Acclaimed Blues-Rock Guitarist, Singer-Songwriter, Chris Antonik, Releases "Waves of Stone" and Announces 'Morningstar' LP
CHRIS ANTONIK
— ACCLAIMED BLUES-ROCK GUITARIST, SINGER-SONGWRITER —
RELEASES NEW BLISTERING SINGLE
“WAVES OF STONE”
FOURTH FULL-LENGTH STUDIO LP
MORNINGSTAR
OUT AUGUST 5 ON SECOND HALF RECORDS / MOON DOG MUSIC
HEADLINING SHOWS AND FESTIVAL APPEARANCES THROUGH SUMMER
Above: Chris Antonik; credit: Kirsten Sonntag
NASHVILLE, TN (June 3, 2022) — Chris Antonik, the blues-rock guitar wielding singer-songwriter from Canada, has just gone through a five-year process of personal growth and self-compassion building — and he wears his stories on his sleeve across the 14-track Morningstar (out August 5 via Second Half Records, in partnership with Moon Dog Music). Pre-save/Pre-order Morningstar here.
The blistering lead single, “Waves of Stone” — out today alongside a music video which was unveiled by Blues Rock Review — hits like a thunderbolt on a musical and emotional level. Musically, it’s riff-driven blues-rock showcasing Antonik trading searing lead guitar solos with American counterpart, the 3x-Blues Music Award nominee, Jarekus Singleton. Emotionally, “Waves of Stone” is propelled by the miscommunication and deafening silence experienced in the final weeks of a relationship.
“In 2017, I had started a new life after a divorce,” recalls Antonik. “I made the mistake of getting into another relationship too soon. Driven by a fear of being alone and to soothe my grief from the divorce, I dove in. The relationship didn’t last long. The pain and anguish that I experienced when it ended was compounded by the fact that I was still grieving divorce. This song is a snapshot of how heartbroken and frustrated I felt in the last few weeks of the relationship and right after the breakup. ‘Waves of Stone’ gets the anger stage of grief out of my system so I can move onto the other 13 songs on Morningstar which are about hope, re-building, community, new beginnings and love.”
Antonik, like most, arrived at new challenges during the global pandemic and in addition to the weight of that, he also found himself navigating a divorce, finding sobriety and being a single parent. Co-produced by Juno Award-winning producer Derek Downham and the 3x-Maple Blues Award-nominee, Antonik, Morningstar takes listeners on a sonically-layered journey rooted in blues and blues-rock, with intriguing byways taken via routes of soul, future-funk, psychedelia, late-1980’s-Clapton/Robbie Robertson/Daniel Lanois and experimental turns into blues-based modern rock and hip-hop territories. Morningstar also features guest appearances by 2x-GRAMMY Award-winner Mike Mattison (Tedeschi Trucks Band, Derek Trucks Band), multiple-Maple Blues Award-winning guitarist Paul Deslauriers, and Juno Award-winner Alison Young.
Morningstar — the fourth studio album from Antonik — tells a cohesive story of his experiences as he enters mid-life. The last few years’ worth of life, love, loss, and growth are synthesized into an epic collection of songs about new beginnings, building community, mindfulness, self-compassion, Antonik’s sobriety, and the power of home. Through it all, Antonik plays his guitar with unbridled ferocity and passion, mining his soul deeper than he ever has before.
“I wanted to do two things with this record,” says Antonik, “one: push the boundaries of modern blues and blues-rock, and two: tell a sincere story about the human experience that others could relate to. I believe we achieved both. While each song can be heard as a stand-alone piece, together the tracks comprise an even greater connected saga.”
Track listing for Morningstar:
“Waves of Stone” (feat. Jarekus Singleton)
“Pilgrim”
“Back To The Good”
“Trust In Me”
“In Our Home” (feat. Alison Young)
“The Greatest Of The Americans (Part I)”
“The Greatest Of The Americans (Part II)”
“Learning To Love You”
“How To Be Alone”
“We're Not Alone” (feat. Paul Deslauriers)
“The Promise Of Airfields”
“Little Man”
“Be Here Now” (feat. Mike Mattison)
“Grace”
Above: Album cover art for ‘Morningstar’