last album, what made now the right time for another?
Nathan Warriner: I recorded most of this album in 2014 at Audiomatt studios with engineer Matt Keighan. After the album was recorded I lost a little bit of the inspiration I had going into the project and it never got mixed or mastered and I decided to hold off on any kind of release. I wasn’t actually sure if it would ever get finished. After several years passed I finally got back to the studio to listen to it with some fresh ears and discovered that I really liked what was going on with this material. It was then that I knew it was time to get it out there.
When Covid 19 hit the world and put us all in lock down I figured it was the best time to put some musical friends to work and get mixing. The mixing was shared by both Matt Keighan and Paul Gigliotti of Ignition Audio. I think with all that’s going on this is a perfect time to put an album out as people have time on their hands and can perhaps take the time to listen to albums in their entirety – they way they are meant to be listened to.
FTS: You’ve been a musician for a long time. Do you remember what it was that made you want to make music? Was it a song, an artist, or a particular moment?
NW: Yes I’ve been playing music for well over 20 years now. I’ve always been a huge music fan and even as a kid I used to play drums. My father played guitar, so there was always an instrument kicking around. He was probably the reason I started playing. When I was 15 I put down the skateboard and picked up guitar. The 1st song I ever learned was Boys Don’t Cry by The Cure.
FTS: If you were stranded on a deserted island, what 4 albums would you hope you had with you?
NW: hmm that’s a tough one… I guess at the moment I’d say, in no particular order: Lana Del Rey – Paradise… I just love the mood of this one, The Flaming Lips – Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots, The Kinks – Muswell Hillbillies, Neil Young – After The Goldrush
FTS: What’s your favourite song off of your new album, and why?
NW: Hmm Another tough one but I’m gonna go with Boardwalk. I just like the honest desperate vibe I feel it managed to catch. I actually wrote that one in the fall of 2014. It was taken from a batch of songs that I wrote one weekend when I locked myself in a hotel room with a guitar and my recording device in Orillia ON. I think I was really trying to channel the spirit of Gordon Lightfoot with those sessions. It’s a cool little town.
Check out Nathan Warriner’s new album, The Day The Circus Left Town! Here’s a preview, with “Born A Bear”.
