SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: SKYDIGGERS – DREAMS & SECOND CHANCES

SKYDIGGERS
DREAMS & SECOND CHANCES
SKYDIGGERS PRODUCTIONS LTD.

Who knew, when we were grooving to now-classic Skydiggers tunes in the 1990s, that this roots rock band from Toronto would still be releasing relevant, vital and energized new music in 2025? Yet here we are, and here they are, with their new album Dreams & Second Chances.

Recorded in Ontario at The Tragically Hip’s studio ‘The Bathouse’, Dreams & Second Chances represents both constancy and growth. The constant factor is the core of the band – founding members Josh Finlayson and Andy Maize – and longtime members Noel Webb, Michael Johnston, Jessy Bell Smith, Derrick Brady, and Aaron Comeau. Through years of recording and touring, the current iteration of Skydiggers is one tight unit. Progressive changes are also present here. Songwriting matchups are re-jigged, performance collaborations are made more expansive, and a relaxed, mature attitude pervades. Displaying a heavy dose of creativity, within a collective sound that listeners have come to know so well, this is truly a ‘band’ album.

This album sees Skydiggers mixing it up, in terms of who writes with whom. The strong writing bond of Finlayson and Maize still exists, but both also write individually on this album, as well as sharing co-writes with keyboardist Michael Johnston. Finlayson also shares writing credits with Tom and Thompson Wilson, and with Jim Bryson. Vocalist Jessy Bell Smith is also featured here, performing three self-penned songs. All of these elements, combined with strong performances from the band, lend to the overall feel of progress and growth on this project.

Leading off with the title track, “Dreams & Second Chances” we are met with the classic Skydiggers sound, a mid-tempo country rocker fronted vocally by Maize’s dependable sweet fragility. This is followed by Finlayson’s lyrically thoughtful “Start Again”, which is punctuated by his honest and straightforward vocal delivery, and includes a lovely close harmony vocal by Jessy Bell Smith. This song, along with his other contributions on the album, demonstrates some of the best singing on record that we have heard from Josh Finlayson.

For her part, Bell Smith gives some standout performances as well. One of the unique folk voices in Canada, she gives an angelic, yet grounded quality to the proceedings. Her song “Mother’s Pocket” pays respect to artists like The Carter Family, in her plaintive vocal style, and includes a melody-doubling performance on guitar and piano that evokes Mother Maybelle. Elsewhere, her layered, a capella “Light on the Water” provides a beautiful, ethereal respite between other songs. It is always a pleasure to hear Jessy Bell Smith sing front and centre.

Andy Maize gives us some wonderful turns on this album. With “I Love You, Too, Maybe…” (a minor key piano-driven song of uncertain love) his vocal is spot-on. With an awesome overdriven guitar part in contrast to Maize’s vocal delivery, the music suggests power but the vocal suggests vulnerability. On “One, Maybe Two, Maybe…” with its dark verses and anthemic chorus, Maize’s vocal delivery finds the artist at his most poignant.

The songs on Dreams & Second Chances are well supported by the rhythm section of Derrick Brady and Noel Webb, on bass and drums, respectively. Michael Johnston’s piano and keys work is integral to the entire album, and guitarist Aaron Comeau provides amazing colour and texture throughout.

For a band with a legacy which stretches across decades, and who (in many ways) enjoy ‘icon’ status, releasing such a strong album at this point in their career is a wonderful achievement. Fans of Skydiggers, and anyone who enjoys roots, acoustic, folk, and Americana are going to love it.

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