It would be fair to say that Loud in the Pines were not expecting to hear their name at this year’s Canadian Folk Music Awards in Calgary.
“I can’t remember a time I felt that genuinely shocked before,” says guitarist and vocalist Spencer Taubner. “I think I had already kind of come to terms with the fact that there were so many brilliant names in our category, and I was just excited to see who would win.”
Nonetheless, their debut full-length, Every Colour Left, earned multi-time JUNO winner Ben Plotnick a nod for Producer of the Year. With Plotnick himself away on tour with Ruth Moody, the band was left to accept the award themselves, and were nearly caught flat-footed.
“We had a speech from Ben in the event that he won, and we didn’t even have it ready to go,” recalls keyboardist and vocalist Kelin Flanagan with a smile. “I was digging it out of my bag on our way up to accept the award.”
While the CFMAs may have quickly brought Loud in the Pines to the national spotlight, the duo’s journey together as musicians and partners is a long and fruitful one. Taubner and Flanagan first connected in their university days playing traditional Irish music, ultimately becoming married partners nearly a decade ago.
By 2023, the couple were ready to make music a bigger part of their lives again, co-writing and experimenting with an indie folk sound that would ultimately become Loud in the Pines’ first EP, bitter bright.
To help fill out their lush acoustic arrangements, the pair enlisted the help of instrumentalist friends from across the Edmonton folk community, including Jarred Albright and Evan Stewart.
“Every time we brought somebody in to work on something with us, we noticed we were making better art,” Flanagan explains.
In that sense, enlisting a producer and string arranger like Ben Plotnick was a logical next step as Loud in the Pines looked towards their debut full-length. The Canadian-born fiddler has established himself as a premier session player, arranger, and producer in the North American folk and roots scene, with credits including Dolly Parton, Chris Stapleton, The War & Treaty, and many more.
“There were definitely some nerves around sharing [our] songwriting and opening up what had been a very personal project,” admits Taubner. “But we knew we were in really good hands, and we’re just so proud of what we ended up making together.”
The results speak for themselves, with Every Colour Left boasting intricate, cinematic arrangements complementing heartfelt songwriting borne out of a strong sense of home and the lives built there.
Loud in the Pines are proud to call Edmonton home, and are deeply appreciative of the tight-knit community they are part of.
“I’m continually blown away by the state of the folk scene here,” Flanagan says. “There’s so much great music being made, and it so rarely feels like we’re in competition. It really feels like everybody is just here to make the best music they can and to support one another.”
See Loud in the Pines in Edmonton at The Carrot on Friday, May 15, and at 9910 on Thursday, May 21. Visit their website for more information and performance dates.
