Megan Folden

Alternative pop rock band Universal Honey are no stranger to the Canadian music scene—thirty years in the music business will have that effect on people.

However, when they were looking to re-introduce themselves to a broad audience both domestically and internationally they chose a Creative Saskatchewan Sound Recording Grant to help them along. The result? They started working on their eighth studio album. So far, they’ve released three singles with accompanying music videos: “Is this The Real Thing,” “Hush a Word,” and “Made Of The Storm. Combined, the three singles have almost 200,000 views on YouTube. The band are well aware of their sound, something they call “a modern/alt rock genre” that happens when you “sprinkle in some classic rock with an industrial edge.”

We’re not the only ones who have taken notice of their success. Canadian Beats, CTV News, FYI Music News, and regional television station CKSA/CITL in Lloydminster are some of the media outlets who have profiled the duo in recent months. Universal Honey also produced an ad to run on Spotify that garnered some serious attention.

The group, consisting of longtime collaborators Johnny Sinclair and Leslie Stanwyck, are finishing an album that is slated to include 12 new original tracks. The duo began to work together after meeting when they both played on two albums for another Canadian band, The Pursuit of Happiness.These days, the pair record their work in their home studio in Saskatoon and started their own production house and record label, Honeytunes, in 2020 to house their catalogue and work with other artists.

Having previously lived in Toronto, this new project is the first that will call Saskatchewan its home. It will also include contributions from longtime Saskatchewan musician Warren Medernach and mastering will be handled by Trevor Case of Saskatoon’s Case Mastering. Recent Saskatchewan-focused collaborations for Universal Honey have included a co-write with Lane Shields and Alex Runions as well as a homegrown audio-visual project for Saskatoon’s virtual Canada Day in the Park. In other words, just because they haven’t released an album recently doesn’t mean they haven’t been busy.

Universal Honey’s resurgence, in their eyes, is fueled by a digital age that wasn’t as available to them when they released their previous albums. This new record will include a wide release on digital platforms as well as a CD and vinyl runs to compliment their sound. It’s an exciting time for a duo that attributes much of their success to an older demographic that has stuck with them over the last three decades.

If you’re looking to find a new audience for your music—or burst back onto the scene with a new project— take a look at our grant guidelines to see if your work might be a good fit.. The project needs to include at least six songs, run at least 30 minutes, and be created with the intention of commercial release in order to meet the minimum requirements. Recent recipients include Étienne Fletcher and Marissa Burwell. If you’re recording a shorter work, we also have streams dedicated to single sound recordings (1-3 songs) and EPs (4 to 6 songs and shorter than 30 minutes).

Written by John Loeppky.

“I just don’t wanna wish these days away/
There’s only so much time left/
Only so much time.” – Étienne Fletcher’s “Waiting on You”

Étienne Fletcher decided to keep it local with his newest project, Entre-deux. That use of time seems to have paid off.

Using a Creative Saskatchewan Sound Recording Grant to produce his full-length album with Chris Dimas from Regina’s Grind Central Studios, the former Indigo Joseph band member worked with his longtime collaborators Sean McCannell and Gaelan Malloy. Both Malloy and McCannell are from Saskatchewan and Regina-based producer Chris Dimas was also involved. In a change from his previous work, Fletcher co-produced the record and had help from a number of other artists, including Québec’s Neil Robinson and Élisabeth Giroux.

The album is largely written in French, the title translates to between two, and has drawn coverage from the likes of Radio-Canada and La Tribune. The tracks are focused on themes like transitioning through life’s stages, the environment, and contemplating relationships with Canada’s Indigenous people. Entre-Deux came to fruition after his 2017 double EP’s, Side A/Face A, which came with an award from industry regulator SOCAN amidst a host of other critical successes. In other words, Fletcher is helping keep Saskatchewan’s francophone music on the map across Canada.

While COVID-19 meant lengthy delays for this newest venture’s promotion, September, 2021 brought with it a sold-out release show at The Artesian. From there, Fletcher took his show on tour, 26 dates in all, with performances spanning Alberta, Saskatchewan, New Brunswick, and Québec–including a Montreal-based album release on November 10th. Fletcher’s time promoting the album was partially funded by Creative Saskatchewan through our tour support grant. A number of those shows were to sold-out crowds.

Fletcher’s efforts meant that the industry was paying attention. He was nominated for a Sask Music award in the rock/pop artist of the year category and won 2022 Francophone Artist of the Year at the Western Canadian Music Awards. Away from the awards podium, Fletcher also inked an exciting new contract. He says that this progress in his career will afford him fresh opportunities as more people learn about his music.

“Our success story for this project is that we signed an Editor/Distribution deal with Quartier Général and Sony Canada. We are very excited about this deal. This is major in that it will help us reach a much wider audience. It is another step in the direction of creating a sustainable music career.”

In February, Fletcher will be heading out to Quebec City to be part of the RIDEAUinc showcase and will be announcing 2023 show dates soon. You can find Entre-deux (along with his two EP’s) on all major streaming platforms as well as on Bandcamp.

If you’re looking to follow in Étienne’s footsteps and receive funding for your full-length recording project then check out our grant guidelines. The project needs to include at least six songs, run at least 30 minutes, and be created with the intention of commercial release in order to meet the minimum requirements. Recent recipients include Ellen Froese and Marissa Burwell. If you’re recording a shorter work, we also have streams dedicated to single sound recordings (1-3 songs) and EPs (4 to 6 songs and shorter than 30 minutes).

Written by John Loeppky.

!earshot’s National Top 50 included Saskatchewan’s own Ellen Froese and her single from her latest album, For Each Flower Growing, this week.

Froese’s fourth full-length album, released this November, was made possible thanks to our Sound Recording Grant program.

Froese has a unique take on folk music, as captured in a recent article from Killbeat Music; “With the addition of drum machines, synths, and more intricate vocal production techniques, Froese reflects that “folk music can be anything I want it to be; I don’t have to be stuck in an antiquated mindset to hold strong musical ties to the past”. And the results of that mindset are stellar; For Each Flower Growing is exquisitely warm and inviting, foregrounding the singer’s lilting, ethereal vocals atop right-in-the-pocket, pillow-y drumming, melodic bass lines, ripples of Hammond organ layers, and – for the headphone listerner – a bevvy of expertly-placed sonic details tucked into the margins of this highly accomplished album.”

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About Ellen Froese

Ellen Froese is what you’d call a “prolific artist”; committed, too. For someone who only just passed the threshold of their mid-20s, she’s amassed a resolutely solid body of work and, with a variety of projects, achieved more than some many years her senior. For Each Flower Growing, Froese’s fourth full-length, produced in collaboration with the Sheepdogs’ Sam Corbett, is her most accomplished statement to date, drawing on her established sound as a folk & country-based singer/songwriter while incorporating a wider frame of reference in the rich production, supple instrumentation, and overall sonic soundworld. It’s much harder to pin down than any simple description can convey, making it all the more worthwhile to check out.

• Website: ellenfroese.com
• Instagram: @skelliefroese
• Facebook: @ellenfroesek
• Twitter: @skelliefroese