That said 16&1 doesn’t play like some pensive re-examination of the past. It may find the band taking a trip down memory lane at times, but it’s a lane with a big old bush party waiting at the end of it, and a trip Doc Walker seem intent on taking at high speed in a vintage Silverado…
Named for the crossroads of two major prairie lifelines not far from where Doc Walker settled in to record their 5th record on Canadian country label, Open Road Recordings, 16&1 represents something of a homecoming for the Manitoba based band, particularly for lead singer, Chris Thorsteinson. In fact, by choosing a former schoolhouse in Westbourne, Manitoba as the site for recording the album, Thorsteinson is touching down very close to home, literally across the road from the house he grew up in. “From grades one to six it’s actually where I went to school,” he says. “I never thought we’d be recording our seventh record in a town of 100 people, in a classroom where I used to sit, while I’m looking out the window at my parents place.”
Although many the songs on 16&1 were born out of the region the band grew up in, guitarist/vocalist Murray Pulver says, it also represents a departure from past efforts, both sonically and in terms of the band’s recording process, which, for Thorsteinson, involved a dramatic expansion of his role in the studio.
When Westbourne Old School first closed down, Thorsteinson and his father bought the property, but were unsure of what to do with it until the band began looking for a place to record. After going a little gear crazy while trolling E-Bay for equipment to put into his freshly christened ‘Old School Studio’, Thorsteinson soon found himself acting as de facto assistant engineer for 16&1 producer, John MacArthur Ellis (Jane Siberry, Jeremy Fisher, Ridley Bent) – an experience that’s changed his perspective on recording irrevocably. “Assistant engineers are my new heroes,” he says. “They just never stop.”
Typically, when Doc Walker recorded in Nashville in the past, Thorsteinson admits he was often the first to light out of the studio when his vocals were finished – Not an option when you’re both studio owner and the person largely responsible for outfitting the studio with occasionally impenetrable, vintage recording technology.
Overall, however, recording close to home resulted in a far more relaxed vibe says guitarist/vocalist Dave Wasyliw. “When you’re spending $1000.00 a day in a studio, you’re always watching the clock.” It’s very much like taking a long cab ride, he adds. “You’re always watching the meter and that’s not the best way to get your best performance on tape.”
“Musically,” Pulver adds, “it also really made things flow. We had no pre-conceived notions as to what something should sound like.” That’s clear right from the opening riff of lead single ‘Country Girl’, a song that showcases the band’s adoption of a decidedly more freewheeling, riff-based, electric sound that stands in stark contrast to their previous acoustic heavy efforts.
It’s also a product of recording the entire record with their longtime rhythm section, Brent Pearon (bass) and Steve Broadhurst (drums). That approach energized the band’s writing and recording process substantially, Wasyliw says, describing the communication between Pearon, Broadhurst and the rest of the band as being almost akin to telepathy. “On stage, we rely on subtle gestures and expressions to communicate, and that allowed us to really read each other during the recording process to judge what was working, or, more importantly, what wasn’t.”
Ripping it up in the studio with Broadhurst and Pearon also found Wasiliw and Pulver making subtle, but definite nods to the signature brand of prairie rock they grew up on. Particularly on tracks like ‘Never Letting Go’ and the standout ‘Where I Belong’; a celebration of small town life in Westbourne that’s so rich in detail, you can almost smell the breeze off the lake and feel the dust of the back roads settling on your skin.
That doesn’t mean the band has lost sight of the core elements that have traditionally made their music stand out from the pack. Their blindingly tight, trademark harmonies, compact arrangements and relentlessly hooky sing along choruses are all still there. On 16&1, however, Doc Walker have definitely ramped up the rock a notch or six, and nowhere more so than on their blazing cover of the Bob Seger car chase classic, ‘Get Out Of Denver’ and album closer ‘Tailgate Revolution’, with it’s dueling guitars and amped up R&B vocal arrangements.
16&1 is still country to the core, but it’s definitely sonically denser than 2009’s GO, featuring instrumental highlights like the contributions of sax player Kirsten Nash and one man horn section, Colin Weinmaster on ‘I Disappear Now’, for example – a Crash Test Dummies cover on which Brad Roberts also joins Thorsteinson on lead vocals. On every track, however, Ellis’ production style leaves ample room for each voice to shine through. Ellis also lends his own substantial talents as a keyboardist, slide and pedal steel player to songs like ‘Hard Act To Follow’ and country ballad ‘Do It Right’, among others.
While 16&1 finds the band stretching out some musically, that’s a natural extension of the ethic on which they’ve built a reputation as one of Canada’s hardest working live acts; an ethic that’s served them exceptionally well over time, garnering the band some of the Canadian Music Industry’s highest awards. Among them, the 2009 Juno for Country Recording of the Year and a total of 11 Canadian Country Music Awards, including the 2008 CCMA Fan’s Choice Award, as well as Album, Single and Songwriters of the Year for 2008’s Beautiful Life.
On the strength of GO, the band has also received multiple nominations for the 2011 CCMA’s, including Fans’ Choice, Group or Duo of the Year, CMT Video of the Year, and Country Music Program or Special of the Year. Additionally, Pulver and drummer Steve Broadhurst have been nominated individually in the 2011 CCMA All Star Band Category.
Even with several mantelpieces worth of hardware to their credit, and a growing international profile that has resulted in three Australian tours in the past 18 months, Doc Walker refuse to rest on past laurels. “After awhile the ‘tried and true’ becomes ‘been there, done that’,” Wasyliw says simply. “With every new album we evolved to some degree. It’s a little more drastic this time out, but I think it’s exciting to go to work and not know what’ll happen next.”
Even when they first began compiling ideas for 16&1 while jamming on stage and in their tour bus, Doc Walker knew they were on to something fresh. “When we got together and wrote the riffs for ‘Are You With Me Tonight’ I remember thinking, man, imagine playing this live,” says Wasyliw. And although the track sounds like a love song, it’s actually meant to speak directly to their audience, he says. “We had a gig coming up in Dawson, so, in our minds, we were thinking about how to get the crowd on our side, and to do that you have to ask ‘Are You With Me Tonight?’ The ‘relationship’ aspect we actually added later.”
Though 16&1 is a bit of a sea change for Doc Walker, it reflects the values that have made them so enduringly popular over time and speaks as much about their pride in their roots as it does of the affection and gratitude they have for the fans that continue to flock to their shows year after year. And that, at the heart of it, is the most important thing, Thorsteinson says. “Let’s not kid ourselves, everybody wants to sell a million records, but on this record we forgot all about that. All we wanted to do was write a record that we love, and that we know our fans are going to love and want to sing along to.”
That's All
Doc Walker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I find out I'm wrong, when I thought I was right
S'always the same, it's just a shame, that's all
I could say day, you'd say night
Tell me black when I know that it's white
S'always the same, it's just a shame, that's all
I could leave but I won't go
I can't feel a thing from my head
Down to my toes
So why does it always seem to be
Me looking at you, you looking at me
S'always the same, it's just a shame, that's all
Turning me on, turning me off
Making me feel like I want too much
Living with you's
Just putting me through it all of the time
Running around, staying out all night
Taking it all instead of taking one bite
Living with you's
Just putting me through it all of the time
I could leave but I won't go
It'd be easier I know
I can't feel a thing from my head
Down to my toes
But why does it always seem to be
Me looking at you, you looking at me
S'always the same, just a shame, that's all
But I love you
More than I wanted to
There's no point in trying to pretend
There's been no-one who
Makes me feel like you do
Say we'll be together till the end
(instrumental)
I could leave but I won't go
It'd be easier I know
I can't feel a thing from my head
Down to my toes
So why does it always seem to be
Me looking at you, you looking at me
S'always the same, just a shame, that's all
Running around, staying out all night
Taking it all instead of taking one bite
Living with you's
Just putting me through it all of the time
Just as I thought it was going alright
I find out I'm wrong when I thought I was right
S'always the same, just a shame, that's all (x3)
The song "That's All" by Doc Walker is a ballad about the frustrations that come with a relationship that is not quite working out. The singer begins by expressing his disbelief that things are not going as planned, even when he thought he had a handle on the situation. He remarks that it is always the same, and that the situation is regrettable. A recurring theme in the song is the sense that he is just not able to communicate effectively with his partner. He says that she always seems to contradict him, even when he is sure he is correct. Despite these issues, he is unable to leave the relationship, even though his better judgment may tell him otherwise. The song ends on a hopeful note, with the singer professing his love for the person he is speaking to and expressing a desire to stay together.
The song is notable for its use of a consistent and memorable melody throughout. The lyrics also utilize repetition in order to emphasize the sense of frustration and the inability to escape from a difficult situation. The song has a timeless quality, as its themes are relatable to anyone who has ever found themselves in a difficult relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
Just as I thought it was going alright
Things seemed okay until I realized I was mistaken.
I find out I'm wrong, when I thought I was right
I think I'm correct, but then I discover the truth is the opposite.
S'always the same, it's just a shame, that's all
This situation happens frequently, and it's disappointing.
I could say day, you'd say night
Our opinions and viewpoints are frequently opposed.
Tell me black when I know that it's white
You insist something is true, but I know it's false.
I could leave but I won't go
I could depart this relationship, but I choose to stay.
Though my heart might tell me so
My emotions suggest that I depart.
I can't feel a thing from my head
I'm emotionally numb.
Down to my toes
Throughout my entire being.
So why does it always seem to be
I don't understand why it's frequently like this.
Me looking at you, you looking at me
We're constantly staring at one another.
Turning me on, turning me off
One moment I'm enthralled, the next I'm disinterested.
Making me feel like I want too much
You make me believe that I'm too demanding.
Living with you's Just putting me through it all of the time
Being in this relationship is constantly causing me distress.
Running around, staying out all night
You're constantly out late, and it's frustrating.
Taking it all instead of taking one bite
You always take more than necessary, I just want a little bit.
But I love you
I care for you deeply.
More than I wanted to
I didn't plan on having such strong feelings for you.
There's no point in trying to pretend
There's no value in acting like my emotions aren't real.
There's been no-one who Makes me feel like you do
Nobody has ever made me feel the way you do.
Say we'll be together till the end
Promise me we'll stay together forever.
S'always the same, just a shame, that's all
This cycle repeats, and it's disappointing each time.
Contributed by Alexander C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@reality00712
Doc Walker can pull of covers really well Not too many bands can do that especially with being a country band I saw them play in Chris' hometown and wow it was the best concert I've been to I always wondered why they were called Doc Walker, but it had to do with a friend of their taking care of Chris and handing him med during a cold and I think that guys last name was Walker so Chris said you're my Doc Walker! Interesting bit of info I read up on lol
@eryksimon2264
Nice when guys like these tip their hats to the greats.
@ChantalMary5256
Saw them last night, they were fantastic!
@welshhibby
Hillybilly Genesis !
@JustinGossAcoustic
Saw them Thursday :) Great show
@CBRSEntertainment
this video holds no candle to doc walker's performance of this song live
@TheLizzieWills
Richard is so young :D
@ceeko5484
Nothing can top the original classic. But Doc Walker at least reinterprets it without ruining it, which is a big feat.
@rohanbeeharie7538
Cee Ko I agree completely
@suprapike
Love these guys