Northern Wish

The album Whale Music was named after the Paul Quarrington novel of the same name. After the release of the album, the Rheostatics were asked by Quarrington if they were interested in recording the soundtrack to the movie which was in production in Vancouver. This would prove to be the first among many interesting turns the band would take over the course of their career, including the Group Of Seven project, Touring with The Tragically Hip, The Story Of Harmelodia, Canada Day 2000, and 14 consecutive nights at The Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto.

By the time the band started on this project they had already produced what would be considered by many to be two of the finest Canadian albums of all time in Melville and Whale Music. It was the Whale Music Soundtrack, however, which provided the band their one and only “hit single” in the form of Claire which was written for the film and originally featured on the soundtrack. Claire brought the band to the attention of a much larger audience which eventually led to them being asked to do the Music Inspired By The Group of Seven project, a national tour opening for The Tragically Hip and eventually their “children’s album” The Story Of Harmelodia. It also won them a Genie award.

The Soundtrack is a bit of a lost child in the cannon of Rheostatics albums as is the way with many movie soundtracks. A closer look, though, reveals it to be a real musical gem. It was written around the time of Introducing Happiness which would explain the fragments of Oniley’s Strange Dream and Jesus Was Once A Teenager Too which appear in Song Of Congregation and Song Of Courtship respectively. Self Serve Gas Station also makes an appearance. Song Of Flight and Torque, Torque would end up being standard songs in their live repertoire until the end.

The first half of this volume is dedicated to the soundtrack album. It contains some album tracks, outtakes and live songs, and also shows the deconstruction (or partial construction) of both Claire and Song Of Danger (the real lost classic of the album). It is great music, albeit different than a normal album.

The second half of this volume is really a mix of songs which never made it. The sound quality suffers on many but I have tried to salvage them as much as possible. Some are lost gems and some are just lost, but together they weave a part of the picture seldom heard. They are what I call Greensprouttakes. The last song leads nicely into Volume 5. Enjoy!

Static Journey Volume 4: Whale Music OST and Greensprouttakes

65. Interview - Radionsonic In Session
66. The National Anthem - Maple Leaf Gardens November 26 1992
67. Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere - outtake from Borrowed Tunes (Neil Young Tribute) with The Bourbon Tabernacle Choir
68. Vancouver Whale Music Inteview - Rock 101 1993
69. Paul Quarrington Reading - The Horseshoe Traven GSMW – Whale Music Night December 14 2005
70. Song Of Congregation - Music From The Motion Picture Whale Music
71. Torque, Torque - Barrymore’s Ottawa ON – May 23 1996
72. Acapella Claire - Whale Music Outtakes
73. Martin’s Guitar - Whale Music Outtakes
74. Dez’s Lament/Claire - Music From The Motion Picture Whale Music
75. Song Of Flight - The Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto ON – March 29 2007
76. Vocals - Whale Music Outtakes
77. Stop - Whale Music Outtakes
78. Song Of Danger - Music From The Motion Picture Whale Music
79. Wish I Wasn’t There - Whale Music Outtakes
80. Song Of Courtship - Whale Music Outtakes
81. Song Of Sadness (full mix) - Whale Music Outtakes
82. End Title - Music From The Motion Picture Whale Music
83. Forever Lover - Whale Music Outtakes
84. And I Cry - demo 1987ish
85. As I Was Going Down The Stairs - demo 1989
86. The Promised Green - demo
87. Manhattan - demo 1991
88. Martin’s First Day Of School - 1992
89. Triangles On The Walls - 1992ish
90. Joey II (The Royal Albert) - 1993
91. Dead Is The Drunkest You Can Get - 1993
92. Floating - 1993
93. Joey III - 1993
94. Burn Slowly Burn - 1993ish
95. Strange Dream Of Jenkins Mavety - (early version of Onilley’s Strange Dream) 1993

Download Volume 4
Running Time: 1:18:33

Here is the video for Song of Flight live from The Horseshoe Tavern March 29 2007:

Next Week - Static Journey Volume 5: Introducing Happiness