Lustre Parfait
Lustre Parfait is a studio album by Gord Downie and Bob Rock, released on May 5, 2023, through Arts & Crafts Productions.[1] The second posthumous album of previously unreleased material following Downie's death in 2017, the album features songs Downie and Rock created together in the 2010s after Rock produced The Tragically Hip's albums World Container and We Are the Same.[2]
| Lustre Parfait | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by Gord Downie and Bob Rock | ||||
| Released | May 5, 2023 | |||
| Recorded | 2009–2016 | |||
| Length | 62:12 | |||
| Label | Arts & Crafts | |||
| Producer | Bob Rock | |||
| Gord Downie chronology | ||||
| ||||
It was known prior to Downie's death that he had recorded a solo album with Rock, although plans for its release had not been announced by the time of Downie's illness and death.[3] Rock later clarified that although the tracks had been recorded, the production had not been completed at that time, and that he had struggled to finish readying the album for release due to his emotions around Downie's death.[4]
The album's title track was released in October 2022 as a preview.[5] In November, "The Raven and the Red-Tailed Hawk" was released as the title track of a three-song EP that also included "Lustre Parfait" and the song "Is There Nowhere";[1] in February 2023, "The Moment Is a Wild Place" was released as the lead track of a six-song preview EP, which also featured all three of the already-released songs as well as the album tracks "Something More" and "Camaro".[6]
Rock described working with Downie on the album's songs as one of the great highlights of his professional life.[7]
Supporting musicians on Lustre Parfait include Abe Laboriel Jr., Tom Keenlyside, Steve Madaio, Camille Henderson and Saffron Henderson.[7]
Track listing
All tracks are written by Gord Downie and Bob Rock
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Greyboy Says" | 3:43 |
| 2. | "The Raven and the Red-Tailed Hawk" | 4:38 |
| 3. | "Lustre Parfait" | 3:53 |
| 4. | "The Moment Is a Wild Place" | 7:26 |
| 5. | "Something More" | 3:11 |
| 6. | "Camaro" | 3:08 |
| 7. | "The North Shore" | 4:42 |
| 8. | "Is There Nowhere" | 4:26 |
| 9. | "To Catch the Truth" | 4:03 |
| 10. | "Let Me Howl" | 6:19 |
| 11. | "HellBreaksLoose" | 4:54 |
| 12. | "Safest Day of the Year" | 4:55 |
| 13. | "In the Field" | 3:16 |
| 14. | "There Goes the Sun" | 3:38 |
| Total length: | 62:12 | |
Personnel
Musicians
- Gord Downie – vocals
- Bob Rock – guitar (all tracks), background vocals (tracks 1, 5–7, 10, 11), keyboards (1–6, 8, 12), percussion (1–4, 6, 9–12)
- Jamey Koch – bass guitar (1–5, 7–13), synthesizer (2, 5, 6, 8, 10–12), background vocals (2, 6, 7, 9)
- Abe Laboriel Jr. – percussion (1)
- Pat Steward – drums (2, 9, 10, 12, 13)
- Adam Greenholtz – keyboards (2, 5, 6, 8–10, 12), percussion (3, 5, 6, 8, 13), background vocals (7)
- Tom Anselmi – keyboards (2, 6, 10, 11)
- Zac Rae – keyboards (2, 6)
- Camille Henderson – background vocals (3, 6)
- Saffron Henderson – background vocals (3)
- Sean Nelson – drums (3, 4, 7)
- Chris Gestrin – keyboards (3, 8–10, 13)
- Tom Keenlyside – saxophone (3), horn (10)
- Steve Madaio – trumpet (3)
- Alan Chang – keyboards (4)
- Jamie Edwards – keyboards (4, 7, 14)
- Johnny Fay – drums (5, 6, 11), background vocals (11)
- Patrick Downie – percussion (5)
- John Webster – keyboards (7)
- Pete Finney – pedal steel (7, 14)
- Che Dorval – background vocals (8)
- Ryan Enockson – keyboards (10)
- Lenny Castro – percussion (10)
- Rafael Padilla – percussion (10)
- Tiki Pasillas – percussion (10)
- Jamie Muhoberac – keyboards (11)
- Chris Wyse – bass guitar (14)
- Dave Pierce – horn (14)
Technical
- Bob Rock – production, mixing
- Adam Greenholtz – additional production, mixing, engineering
- Jamey Koch – additional production
- Chris Allgood – mastering
- Emily Lazar – mastering
- Eric Helmkamp – engineering
- Ryan Enockson – engineering
- Dominic Civiero – engineering (4)
References
- Alex Hudson, "Gord Downie and Bob Rock's Collaborative Album Gets Release Date, New Single". Exclaim!, November 22, 2022.
- Stuart Derdeyn, "Now hear this: Lustre Parfait by Gord Downie and Bob Rock is a tasty single". Vancouver Sun, October 22, 2022.
- Michael Barclay, The Never-Ending Present: The Story of Gord Downie and the Tragically Hip. ECW Press, 2018. ISBN 9781770414365. p. 414.
- Daniel Sylvester, "Gord Downie and Bob Rock's Electrifying Collaboration Goes 'Beyond Friendship'". Exclaim!, May 2, 2023.
- David Friend, "New song ‘Lustre Parfait’ offers sample of posthumous Gord Downie, Bob Rock album". Toronto Star, October 20, 2022.
- Will Schube, "Bob Rock And The Late Gord Downie Share ‘The Moment Is A Wild Place’". UDiscoverMusic, February 1, 2023.
- Kerry Doole, "Gord Downie & Bob Rock: Lustre Parfait". FYI Music News, October 26, 2022.