| Biography: | “Won’t you come back home? Well, I don’t think so.” This telling exchange from “Run From Safety” epitomizes the ethos of Octoberman’s Marc Morrissette. In 2003, the itinerant songwriter abandoned his Vancouver home, took a break from his band, Kids These Days, and departed for travels through Asia and Europe. When Morrissette returned to North American shores, he arrived bearing a travel journal blackened with observations and reflections. These insights would soon become the basis of Octoberman’s critically-acclaimed 2005 debut, These Trails Are Old and New.
Embodying the sensibilities of Neil Young’s songcraft and Jack Kerouac’s travelogues, These Trails won widespread praise from Uncut, Maverick, The Globe and Mail and dozens of other publications. Just as Morrissette’s penchant for melancholic vocals and melodic guitar work caught the ears of critics, it won the hearts of audiences. The songwriter established Octoberman as a live institution in Vancouver, sometimes taking to the stage with a seven-piece backing band and on other occasions with nothing more than an acoustic guitar and harmonica. 2006’s seven-song, live-recorded Laguardia EP ideally encapsulated the intimacy and immediacy of these solo Octoberman performances.
However, employing a full band to expand upon his spare arrangements had opened Morrissette’s eyes to the possibilities for Octoberman’s second full-length album. Between March and August 2006, he retreated to three studios in Vancouver with co-producer and engineer James Henderson and captured his musical musings. Along for the ride were his regular backing band: Rob Josephson (drums), and Graham Christofferson (bass); as well as other common collaborators: Peter Doig (guitar), Leah Abramson (vocals), Shaun Brodie (trumpet), Kris Hooper (lap steel), Jason Starnes (keyboards), Mike Morrissette (vocals), Ryder Havdale (vocals) and C.L. McLaughlin (vocals).
Upon first listen, it’s evident that Run From Safety is not only an album title but also a bold statement of intent. It sublimely captures the sound of an artist abandoning the tried and true and striking out in unknown directions. While still fuelled by wanderlust, Octoberman’s music continues to remind us that not all journeys can be measured by distance alone. Run From Safety brims with inspired instrumentation, accomplished orchestration and newfound urgency. Furthermore, it sees Morrissette bringing the indie pop sensibility of his Kids These Days material back to the fore. Fans of Stephen Malkus’ wordplay, Bright Eyes’ earnestness and Elliott Smith’s tunefulness will find themselves readily enthralled with Octoberman’s latest offering.
“I need some inspiration in my life,” Morrissette confides in “By The Wayside.” Such motivation manifests itself with Calexico-like southwestern cinematics complete with brass flourishes. Such atmospherics resurface later with the tumbleweed menace of “Cisco Kid.” Meanwhile, a gift for clever turns of phrase is evidenced on “Run From Safety” which evokes lovelorn gypsy boys, grandmotherly gifts and jurisdictions that “bleed with conviction.” “No Qualms” attempts to offer assurances in the face of insecurities. “Elbow Room” provides an autobiographical account of helplessness. Elsewhere, the loping “Impossible Way” channels Bob Dylan while “Shit Just Falls Apart” offers astute indictments sugared by rousing pop. “Chasing Ambulances” brings proceedings to a heartfelt, whisper-quiet close.
Morrissette proves exceedingly skilled at conjuring both the wariness and weariness of a man who’s seen the world. Yet, despite intense explorations, he’s come away with little in the way of certainties or answers. Instead, every discovery begets further questions. It’s these quandaries and conflicts that continue to drive the man and his music. Once Octoberman made the decision to run from safety, turning back was not an option. Upon mastering his new album, Morrissette quit his job and embarked on a European tour that lead him through five countries in five weeks. He next crossed the Atlantic, climbed into his Volkswagen and toured the continental United States. One can only imagine the inspiring questions that were raised along the way.
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