After years of turning thoughts and experiences to music, Mount Rushka is ready to take the stage again with songs from their new album.
The Fernie band debuts its new album Exposed on Feb. 28 with two Griz Days concerts at the Vogue Theatre. The album combines the band's signature rock sound with hints of grunge and blues, drawing influence from genres spanning 70s to 90s.
"Rock came out of the 50s and it's still a force of nature. It's still a very popular genre. There's just decades and decades to draw inspiration from the rock genre," said lead guitarist Will Ripley.
"Exposed kind of encapsulates the idea of our sound being derivative of all the amazing rock music that has been produced in the last 70 years," he added.
The 11-track album was produced by Brian Moncarz, whose past collaborations include an impressive line-up of talent, like The Tea Party, Our Lady Peace, Alice Cooper, and The Trews.
Exposed is brimming with deep emotion and doesn't shy away from confronting the realities of life. It features tracks like Four Letter Word, that speaks of struggles with depression and self forgiveness, and Darkness, a slow-tempo track that pays tribute to lyricist Adam Laurin's friends, who died of overdoses.
The album is named for its final song, which explores divorce from the perspective of a single mother who is rebuilding her life and starting over, fighting her way to retirement.
"I find inspiration just kind of evolves from music itself. I hear the music and then I hear a melody in my head. Then I just start putting words to thoughts and emotions," said Laurin.
The vinyl album will be released at the concert and a digital version will follow later in the year.
"My parents listened to rock n' roll on vinyl and always told us music sounded better on vinyl. I guess now I'm a believer," said Laurin.
"Vinyl just seems to be the most heartfelt way to produce the music as a physical form. It's a physical piece of art to go with the listening," he added.
Mount Rushka formed in 2019, helmed by Will Ripley and drummer Aaron Wrench, both graduates of Selkirk College who reconnected in Fernie. Husband and wife duo Adam and Alanna Laurin completed the group.
The band got their name from Mount Rushmore National Memorial in South Dakota. Ripley said they found parallels between the site's historic legacy and their band's inspiration from rock music's legacy.
The name also draws influence from Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson, who was born in Fernie, and the surname of a neighbour who lives across the street from the band's recording studio.
Mount Rushka has been a fixture at local Fernie events. They played at the Demolition Derby's 50th anniversary last year, entering their own car in the ring and filming a music video of the rumble. They performed one of their first outdoor shows at Griz Days, and now they're returning for the launch of their new album.
Griz Days has always been a special event for the band members. Adam Laurin formerly announced the Dummy Downhill and hosted the Commit 2 Pain Rail Jam. Ripley's father Willard was Fernie's first Griz after he moved to town in the 70s.
"Griz Days is in my blood, I guess you could say," said Ripley.
Mount Rushka will perform two concerts on Friday, Feb. 28 at the Vogue Theatre at 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Tickets will be sold at the door and will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis.
