WILD REMEDY – “WILD REMEDY”
A SPILL EXCLUSIVE VIDEO PREMIERE
Today we present a fantastic indie-folk trio hailing from Ottawa (with one foot also in Montreal, so to speak). As they gear up to release their debut EP Songs From Home, we have the pleasure of premiering the video for the track “Wild Remedy” – the very name of the band itself.
One of the slower tracks found on the EP, this five-track collection has a nice Dixie Chicks and Phoebe Bridgers feel to it at moments and is reminiscent energy- and sound-wise to Mumford & Sons or even Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros. From the introspective to the dance floor, there’s something here for lovers of organic music. Channelling hope, their heartfelt delivery fosters a sense of connection with the artist rooted in the human condition and shared experience.
Wild Remedy is made up of Amy Russett, Colleen Roberston and Shay Mahoney, who now has one foot in Ottawa and one in Montreal. Influenced by everything from alternative pop to folk-rock, gospel to disco, the band has been an emerging force in the Canadian folk scene since 2022, entertaining audiences with their catchy originals, new takes on folk classics, and haunting harmonies.
The Songs From Home EP is an honest collection about the realities of growing up and becoming, set to dance-worthy rhythms and unforgettable melodies. Making music that radiates like a beacon of hope, this all-female trio of Ottawa-born musicians’ music is rooted in a love for chilling harmonies and all things folk.
The trio crafts an uplifting soundtrack of personal exploration that could universally apply to so many of us. Lingering long after the last note fades, their music is a heartfelt invitation to join them in their grassroots hope-filled journey of personal growth, expression and inner reflection.
“The release of this EP is monumental not only in our musical career as a band, but also our journey as artists and musicians, ourselves. Each song is a glimpse into fractions of our life stories, and to be sharing it with the world is a privilege. These songs have been written as a result of some of the hardest moments we’ve lived through over the last two years, but to take those challenges and make them into music is such a beautiful resolution to those stories. We’re eternally grateful to be on this journey together and with each person who listens,” says Shay Mahoney.
Colleen Robertson adds, “The song “Wild Remedy” was actually written after we decided on a band name! We had just had a performance earlier that day and while still riding the high of the event, I wrote a song with my amazing bandmates in mind. This song was always dedicated to Shay and Amy and was a promise from me to stand by their side through whatever life throws at us. Of course, so many have seen themselves in the lyrics and in some way I hope the promise can be extended to those who listen to our music. That we can continue to provide some sort of comfort in a very uncomfortable world, and that when things get hard we will try to provide a small remedy”.
The band recently released the effervescent near-title track “Home Song”, about which Mahoney notes, “I was thinking about how life might be different if I had chosen a different career path, lived in a different city, or maybe just stayed home in Ottawa after high school. But as I thought about it, I discovered that more things make up ‘home’ than we realize. And “Home Song” was born from this discovery: I could wander ‘round the globe, and home would still be found in the places where – and in the people with whom – I know I belong.”
The EP also includes “What I Did Find”, “Wild Remedy” and two folk offerings that stir the heart and echo the bright sound and iconic harmonies the band has become known for. Paying homage to their folk roots, their music offers the simplicity found in many Americana-Country songs, while drawing from the dynamic storytelling key of indie-folk.
Having bonded over their mutual love of music and songwriting, the trio met in 2020 and finally and made their local debut in 2022, performing at farmers markets around the Ottawa area. With Amy’s powerhouse vocals and guitar, Colleen’s smooth alto tones, and Shay’s ability to sing and play anything (including guitar, mandolin, cajon and harmonica), folks started to take notice. In 2023, the band released their first two original single songs, involving producer Nate Hardy, which were met with loads of love and grew them a grassroots fanbase.
The Songs From Home EP will be released everywhere digitally, including Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp on June 14. Wild Remedy’s EP release party takes place in Ottawa on June 21, followed by ‘The Wild Tour’ with fellow Canadian indie folk trio Wild Bloom, and a handful of shows in July and August. Tour dates are indicated below.
CREDITS
All songs written by Amy Russett, Colleen Robertson, Shay Mahoney
Lyrics by Amy Russett (Tracks 1 & 3, Shay Mahoney (Track 2), Colleen Robertson (Tracks 4 & 5)
Shay Mahoney – acoustic guitar, mandolin, percussion, harmonica, vocals
Amy Russett – acoustic guitar, vocals
Colleen Robertson – vocals
Nate Hardy – electric guitar, bass, keys / organ / synth, percussion
Crispin Newmarch – percussion on Track 5
Recorded in Ottawa, Ontario
Produced by Nate Hardy
‘Home song’ mixed & mastered by Peter Wang
All other songs mixed & mastered by Nate Hardy
Single & album artwork by Shay Mahoney
‘Wild Remedy’ video by Jordan Van Der Linden
Publicity by Shameless Promotion PR
While you are here, soak up their first few single from this EP and a live rendition of the EP’s opening track “What I Did Fine”:
Wild Remedy
[Single]
(Independent)
Release Date: June 12, 2024
TOUR DATES
JUNE 21 Westboro, Ottawa – Equator Coffee – EP release party
JUNE 27 Toronto – Dakota Tavern
JUNE 28 Ottawa – Live! On Elgin
JUNE 29 Montreal – Petit Campus
JULY 12 Ottawa BluesFest
JULY 13 Carp Farmers Market (several performances)
AUG 16 Elgin, Ontario – The Opinicon (several performances)