Saint John’s folk duo extraordinaire Tomato/Tomato are skewing that folk sound in favour of some sounds inspired by the Big South. Complete with mariachi trumpets, “Take it on the Road” epitomizes the band’s perpetually-on-tour lifestyle. Alongside the release of a new single the band are off on their next big adventure: the creation of their own record label, Denim on Denim Records.
Recorded at the Bomb Shelter Studio in Nashville, Tennessee and mixed by Andrija Tokic, “Take it on the Road” is something like a party within a recording—or rather, one who can take on the road. It’s an upbeat mix of mariachi and banjo-filled, foot-stompin’ bluegrass.
“Honestly, it was just one of those spontaneous moments that can happen in a recording studio,” says Tomato Lisa McLaggan. “Maybe it was all the tacos we had been eating, but we suddenly had a hankering for mariachi trumpets!”
“‘Take it on the Road’ expresses the need to pursue one’s goals and leave behind all the negativity that surrounds us in our day to day lives.”
And the track doesn’t stray far from its original point of inspiration: life on the road.
“Definitely from our touring,” says McLaggan, “… and John’s constant threats to get rid of all of his possessions except his guitars and become some sort of denim-clad monk.”
And while John may be entering into a monastic order, whether it’s the Levonians, or possibly the Jeansuit Order as McLaggan suggests, John’s adopted lifestyle doesn’t seem to come into conflict with the fact that Tomato/Tomato are pursuing their own goal in the form of starting their own record label, Denim on Denim Records.
“For now it’s just something to release our own music on but we’re not sure where it will go in the future,” continues Lisa McLaggan. “Lots of bands are just releasing under their own label names now. The industry is changing so quickly that it’s hard to keep up!“