(Toronto, ON) - Toronto singer/songwriter Donovan Woods' third album Don't Get Too Grand, featuring the singles "Put On, Cologne" and "The Coldest State", will be released through Aporia Records/Outside Distribution on March 26th. In anticipation of the album release, the Sarnia native will be performing the week prior at Canadian Music Week (CMW) in Toronto. Woods will be performing multiple shows at CMW, including The Marriot Hotel Lounge Bar on Friday, March 22nd and at The Central on Saturday, March 23rd. More shows will be announced soon, including a Toronto album release show in April, and he's currently planning tour dates across Canada for late spring and throughout the summer.
With a voice as notable as his lyrics, Donovan Woods is widely recognized as an acclaimed recording artist and performer as well as an in-demand country and folk songwriter from Toronto to Nashville. His first two albums (The Hold-Up, 2008 and The Widowmaker, 2011) were released to glowing reviews, praising songwriting that is “brief and spare, while his husky vocals and smart lyrics pack the emotional punch" (NOW Magazine). His work has been featured on CBC Radio where he’s in regular rotation across the country and he recently completed a tour of Canada and England. Woods has also carved out a niche for himself as a busy songwriter for TV and film. His music has appeared on television shows like “Felicity,” “Degrassi: The Next Generation,” ABC’s “My Generation,” and the Matthew Perry film “Numb.” Shuttling between his Ontario home and frequent collaborations in Nashville, Woods has co-written songs with the likes of Grammy Award winner Marcus Hummon and One Flew South’s Chris Roberts.
Upon the release of this third album, Don’t Get Too Grand, Donovan Woods further hones his distinctive style. Amidst precise writing and restrained, yearning arrangements, Woods explores the landscapes of his life, inside and out. Piercingly honest and quietly anthemic, he sings with a striking sense of the world that produced him – the unsung towns of Canada’s industrial heartland. The result is an album that’s transporting and never loses the dry, self-deprecating humour that has endeared Woods to his audiences from the start.
"I wanted to make a simple record with songs that allow a listener to get inside of them," said Woods. "I wanted every song to be completely accessible. I don’t want to hide behind some grand artistic statement; I’m just trying to make folk songs that people will hum along and tap their foot to. I thought the title Don't Get Too Grand worked as a nice reminder to myself that simple is usually best. I heard the expression at a book reading I attended featuring author Richard Ford. He told a story about his aunt, on her death bed, saying to him, in reference to his new-found literary fame and wealth, “Richard, don’t get too grand.” He said the little phrase has helped him stay honest and forthright and I hope it’s done the same for me."
Join Donovan Woods in celebrating the release of his third album, Don't Get Too Grand, with shows in Toronto during Canadian Music Week and look for the album in stores and online on March 26th. For a full listing of Donovan Woods upcoming performances visit his website: bestsongwriterever.com
DONOVAN WOODS AT CANADIAN MUSIC WEEK
March 22 - Toronto, ON - The Lounge at The Marriot Hotel (8:15pm, CMF Acoustic Sessions)
March 23 - Toronto, ON - The Central (10pm)
DONOVAN WOODS - DON'T GET TOO GRAND
RELEASE DATE: MARCH 26th (APORIA RECORDS)
1. Don't Get Too Grand
2. Put On, Cologne
3. Sask
4. The Coldest State
5. My Boy
6. Widowmaker
7. Taft
8. Kennedy
9. You Don't Say
10. Petrolia
11. Let Us Now Praise Simple Men
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